Kiss the Ground

– Is Yoon Chahyun doing well with the training?“So-so.”After days of rain, the weekend afternoon finally broke out sunny. Yoon Chahyun sat at the entrance, holding his phone. The flowers and grass in the garden, soaked with moisture, were displaying their colors, but discussions about business were in full swing in the world.– When are we leaving for the away game? Usually a day or two before the match?“Probably. It’s not far from here, so… We’ll probably stay at a hotel near the stadium.”– It must be nerve-wracking. Are the preparations intense?“It’s something we do all the time.”Through the speaker, there was a busy sound of instructions from Cheon Sung-ju, directing someone aside from his conversation with Yoon Chahyun. Yoon Chahyun patiently waited for his return with the phone to his ear.Cheon Sung-ju, who oversees the filming and planning of documentaries, had been running around hectically since the last game. Locations seemed to change with every call, from London Eye to Big Ben to Trafalgar Square. He mentioned that landmark footage was crucial for creating the atmosphere of an English club. Although complaints about drone filming were always attached.– By the way, I heard you started self-filming?Cheon Sung-ju’s voice came close again amidst the bustling noise. Yoon Chahyun adjusted his phone.It was a task he had somewhat reluctantly taken on, but right now, it felt like he had become a child waiting for praise. Isn’t it a tremendous achievement, a personal close-up shot of the Winchester FC captain? It might be a rare material even MI6 couldn’t obtain. Yoon Chahyun suppressed his excitement and replied.“Oh. Have you seen what I shot? I just started yesterday, so I’ve only done one episode.”– I haven’t seen it yet, being so busy. But the editors on the other side have already seen it.“Oh, really?”– So, what did you film?“What do you mean?”Yoon Chahyun brought the phone closer to his ear at the sudden question.– What kind of video did you make that the editors are making such a fuss about? They don’t know where to start editing. Did you go to extreme lengths, running around with a camera strapped to your body?“No, it’s just ordinary stuff. Introducing the facilities and doing some exercises. It’s all stuff my brother told me to do.”– Really? Well, as long as there wasn’t a complete rejection, it should be fine, I guess…“Isn’t that the way to go?”– No, it should be fine once we add some editing. I’ll take some time later to check it out. Don’t stress, just keep going.Was it still an issue with the angle? Yoon Chahyun furrowed his brows. Given the rush and confusion about how to shoot, the video was surely not perfect. Plus, there were interruptions during filming. It couldn’t be helped since it was his first time.– So, today is a complete day off?“It’s a day off, but I have some appointments.”– Don’t rush around too much, take a break when you can. Starting next week, we’ll have interviews and photo shoots to do alongside training, so you’ll have to endure a bit.“Uh… got it.”It was when Yoon Chahyun was about to retort to Cheon Sung-ju’s not-so-subtle warning. The sound of an engine reverberated through the quiet residential street. Sitting in his place, Yoon Chahyun leaned forward to look outside the garden.“He’s here.”– Who? What’s going on?“…Hyung, I’m hanging up. You need to add my name to the credits later.”After a solemn plea, Yoon Chahyun playfully waved his fingers and ended the call with Cheon Sung-joo. It wasn’t an empty talk. If Chahyun were to devote himself from now on, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him not just the protagonist of the documentary, but the greatest supporter. Chahyun slowly rose from his seat and brushed off his buttocks.Approaching the front of the house, disrupting the tranquility of the peaceful residential area, was a black coupe sliding smoothly. The car, with its sleek body gleaming under the subdued light, came to a precise halt in front of Chahyun’s house. As the gardener by the mailbox swayed gently in the breeze, Chahyun silently observed the picturesque scene.Most athletes preferred flashy sports cars with convertible tops that whisked away or gull-wing doors that elegantly swiveled upward. It was probably because sleek designs and unrealistic speeds stimulated the minds of those who turned sports into a profession.However, the owner of the car parked in front of Chahyun’s house right now seemed distant from such an atmosphere. Honestly speaking, this elegant and classic design suited his image perfectly, much as he might not want to admit it.Chahyun approached the car with cautious steps. Though the tinted windows concealed the driver inside, the figure seemed to acknowledge Chahyun outside the window. After a brief pause, the driver’s side door opened gracefully. Emerging through the impeccably opened door was a slender leg encased in black trousers. With neat strides on polished shoes, the owner of the leg smoothly exited the car.