My Girlfriend Wants Victory

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It didn’t take long to change the backward training system of Geumsun High School’s football team.

“Do it like it’s an actual game! Like it’s the real deal! You think you’ll tackle that softly in an actual match?”

To be honest, whether Geumsun’s training was backward or not had nothing to do with me. There are claims that football isn’t a solo sport, but honestly, at the high school level, I could easily carry us to victory on my own.

“As long as they don’t refuse the ride…”

Yet, seeing the kids training hard, aiming for professional careers, I felt a desire to teach them something. Perhaps that’s the mentality of a veteran player on the verge of retirement.

“They say if you live kindly, you’ll be rewarded… I guess this will be my reward someday. Maybe.”

This was a time when YouTube hadn’t truly taken off yet.

Smartphones had only been around for three years. There was a general lack of information about how training was done in Europe.

In such a time, the teachings of a returnee from the future became a ray of light and salt, and the skills of the young players began to slowly but surely improve.

“Here they come! Our Messiah has arrived!”

“Ah! Finally, training is over!”

Look at that. In the beginning, even the younger competitors who secretly tried to sideline me were now calling me Messiah, impressed by my willingness to teach.

“Training is over! Wrap it up! Anyone who wants to stay behind can train more on their own.”

The moment I laid eyes on Gyeouri, I ended the training.

Of course, it was obvious. Gyeouri comes before football for me. This won’t change even when I debut as a pro.

“Gyeouri─!”

After quickly tidying up with the other players, I walked over to where Gyeouri was.

*

“Ugh… I’m late.”

Han Gyeouri hurriedly made her way to the field used by the football team after school with Son Jinho, just as she always did.

“…The football field is so far away!”

The field used by the football team was quite a distance from where the students attended classes.

Since it was a well-equipped private school known for having excellent teaching, many academically inclined students naturally enrolled. Due to complaints that the sounds from the sports teams disrupted studies, the chairperson, who was serious about sports, built a dedicated building for the teams quite a distance away from the main building.

Of course, once they invested a fortune into building a facility for the teams, it was only natural that parents would complain about why that money was being spent there. Allegedly, the chairperson, without any retreat, made a legendary statement: “If you don’t like it, then transfer. This is my house that I built.”

Well, at that time, as someone who wasn’t a student at Geumsun, Han Gyeouri couldn’t ascertain the truth of that story.

“Don’t just kick it away blindly, look at your teammate’s position!”

As the football training field came into view and Son Jinho’s voice echoed, Han Gyeouri’s heart began to race.

“I’ll grant your wish, but let’s go to England together.”

February 20. The day of the match between Manchester United and Everton. Han Gyeouri still vividly remembered that day.

Just thinking about that time made her face heat up.

And then, Son Jinho spotted Han Gyeouri and shouted.

“Gyeouri─!”

Startled, Han Gyeouri hurriedly switched her smartphone camera to selfie mode and tidied her disheveled hair from rushing over.

Then, she checked her face.

“Do I look too cold?”

Because of her cold appearance, she often heard comments about her looking unfriendly and having an attitude, so she was conscious of her expression.

“Maybe… I’ll try smiling a little.”

The moment she thought about it, a smile crept onto her lips. The smartphone screen reflected her awkward smile.

Fixing her lips with her fingers while making that awkward smile, Han Gyeouri felt Son Jinho approach after finishing tidying up and hugging her tightly.

Her neatly styled hair got tousled, and a sour sweat smell wafted from his nose, but Han Gyeouri didn’t mind.

Rather, she liked this moment; the feel of Son Jinho’s heartbeat against her face made her feel how much he loved her.

“Warm.”

Walking hand in hand back home, Han Gyeouri’s face wore a natural, innocent smile, unlike before.

*

As the happy days repeated every day, time flew by, and soon the opening match of the national high school football league approached.

“Okay, now I’m going to announce the starting lineup, so listen well. First up, the goalkeeper is third-year Park Seong-ryong…”

Coach Choi Gi-hyun announced the starting lineup for the match against Hanyang High School after repeating intense sprint training about five times for conditioning.

“Finally, our team’s ace, Son Jinho. Just a heads-up—don’t underestimate Jinho because he’s a freshman; listen to him on the ground.”

“Yes─!”

Well, as expected, I confidently made it onto the starting lineup, despite being a freshman.

It might seem casual, but truthfully, landing a starting position as a first-year is tough.

