Chapter 94 – Rebound (2)

094

The first thing I noticed about the change in play was my teammates.

“Uh? Minjun. Do you look good today?”

It was Hugo Sanchez.
A 28-year-old centre-back in Barcelona’s youth team. And he, who is in charge of the team’s vice-captain, was like a nice old man, and in fact, he is a grateful person who takes care of me the best and gives favorable interviews.

“Iknow, right. My body has been moving properly for the first time in a while.”
“Aren’t you all tall now?”

There is no one who does not know that my sudden sluggishness is due to rapid growth.
You can clearly see how tall he is, but how could he not know?

Experts accurately diagnosed that the cause of my sluggishness was a balance breakdown due to sudden growth, but the public is more enthusiastic about provocative stories.

The club somehow pushed me to send me to the game for Asian marketing, the coach hated me the more the board interfered, and I was sluggish when I went to the game.

The past few months have been a vicious cycle.

“Looking at my limbs not hurting anymore, I think I’m all grown up, right? I’ll be active from now on, so keep an eye on it, vice-captain.”

Hearing the interpreter say, Sanchez laughs and pats the back.
Oh, I heard that he is 28 years old, but he looks like he is 38 just by looking at his face covered with a shaggy beard.

“Five! Good luck! The time has come for our Asian Prince to show his skills!”
“Can we change his nickname? The vice-captain wears it, so everyone calls it that.”
“How about Asia Prince?”
“You look like a Middle Eastern prince.”

It’s inconvenient to have to go through an interpreter, but reporters take pictures of us as we laugh and talk like that.
Under… I’m going to say I’m laughing because I can’t do it again.

“Tsk.”

There was also a player who clicked his tongue as if he was disapproving of us.
Mostly Barcelona players are nice to me, but not everyone is like that.

Why… Some say it’s because they can’t do it, and some say they’ve been deprived of media attention… No, it’s funny when I think about it. Is this something to envy? Are you in a bad mood?

If you’re so envious, I could teach you the secret to attracting media aggro. If you take off your pants and poop on the ground during a game, the media around the world will pay attention. To the bad side.

Anyway, there are many reasons for dislike.
For example, the backup member Fernando or Nalgangdu, whom I faced at the Olympics, left on loan to another team because of my recruitment, so there are even people who dislike it.

In training, he surprised everyone by showing a completely different play than before, but the opportunity to participate was not easily given.
Now that the end of the first half is approaching, Barcelona are marking the top of the league table with an overwhelming performance, and they are also on a winning streak in the Champions League group stage, which was the only blemish last season.

When the atmosphere of the team is good, there is no need to change the main member hastily.
Besides, there are things that I don’t fit into the tactics of a typical position football lover coach.

Still, I won’t be able to play only as a main player forever.
Since I became a backup member, my rotation rank was also lowered, so the opportunity to travel would not come easily, but I focused on changing my internal gaze by playing an active part in training in silence.

Anyway, the contract specified 5 league starts, so even after the 2 missed chances, there are 3 chances left.
He just needs to expand his position little by little while showing a different appearance in those three starts.

However, I was not given a chance to play during the winter break after the first half.

* * *

“What?”

Did I get it wrong
However, Harin Oh only said it again with a complicated expression mixed with sorry, worry, and regret.

“At the club… During the winter break, I returned home and received basic training for a long time.”

The compulsory military service of Korean players is surprisingly well known.
Korean players who have been active in European football have been influenced, but above all, the Korean wave has had a big impact.

“Winter break is 2 weeks at most, so come get 3 weeks of basic training?”

There is a winter break in European leagues.
The longest Bundesliga is almost a month, and the shortest Premier League is about a week.
The Primera League and Serie A are about two weeks in between.

From December to early January, the rest period around Christmas.
Come and receive military training during this period… ?

In terms of schedule, it’s not a big group.
The rest period is about 2 weeks, so if the club is considerate, you can return after 3 weeks of training.

However, this is only superficially, and after receiving military training in an environment where there is no contact with the ball for three weeks and returning, a lot of time must be spent to create the condition to play properly.

This… In fact, it is no different from an out-of-power judgment.

“I need to meet the director. It’s true that the first half was sluggish, but recently he’s been showing good form in training, so if we talk… “

While I was packing my coat, I was speechless at Oh Harin’s expression.

