Kiss the Ground

8th Round 1st Match, Matchday against Villadewalt.Due to the similarity in latitude between the UK and the Netherlands, the perceived temperature in the Netherlands wasn’t significantly different from usual. If there was any difference, it would be the slightly stronger wind, but stepping onto Villadewalt’s home ground, with its surroundings blocked like a dome, didn’t give much of that feeling.Today’s match was scheduled to start at 6:30 PM. Although there was plenty of time, the players who woke up at 8 AM to maintain their conditioning rhythm wasted no time in stretching their bodies flexibly. Blue, carrying an old, worn-out horn he couldn’t remember when he last used, was running around the track with the players. He looked like a speedy teddy bear.Today, Yoon Chahyun was in good condition. Extremely. Incredibly good.It’s not easy to maintain this level of condition even in a home game, let alone after a plane journey and eating foreign food. Coaches outside the track followed Chahyun’s every move with sparkling eyes.Feeling somewhat awkward, Chahyun avoided those gazes, but he couldn’t hide his good condition. After finishing the warm-up, Chahyun spread a mat on the edge of the ground and began stretching. The reason for such good form was probably self-explanatory…“Yuan! Did you see the starting lineup?”The loud call of Chahyun’s name came from Winston, who had been chatting with coaches aside from training. He approached Chahyun, waving an A4-sized paper in his hand.“No, just what I heard vaguely at the morning seminar. Has it already been decided?”“You seem very convinced that you’ll be starting. Check it quickly.”The starting lineup, which usually includes the names of players about an hour before the game, was being announced a bit early. Winston grimaced and handed the paper to Chahyun.“Well… anyway, you seem pretty confident.”Chahyun squinted and looked at the paper. Among the freshly decided list of eleven names, Yoon Chahyun’s name was clearly engraved as number 12. And below that, a long list of pre-planned strategies.Cahill, Leroy, Aloys…‘Where’s Misha?’His name wasn’t all that important. Today’s Yoon Chahyun could play the full 90 minutes, and Blue would have naturally thought so too. Chahyun’s eyes quickly scanned the substitution list written below the starting lineup.‘There he is!’Among the names, Chahyun clenched his fist inwardly at the familiar string of characters. He had expected this. They couldn’t afford to tease Misha, a key player, any longer, especially when he was already proving himself in good form.“Misha is really a good player,” Winston said, glancing at Chahyun with a slightly raised eyebrow.“What? Excited about that?”“Yeah. He’s on the list.”As Chahyun managed his expression, Winston chuckled as if to say ‘I knew it’. Handing him the list again, he accepted it and disappeared to pass it on to other teammates. Massaging his legs for the ensuing stretching, Chahyun felt a sense of buoyancy rising within him.Chahyun encountered Misha in the late afternoon corridor leading to the locker room. Misha, who had just come out of the locker room, was already dressed in uniform, wearing the club’s jersey on top, typical of a player preparing for substitution. Spotting Chahyun from afar and tilting his head was genuinely welcoming.“Misha.”“Yuan.”Chahyun approached him. It had been a very long time since they had stood together in the same attire on the stadium. Chahyun looked up at his face with joy, but suddenly remembered the morning’s events.The peculiar loneliness of lying alone in an empty bed, covered with a blanket.“When did you leave this morning? I woke up quite early too, but you were already gone when I got up.”“I left early in the morning. Did you sleep well?”“I did. Better than usual…”It was the first time that a night in the restless away game felt so comfortable. The memory of warm, soft hair nestled in his arms remained vivid.“Thank goodness. I felt like I needed to get ready for the game, so I left without saying anything. Didn’t want to wake you up either.”Misha replied with a slight nod. Getting ready for the game. Hearing the words spoken in a soft voice, Chahyun couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement.“Did you see the lineup announced today? It was mostly as expected.”“Yeah. I was on the substitution list.”Misha’s lips curved up slightly. At the pretty smile, Chahyun, almost unconsciously, raised his hand and placed it on Misha’s shoulder. Amidst the bustling crowd, this level of intimacy wasn’t anything special. As Misha blinked his eyes, Chahyun smiled broadly.“How long has it been since we played together? It feels like it’s been ages since the Umbertide match, doesn’t it?”Misha nodded quietly in response.“It’s been over two months already.”“It feels good to play with you.”Out of a sense of pride, a sincere remark popped out. Was it a bit much? Chahyun bit his lower lip, trying to look cool, and as he did, Misha grasped the hand that had been resting on his shoulder. Then, in a whisper-like tone, he asked,“…How’s your condition? Yuan.”