Kiss the Ground

The atmosphere in the seminar room, with players gathered around in a circle, was solemn. Each face, alternating between looking at the whiteboard and the table while holding the documents for the preparation of the Round of 8, carried an undeniable tension. A large screen displayed various formations and strategies, alternating with professional analysis from the coaches.The Champions League Round of 8. As the number of teams in the tournament dwindled, the attention in the football world and the tension within the club escalated day by day. The expression on Blue’s face, who had gently managed the players towards aiming for the Round of 16, was now quite different. Jokes were nowhere to be found in the gestures rearranging strategies on the whiteboard.Crossing the Round of 8 meant reaching the semi-finals from the Round of 4. As hope, which had seemed somewhat vague at first, gradually became clearer, even the slightest expectation crept into every member of the club, without exception.Chahyun listened attentively to the coach’s explanation while looking at the documents in his hand. The thick documents contained numerous information and analyses about the upcoming opponent, Villadebalto CF, in the Round of 8 for Winchester United FC. It covered expected starting lineups of players, their recent scores, commonly used formations and strategies, and even their performance in the Round of 16. It was a thorough explanation that left no room for gaps.Villadebalto C.F., a powerhouse in the Dutch league and the runner-up of last season’s Champions League. They adhered to excellent attacking squads and classical strategies, sharing a history with Winchester FC of struggling to win trophies. However, their consistent appearance in the semi-finals for several years showed a difference in experience.After confirming their entry into the Round of 8, Winchester FC immediately began preparing counter-strategies against Villadebalto CF. Chahyun also engaged in analysis by reviewing matches until the data was worn out. Villadebalto, with explosive attacking power and organic defensive strength, was a formidable opponent without a corresponding strategy.However… there was a separate concern about Villadebalto CF’s performance before the match.“Now, the most important aspect to focus on is this.”Coach Martinez pointed at the screen while looking at the players. The screen displayed footage from Villadebalto’s Round of 16, 2nd leg match. It showed a situation of contention in front of Villadebalto’s goal. The crossing arms and legs of the players, the rapid gestures, the flowing ball, and…“…above all, we need to pay attention to these rough movements.”“Ugh…”Painful groans erupted from various parts of the seminar room. The sight of Villadebalto defender clearly kicking the opponent’s striker’s shin and the latter rolling on the field in agony was almost cruel. It was particularly gruesome for those who were in the same profession.“People’s agility in dodging eye contact is quite a skill, even if there’s nothing to show for it because of the win.”“It’s not about the desire to win, it’s a personality issue. They say we need group counseling? Is it reasonable to keep doing this every time… It’s not like this is a martial arts competition.”“But seeing one opposing player after another being sent off in an ambulance every game, isn’t that the club policy for this season?”“They’re saying they’ll break them by sheer force.” Someone’s muttered words echoed amidst the murmurs. Amidst the tense atmosphere, Chahyun also got lost in his thoughts alone.“This is it. The chronic worry that preceded Villadebalto. They had been displaying behavior akin to organized violence on the field, becoming accustomed to defeating the opposing team recently.”“It was a fact already proven by numerous clubs that had faced Villadebalto. The amount of nosebleeds from their subtle tricks was endearing. It seemed like their training curriculum included ways to secretly mess with someone, they hit so well without getting caught.”“And then, after that, they’d roll away as if they hadn’t done anything to them… It was truly enough to secure the championship trophy. Of course, this case was not in the Champions League but on the Oscar side.”“These days, even if you turn back, you can see whether it’s a foul or not. Do they really have to be this rough?”Jude, sitting right next to him, whispered to Chahyun, his nose wrinkled in disapproval. It was a chaotic moment of sharing opinions.“They keep getting penalized every time. Is that really a strategy?”