Soccer Genius Wants to Get Noticed - Chapter 179



Only Krnovel

Episode 179 Puzzle (1)

Sophie Hertz will stab you in the lungs from the very first word.

“I think there are two core issues. One is that you feel dissatisfied with the Cologne team. You gave various reasons, but the point is the same. And the other is that you are having a hard time convincing your family.”

“that’s right.”

“But in fact, if you can’t even get the words out properly, it seems like you don’t have the will to persuade.”

“… … .”

good night.

It may be a little painful, but sometimes a bit of harsh criticism can be a big help.

There is no room for refutation.

Until now.

“Then why can’t we bring it up? I think it would be a good idea to start from this part.”

“huh.”

“Where are you going?”

“huh?”

“You said you wanted to leave. Which team do you plan on transferring to?”

There is no proper answer to the second question either.

“Well, Arsenal or Chelsea? One of the EPL clubs. If we start talking seriously, I might get a new offer from a place that’s interested in me.”

“… … .”

“……why?”

“Just. I didn’t know you hadn’t even decided on a destination yet.”

“Does the destination matter? What matters is that you have made up your mind.”

But this also becomes a reason for getting beaten up badly.

“Hmm… … I don’t know much about soccer, so I’ll use Gymnasium as an example. Now, everyone is preparing to go to college, right? Some people have decided on a specific university and department and have their scores set. Others aren’t fully prepared, but they have a curiosity about something and a certainty about where they want to go. Lisa actually wants to go into art, and you don’t know anything about law.”

“… … .”

Unless I’m an ignorant fool, there’s no way I wouldn’t understand what the other person is trying to say.

It means, what are you doing without even deciding on a destination?

This topic is quite controversial.

“It’s not that simple. I need to know what each club thinks, and it’s also important to talk to my current team. It’s not like everything will go as I want it to.”

“I see. I didn’t know that. I just felt like you were making a complicated matter even more complicated.”

“… …Why am I making this so complicated?”

As I stood up to protest with a sense of injustice, a girl of the same age looked me in the eye (enough to make me feel a bit burdened) and continued speaking.

“Can you be satisfied with a transfer? Are you ready to face the big changes in your life, the external environment, and even the team members after moving to another team?”

“That’s… … .”

“I’m not saying that you shouldn’t transfer. Changing teams is like taking on a completely new challenge. For example, my grades are okay now, but when I go to college, the evaluation criteria and academic level change—isn’t there something similar in soccer? If you’re thinking about leaving a team, it shouldn’t be for simple satisfaction, but for a much greater sense of accomplishment. Learning or challenge. Shouldn’t at least one of the two be fulfilled? From my perspective, yes.”

“… … .”

The attack was so fierce that it felt like one of my arms had been ripped off.

Learning or challenge.

I never once thought about it that way.

“Of course I respect your feelings. Since last summer, you have been muttering about how good Brazilian players are. But you may think it is unreasonable, since you have experienced ups and downs even with your club team. But I think it would be better to think about it a little more. Is it a momentary emotion or is it because you really want to move on to the next step? It may be a one-time decision, but there is so much more at stake.”

“… … It’s quite helpful.”

But I have too much pride to admit it so I nod my head and give him a look as if telling him to continue.

That was a mistake.

“Instead, don’t try to measure too much.”

“I’ve never tried it before.”

“I mentioned my current teammates and my former teammates.”

“Oh, Modeste?”

“Yeah. Personally, I don’t think it was necessary. Last year, I tried to become the center of the team in some way. On the other hand, if you think about it, you are now in the position you wanted to be in last year. Maybe you feel burdened because you have been promoted to a position that requires more responsibility.”

“That’s… … not true.”

“… … .”

“……maybe?”

How is it that every word is so difficult to refute? It was heartbreaking to see that while he was praising my current self, he was also pointing out my hypocrisy.

It felt like my remaining arm had been cut off.

It won’t be long before both legs are cut off.

“I hesitate to say this because it might sound a little aggressive… … Don’t give reasons that might sound like excuses. After all, when you say you can’t convince your family, it might actually be because you can’t convince yourself. You may say that your team members lack skills, but isn’t one of the reasons you can’t make decisions because of interpersonal relationships?”

“… … .”

“Modeste, teammates, school friends. It’s all the same. There are things you have to give up in order to choose something. So why don’t you look into your own heart first?”

