Episode 12: A face genius is good at soccer

Episode 12: Two People Watching the Opening Game (3)

The coach slammed the tactics board.

“Hong Min-jun! You're not doing it properly! Do you not want to play!?”

“No, sir!”

“Then what is it? Are you not in good condition?”

“No, sir!”

“Then what is it!? Speak up!”

“I was conserving my stamina.”

The coach sighed at my answer.

“Hey, Hong Min-jun.”

“Yes.”

“Did I tell you to worry about that?”

“…No, sir.”

“Who doesn’t know that your stamina’s lacking? But what did I say?”

“To give it my all…”

“Today is the league opener. You’re a freshman who just came up from high school. What does that mean?”

What does it mean? It means I’m a talented player who’s starting as a freshman, right?

While I was thinking absentmindedly, the coach explained.

“It means they don’t have any information on you!! The opposing team doesn’t know you! Get it? If you shake them up early on, it’ll make the second half easier!”

Oh. Is that so?

I thought about it deeply.

Still, I didn’t get it.

If that's the case, wouldn’t it be more surprising if I save my strength in the first half and then unleash everything in the second half?

“You idiot! You think I don’t know that!? Oh, this thick-headed kid. Listen, just don’t think. Don’t think, just do as I say. Got it? You’re just a technical player, nothing more!”

Honestly, I was a bit offended.

Isn’t that just saying I’m not smart? Sure, I admit my tactical understanding is a bit low, but saying I’m only good for my technique!? …Well, I guess that’s not entirely wrong either.

After getting chewed out throughout halftime, it was time to head back to the field for the second half.

“Hey, you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Alright. Hang in there.”

Even though the senior walking alongside me offered some words of encouragement, it didn’t really resonate with me. Still, I couldn’t just ignore him, so I nodded in response.

“Look over there.”

“…??”

The senior, who had his arm around my shoulder, gestured with his chin.

Curious, I looked over and saw two girls sitting in the stands.

“They look pretty, don’t they?”

“One of them does, but the other one’s blocked by a tree, so I can’t really tell.”

“No, trust me, she’s pretty. My gut feeling has never been wrong.”

Shouldn’t you not trust that gut feeling?

You’re the one who makes a crucial mistake every game…

“Wow~ Hong Min-jun. You’ve already got some female fans, huh?”

“My fans?”

“Of course, they’re your fans. Who else would they be here to see?”

“Oh…!”

“Kid, play your best out there. You don’t want to be subbed out helplessly in front of your female fans, do you?”

“No, sir!!”

Wow~ Now that’s some real motivation.

The home team locker room, now emptied of players.

The head coach, getting ready to leave, asked,

“Hey, coach.”

“What is it?”

“Isn’t Hong Min-jun right? Wouldn’t it be better to have him explode in the second half instead?”

“…I know, man.”

“Then why…?”

“….”

Sometimes things don’t need to be said out loud.

* * *

‘The coach is right. My strength lies in individual plays that can break through a couple of defenders… I’ve been too passive.’

I finally understood the coach’s big picture plan.

It’s definitely not because I’m fired up by the female fans in the stands.

“Guys. Please get the ball to me from the start. I’ll create a decisive opportunity somehow.”

The seniors nodded, albeit reluctantly.

Out of the 11 starting members, I’m the only freshman.

There’s only one sophomore, and the rest of the starters are made up of juniors and seniors.

At first, the seniors were very wary of me.

For them, the college league is their last chance to go pro.

Especially for the seniors, they have less than a year left.

In the college league, where talents of similar levels gather, skill often correlates with age. Naturally, the starting members, selected based on skill, consist mostly of juniors and seniors.

Talent that surpasses age? Sure, that exists.

But those players usually go to Europe early or jump straight into the K-League. And even if they do come to the college league, they’ll join a prestigious school famous for soccer, not a mid-tier school like ours.

In the end, most college soccer teams are made up of players with similar talent levels.

The exceptional ones go to Europe or the K-League. If not, they go to renowned schools. Those with less talent drop out during elementary, middle, or high school. What’s left are those with average talent.

Among players with similar talents, those who work harder stand out, but it’s rare for anyone who makes it to the college league to be lacking in effort.

So, if the talent and effort are similar, it comes down to time spent, which determines skill differences.

In an environment where juniors and seniors inevitably dominate, it’s natural for the seniors to feel uneasy about an irregular player like me joining their ranks.

If it weren’t for the status window, I’d probably be just like them.

Of course, I’m confident.

Although I didn’t go straight to the K-League, I did receive offers from universities famous for their soccer programs.