“With such a strategy, how did they come this far? Having to play against these guys twice is the biggest misfortune of the season.”Jude shrugged at Chahyun’s cynical response. It was true. The first game played away and the second game played at home. It’s the same this time, you have to play two matches to advance.“Ah, the Netherlands… It feels distant when you think about traveling.”Jude sighed inwardly. It was natural to have such concerns when facing the rough play surrounded by Villadebalto home fans. The away date was just a few days away. Chahyun nodded.“Yeah. I should take care of my condition. Especially since the first game is at the Villadebalto Stadium, they’ll have a significant advantage.”“But still, you seem like you have nothing to worry about?”“Huh?”Unexpectedly, Chahyun glanced away from the paperwork and turned towards Jude at his unexpected words. With a raised eyebrow, as if questioning whether his words were correct, Jude met Chahyun’s gaze.“You’re in top condition these days! Flying around everywhere, what’s there to worry about? Just keep doing what you’re doing.”“It’s not that simple.”“It is. Everyone’s in high spirits these days, but from what I’ve seen, you’re the best among them. Haven’t you completely returned to your form from before the league?”“Is that so?”There had been many people praising Chahyun’s recent condition. However, hearing such words from none other than Jude was particularly nerve-wracking. Was it because of the incidents in the locker room, or the many tense moments? A different kind of tension lingered as they contemplated strategies to counter Villadebalto’s rough play.Chahyun casually turned his gaze to the opposite table. And right after that, his eyes met directly with the person sitting far across the table.Misha, who had been staring fixedly at Chahyun like a lazy student, narrowed his eyes as their gazes met, as if he had been waiting. His appearance illuminated by the group seminar was indeed after a long time, but his expression of nonchalance resembled an unruly child.“Look at him, not paying attention.”Since the joint interview with Yoon Chahyun last time, Misha had been allowed by the coach to participate in the seminar preparing for the 8th round away game. Perhaps his facial injuries from a few weeks ago had recovered much faster than expected by the medical team, and despite missing several real matches and countless practice games, his form had hardly deteriorated. Although the starting lineup had not been completely announced yet, his confident presence here was halfway confirming his participation in the game officially.But despite all this, that guy was still just staring at Chahyun’s face. Yoon Chahyun, who barely graduated from high school with his name barely hanging there, also vaguely knew that such guys were not particularly interested in classes. There was no other way. Just accommodate.“What are you doing instead of looking at the paper?”“I was looking at you.”“Other than that, come on.”When Chahyun silently moved his mouth and hands to communicate without being noticed by anyone, Misha responded in the same manner. What are you looking at. His short sentences were like those of a rebellious high school student, but reading lips speaking English was not an easy task. As Chahyun concentrated hard and narrowed his focus, Misha clearly moved his lips again.“I have something to say.”Something to say? Misha directed an expression at Chahyun that revealed nothing of his thoughts. It probably wasn’t a question about this long and boring seminar. Misha gestured downward with his index finger.“Meet me downstairs after it’s over.”“…Alright.”“I’ll be waiting.”He showed Chahyun a faintly satisfied expression as he nodded with a slightly uneasy feeling. His confident attitude somehow annoyed Chahyun, who waved the paper in his hand.“Now look at this.”As Chahyun’s persistence waned, he slowly lowered his gaze towards the documents. It was a blatant action, as if saying, “I listen so well.”Not long after that, the seminar ended. The coaches didn’t forget to remind the players about injury prevention and health management until they got up from their seats. It was natural; this game wasn’t the last of the year. In order to maintain an unwavering career after this, they needed to be wary of major injuries.“Yuan, about what I mentioned earlier.”Amidst the players busily preparing to leave, Jude nudged Chahyun’s side. Setting aside the paperwork, Chahyun turned to face him.“What I mentioned earlier? About the condition?”“Yeah, that. I wanted to add a little advice after that.”