There’s often a skill gap with third-years, and even if you’re similar in skill or slightly better, the seniors, who are about to head off to college, come first.

“The pressure from parents can’t be underestimated either…”

In such circumstances, a first-year must meet two key conditions to secure a starting position.

The first is overwhelming skill.

The second is a network that can protect me from various external factors.

Fortunately, I met both of these conditions. You might wonder, “What connections does an orphan have?”

Surprisingly, the chairperson of Geumsun High School, Hwang Geum-soon, was a former classmate of my father and had been my guardian after my parents passed away and I became an orphan, alongside Gyeouri’s father.

Being a widely respected chairperson at a nearby private high school, his influence was broader than expected.

Thanks to him, even in the sports department, which was filled with chaos and violence, I had never been subjected to group bullying, absurdity, or trash talk.

“Ah, our chairperson, who supports us both materially and morally, is coming to watch the game. Let’s all do our best to win.”

The coach’s gaze toward me, as if asking him to speak well to the chairperson, made that clear.

Yeah.

No matter how strong the coach’s authority within the high school football team is, no servant can be above the master.

*

That evening, I shared the news of my inclusion in the starting lineup in our family’s group chat.

There wasn’t any particular reason for notifying them that evening. It was simply because I was too busy flirting with Gyeouri to remember.

– Oh, by the way, I’m starting in tomorrow’s match hehe

– Mother-in-law: Oh my dear son! That’s amazing!

– Father-in-law: What son? You should call him son-in-law now!

Gyeouri’s parents were quite pleased to hear the news about my start.

– Gyeouri: Ah! Dad, stop it!

While I was flirting while sharing the news of my starting position, Gyeouri flared up at the word son-in-law.

– Father-in-law: Did I make up a story that doesn’t exist?

– Father-in-law: If we promised to go to England together, we’re practically a married couple.

Gyeouri had been teased repeatedly after boasting to her parents about me inviting her to go to England together.

– Thank you for giving your daughter to me, father, mother.

Of course, I naturally joined in the teasing. Maybe in the past, I would have felt embarrassed like Gyeouri, but as a seasoned pro footballer, I no longer felt embarrassment.

– Gyeouri: Hey! Son Jinho, didn’t my older sister tell you to stop!

– Why are you calling me ‘older sister’?

– Gyeouri: You’re fast!

– Mother-in-law: Gyeouri, what does age matter between husband and wife?

– Father-in-law: Son-in-law, I’m sorry, we must have raised our daughter wrong.

– Gyeouri: Dad!

– Father-in-law: Son-in-law, I’m sorry, but could you take my daughter away?

– Me: If you give her to me, I’ll come pick her up right now.

– Mother-in-law: If you’re going to take her, there are side dishes I’ve prepared, so take those too.

– Gyeouri: Am I just an object!?

– Mother-in-law: Didn’t you say you’re going to live in England together? Just take this opportunity and settle down there.

– Mother-in-law: It’s not that far away; it’s right next door!

– Gyeouri: …I’m going to leave home.

Caught off guard by the continued teasing from the family, Gyeouri really got upset and decided to run away.

Ding-dong.

“Who is it?”

– …It’s me.

To our house.

“But, wouldn’t this fulfill the wishes of my father-in-law and mother-in-law?”

“Shut it.”

*

The next day.

We traveled to Madeul Stadium in Nowon, where our match would take place, on a dedicated bus with a golden shield emblazoned on it.

You might wonder what a high school football team is doing on a dedicated bus, but our school’s chairperson was genuinely passionate about sports, especially football.

By the way, the chairperson’s support wasn’t limited to just a dedicated bus.

Following the education policy that talented kids shouldn’t give up on their dreams just because of money, our school’s football team received full funding, even though it wasn’t officially affiliated with any pro youth system.

We didn’t even have to cover snack expenses. Plus, if we performed well in competitions, Chairperson Hwang Geum-soon would hand over his personal card for a beef dinner—that was just a bonus.

Seeing the coach, who received the receipt after the dinner, shaking with both hands while making the payment as if it was his own money was quite a sight.

In any case, thanks to the chairperson’s substantial support, we arrived at the stadium in the best condition.

“Oh my! The chairperson, such a humble person, is here in this precious place.”

“…Humble?”

I could see Coach Choi Gi-hyun demonstrating a flexible waist movement like a performer from a puppet show.