“Oh… my goodness?” Chahyun murmured involuntarily. The owner of the car casually adjusted his attire in front of Chahyun, gently adjusting the watch on his left wrist. Chahyun watched with astonishment at the series of motions, akin to computer graphics. Finally, the figure tidied his tie once and raised his hand gracefully towards Chahyun, as if indicating he was ready. Even the angle was perfect.“Yuan.”“Is that a real suit?” Chahyun scanned the perfect specimen standing before him with arms spread out. Misha, nodding earnestly with a serious expression, was clad in a black suit from head to toe. Just by looking at the perfect fit, it didn’t seem like it was off-the-rack.“What… are you… going to get an award? Athlete of the Year?”“Not today.”Misha approached with a smile. It was like a scene from a car commercial. “For the sophisticated you, the best choice.” That’s how the narration would sound. Staring blankly at his graceful steps, Chahyun soon looked down at his own clothes. He was wearing a newly bought T-shirt and sweatpants. Even though he had made an effort, standing facing Misha made him feel like an accidental background character in a well-crafted advertisement. The protagonist of the photoshoot shrugged his shoulders and said,“How do I look?”Oh, come on…“What’s the big deal? Do you even know why you came to our house?”“It’s a selfie camera.”Misha responded to Chahyun’s grumbling as if singing a song. Even the sleeves of his shirt had shiny cufflinks attached. I can’t believe this… Chahyun couldn’t help but reach out and touch the luxurious piece of metal. Chahyun didn’t even wear cufflinks on the day he met the president. This wasn’t an everyday filming; it was more like an extraordinary one.“It doesn’t matter if your clothes get damaged!”“It’s okay.”Even though Misha looked proud in his polished appearance, Chahyun couldn’t believe it and raised his hand to lightly tap Misha’s arm. This kid needs to see how tough it can get. With a slightly mischievous thought in his mind, Chahyun turned towards the house, leaving clueless Misha to follow behind him occasionally.Yoon Chahyun’s front yard was neatly arranged. There used to be a picnic table and chairs for show, but Chahyun had packed them away in the basement earlier in the morning. It’s a hassle if someone gets hurt while frolicking on the grass. Today’s tasks were important enough to warrant such preparations.Chahyun led Misha to the spot where he had just been sitting and making calls. It had adequate natural light and space. Even though Misha had been here before, he wandered around the house as if it were his first time, like someone exploring a museum. Maybe he was too hungover to remember.“Misha, I’ll go get the equipment.”“Okay.”Leaving Misha, who was busy brushing the grass with his hand, Chahyun entered the house first. The tripod and camera, assembled and familiarized with since morning, were neatly placed inside the foyer. As he lifted the equipment and was about to step outside again, something suddenly leaped out from inside the house like lightning and flew into the garden.“Hey, you!”Chahyun shouted, but the dog leaped straight to Misha, who was kneeling in the garden. While it was planned for the dog to be part of the shoot, this was an unexpectedly vigorous entrance. With joy on his face at seeing the beloved face after a long time, Hong-sam wagged his tail like a helicopter and threw himself at Misha’s large frame continuously.“!”“Hong-sam, easy, easy…”If Misha hadn’t been an athlete, he would have been flattened by now, unlike an ordinary person who would have hit the ground a long time ago. He not only didn’t panic but also welcomed the affectionate onslaught of the large dog with open arms. He seemed unfazed by the idea of his nice suit getting dirty. Dry cleaning that fur would be quite a task. Watching their heartwarming reunion, Chahyun closed the front door behind him.“Hong-sam seems bigger than last time.”“His fur has grown. He’s fully grown now. If he gets any bigger, it’ll be really hard to handle.”“He’s really cute.”Misha stood up and twirled around with Hong-sam in the garden. Every time Misha praised the fur texture, Hong-sam bounced happily as if he were about to leap for joy. Is it really that good? Misha thought so. His nonsensical action of constantly touching fur the same color as his own hair was beyond comprehension. Maybe if you pluck one hair and mix it with the fur, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference… Laughing alone at his frivolous thoughts, Chahyun turned on the camera in his hand.The square viewfinder was filled with the joyous moment of a dog and a slender man in a suit. It was truly a bizarre combination, yet oddly fitting. The cheerful atmosphere seemed to be enhanced by the good weather. The sunny garden was definitely better than the indoors on a cloudy day. Adjusting the exposure settings with more skillful hands than before, Chahyun spoke to Misha without taking his eyes off the screen.