Among the players at Hojin University, who are all of similar talent, I can confidently say that my skills are the best. So, even without the status window, I probably would’ve been playing as a starter by my second year.

But if you ask me whether that alone is enough to become a professional player, I can’t say for sure.

Europe? That’s a pipe dream.

But now, the K-League alone isn’t enough for me.

With the status window, how could I be satisfied with just the domestic league?

I’m going to dominate the college league as quickly as possible, conquer the domestic league, and then head to Europe.

And for that, I need the trust of my teammates.

Right now, with my stats still lacking,

Unless I can dribble past 3-4 players and score on my own, I need to work with my teammates.

Whether it’s through passing, off-the-ball movement, or tactical plays.

So now, in the opening match, I need to earn my teammates' trust.

Make them choose me over their long-time teammates.

After all, they’re also dreaming of going pro. Their own performance is their top priority.

Teammates?

Sure, it’d be nice to go together with them.

But if a younger player can perform better than their teammates? They’d choose the younger player, wouldn’t they?

‘So… I need to prove my skills.’

Right after the second half started.

While the opponents were still relaxing after gauging each other’s skills during the first half,

As our team passed the ball around, I gradually pushed into the opponent’s territory.

As part of a pre-arranged play, our two main attackers penetrated the opposite side, drawing the defenders’ attention. The moment there was only one defender marking me,

“Pass!”

I raised my hand and called for the ball, which was then sent over in a long pass.

Before receiving it, I quickly scanned the area.

One opponent coming to mark me. Beyond that, the path to the goal was wide open.

‘This is my chance!’

Is it because I’m a freshman, or because I was quiet in the first half? They think they can stop me with just one player?

I tried to control the ball lightly with the inside of my foot, but it bounced farther than I expected.

It was a mistake, but because of that, the approaching defender was caught off guard and hesitated for a moment. In that time, I quickly secured possession and surged forward.

Tapping the ball lightly ahead, gaining speed, the opposing center-back came rushing in.

On my left, the opponent’s full-back was closing in, behind me was the defender I had just passed, and in front of me was the center-back. On my right, the opponent’s players had already blocked all passing lanes.

It was a situation where I was completely surrounded.

But I didn’t hesitate.

Tap.

I threaded the ball through the legs of the approaching center-back with an outside-front pass.

I’m not the kind of player who makes quick decisions or has great passing skills.

Normally, in this situation, I’d either lose the ball and cause a turnover or hold onto it too long, triggering a ball hogging situation.

But since this was a planned play,

And part of a prepared tactic, even my poor decision-making and passing were enough.

While the entire opposing team had their eyes on me, our main striker, who had sneaked into the opponent's territory like a ghost, emerged.

“Jin-ho, shoot!!”

Fourth-year starter and main striker, Na Jinho.

Jinho, known for his sharp runs and finishing ability, received the ball and found himself in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper sprang forward like a coiled spring.

I anxiously watched, wondering if he would dribble past the goalkeeper or go for a shot right away. Jinho made a narrow stride, as if he was about to dribble.

‘No, don’t!’

If he tries to dribble here, the goalkeeper will get to him…

Thud!

Just as the goalkeeper decided to approach, convinced that Jinho was going for a dribble, Jinho caught him off guard by shooting a moment earlier.

It wasn’t the most powerful shot, but the timing threw the goalkeeper off, leaving him frozen in place as the ball rolled past him.

Tweet, tweet, tweeet—!

“Wow! Is this guy scoring a goal right in the opening match!!”

“Goal! It's a goal!!”

Jinho spread his arms wide and sprinted across the field, followed by cheering teammates chasing after him.

I was about to join in the celebration too, but—

‘…The stands are empty.’

Seeing the empty seats, I stopped and clicked my tongue.

“Number 15! Good job! Keep it up!”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, a girl’s voice called out my number.

I turned around, and one of the two girls I’d seen earlier was waving at me.

Caught off guard, I waved back, but who is she?

‘Oh? It’s Ha-yeon noona.’

She was one of the girls who had come to support us during the friendly match against Jijang University, our first match.

She was the prettiest one among them.

‘Now that I think about it, didn’t Ji-kyung noona say she couldn’t handle it alone? …No way. It can’t be.’

No matter how close they are, would Ji-kyung noona really introduce another girl to her guy? Even though she keeps saying she’s fed up, she seems to enjoy it when things get going.

She’ll probably be fine after a day or two of rest.

But why did Ha-yeon noona come here?

Could it be that she’s fallen for my charms… Heh, after the game, I should hang out with Ha-yeon noona.

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