Kiss the Ground

“Goodness! Has our son arrived?”“Oh, Hyung. Can you please stop using that term? We’re only five years apart, what’s with calling me ‘Hyung’? Even our parents don’t call us that.”“If he’s handsome, everyone calls him their son, that’s what people say.”As Yoon Chahyun entered the temporary interview preparation room set up, Cheon Sungju walked over like a crane and wrapped his arms around him. Despite Chahyun wrinkling his forehead at Sungju’s excessively warm and affectionate attitude over the past three weeks, he couldn’t push him away. Sungju’s occasional scolding of Chahyun, always calm and objective, wasn’t entirely unwelcome.“It’s nice to see you in a uniform again. Going to the round of 16 now? You look even prettier.”“This outfit is just an outfit.”“No, really. Have you lost weight? You look slimmer.”Chahyun swallowed his admiration inwardly at Sungju’s rather sharp observation hidden within his words. It was true that he had lost around 2kg recently. Was it due to rigorous training, dietary control, or… Chahyun shook his head to dispel the image of a certain person that popped into his mind.“Who’s the person inside? Who did you invite that you didn’t even tell me?”“Meeting someone spontaneously is fresher than planning ahead. You have to give a bit of a show. It was a bit of a hassle to invite anyone during this busy season when all the players are occupied.”Well, Sungju did mention he had a loose schedule. There probably weren’t many colleagues who had the luxury to spare time for someone else’s interview, especially now.“It’s probably Winston or Alois, huh. Are there anyone else who’s going to talk about me?”“There are more.”“Well… Did you even bring a real director?”“Well, go inside and see.”Sungju stepped aside with a pleased expression, gesturing towards the door leading to the interview room. The cameras that had been capturing Chahyun’s every move also shifted to follow Sungju’s movements, clearing a path. Chahyun glanced briefly at their meaningful expressions as he stood in front of the interview room door. Because he was late due to the delay in preparation, his colleague who would assist him in the broadcast was probably already inside.Chahyun opened the door with a swish.“……”And then he promptly closed the door. Turning around slowly, Sungju wore a proud expression like no other. Chahyun exclaimed loudly like a tyrannosaurus rex.“It’s the two of them!”“Yeah, mate. Impressive, isn’t it?”“How did they… that combination…?”It was almost a stunned soliloquy, but Sungju seemed to take it as praise. With a fist on his hip and striking a magnificent pose, he chuckled.“Well, I was hesitant to contact them at first, but once I mentioned your name, they immediately agreed. Our Yoon Chahyun gets along well with everyone. I raised you well.”“……”“I bet people are going to love this, even in your opinion, right? They’re really hot ones.”Chahyun gripped his head right there. Of all times… of all times! Why them among so many players? Even the heavens seemed indifferent. Chahyun suppressed the throbbing pain between his thumb and index finger.“I’m going crazy…”But now that it had come to this, there was no other way out. There were easily over 30 people gathered just for Yoon Chahyun’s interview shoot. With the confirmation of reaching the round of 8 and considering the anticipation and support from the fans, there was no avoiding it.Chahyun took a moment to catch his breath, then slowly grasped the door handle and stepped inside.“…Hello… everyone.”“Hi, Yuan.”“Yuan.”Dressed in identical uniforms and seated in filming chairs, the two, Cahill and Misha, turned their heads simultaneously as if they had made a pact. But perhaps due to the mood, the air felt cold and tense, as if the air conditioning had been turned on. Stepping into the atmosphere akin to a sauna’s ice room, Chahyun scanned the faces of the two who sat somewhat apart.With legs crossed and sitting relaxed, Cahill, and Misha, sitting with their backs slouched like delinquents, was truly an unexpected duo. Let’s say, even conceding to Misha. But why on earth would the famously reclusive Cahill Love agree to an interview for a documentary from a distant country… and on top of that, Misha’s unimpressed expression, seeming to chew on something, was just an added bonus.“I’m pissed.”It’s a well-known fact that he dislikes Cahill and Yoon Chahyun being in the same place. As always, Cahill’s calm demeanor contrasted sharply with Misha’s expression, which could tear clothes apart at any moment, was too harsh.