“What is it?”With a somewhat serious expression, Chahyun asked with widened eyes. Jude pushed out his lower lip slightly and spoke with a expression somewhere between sincerity and jest.“Well… I thought it might be a good idea to think about avoiding deep kicks or tackles in preparation for this game.”“We’re all doing that kind of practice together anyway. The coaches are emphasizing it more this time.”“It’s not just that, I think you should pay a little more attention.”Chahyun looked at Jude with wide eyes at the unexpected words.“Just me?”“Yeah. Well, this is just a precautionary word, but if it’s those kinds of guys…”Jude glanced discreetly around before covering his mouth with the paper in his hand. Wondering what he was about to say, Chahyun leaned in, bringing his ear closer. The keen voice was instantly absorbed into his ear.“They’d target you before anyone else, wouldn’t they?”Since the seminar was scheduled at the end of today’s agenda, half of the players had already begun to leave. Walking up the stairs as the sunset began to tint the sky, Chahyun thought back to his last conversation with Jude.“Why would they target me? I’m not some kind of target. Winchester isn’t a team I run alone.”As Chahyun protested, Jude lowered his head as if unaware of the situation.“If there’s a target, you’re it. Right now, anyone can see that you’re in the best form. They might think it’s a priority to bend you. Maybe they’re thinking that if they handle you, the second game will be much easier…”Uttering ominous words, he subtly hinted at his concerns. Chahyun fell silent with a feeling of unease. Could such a thing really happen in this 8th round, which was drawing the attention of the entire world?However, in a place where large numbers of people gather and directly engage, many unbelievable events occur. Fights erupt not only on the field but also in groups. It’s not uncommon for someone to unexpectedly punch the opposing team’s coach or secretly injure their players. Jude’s prediction that they might even aim to injure Yoon Chahyun from the start and attack seemed utterly absurd…“Yuan! Are you busy right now?”“Oh, Theo. No, I still have some things to take care of.”Chahyun looked up in surprise at the person passing by in front of him. It was one of the club’s rehabilitation trainers who had inserted themselves into his untimely recollection. He raised his hand in greeting, smiling warmly.“Things are getting busy with the game coming up, right? You need to pay extra attention to your condition these days.”“Everyone does. But what are all these boxes for?”The petite trainer was precariously balancing several large boxes. Seeing them stacked like pillars, about five in total, Chahyun hurried over to help distribute the load.“You didn’t have to do that… Thank you.”“No problem.”“This is a gift that arrived at the club. It went through internal security checks. Now it’s time to deliver it to the player who received the gift.”The trainer spoke in a friendly tone. Gifts sent directly to the club by fans were usually thoroughly inspected to ensure there were no dangerous items before being handed over to the recipient. Seeing the shape of the box, which was perfectly sized for delivery, Chahyun asked, “Are all these boxes for one person? All five of them?”“That’s right.”“Wow… Whoever it is, they must be really popular.”Even if he were slightly late due to helping others, Chahyun’s appointment partner, Theo, wouldn’t complain. Walking alongside Theo, Chahyun examined the box he was carrying. It wasn’t too heavy for its size, making it difficult to guess what was inside. However, his attention was suddenly drawn to the oddly familiar design.“Huh? This…”“Expressing feelings to the heart – EMS International Parcel Service”… As soon as he read the familiar red letters on the side, a sense of certainty sprang to his lips.“Theo, could this possibly be mine?”“Unfortunately not. It’s from Korea, but it’s for someone else.”“Really? Who?”Was there someone else in this center besides me who received a box from Korea? And five of them? Feeling unjustly treated, Chahyun raised his voice. The response that came out was surprisingly unremarkable.“It’s for Misha. They’re all for Misha.”“Here, gifts from fans. All five are yours.”