“It’s a bit early, but shall we start now? It’s coming out really well.”Chahyun’s voice had a hint of laughter mixed in as he addressed Misha, who was busy playing with the dog and didn’t seem to hear. It felt like an enthusiastic struggle between a chasing beast and a chased human… but anyway, deciding to think positively, Yoon Chahyun started recording.“Misha, you’re really good at playing with him.”Chahyun admitted to himself that there was a hint of amusement in his voice. It was exciting enough to have someone else take care of the exhausting task of playing with a large dog, but now that he was also handling the self-camera, his mood kept getting better.The idea of filming scenes of Misha playing with Hong-sam seemed pretty good even to Chahyun himself. It was an idea that came to him after listening to Misha’s earnest request under the awning of a rainy restaurant the day before.“Misha Aspenloond = People like. Dog = People like. Good thing plus good thing equals awesome.”Although it was a bit unilateral to invite him home without informing Misha of this simple logic, seeing his happy expression now made it seem like not such a bad suggestion after all.“Are you tired already? Your speed seems a bit slower!”“Yuan…”Chahyun chuckled slightly like a slightly crazy director and peered into the camera. Misha glanced at him with a smirk, but Chahyun was busy capturing the scene. The banter and laughter between the two were nicely mixed, creating quite a natural scene. So, this is what a self-camera is like. Chahyun nodded to himself belatedly, feeling more accustomed to it.While Misha was busy cuddling and playing with the dog, he suddenly raised his hand towards Chahyun. Despite having jumped around quite a bit, he didn’t seem out of breath.“Maybe we could play with something, Yuan.”“Play with something?”“Yeah… like a dog toy or something.”Chahyun immediately thought of something. Holding the camera, he maneuvered like a crab and kicked out an item that was wedged under the stairs. It was a soccer ball sometimes used for solo exercises.“Here we go!”As Chahyun said this, he lightly tapped the ball forward, and Misha instinctively received it with his chest. Lifting the falling ball with his thigh, Misha skillfully removed his suit jacket. As he rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt, his well-defined arm muscles were revealed, along with the silver watch wrapped around his wrist. It had been a while since Misha had handled a ball, but due to his attire, it made for a particularly unique sight.Above their heads, the round object bouncing playfully sent Hong-sam into a frenzy. Following Misha’s movements, the dog jumped around cutely, but Misha skillfully dribbled the ball, cleverly avoiding the dog’s attempts to approach.Despite being relatively agile compared to his size, the canine player seemed unable to match the efforts of the human player in the game of ball play. Yoon Chahyun couldn’t help but burst into laughter several times at this pitiable and adorable sight. Although the sound would surely be captured in the video, there was nothing to be done about it.“Let’s steal it, Hong-sam.”Misha declared seriously and then skillfully maneuvered the ball. The two of them completed several laps from one end of the garden to the other in quick succession. As the intense competition continued, Chahyun’s heart somehow soared. Sports were usually like that.The moment when Misha cleverly passed the ball through Hong-sam’s legs as the latter rushed to steal it was remarkable. While Hong-sam was confused, Misha smoothly received the ball that rolled behind him and ran in the opposite direction. This technique of passing the ball between a defender’s legs, commonly known as “nutmeg,” offered praise for the skillful control to the attacking player and brought humiliating defeat to the defending player. Moreover, since Hong-sam had four legs, the difficulty was doubled.Dare to nutmeg my dog? In that moment of irritation and determination, Chahyun swiftly ran to grab the tripod he had placed nearby. It took only a few seconds to fix the camera onto it.After roughly checking the shooting angle, Chahyun jumped into the midst of Misha and Hong-sam. Seeing Misha’s face as he successfully stood the ball up with his foot, there was a smile that seemed to say, “I knew you could do it.”“Instead of showing off your skills to the dog, play with me. Every time you succeed, it’s one point.”“Okay. What’s the prize if I win?”“I don’t know, but if I win, I get something.”“What is it?”