SH Chapter 2.1 || Otra Vez

Even in the car heading to the airport, Jerim couldn’t take his hands off his phone. Normally, he would suffer from severe motion sickness and would wear an eye mask and sleep whenever he was in a car, except when he was driving himself, but today his anxiety had overcome his nausea. His fingers were scrolling through articles on the internet with such intensity that it seemed he was being sucked into the small phone screen.

<Aaron Reyes, no particular reason for the sudden transfer… Just feeling the need for a turning point in life>

What kind of insane nonsense is this? Every season he’s winning the league, getting trophies like Pichichi¹, Ballon d’Or, and Big Ear like it’s nothing, and now he’s talking about being bored with life? Let’s see what’s next.

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<The heartbroken Tabarona and Spanish public opinion says: Reyes, please don’t go>

The article featured a large photo of a kid crying while wearing a Tabarona shirt. In fact, the photo was of Tabarona celebrating their consecutive Champions League victories, but… Whether in Korea, England, or Spain, using mismatched photos to grab attention was a used tactic, so he let it slide.

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The article’s content itself was interesting. Thanks to the Spanish SNS reactions attached, he could clearly see how locals were reacting to this transfer.

“Trai…tor. Damn it. So ungrateful. All of the sudden too…”

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Jerim stumbled over the Spanish words he hadn’t read in a while. He had interacted with people from Spanish-speaking cultures a few times, and there were quite a few players in the club who spoke Spanish, so he had opportunities to use the language. However, deciphering internet posts riddled with slang took some time. After finally reading everything, he frowned.

“If you’re going to curse, curse that guy, why are you cursing our team…”

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Shitty club. That phrase pierced Jerim’s heart. More precisely, the main point was: why leave the world’s most prestigious club to go to such a shitty club? Fucking unbelievable. What kind of shitty club maintains a top-four position in the Premier League and finished second in the league and as Champions League runners-up this season?

Of course, it was true that Sefton’s overall performance was lower than Tabarona’s. Sefton had no Ballon d’Or winners (Jerim was only nominated a few times), and they weren’t a team that took league titles for granted every season. But since their leagues were different, you couldn’t do a direct comparison.

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But it’s that guy who left the club that raised him since he was young without paying a single penny in transfer fees, and as soon as he became a free agent, he bolted to another league. So why are they cursing our team? Did we lure him here? Of course, we probably did… But what team wouldn’t approach a big fish like him when he’s available for free? Sefton just won the competition.

We’re bound to get some hate anyway in this situation.

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From Tabarona fans’ perspective, Aaron’s transfer must have been incredibly frustrating. No fan likes a player doing a free transfer, commonly known as a Bosman. Especially when the player came from the team’s youth academy and would have fetched an astronomical transfer fee if he had left normally. It’s only natural they’re pissed.

So if you’re going to curse, just curse Aaron. He truly didn’t keep his loyalty to the club that raised him from childhood. Anyway, that ungrateful brat is causing trouble all over the place.

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Haah, Jerim exhaled and aggressively scrolled down. Then he immediately grabbed the back of his neck, which was stiff.

<Coming to Korea! Aaron Reyes to join Sefton’s preseason training immediately>

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“Ugh…”

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

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Changshik, Jerim’s agent who was driving, turned to look at him in surprise. Jerim turned his neck and muttered indifferently.

“No. I just don’t like it.”

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“You don’t like Reyes coming? Or the talisman your mother gave you?”

“Both.”

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Jerim puffed out his cheeks to take a deep breath and had a sulky expression. He disliked them both – the talisman his mother suddenly brought this morning, sewn into the inner lining of his wallet, and Aaron’s transfer.

What’s with the ninth year² and the talisman? For Jerim, who didn’t believe in superstitions or jinxes, the talisman was nothing but a waste of money. But since his mom, despite her poor health, had gone to a shaman to get it for him, he couldn’t refuse it.

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‘Son, you need to be especially careful in the second half of the year. The shaman said you’ll suffer more mentally than physically and that past bad connections will hold you back. So make sure to carry this talisman with you, okay? Got it?’

…And with Aaron’s transfer coinciding with the shaman’s warning about past bad connections, Jerim’s trust in the talisman had slightly increased. In the end, he left the house with the wallet as it was.

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Looking at Jerim’s expression, Changshik clicked his tongue and tried to comfort him.

“The shaman who made your talisman is said to be really powerful. It’s not like you’ll lose anything by carrying it.”

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“I hate that such a hideous thing is in my wallet. Ah, seriously, what am I going to do with Ms. Hwang and her fussing?”

“You’re the one making a fuss. Stop reading the articles. What’s the point? He’s already coming.”

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“I keep reading because I can’t believe it.”

“Right. You’ll see his face when we get to the airport, then it’ll feel real.”

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“Haaa…”

Jerim turned the neck pillow he was wearing around and buried his chin in the round cushion. Changshik’s point stung.

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Jerim was currently heading to Incheon Airport to greet the team members, coach, and coaching staff who were about to get off the plane. And of course, Aaron Reyes would be included in that list of ‘team members getting off the plane’.