“What’s this?”As Misha rare opened his eyes wide at the five boxes Chahyun dropped on the lounge floor as if they were hot potatoes. It was entirely out of goodwill that he volunteered to handle the rest of the boxes from the busy Theo after revealing that he was meeting Misha in person. However, what was nagging at Yoon Chahyun’s mind was why on earth the homeland chose someone else, not me, to endure the trouble of sending international parcels.Of course, Yoon Chahyun was well aware that not all fans of Winchester United FC in Korea were fans of him. Not everyone flying to the UK to attend matches wore the number 12 jersey… Even Chahyun’s own brother, upon his return after several months, was calling out Cahill’s name while scratching his belly on the sofa. He needed to prevent overconsciousness and regain a healthy life…“Hurry up and open it in front of me! I’m dying of curiosity!”“Even though it’s a gift, I’ve never received so many at once. What could it be?”“You’ll find out when you open it!”However, Chahyun stopped urging Misha roughly. Even if four boxes were for Misha, surely one could come to him. Chahyun bit his lip and steadfastly watched as Misha began to tear the tape on the boxes.“What’s this? It’s a new type of packaging. Food?”What came out of the first box were several smaller, flatter boxes. The red boxes were packed tightly on top of each other in the shipping box, easily around 20 of them. While a Swedish national looked perplexed as they pulled one out and shook it, Yoon Chahyun could tell in an instant what it was.It was a chocolate sandwich, loved by all ages from children to the elderly, with chocolate coating on the outside and a white marshmallow inside, filling half the palm of your hand.But why? Why would someone in Korea send Misha 20 of these? The combination of the snack that Misha probably wouldn’t even touch and the representative chocolate sandwich of ordinary people was a mismatched image. With a strange feeling, Chahyun approached like a mountain bandit and tore open the remaining four boxes. Each one was filled with chocolate sandwiches from top to bottom. With a pile of snacks that could easily be called a national snack in front of him, Chahyun muttered quietly.“These… all five boxes are Korean snacks?”“Not for you, but for me? Why?”“I don’t know. Why?”Chahyun and Misha put their heads together and fell into a brief contemplation. Considering the quantity of boxes that arrived, it seemed like Misha’s inherent popularity from that side was indeed true evidence. However, why the contents were a plethora of chocolate sandwiches among other foods was utterly incomprehensible. Was there a separate meaning?“Let’s just eat them one by one.”Bread is better than the song of the birds.The two of them sat side by side in the lounge, opening one of the boxes. Since the security personnel within the club had inspected them, their safety was undoubtedly ensured. With familiar hand movements, Chahyun tore open a packet and handed it directly to Misha, whose face lit up.“It’s delicious. It’s like… familiar but unfamiliar.”“Yeah, you like sweet stuff. With a hundred of these, you can eat to your heart’s content. When you get home, just microwave it for 30 seconds. That’s how you eat them normally.”“We don’t have a microwave at home.”“Heh…”What kind of house did Misha live in? A microwave was surely one of the essential items for living alone. However, it was hard to imagine that Misha’s house would have such miscellaneous household items. Thinking of a mansion where only a bed or sofa might barely fit, Chahyun mumbled to himself. It was likely that there would never be a place where Yoon Chahyun would have the opportunity to confirm firsthand…Misha eagerly devoured the snacks in their hands as if they were just born. The familiar sweetness that they hadn’t tasted in a while was no different for Chahyun. Sitting amicably, munching on the snacks, the two of them fell silent. Amidst the silence, the natural thought that emerged was the very reason they had come together here.What Misha had to say to Yoon Chahyun. What secret story, requiring sign language even in the seminar room, could it be? Folding the snack bag like a note, Misha opened their mouth as if reading Chahyun’s thoughts.“Yuan, the conversation we had in the dressing room. I want to hear the details.”“In the dressing room? What did we talk about?”“When we were hiding to avoid Jude Ingram. Cahill Love seemed to have noticed something between us.”Ah, it clicked. At that time, Chahyun had said something that didn’t need to be said, thinking that whoever entered the locker room must be Cahill Love. In the darkness, Chahyun recalled the shining, piercing eyes that had echoed Chahyun’s words.“Last time, something happened between you two… I overheard it.”“Oh, did I say that?”Cahill… A name like a button for Misha. The expression on Misha’s face upon hearing that name, aside from kissing someone and being dragged into a corner without warning, was uncomfortable to say the least. Failing to explain the circumstances before and after being dragged away in a desperate situation was a double blow.