“… Sorry.”
“I’m sorry. What?”
“I should have looked better. I wasn’t coming here.”
“Harin.”
“The club… I hired you for marketing. Unexpectedly, your utility isn’t great, so I’m going to organize it.”

Not.
To be honest, Harin Oh and Daye Yoon expressed their doubts about my choice. Does it have to be Barcelona?

“You are not wrong. It’s what I chose.”

I confidently insisted on going to Barcelona.
And it ended up like this because I stupidly used points.

“But… “
“Harin. If Barcelona won’t wait for me, I’ll leave. The club is also sending me back to Korea for that purpose.”

According to the contract, the starting option for this season is 5 games.
In a league that plays a total of 38 games, 5 games may seem small, but it is by no means a small number. Furthermore, there is an option to start 7 games next season and 10 games in the last season, so it will be a burden for the club.

“My marketing value was less than I thought, right? Maybe that’s why I’m thinking of quickly solving the military service problem and sending him out. That’s why we send military training during the winter break. Therefore… Is it a transfer or a lease?”
“Maybe… I think it will be a rental. It seems that I haven’t completely given up on my expectations for you yet.”
“Rent.”

His head spins tight as the sense of danger sets in.
Damn, I should have put more intellect beforehand.

“It’s better. Seeing that there has been no change in height over the past 15 days, he is all grown up, and since the balance adjustment has been completed, he must be able to play an active role. Harin. Please find a club to rent while I am out of training. Please.”
“… Yes. I will wait.”

『Hong Min-joon, who arrived during the season! What the hell is going on?』
“Why did you suddenly return home?”
『A red flag for the main competition! Hong Min-joon Entered through Incheon International Airport!』
『Surprised! The reason you returned is because of military training?”
『Hong Min-joon undergoes 3 weeks of basic military training during the season! What is the inside story?』
『(Photo) Hong Min-joon conducting an interview ahead of enlistment』
『(Photo) Fans who filled the front of the training center』
『(Photo) Beautiful female fan! Turns out, America’s national sister, Elena?』

—ㅅㅅ I went until Hong Min-joon wenthaha
It’s also the first time I’ve been enlisted during the season with ㄴ;
ㄴ Really, it seems like the main competition has been pushed back
ㄴWhat’s the week? You’ve been pushed to the bench
ㄴKya~ I had a hard time warming up the bench for a while.
—Is this real… ? An athlete who was so active in the Olympics fell into abyss like this?
There is a huge difference between pros and amateurs.
I was looking forward to the kid who was chewed up by the pros at the Olympics…
ㄴI knew it from the moment I started thinking about going to Barcelonaㅋㅋㅋㅋ What kind of la liga is this?
ㄴ Hong Min-joon is perfect for the gay league!
—Spoken statement) Life is like Hong Min-joon, it’s crazy, you get a salary of 100 million won while intuition in the European league, and the military trains for 3 weeks and it’s over?
I’m honestly envious…
ㄴLook at how handsome he is even though his hair is gonehaha
— What the fuck is it? Why is Elena over there?
ㄴWho is that?
ㄴAmerica’s national sister
ㄴIt’s not Korea, America isn’t a crazy asshole, it’s fucking pretty ㅋㅋ ㅇㅇ
N and… Elena: You’re so popular in America, but Hong Min-joon followed you all the way to Korea to enlist? Is it really a true story?

* * *

Even though she said it was okay, Elena, who dared to follow her all the way to Korea, and Oh Harin, who suddenly confronted her, had no reaction.
Of course, Elena, who knew that she had a girlfriend in Korea, also smiled vaguely.

Well… Well, I’m glad we didn’t fight for now.
I was curious about the different reaction from Yoon Daye, but I couldn’t think deeply because the enlistment was right around the corner.

When I left the training center after three weeks of basic training.
What waited for me was the proposal from the club that wanted to recruit me prepared by Oh Harin,

“Uh? Daye Yoon? What are you doing here?”
“… Sorry. I’m sorry, Minjun.”
“What is this all of a sudden? But what’s wrong with your face?”
“Sorry. Heck, I’m really sorry. Whoops.”

What had happened was Yoon Daye, a skinny and pale face.