“Yuan, good morning.”Sitting to the right with his hands on his hips in the empty space among the three chairs, Cahill greeted warmly. Although they had been training together since their sudden encounter at the cafe, it had been a while since they sat this close and had a conversation. Chahyun robotically turned his stiffening head and returned the greeting.“Ca, Cahill. Good morning… I didn’t know you’d agree to the broadcast.”“It’s your interview. I didn’t know it was this kind of concept, but it seems interesting. And I quite enjoyed your self-camera last time.”Leaning back in his chair, Cahill spoke with a graceful voice. Chahyun didn’t miss the moment Cahill’s gaze briefly flicked past Yoon Chahyun to Misha. There was an unusual intensity in his calm gaze, a light positioned somewhere between curiosity and investigation… His serious expression, gently probing the relationship between Misha and Chahyun, was as clear as yesterday.“Oh my…”Starting like this would spell trouble. Chahyun forced a clumsy smile, then raised his hand to the staff.“Just a moment. I need to attend to something before we start.”“Hurry back.”Confirming Sungju’s nod, Chahyun tugged at Misha’s uniform sleeve on the left. In response to the silent urging, Misha quietly rose from his seat and followed Chahyun. But seeing Chahyun seek Cahill’s permission once more, Misha’s expression remained unchanged, showing no signs of relenting.Once in the corridor, Chahyun stood Misha near the wall like a mannequin. Making sure nobody was around, Chahyun whispered sharply.“Why are you here?! You should have told me if you were going to participate in the interview! Is that difficult?!”“…I wanted to surprise you. Yuan, I didn’t expect you to be here.”Chahyun’s mouth fell open in disbelief at Misha’s cute voice coming from his chubby face. He was definitely surprised. If that was the goal, it succeeded. But before the excuses could end, Misha protruded his lips.“But…”“But?”“I was surprised. What’s up with that? Why is it Cahill Love again at your interview instead of me?”“You didn’t know?”“Yeah. When I was approached by your manager, there was definitely no mention of that.”“…Ah, so that’s how it happened.”So, neither of them had communicated with each other. Well, it’s not like ordinary people would know what their relationship is like. The staging of Misha and Cahill, both classified as ‘completely hot guys,’ being in the same place would’ve been a nod only to Sungju. However… that choice wasn’t good for Yoon Chahyun either.“What exactly is the relationship between Misha Asplund and you?”Chahyun had received such a question from Cahill less than a week ago. But a week was enough time for some sort of ‘relationship’ to develop between Yoon Chahyun and Misha. Thanks to that, seeing his face again now brought about a very uncomfortable feeling. Chahyun cleared his throat and said,“Anyway, since it’s come to this, don’t make it obvious anymore and behave. Knowing it’s not with Cahill, you’re still…”“If you tell me what it’s not with.”Seeing Chahyun’s troubled expression, Misha suddenly spoke in a serious tone.“What it’s not… It’s only with you.”“Only with me?”“With you only…”As Chahyun lifted his head, Misha’s smiley lips were seen. Unexpected mischief filled his eyes, contrary to what Chahyun had expected, thinking he would just sulk. As Chahyun opened his mouth, Misha stepped forward. The naturally approaching gaze brought a weakness to Chahyun’s resolve.“Yeah, it can only be like this with you. Because of that contract.”The breath coming closer to his nose was already quite familiar. In recent times, it had been felt several times, this subtle tension. Against the backdrop of the white wall, Misha slightly lowered his head.However, what snapped Chahyun back to reality was the sound coming from behind Misha’s back, within the wall. Inside, Yoon Chahyun’s interview preparation was in full swing. The presence of the staff and Sungju waiting for the two who had just stepped out into the corridor crossed his mind.“Yeah. Because of this contract. If you knew, just bear with it without unnecessary thoughts. It’ll be over soon.”Chahyun placed his hand on Misha’s chest and exerted a bit of pressure. Counteracted with the same words he had uttered, Misha nodded his head slightly with a somewhat weakened expression. At the brink of surrender, Chahyun let out a small sigh. It truly was like walking on thin ice.