“I get to bathe him.”Chahyun pointed to Hong-sam, who was covered in slobber. At the sudden confrontation with the two humans, Hong-sam sat on the ground with his hindquarters down. His panting tongue was a cute shade of pink.“It’s okay.”Nodding slightly, Misha pushed his tie through the gap in the front of his dress shirt. It might have been quite awkward to straighten out the mess, but seeing him tidy it up now, was he actually provoking something by holding back until now? Chahyun glared at him for no reason. Despite the intense gaze, Misha kicked the ball first.In the soft afternoon sunlight pouring down, an unexpected confrontation was unfolding in Yoon Chahyun’s backyard.The two humans and one dog walking out of the bathroom were literally soaked rats.The nutmeg game that had unfolded all afternoon ended with Yoon Chahyun’s narrow victory. The moment Misha finally admitted his defeat came when the sun was setting. Just a couple of hours ago, his pristine white shirt had been neatly tucked in, but now it was as if someone had grabbed it by the collar and tossed it aside.Seeing the defeated look of the loser, Chahyun felt a clear sense of having successfully avenged the ridicule of his dog, but at the same time, he felt a tiny bit sorry. After all, bathing a dog the size of Hong-sam was a daunting task that even an amateur would hesitate to undertake. Anyway, having a weak heart was definitely a problem.They carried Hong-sam into the house like a rice sack, holding him tightly. Their feet, worn out from vigorous outdoor activity, simply couldn’t step into the living room.Despite Chahyun’s offer to take on the punishment like a gentleman, Misha politely declined, but his stubbornness didn’t last more than twenty minutes. Rolling up his sleeves and trouser legs, and looking forlornly through the crack of the bathroom door at Chahyun, Misha’s appearance was quite pitiful. Chahyun bit his tongue to keep from laughing as he followed him into the bathroom.While Misha poured water over Hong-sam’s back, Chahyun vigorously scrubbed his body. They became a team, enemies in the garden turned teammates in the bathroom. Watching Chahyun skillfully bathe Hong-sam, a skill honed over several years of caretaking, Misha kept his eyes wide open. It seemed he had experience raising smaller or medium-sized dogs. Compared to this battlefield, those friends of similar size were, well, just kids playing around.“Misha, let him down.”“He’s good, Hong-sam.”“What do you mean, good? You saw him snapping at us.”“Well, yeah.”Misha gently placed Hong-sam on the floor. The dog, now even more hefty from drinking water, joyfully rolled around on the large absorbent towel Chahyun had laid out beforehand. Watching the carefree sight, Chahyun and Misha straightened their sore backs and stretched their achy arms.“More tiring than it looks, huh? Don’t you think it’s punishment-worthy?” Chahyun teased.“Did you usually do this alone?”“If not me, who else?”As Misha wiped away the water droplets dripping from under his chin, he glanced sidelong at Chahyun. It seemed he just now realized the source of Winchester 12’s stamina. Chahyun looked down at the mess on the floor with a sense of pride for having relieved himself of a heavy burden. The water droplets that had started from the bathroom were gradually spreading, reaching their feet. Like people practicing under a waterfall, they were soaked to the bone. Misha nonchalantly brushed off his arms, his transparent dress shirt clinging to his body in places. Although he had declared it a self-imposed punishment, Chahyun felt he should at least treat Misha to a meal. It would feel strange not to send him off after feeding him something substantial. Ordering some Chinese food would be perfect, but there were no convenient places around here.“Since it’s late, how about we grab dinner before you go? Nothing fancy, and I’m not a good cook, but if you’re okay with that… I roughly know what you like since we’ve eaten together before.”“Sure!”Before Chahyun could finish his sentence, Misha turned around with a delighted expression. As a result, a few water droplets that had clung to his hair flew unceremoniously onto Chahyun’s face. How much water did he flip around for that to happen… It was when Chahyun wiped his cheek and looked at Misha’s face to discuss the menu.“Huh? When did this happen to your face?”“What do you mean?”“That, your face…”Captivated by the unexpected discovery, Chahyun stared intently at Misha’s face. Misha widened his eyes in surprise at Chahyun’s gaze just below his eyes, then cautiously raised his hand to feel his own face.“Why? Is something on it?”