“I’m… good.”In an instant, memories from yesterday flashed like a video. The soft bedsheets, the cozy and dim lighting, moments when the pretense of fulfilling a contract dissolved into the scattered impulses of desire. And… the questions he had directed at Misha.Don’t you feel doubts about this contract?It was an impulsive question even Yoon Chahyun himself wasn’t sure of. Misha probably hadn’t expected such a topic to come up. The person who had explained everything, from clauses to details, was now questioning the legitimacy of that very contract.It felt very bewildering and strange.Chahyun glanced down for a moment, then replied as calmly as possible.“I’m good… I was good.”“Really? I was worried it might not go well in the actual game. It’s fortunate it seems to be effective.”His words implied many things, making Chahyun’s heart flutter. It felt warm yet somehow regretful. Standing in the middle of the corridor with several staff members passing by, it felt as if they were in a vacuum of their own. It was then that a coach approached Chahyun, touching his arm.“Yuan, we need to start getting ready. They’ve arranged a brief interview locally. To make it in time, we need to hurry a bit.”“Oh, okay… got it.”“Please come to the outdoor interview room as soon as possible!”From not being able to ask questions since just arriving yesterday to now already having a local interview scheduled. Misha, who had heard those words clearly, nodded towards Chahyun. Chahyun let out a small sigh and bid farewell outside the ground.“See you on the field, Misha.”Their intertwined hands slowly parted as Chahyun grasped the warmth lingering in his palm, thinking about today’s game. If he didn’t give his best to put himself on this ground, he couldn’t make opportunities. Chahyun’s sharp gaze turned towards the exit of the ground.The shouts and jeers raining down onto the grass were familiar to everyone. An away game was like a party in the enemy’s territory.The majority of the nearly 40,000 spectators were fans of Villadewalt CF from the Netherlands. Their distinctive orange flags and card sections waved like waves, overwhelming the left wing. The cheering in a foreign language shook the entire dome stadium, sending shivers down the spine of the away team.Lined up on the field with the familiar theme song announcing the league’s opening, Chahyun raised his head stiffly and glanced at the stands. Next to him, Jude whispered in a faint voice,“This is serious. If we let our guard down even a bit, we’ll get eaten alive.”As it turned out, playing in someone else’s country, in someone else’s stadium, required a considerable mental fortitude. As soon as the opening ceremony ended, the players lined up to shake hands with the opposing team. Shortly after, the starting members of both teams stood facing each other in parallel lines.The players from Villadevalt FC. They had familiar aspects that seemed almost memorized from videos and data. Among them were players from teams Chahyun had faced in past battles. Meeting their sharp, almost hostile gazes, Chahyun reached out his hand for the handshake.“What’s this?”The dull ache that shot through his palm was instantaneous. It was common to exert some force during a handshake to assert dominance, but this one was too strong to ignore. As each player from the opposing team passed by, they gripped Chahyun’s hand with a force that felt like they were squeezing the life out of him.Who would flinch at something like this? Chahyun firmly shook all eleven hands.Five minutes. It didn’t take more than five minutes for Chahyun to realize the significance of that grip.Among the defenders guarding the goal, there were many particularly rough players, but all of Villadevalt’s defenders seemed to have downed a bowl of alcohol each. From the moment the game started, their eyes were reddened, and they didn’t hesitate to shove the shoulders of Winchester FC’s attackers, including Chahyun, whenever they moved into good positions.When dribbling the ball, physical contact was inevitable, and restraining the opponent enough to avoid the referee’s eye was also an important strategy. However, after over twenty minutes into the first half of being relentlessly hit, Chahyun was incredulous.It seemed like they had gathered not to win but to pummel Chahyun. Particularly striking was the fact that their fierce gazes seemed to pierce through Chahyun’s movements more than the ball itself. Every time he neared the goal, Chahyun had to roll on the ground like a plastic bag by the roadside, battered by their relentless blows.“Well, that’s going well.”Thanks to them, by the time the first half was over, Chahyun was almost completely battered. While he had confidence in his physicality in battles, he couldn’t handle several players viciously marking him at once. Covered in grass stains and dirt, Chahyun ran across the field gasping for breath like a dog.“Not an easy game.”How could he break through this insane barrier? Aside from the rough play, Villadevalt CF’s defense wasn’t easy to surpass. When he was circling near the penalty area with no way in sight, Aloysius, running midfield, passed the ball accurately as if sprouting wings. The narrow space he had been aiming for finally appeared miraculously between the defenders’ legs. Now’s the time!Chahyun’s long-range shot barely grazed the fingertips of Villadevalt’s goalkeeper as it soared high. The ball slipped through a gap under the goalpost, barely a centimeter wide. It was an unquestionably perfect goal.The enemy’s screams, almost like screams, echoed. Winston and Leroy, standing a few steps away, turned to Chahyun with broad smiles on their faces. But it was also then that someone from the opposing team properly stepped on Chahyun’s foot from behind.Unable to match the acceleration, Chahyun fell flat on the ground and rolled about three times. The pain, akin to tearing from the back of his thigh, surged through him, and his body involuntarily hunched over. With his forehead pressed against the grass, Chahyun reflexively raised his right hand.