“…Thank you for your answers, both players. Now, let’s move on.”Despite concerns, the interview went smoothly. If there was any issue, it was solely Yoon Chahyun’s embarrassment.Starting from Yoon Chahyun’s first impression, the questions ranged from his playing style, mistakes, to his taste in food and fashion. The faces of the staff did not change, as if the protagonist seated at the ceremonial table was effortlessly selling himself. Was this what the Chahyun squad was always like? It seemed impossible to respond sensibly without being as thick-skinned as Park Jeongjo, who even brought entertainment into the mix.Going through each question, Chahyun constantly kept an eye on Misha sitting on his left. Cahill, naturally of a reserved nature, didn’t require separate attention, but Misha did. However, surprisingly, after the conversation with Chahyun, he maintained a fairly mature attitude. His prompt responses without any signs of resentment were indeed a significant improvement.“Now, we’re finally moving on to the last question corner.”The staff shuffled through the papers as they spoke. Chahyun internally cheered. If he could just leave this room, he’d give Misha’s butt a pat.“Before we move on to the last corner, there’s a question Yoon Chahyun needs to answer. First… Cahill Love, who participated in the interview with you, what kind of colleague is he, if you could briefly tell us?”It was a bit embarrassing, but it was a question Chahyun could anticipate. Asking about the relationship between players usually meant the interview was nearing its end. It really seemed like there wasn’t much time left. Chahyun answered as if reading from a script.“Reliable. He’s the captain, and we play in the same position. And although it’s not so apparent here, we’re the same age. Besides, he has leadership qualities and carries a lot of weight, so he’s a colleague I have a lot to learn from.”When it came to Cahill, the words were predetermined. Probably, everyone expected such an answer. Sungju might express dissatisfaction again, calling it AI-like, but what could be done about Chahyun’s natural disposition? With a response that couldn’t be added to, the staff nodded and proceeded.“Thank you for the concise answer. Now, we’d like to ask about Misha Asplund, please.”As Misha’s name was mentioned, he turned his head to look at Chahyun. Chahyun, in turn, opened his mouth to respond.“Misha is…”“Misha is…” But Chahyun hesitated like a goldfish opening and closing its mouth. Only the sound of the camera lenses rotating filled the silence. And more eyes than that were watching every move of Chahyun’s eyes.Words didn’t come. The countless adjectives that described Cahill vanished in an instant, and his mind went blank out of the blue. What words could describe Misha Asplund?He had to say something to avoid looking awkward. His mouth moved faster than his thoughts. What came out was an unintentional syllable.“Misha is… cute…”Cute?“Cute and…”Damn it. I caused this accident.Chahyun blinked dumbfoundedly, facing the staff with similarly blank expressions. A silence fell over the interview room due to the word that unintentionally slipped out. Yoon Chahyun himself was equally bewildered. Why of all things, such words? Cute… What madness. Thinking he needed to salvage the situation, Chahyun awkwardly continued to speak.“And… passionate, and healthy. A player who learns well, no matter what is taught.”Each word he uttered lacked any substantial sports-related information. It was a complete disqualification as an answer from a soccer player. However, Chahyun knew exactly why he came up with such expressions.That damn kiss…!Everyone was speechless at the rare sight of Chahyun, who was known as an interview robot, being flustered. They doubted whether this was truly the answer of that soccer player, Yoon Chahyun. A hot flush rose to their ears as they realized it. It was the first time they had seen such a foolish interview since their youth. But the staff, carrying the weight of the heaven-like Sungju on their shoulders, didn’t even bother to scrutinize Chahyun’s expression.“Um… Could we ask for some additional explanation regarding the last answer, Yoon Chahyun? It seems like an interesting story.”A man who appeared to be the main PD rummaged through the documents, scratching his forehead with the back of his pen. He wore a rather serious expression, perhaps considering the length of the interview.“Additional explanation?”“Yes. An explanation of what Misha has learned well, for example. If there’s an anecdote, could you briefly tell us?”“…Ah, an anecdote.” Chahyun found himself gripping the armrest of his chair unknowingly. It could have been a reasonable request, but this moment was different. There was only one anecdote coming to Chahyun’s mind right now. His mind spun like a faulty gear.