“Don’t touch it.”Chahyun grabbed Misha’s wandering hand, which had climbed up without a clear destination. It was about to touch his scar where the medical tape had come off. Perhaps due to the sudden movement caused by the water, the tape had lost its adhesive power and was hanging halfway off, dangerously swaying from where it should have been securely attached.When did this happen? It hadn’t been noticeable even in the bathroom just now.Hong-sam, perhaps feeling particularly good because there were two people washing him today, shook his body vigorously. As a result, Chahyun and Misha had to be hit by water droplets every few minutes. Even their faces and hair were not exceptions, so it was natural that they couldn’t withstand it even with medical excuses. The reason the coaches had prohibited Misha from training was probably because of this. If sweat or water got into the wound, it could lead to complications. Just like the current situation…Chahyun unconsciously twisted his expression. His own carelessness was maddening. Why did he suggest such a game without thinking? His voice sank with the thought that he had brought someone who hadn’t fully recovered yet and caused an accident for no reason.“The tape covering your wound fell off. Maybe it’s because of the water.”“Ah. I felt something was off.”“We should probably take some measures…”“It’s okay, Yuan. The doctor said I’m almost completely healed. This shouldn’t be too serious.”Misha offered a faint smile. The wound revealed through the loose tape didn’t seem to be as serious as he had feared, but Misha was good at reassuring Chahyun. After a moment of thought, Chahyun grabbed Misha’s arm.“We probably have something similar at our house. It might not be as good as what’s in the medical center, but… Let’s deal with that first, before anything else.”“We can probably do without it for a day, right?”“Absolutely not.”Holding onto Misha, who weakly insisted, Chahyun turned him around, and he surprisingly followed quietly. Holding onto his damp sleeve, Chahyun led him to the bedroom.“Do you remember this place?”“A little bit? Just waking up in the morning.”As Chahyun sat Misha on the bed, he subtly asked about his memory. Being in this room with him naturally brought back memories of that night’s fierce struggle. The ordeal of two large figures, nearly reaching 187cm in height, clashing and rolling until they reached this bed. It was like a modern-day epic… To see Misha’s calm face, completely devoid of any memory of that night’s battle, Chahyun glanced at the storage space inside the dressing room.“I found it.”From deep inside a drawer, Chahyun took out a first aid kit that was rarely used at home. Since they rarely stayed at home and most injuries were treated at the club, there was rarely a need for it, but it was good to have it ready just in case. There might still be some tape left inside that was used for knee or wrist support. Carrying the box, Chahyun returned to the bedside and sat next to Misha.“Okay, here it is.”Chahyun opened the lid of the first aid kit with a click and rummaged through it. Misha leaned over and peered into the box.“Is this the same tape I used?”“No, this is for joint taping… But it should be fine to use for a day since the effects are similar. Still, we should ask the doctor to switch it back to what you were originally using tomorrow.”Chahyun first looked at Misha’s face to remove the tape that had originally been attached. He didn’t have much medical knowledge about injuries other than muscle or bone fractures, but he knew that it wasn’t advisable to stick something wet onto a wound. As he fixed Misha’s face to look at him, Misha stared back at Chahyun’s face intently. Avoiding his gaze, Chahyun carefully removed the remaining tapes.As everything was peeled off, the intact appearance of the unfamiliar wound slowly revealed itself. As Misha had said, it seemed to be almost healed. It looked like it was in the midst of transitioning from a wound to a scar.“…”Chahyun truly saw his face for the first time in a while. On his bare face, without any obstructions, there were long traces from his ears to under his eyes. They weren’t clear, but they were distinctly red marks that couldn’t be ignored. It was just unfortunate that those scars marred Asplund’s face, that they were unbearable… Everyone had gathered around expressing concerns about his appearance, but at this moment, Chahyun thought all those words were meaningless. Because, even with those cracks, Misha’s face didn’t look unpleasant.The line drawn on his noble face gave off an impression closer to sacredness rather than being grotesque or repulsive. It was almost like the mark of a noble saint who had received some holy stigmata. Chahyun unconsciously stopped his hand and stared at his face.“Why?”“No reason.”Misha glanced at Chahyun’s face with a hint of amusement in his puzzled voice. Chahyun licked his lips unknowingly. His hurried motion of tearing the new tape package seemed a bit off.“Why are you acting like this?”“It’s nothing.”There was a faint hint of laughter in Misha’s voice as he probed for the second reason. To dispel the strange sense of defeat, Chahyun maintained a poker face.