Chapter 12
Son Jinho explored various posts in addition to the one recommended by Han Gyeouri.
[Title: Can’t watch the Ho-woo match?]
└ This Saturday, there will be a Geumsun High School match at Madeul Stadium in Nowon.
└ Ah, haha. I’m going to catch the Ho-woo match live.
[Title: Seriously, isn’t the best sports star in Korea my bro?]
└ Ho-woo─!
└ Ho-woo─!
Is it because it’s about himself? Contrary to Son Jinho’s negative perception of the community, it turned out to be more interesting and fun than he expected.
“Did Gyeouri write this?”
Among them, there were also posts believed to be written by Han Gyeouri.
[Title: Son Jinho to Man Utd. He promised me, damn it.]
Author: Man Utd Doctor.
└ Is our gallery owner your friend, you bastard?
└ No, no, my bro is going to Liverpool. He promised me.
Son Jinho left a comment on the post written by Han Gyeouri, a playful smile on his face.
└ Are you by any chance Dr. Maeng?
Though nobody understands the joke now, once the era of Mo Ban Musol arrives, this comment might be reevaluated.
“By the way, should I leave a thank you note?”
After finishing his comment, Son Jinho pondered as he looked at the gallery where his fans gathered. Although the number of people using the Ho-woo gallery was not large, the posts were few. They were people who opened the gallery to support him, who was almost anonymous.
Just as Son Jinho decided to post a thank you, a new post appeared, and he instinctively clicked on it.
[Title: I came from the Heavy Rain Damage Gallery.]
Please, stop making noise in our gallery, you sons of bitches.
└ Ho-woo─!
└ Ho-woo is a curse? No, it’s a blessing. Ho-woo─!
At that moment, the urge to write a thank you note vanished instantly.
The intuition of a skilled veteran midfielder had warned him of a potential downfall.
***
Monday morning.
Under normal circumstances, he would have been busy preparing for school, but today was a leisurely school foundation day.
The soccer team held regular training, but since he returned by plane yesterday, he was granted a break.
“Are you joining the weekend league again from this week?”
Gyeouri asked as she snuggled up to him. He looked at her long eyelashes as he replied.
“Probably, I think so. Why?”
“Um… I have an amusement park ticket, so if you’re free, let’s go together on Saturday. If you’re busy, we’ll go next time.”
If it’s a date, he should ditch the match.
He shook his head, responding to Gyeouri’s awkward smile.
“The match? I can play next time. I was already tired; I might as well get some good rest.”
“Is that really okay?”
At that, Gyeouri’s expression brightened peculiarly. Was this the right answer?
Indeed, he felt he had neglected Gyeouri while participating in the friendly tournament for the past two weeks.
‘What a foolish guy.’
Let’s not forget. Gyeouri comes before soccer for him. Ever since he had returned, he had gotten carried away by people calling him a genius.
He made a resolution, and at that moment, he gently pinched Gyeouri’s cheek. Her face broke into a smile at his affectionate gesture.
“Hey, if I go, I’ll immediately become a starter, but the other players need to play too. Otherwise, they won’t get to college or pro.”
Just like he told Gyeouri, there was no need for him to insist on playing in the high school soccer team right now.
He had already been selected for the U-19 national team and had made a good impression on Coach Han Gwangjong. He just needed to smoothly ride the path to college and debut in an A-match.
‘And then, either head straight to Man Utd or go through a few clubs and get there.’
Right. There was no rush.
The best scenario would be to join Man Utd during Ferguson’s era, but honestly, he saw that as unlikely.
And more importantly, the moment when Man Utd spiraled out into dark times as the “Maguire era” would be a national loss.
“Shouldn’t you also be out there playing to catch the scouts’ attention if you want to go pro?”
Gyeouri looked at him, an expression of concern about whether he was being burdened by her.
“Hey, with my level of skill, I’m good enough for a direct flight to pro. If I play well, I could even go abroad right away?”
“Ooh~ confidence.”
He reassured Gyeouri, who would eventually be mocked as Doctor Maeng in the future, not to worry and showed off his confidence.
“So let’s go to the amusement park this Saturday.”
Well. The only problem with the amusement park date was that Coach Choi Gi-hyun would protest and not let him skip the match.
Honestly, it wasn’t a huge problem for him.
He had Chairman Hwang Geum-soon backing him.
Upon recalling this, he thought about the chairman.
Hmm. Should he call him “uncle” now? Anyway, he asked Chairman Hwang to not worry and to treat him comfortably, along with a polite greeting.
Chairman Hwang told him not to worry and to enjoy delicious food with his nephew, even sending him pocket money.