“It’s nothing special, but there was a separate occasion where… I had to teach some individual skills…”“Are you referring to dribbling skills? And you also give and receive personal lessons with your teammates?”“Yes…”“So, you recognized Misha’s potential back then?”His voice sounded forced, as if being interrogated, but the sparkle in the staff’s eyes didn’t fade. Although he felt like darting out of the room immediately, there were too many contracts to uphold in modern society.“Well… He inherently had talent, and he was quick on his feet, so he learned techniques quickly and… applied them swiftly in actual matches. He also had good interpretation and application…”“I see.”“Although young, he’s a teammate we can continue to look forward to.”Was this what they meant by “the thief has an itchy foot”? Hoping it would sound like a story related to his profession, Chahyun hurriedly finished his response. Whether Chahyun’s quick ending was within acceptable bounds, the staff nodded satisfactorily. He wished they hadn’t asked any follow-up questions; he wanted to kneel down in gratitude. However, what followed his response was even more shocking.“In fact, the inquiry about both players was for the next question. There’s a segment prepared where two other players will answer a quiz about Yoon Chahyun. It’s because there’s a quiz segment where they’ll be competing to see who knows more about Yoon Chahyun.”A dizzying sensation washed over Chahyun, as if cold water had been poured over him. Who was quizzing whom…? Opening his slightly trembling lips, Chahyun futilely asked,“A quiz? About me? And they’ll be answering it?”“Yes, a quiz. Actually, we called it a friendship test amongst ourselves.”“Fr…iendship test?”He felt like freezing to death…“Yes, it’s a game where they compete to see who knows more about Yoon Chahyun. And if you look this way…”With that, he rummaged through the prop box he had. “The one who gets more correct answers will receive a gift we’ve prepared.” Eventually, what emerged was a stuffed doll about 20cm tall. It was shaped like a person, but who it was supposed to represent was anyone’s guess. However, one could barely make out that it was meant to be Chahyun, wearing a bright red South Korean national team uniform with the number 12 stitched on it, giving off an eerie vibe as if it would walk around the living room alone at night.“Well, I think motivation is necessary, haha.” Chahyun, with eyes flickering like a pendulum, observed the entire filming situation from afar and looked at Seon Cheonsung, who was standing beside him.This isn’t it… This isn’t part of the content.Although he had mentally prepared for a somewhat embarrassing situation as it was a joint interview concept, he had sworn that it wouldn’t be this humiliating. Separating them like this, and even provoking a fight between them. Where was the friendship between these two supposed to be?The embarrassment was beyond description, and even if it wasn’t his turn, the sense of crisis was reaching its limit. Chahyun blinked his trembling eyes. Whether Seongju understood the urgent SOS signal from his desperate eyelids or not, he elegantly raised his thumb to Chahyun. The staff’s voice explaining the rules of the game in English sounded like a voice from hell from afar.“The questions are simple, just three of them. You just have to answer them one by one in any order. The first question is…”It was a situation beyond repair. Chahyun quickly glanced at the two sitting on either side. He was more concerned about the rigid posture of Misha, who had firmly set his lips, contrasting with Cahill’s subtle smile. Regardless of his desire to wrap his head in his hands, the first question mercilessly fell.“What is Yoon Chahyun’s height and weight?”What the heck!Chahyun suppressed the urge to scream. What kind of colleague knows such information? Not a coach, not a doctor, not a fan. Yet, the answers that came from both sides exceeded Chahyun’s expectations.“184 centimeters, 75 kilograms… I think.”“184 centimeters, 73 kilograms.”The former came from Cahill, and the latter from Misha. With a shiver running down his spine, Chahyun swallowed hard. How on earth did they know that? Those short records that are only found in regular physical check-up reports.As the answers diverged, the numerous people gathered in front instantly fell silent, enduring the intriguing silence. Chahyun pressed his back firmly against the backrest of the chair. The PD in charge spoke with a voice that seemed very pleased.“Oh, the correct answer is based on the official records of Winchester United FC, 184 centimeters, 75 kilograms. It was correctly guessed by player Cahill. The score is 1:0.”