I’m not sure what the rush was to sign him, or why he’s joining his first tour since joining the club. Given that the last season just ended and he even played in the Euro, couldn’t he have taken his time to come?

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Changshik seemed to have similar thoughts and brought up a related topic.

“Don’t hate him so much, try to see him in a better light. Even though they were knocked out in the Euro quarterfinals, Reyes didn’t get much rest, right?”

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“…”

“Joining the first preseason tour already… It’s not like he’s trying to prove his loyalty right after transferring.”

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“…Whatever. I don’t care…”

For reference, preseason training had already started a few days ago, but Jerim’s schedule was to join training from the day the team arrived in Korea. Since everyone would gather in England and then come to Korea anyway, there was no need to make a round trip, which was a consideration from Coach Verdi. Instead, he would wait at the airport for fan service and media interviews.

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This visit to Korea was decided solely for Ban Jerim, which weighed heavily on his shoulders. It was also his first visit since becoming captain with an armband the last season. As if to remind him of this, Changshik emphasized with a firm tone.

“You have to make this trip to Korea a success. Got it?”

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“Got it.”

In contrast, Jerim responded in a muffled, playful voice, buried in the pillow. Changshik, who was holding the steering wheel with his left hand, patted his chest in frustration.

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“I mean don’t fight! With Reyes…”

“Am I a kid? Do you think I’ll grab his collar as soon as we meet at the airport?”

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“Looking at how you are now, it seems like you might.”

“No way. I don’t want to get egg on my face again.”

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Jerim chuckled, recalling the sensation of a cold raw egg that flew at his face at full speed like a Major League left-handed pitcher’s baseball. That person who threw the egg back then should’ve started playing amateur baseball. It was a waste of talent to let it rot.

Changshik, who had only seen the scene on screen, was more surprised and his shoulders trembled.

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“…Hey, don’t even mention the word ‘egg’. I’m genuinely terrified.”

However he phrased it, it was a concerned remark. Jerim took off the neck pillow and put it around Changshik’s neck, then massaged his shoulders.

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“Just kidding. Even if I really got into a fight with him at the airport, do you think people from our country would throw eggs at me? They’d throw them at him.”

“That’s true.”

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The young player who made a critical mistake in the World Cup and was pelted with eggs by his own citizens had, ten years later, grown into one of Asia’s representative football players. Now, no one would dare throw eggs at him for just making a mistake. If they did, they’d be immediately arrested and have their personal information exposed.

In a way, it was also a rehearsal. The eggs that flew back then became another form of jeering that hit Jerim’s ears every game. Whenever he played at an opponent’s home stadium, the moment he scored a goal or was fouled and fell, the entire stadium would erupt in jeers. Sometimes, trash would even fly from the stands.

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This was a hardship all football players experienced. Young players like Lehmann would often be so discouraged that they couldn’t showcase their skills. However, having already received that radical ‘gift’ of eggs, Jerim developed a strong mentality that didn’t flinch at any jeers he encountered while playing in the Premier League.

But even with that strong mentality, Aaron Reyes’ transfer was hard to accept…

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Seriously, why all of a sudden? He should’ve just renewed with Tabarona, that crazy guy. How much is he going to earn in wages by coming to our team and sticking it out until the end of his contract?

Usually, players who transfer on a free get higher wages since the club doesn’t spend a huge transfer fee. And he’s definitely not the type to play for only eight-figures. He probably negotiated a contract to earn more than the current highest-paid player in the club, which is…

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‘How much was I getting again?’

Jerim roughly calculated his basic wage of £320,000 plus appearance and victory bonuses, and started to worry about the club’s finances. The amount he earns is already enormous, and with Aaron added to that, even though Sefton is a well-off club, it’s hard to imagine how they’ll manage.

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His teammates would often joke that when he retires, he should buy Sefton and become the owner. He loved the team that much. And Changshik, who knew this well, stimulated Jerim’s team spirit and overwhelming sense of responsibility.

“The thing is, you’re the captain. The World Cup was already 10 years ago. So put aside any hard feelings…”

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“I was planning to do that even without you telling me to.”

Jerim quickly cut off the prolonging nagging. Perhaps it was because Kang Juhan, who had been his youth coach since way back and was now the president of his agency, had always acted as his agent alongside him. Even now, in his late twenties, these two still sometimes reprimand him just like they did when he was a teenage prodigy.

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“As the captain, you have to put aside your personal feelings and respect your teammates, right? This much is obvious.”

From the moment he heard about Aaron’s transfer, he had repeated this sentence in his mind a hundred times. As much as I hate Aaron, I have no intention of acting childishly and growling over something that happened ten years ago with someone I’d now be sharing a team with.

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Football is a team game. No matter how outstanding your individual skills were, if the team members didn’t sync well, the team’s limits were already set. In other words, the moment rumors of discord spread within a team, all defeats become the fault of the players causing the discord.

The moment a pass was missed, all kinds of rumors would start flying – like intentionally not passing the ball or losing heart for the club, and if teammates actually fought, the locker room atmosphere became a mess and other players’ morale dropped. It was natural that good results couldn’t be achieved in such a situation.