-Golden Shield: Of course. I’ll talk to Coach Choi Gi-hyun for you, so enjoy your ‘nephew-in-law’ date ^^
Seeing the emphasized point about “nephew-in-law,” he seemed eager to treat him more comfortably from the beginning.
-Golden Shield: And let’s watch an Arsenal match together someday.
-Golden Shield: If ‘Full’ Van Persie’s finishing ability combines with Jinho’s passes, wouldn’t the club’s first Champions League victory be possible?
Was that the goal?
Well, it seemed unlikely that he would join Arsenal. Promises to Gyeouri were one thing, but…
By the time he would join Arsenal, Van Persie would have left, shouting “little kid inside me” while joining Man Utd, and Arsenal’s starting striker would be Olivier Giroud.
…No matter how much he thought about it, he decided he’d go to Magu, after all.
Personally, he liked Olivier Giroud, but… he thought it might be better for him to score as a striker himself during Giroud’s Arsenal days.
In any case, he got the chairman’s permission.
Time flew swiftly, and Saturday arrived.
He started having a happy time with Gyeouri at the amusement park.
“Jinho, what should we ride first?”
“How about the haunted house?”
He said with a mischievous smile on his face. Since childhood, Gyeouri had truly been afraid of ghosts.
“….”
As expected, he saw Gyeouri’s face stiffen and freeze momentarily.
“If you’re still scared of the ghosts, do you want to go in with your arms crossed?”
“Nah, I’m not scared at all!”
Knowing he was teasing her, Gyeouri entered the haunted house with a bravado she didn’t feel.
“Uwaaaah─! I said I’m not scared─!”
She came out of the haunted house bawling, clutching his body like a cicada.
“…Gyeouri, let’s try something else now.”
“No! I want to keep riding!”
In repentance for teasing her, he had no choice but to ride only the carousel with Gyeouri until it was time to go home.
***
At the time Son Jinho and Han Gyeouri were riding the carousel, cries from younger siblings searching for their brother filled the Ho-woo gallery.
[Title: Why is my brother not here, damn it?]
[Title: Ho-woo—!]
[Title: Damn it. Who said we could see my brother if we come to Madeul Stadium today?]
[Title: Ho-woo—!]
[Title: Breaking News) Three younger siblings who came to see ‘my brother’ were abandoned at Madeul Stadium.]
└ How do you know if there are three younger siblings?
└ Excluding the ones that look like parents, there were three spectators.
└ Wow, the audience is really sparse, huh?
└ Isn’t life too busy to care about high school games?
└ But are those three really younger siblings?
└ Who knows? Damn haha, do you think they’d come to watch high school soccer out of boredom?
└ They could be scouts who came to watch my brother’s game, you idiot.
The lamentation continued for a while, and as the sun began to set.
Testimonies of Son Jinho appeared in the Ho-woo gallery.
[Title: Breaking News) Ho-woo is on a date with his girlfriend, heading home now haha.]
Here’s the proof picture.
(Signature photo together.jpg)
I work part-time at the amusement park, and Ho-woo came—it was hilarious. He went into the haunted house with his girlfriend and she came out crying hahaha.
And then, as an apology, they rode the carousel for four hours. After about two hours, my brother’s eyes were glazed over hahaha.
From here on, it’s repentance time.
I, to be honest, disliked my brother because he was young, rich, good at soccer, handsome, and had a girlfriend.
So to stir controversy, I acted tired and asked for his autograph.
When I asked for a signature, he trembled and gave it to me while even taking a photo.
Professionalism, what the heck;;
In the end, he bowed his head and thanked me for cheering him on. Watching that made me declare that I’d be a younger brother starting today.
└ So cute, damn it haha.
└ For real, my heart feels all fluffy watching this, I want to date too.
└ Is the girlfriend pretty?
└ Yeah, super gorgeous. My brother is also seriously handsome.
└ Ah, welcome, new younger brother haha.
└ Nice to meet you. Senior Ho haha.
└ But the youngest met my brother first, damn it;;
└ Wow… Even fan service is professional in itself.
└ This is why I’m rooting for my brother.
└ Haha, so you said a scout came to watch the game; does that mean my brother ditched the scouts for a date? What a freaking manly dude, haha.
└ Is this what it means to have talent and play soccer as a hobby?
└ Ah, that sucks. Damn it. I’m going next week too.
└ Next week isn’t a holiday, though?
└ I’ll take a day off, damn it.
└ Want to come with me?
└ Yeah, I plan to go anyway. Damn it, I got to do something about this. I’m going to shout Ho-woo’s name at the stadium next week.
└ Ah haha, is this a gathering of younger brothers? Then I have to go too.