“Well done for remembering. I also felt a bit greedy for the prize his fans would want.”Cahill expressed his thoughts with a gentle smile. Assessing a teammate’s profile as a captain could be considered possible, if one were to judge. However… the true answer was known only to Yoon Chahyun himself.Chahyun rolled his eyes and observed Misha’s expression. With a chilling face that gave no indication of what he might be thinking, Misha lowered his head without any protest to the ruling that had been made. How on earth did he get it right?Certainly, lately he had been spending a lot of time with Misha, even closer than others. But could just such a situation determine how much weight Chahyun had lost? While Chahyun was lost in confusion, the staff fluttered the document in their hands and continued speaking.“The next question is a bit personal… What is the name of Yoon Chahyun’s pet dog?”Please stop!Chahyun clenched his knees tightly. It really was a personal question. Even among teammates who spent all day together, knowing the name of the dog one owns wasn’t common. Even Cahill, who was aware of Yoon Chahyun’s official height and weight, couldn’t help but chuckle.“Well, this is a really difficult question. We know he has a dog, but…”“Right? We also thought it might be a bit of a difficult question.”The staff nodded with a diplomatic smile. Since there were only three questions, they had no choice but to give some differentiation in points. However, what dug into the awkward atmosphere was Misha’s clear response.“Hongsam…”Chahyun slowly raised his hand to his chin. Yeah, you know that too. My dog’s name. Sleeping in the same bed, and not only that, playing a cool match of soccer. The unexpected cute name drew a sigh immediately afterward.“Oh… That’s correct! Given how quickly you answered, it seems like you’ve known the name for a while.”“Yes. We’ve met.”The tone was somewhat mocking, as if even mentioning the neighbor next door. Cahill’s gaze turned once again to Misha.“It was quite a challenging question, but it seems it wasn’t difficult for player Misha. The score is now tied at 1:1. Both of you seem to boast an unspoken friendship.”Please, don’t make jokes. Chahyun didn’t even realize his left leg was trembling sweetly. The proud voice continued.“A prize will be awarded to the player who correctly answers one more question.”The staff pointed to the doll of Chahyun placed on the table. Was that really an item of significance as a prize? The doll, with eyes fixed on the empty air like fish eyes on a platter, was not much different from Chahyun’s current state, leaving him in a strange mood.Whatever had happened, it was still a game. The phrase “1:1 tie” had a nuance that sparked a strange competitiveness among the players. The two sitting beside Chahyun had leaned slightly forward, waiting for the next question. Unable to immerse himself in the tension, Chahyun leaned back behind his chair, looking at them alone. The rising of his head was another question mark.“Is this game really not a bit dangerous?”What if Misha loses? What if someone else snatches away that ridiculous looking doll from Chahyun, who puts his heart and soul into everything? Even worse, if that opponent is Cahill. What words could possibly console him then? Just patting him on the back might not be enough to make up for it.“Win, Misha.”That was all he could do. After all, right now, he was Yoon Chahyun’s painful finger. Maybe the old folks were not entirely wrong when they said they would give a little extra treat. With a slightly biased feeling, Chahyun glanced at the staff preparing the final question.“Do you know any Korean? One point will be given to the player who gives the correct answer.”It was a question clearly aimed at Winchester fans in Korea. A question targeting Korean patriotism! Chahyun absentmindedly bit his lower lip.The Korean language that Korean players can teach foreign players is limited. Of course, it’s because of pronunciation issues. Despite colleagues urging Chahyun to sing a famous song or introduce himself in his native language, they never managed to pronounce Yoon Chahyun’s name correctly. The things Chahyun could teach them were usually just a few words of greeting suitable for short interviews.As Chahyun realized this, Cahill raised his hand first on the right side. When Chahyun turned his head to look at him with a sense of defeat, his gaze met a faint smile. It was an undeniable display of victory. A soft and low voice spread through the interview room.“『Thank you.』”