“I have a good memory…”Even amidst Chahyun’s last-ditch efforts, Misha stared piercingly at Chahyun’s profile, as if not willing to give any room for escape. Ignoring the arrow-like gaze, Chahyun looked straight ahead into nothingness. Taking a momentary pause, Chahyun looked up, but Misha seemed to have no intention of averting their eyes until they heard an answer.Chahyun took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. Sometimes, it’s better to take the first hit.“…Yeah, I said it, actually. When we happened to meet outside about two weeks ago.”“Yuan said it? About us?”Directly to Cahill Love? Misha’s expression widened in disbelief, as if they had heard something unexpected, right after Chahyun’s reluctant response had slipped out. Admitting the truth made Chahyun feel somewhat embarrassed.“No. It wasn’t exactly about what we’re doing. I accidentally mentioned a bit about you, and the atmosphere… turned out like that.”“You accidentally mentioned me? What did you say?”Misha repeated the question in surprise at the unexpected answer. Any intention to probe further was suddenly swept away, leaving only pure curiosity on their face. Glancing at that face, Chahyun fidgeted with the empty snack wrapper in their hand. The rustling sound didn’t conceal Chahyun’s embarrassment, but it masked the awkward silence to some extent.What did I say? Your hair color is similar to my dog’s, or you received a new camera as a gift, or I hosted you in my bed.“I don’t remember the details. Anyway, it was my mistake. I don’t know why Cahill is so interested in you and me.”Who wouldn’t be curious about your relationship? Saying that, Misha’s gaze, which had been drawing closer to Chahyun’s side, felt subtly intense yet lukewarm. It was an unexpected memory for Yoon Chahyun, who had thought of Misha as someone who rarely showed personal emotions on any topic. Misha’s blunt voice cut through the reminiscence.“I told you last time. That person lacks a sportsmanship attitude. It’s better to be careful.”It was a familiar nonsense. Chahyun couldn’t help but burst into laughter.“Heh… Haha!”“What’s so funny? Do you think it’s normal to memorize other people’s height and weight?”With a sudden outburst of anger from the adjacent seat, Chahyun couldn’t help but chuckle in response to Misha’s discussion about normalcy and abnormality.“What about you? How did you even know I lost weight?”“I can tell when I hug.”“…Is this even human?” Laughter drained away from Chahyun’s face like receding tide. But as usual, Misha didn’t seem to care about the other’s embarrassment and drove the nail in again.“I can tell how much your weight fluctuates by feeling.”The eerie tone reminded Chahyun of Misha’s arms, which had lifted them several times on the tables of the restroom at the stadium and the seminar room. How could someone determine weight just by lifting a person like a chicken? Feeling both creepy and embarrassed, Chahyun cleared their throat. Fortunately, there was a very appropriate topic to change the subject.“Okay, enough nonsense. Take this. I brought it for you.”“What’s this?”“Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it a gift, but…”Rummaging through their bag, Chahyun glanced at the numerous boxes around. Whatever was inside couldn’t be such a huge gift, right? With a nonchalant air, Chahyun presented the item in their hand to Misha.“This is…”“Yuan―!!”Misha suddenly let out a loud scream. Because of that, Chahyun almost fell backward onto the couch. Just like last time in front of the hotel, sometimes Misha displayed an immense presence that couldn’t be guessed from their appearance alone. Chahyun tried to steady their racing heart and spoke.“Surprise…! Do you practice synchronized breathing even when you’re not playing? You’ll make my ears fall off!”“How do you have that?!”Brushing off the taunts lightly, Misha leaned in close to Chahyun with sparkling eyes. In Chahyun’s right hand, retrieved from their backpack, was the prize from the quiz during their joint interview, called the Friendship Test. It was none other than the eerie Yoon Chahyun character doll.“I got it from the manager. Remember that quiz game? We tied, so technically there was no winner. You made some nonsense remarks at the end, so it was kind of left unresolved, but… I’m someone who believes that prizes should go to the rightful winner.”“Yuan…”“And besides, you listened well and played fair that day, so I’m giving it to you.”