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On top of that, Jerim was the captain. With only a few years left before retirement, the position was like a medal given by the club and teammates. He didn’t want to do something as unsightly as fighting with a teammate while wearing the captain’s armband. So after hearing the transfer news, he practiced image training every day.

He imagined that amidst the crackling camera flashes, he’d shake hands with him as his expression said, ‘We’re really close! The hand-pushing incident was a mistake!’ Imagined hugging him with a face that said, ‘I’m so happy to see this guy!’ Stepping up personally to tell the coach and teammates, ‘He was one of my teammates in the youth academy, I’ll take care of him until he adapts to the team!’

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…Shit, this is absolutely impossible.

“Ugh.”

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“Getting motion sickness? That’s why I told you not to look at your phone and just sleep.”

As soon as Jerim made a retching gesture due to his physiological disgust, Changshik clicked his tongue. Unable to explain that imagining playing together with Aaron until retirement made him feel distant, he just nodded.

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Can I really do it if I get like this by just imagining it? Trying to chase away the naturally arising doubt, Jerim mumbled as if brainwashing himself.

“We’ll… get along. Really, we will. Dragging up something from ten years ago will only make me look childish.”

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Back then, he was a teenager, and so was Aaron. It was an incredibly childish incident that could only happen at that young age. In fact, seeing him reach out his hand during the last final, it seemed like he had already completely forgotten the past. It hurt his pride to be the only one showing his dislike over something like this.

That guy doesn’t care about my existence at all, which is why he could make the choice to transfer to Sefton. So I should do the same.

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Thinking of it as a battle of pride, his competitive spirit rose and his mind felt more at ease. Jerim tore open a carbonated water bottle and drank it in one shot. It was a sponsorship item from his CF³ shoot, and the taste was like honey. Despite this, as Jerim drank it refreshingly, Changshik pulled out a tissue and asked.

“Right… That’s more like you. But why are you so obvious that you don’t like him?”

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“My decision and not liking him are separate issues.”

“Well, you did get a lot of hate because of him. I understand.”

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“…It’s not because of that.”

To others, it seemed he hated him simply because of an incident during the World Cup match. A reasonable inference, but strictly speaking, it wasn’t true. At Jerim’s ambiguous response, Changshik’s eyes widened.

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“Huh? Then why? You don’t hate him because of that goal he scored in the World Cup?”

“Hyung, I’m not that petty.”

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His mistake led to Spain’s counterattack, and Aaron ruthlessly scored a goal in the process. It was a painful mistake, but would he really grind his teeth over something like that for ten years?

The mistake was his own fault for spacing out and losing the ball during his World Cup debut, and similarly, scoring a goal in his debut match was simply Aaron doing well. If a striker didn’t score when given a golden opportunity out of an opponent’s mistake, that would be even more absurd. Jerim added indifferently.

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“Actually, I would’ve been more pissed if he hadn’t scored that goal. Right after the match ended, I would’ve broken his leg so that he could never play football again.”

“…Jerim, if you’re going to cause an incident, tell me in advance. I’ll switch to another player.”

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“Switch? You can’t do anything without me, hyung.”

Looking across Korea, no, all of Asia, who’s a more profitable athlete than me? As he laughed playfully, Changshik had wrinkles on his chin. The one making a disgusted expression soon let out a weak laugh.

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“…You’re annoying, but impressive. Hey, use that line in the next CF.”

“While drinking red ginseng?”

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“I’m really worried though. Are you sure you won’t cause any problems?”

Unable to bear the excessive worry, Jerim puffed out his chest and boasted loudly.

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“It was a hypothetical case, hypothetical! I didn’t break his leg, so I’m here now! When have you ever seen me openly causing trouble?”

“You’ve had a few scandals. Well, not exactly trouble, but… Still, you’ve been too quiet these past few years, haven’t you?”

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“That’s because I haven’t been seeing anyone. It’s annoying…”

“That’s a really dumb thing to say. Are you showing off because you’re handsome? Dating is annoying? At your age?”

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“I have a face worth showing off! The problem is that the world already knows it too well.”

A look that seemed to say, ‘How can such trash exist?’ poked at his left cheek, but he ignored it. Instead, he crossed his arms, buried himself in the backrest, and closed his eyes.

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“Anyway, don’t worry. I’ll handle it well. Just wake me up when we arrive.”

“Okay, I trust you. If you cause problems, both me and the president will go bankrupt. Your mother will faint again too.”

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“Ah, the weight on my shoulders is too heavy. From Ms. Hwang to Agent Changshik and President Kang.”

As he massaged his shoulder that felt strangely tense, a light fist landed on his arm.

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“Stop exaggerating. You’ve always handled everything well.”

“…That’s right. I have to handle everything well.”

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Even the encouragement from a close hyung added to the weight on his shoulders.

The sudden transfer of Aaron, his burdensome trip to Korea, this season where his twenties and the team’s fate are at stake. He must handle everything well. This time too. Familiar with the pressure he’s felt since childhood, Jerim forced himself to sleep.

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