“Yuan, are you okay?”Cahill, who had rushed over from the side, placed his hand on Chahyun’s fallen head. After seeing Chahyun’s state, groaning in pain that couldn’t be expressed in words, he appealed to the referee for a foul from the opposing team.It was Yoon Chahyun who had been hit, but the audience was showering boos on Yoon Chahyun. It was probably because he scored a goal just before collapsing and seemed to be wasting time. They probably didn’t like us properly either…Two trainers rushed over and helped Chahyun sit up, pressing various parts of his chest and sides to check for fractures or dislocations. It was a painful gesture that could elicit screams, but Chahyun bore it quietly, lowering his head. He didn’t want to show his agonized face to the live broadcast in Korea.“These damn bastards, really…”But he couldn’t help but curse. Coach pitifully patted Chahyun’s back, perhaps interpreting Chahyun’s quiet curse as a sign of pain.In any case, scoring one point in the first half was quite satisfying. If the game flow became favorable, there might be a chance for Misha, who hadn’t been on the ground for a long time due to injury, to get back on the field. Chahyun raised his head and looked towards the bench where the coach and substitute players were waiting.What expression would Misha have right now? He might be itching to rush onto the field at any moment.“Seems like there are no fractures or muscle problems. Can you still play, Yuan? What do you say?”After bending his leg a few times, Chahyun nodded to the coach. If nothing was seriously injured, he didn’t want to leave the field if he could help it. As Chahyun struggled to get up, the referee finally showed a yellow card to the player who had stepped on Chahyun’s foot.“It should be a red.”Leroy muttered with a dissatisfied face. As Chahyun agreed and stood in place, the whistle signaling the end of the first half blew. It felt very strange to score the first goal and then have it end like this without properly celebrating.As soon as halftime began, Chahyun was immediately taken to the medical room for a more thorough examination. His body, visible through the mirror after removing the uniform, was covered in bruises. Since there were no other abnormalities aside from the fierce appearance, Chahyun was allowed to play in the second half. However, he couldn’t attend the locker room meeting that was held during halftime.So, it was inevitable that the substitution of Winchester’s players shortly after the start of the second half would be surprising.“Misha?! Why so soon…”“Oh, didn’t you hear? Blue said they were going to change early based on the second-half situation. Since it’s a favorable situation, they want to push aggressively.”Listening with one ear to Leroy’s explanation beside him, Chahyun looked at Misha standing far away. He was standing by the sidelines, waiting for the referee’s permission, moving his arms and legs lightly. The bright blue number on the scoreboard, indicating a player substitution, was undoubtedly clear: number eighteen.Chahyun couldn’t help but chuckle unintentionally, prompting Leroy next to him to inhale sharply.“What? Your face is so scary…”Yeah. Why do I feel so excited?In better condition than before, Chahyun ran across the field eagerly like a child. His uniform and football shoes were already worn out as if they had been running for three hours, but his heart felt as light as if the game had just started.Misha, who had his foot in both defense and offense, performed both tasks swiftly. His movements were so agile that it was hard to believe he had been out for a few weeks. Watching him quickly enter the half-line, Chahyun made his move first towards the goal. Then, a perfect cross flew in front of him.“How can this be?”It wasn’t just a well-matched level of coordination. It was as if they were sharing the same thought. Chahyun’s shot, extending from his toe, barely deflected off the goalkeeper’s outstretched hands, but it was enough to stir up the entire crowd with jeers. Breathing heavily, Chahyun thought to himself.Misha was in sync. He knew exactly what Chahyun wanted, and he was exactly where Chahyun wanted him to be.Unconsciously, Chahyun followed Misha, who was running near the goal. His figure on the field looked happier than ever. His vivid gaze and quick movements were pleasing. It felt alive. Despite knowing it was contradictory, he felt that way.It would be great to see more of that. If possible, even outside the field, when not playing soccer. Chahyun wanted to see that emotional face of his, a little more…“Yuan!”The signal from someone behind him hit Chahyun like lightning. The world, like a broken speaker, suddenly burst into thunderous cheers. The electrifying thrill brought Chahyun back to reality in an instant.Twisting his body instinctively, a clean pass flew into Chahyun’s chest as if it were shot towards him. Without a second thought, Chahyun redirected the ball towards Villadevalt’s goal.Was the timing right? The opposing players were standing in disarray, looking at Chahyun. It would be impossible to run here in a few seconds, so it was unrealistic to head directly towards the goal. Instantly, Chahyun glanced past his teammates who were in better positions farther away.Among the players from both my team and your team mixed together, someone who raised their hand furthest away was a momentary sight. Without hesitation, Chahyun extended his left foot towards the clear brown hair that stood out.Yes, that position. He should be there.With precision, Chahyun’s sharp cross was immediately connected by Misha with a shot. The fast-flying ball was sucked into the center of the goal, securing a smooth and beautiful goal.“…”2-0. The entire stadium fell into a silent trance, as if muted. After a brief silence, the fans of Winchester FC erupted into shouts of joy, and the players all rushed towards Misha almost simultaneously.“Misha…”Chahyun stood motionless in place, gazing silently at him as if the goal had been planned all along.“We’re gonna kill you!”Alois, who had been running from afar, slammed into Chahyun’s back and then rushed straight towards Misha. He succeeded. A wave of fulfillment began to fill Chahyun’s chest like a flood, but he couldn’t move a muscle. After scoring the goal, his energy drained away as if his stamina had hit rock bottom all at once.“…You really killed it, Misha.”Through the gaps between his teammates, who were sharing the joy of the goal like tangled threads, Chahyun saw glimpses of Misha’s brown hair appearing and disappearing. Standing still, barely able to hold himself up, Chahyun looked at him.So beautiful!His every gesture, every movement, and even a single strand of his hair were so lovely. But the overflowing feeling in his chest felt like it might kill him. Gasping for breath with difficulty, Chahyun barely managed to stand up on the grass. If things continued like this, it would be impossible to play the full 90 minutes.It was then that Misha suddenly appeared in front of Chahyun, emerging from among the many hands pulling at his uniform.“Huh?”Wait, why… why are your eyes like that again? By the time he thought that, it was already too late. Misha, heading straight towards Chahyun, suddenly began to run towards him like a charging bull.“Hey, wait… you should go over there, not here!”Pointing towards the Winchester supporters’ seats with his raised arm, Chahyun, but Misha seemed oblivious to everything.Is he trying to tackle me? Losing his senses in the thrill of scoring and the satisfaction of victory…It was common for the scoring player to rush to congratulate the assisting player, but Misha’s impulse was clearly of a different kind. By the time Chahyun had such a strong intuition, Misha was already approaching within a few steps.In that moment, a very strange solution that Chahyun had never thought of before popped into his head. Gathering his strength, Chahyun ran towards him.Whether Misha didn’t expect Chahyun to do so or not, he suddenly widened his eyes. Meeting his bewildered face again, Chahyun felt that strange sense of satisfaction once more. Without slowing down, Misha continued to run towards him like a runaway ox.“Wait, just… go!”Chahyun embraced Misha with all his might as he approached, lifting him off the ground.“Misha, you did so well.”“Yuan.”“Good job!”It was an embrace filled with deep affection. Stepping back a few steps while holding Misha in his arms, Chahyun watched as Misha, who had suddenly risen into the air, instinctively wrapped his arms around Chahyun’s shoulders and neck. With the roar of the entire stadium’s audience and the flashes of cameras beyond the stands, the scene erupted like fireworks.But then, immediately afterward, Chahyun’s body tilted backward like a sinking ship.“Ah…”Normally, he might have held on for a few more seconds, but Chahyun wasn’t the same now after being knocked around by the opposing team’s defenders for several minutes. Helplessly, his body fell slowly as if in slow motion, until he landed on the yellow-green grass. Misha, who had been in his arms, naturally fell on top of him.For a moment, they gazed into each other’s faces, but it was only for a moment. As their bodies lay intertwined in the center of the field, their teammates rushed over without hesitation. Rough breaths and incomprehensible shouts burst out from all sides.Supporting the weight of countless people climbing onto his back, Misha firmly held Chahyun’s head to ensure he wasn’t hurt by the weight.“Misha!”Meeting Misha’s still burning gaze amidst the remaining heat of the match, Chahyun couldn’t help but smile softly, feeling strangely content. Where on earth did this absurd joy and happiness come from? Lying on his back on the grass, Chahyun kept smiling faintly.Under the barrier of surrounding humans, Misha was looking straight down at Chahyun’s face, as if their noses were about to touch, from a distance that seemed incredibly close. It was a completely private space for the two of them in a completely public setting.For a very brief moment, a temporary sanctuary that would vanish in the blink of an eye.