“… … .”

“What are you going to do? What do you want to choose? Put aside all other reasons and just tell me the conclusion. Do you want to transfer?”

“… … .”

However, it is true that the conditions placed on the scale have become much clearer, so after thinking about it for a while… … I nod my head with difficulty.

It’s not clear yet, as she said, but I’m not 100% convinced of it myself.

Just as I had to go up from Kimnasium to university, it was clear that that time was approaching for me too.

“Have you decided?”

“No. But I knew what I had to do right now.”

“Okay, then that’s fine.”

In return for being broken by a girl who is always so sharp, the last answer comes out firmly.

“Thank you. It definitely helped.”

“Yeah. Then I’ll go back to-”

“Everything was good, but the advice that I had to convince myself was especially crucial. Maybe it was because of the atmosphere inside the club these days, and because I felt it myself. People around me often acted as if I wouldn’t be here for long, and I could tell from their speech.”

“… … .”

“Oh, of course that’s not why I’m leaving. I just focused on what I wanted and my mind was clear.”

Then, suddenly, a sudden sound comes out naturally.

“Are you pretty?”

“……uh?”

The reading club members who had been glancing in our direction were whispering, and Sophie Hertz’s eyes grew wide and her face turned red.

I touch my chin with my finger and am quite surprised. I knew she was pretty from the start, but I didn’t know she was so attractive because of her intelligence.

I know it may be new to you, but-

“Your brain is very pretty.”

“… … ‘Brain’?”

“Yeah. I thought you were smart, but you’re actually wise.”

“… … .”

I’m serious.

Our personalities are complete opposites and there are some aspects that can be annoying, but I find that aspect particularly appealing.

* * *

Immediately after boarding the plane to Korea for the A match.

“Can I put it here?”

“yes!”

While my national teammate Jae-seon, who has become so familiar that it has become natural to me, signs autographs for Korean passengers, I try my best to hide myself in the window seat.

“Player Seong Ha-neul… … .”

“……please.”

“Yes. Here are the uniforms… … .”

Of course, my efforts are truly absurd and useless, and I have no choice but to take up the pen due to the attention I see from those around me and the stewardess’ indifference.

“I’m looking forward to the World Cup. Fighting in this A-match too!”

“Yes, thank you… … .”

A middle-aged man, a young couple, and even a German boy who sneaked in. Each of them expressed their support and gratitude in their own way.

In fact, upon arriving in Korea, I was scheduled to play two consecutive matches against Costa Rica and Cameroon, but my mind was filled with completely different topics.

After a while,

As people began to return to their seats and the plane’s wheels lifted off the ground with a loud rumble, the man sitting next to me spoke.

“What’s bothering you?”

“……yes?”

“Because your expression doesn’t look good.”

You’re quick-witted, aren’t you?

“… … It’s nothing special, I just talked to my parents yesterday about transferring.”

“Uh… … Really?”

That’s right.

Last night, I decided to confront the heart of the matter, as Sophie Hertz advised, and I finally (finally!) brought it up at dinner.

“It wasn’t easy to bring it up.”

“Well, I guess it’s because of the transfer issue. Especially since you’re a minor. Your family is bound to get involved.”

“Yes. And it was even more so because the dining table in my house is very quiet. Except for the sound of chopsticks being set down, the sound of crickets outside is louder. Even though I sprayed some pesticide on these guys a while ago, they still crawled into the yard again… … .”

“Hahaha, are you suddenly talking about bugs?”

If you knew how much I hate bugs, you wouldn’t be able to laugh it off if you saw how big the German bugs are.

There are other important things, so let’s get back to the main topic.

“Anyway, since there’s nothing to talk about, I guess I have to bring it up first. That’s why I said it.”

“what?”

“I’m not going to Munich.”

“Hmm… … But Sky, come to think of it, maybe we should tell this story later? There are a lot of ears listening here.”

“No one will notice any difference if they hear it. I told you it’s nothing special.”

“……okay?”

“Yes. If I have to transfer, I want to go overseas. I don’t want to transfer within the same league.”

It’s literal.

Last night was not a conversation, it was a notification.

I spoke, my brother was silent, and my mom and dad seemed to listen for a moment… … .

“Then he said he wanted to come back and talk.”

“After the A-match period ends?”

“yes.”

“That makes sense. The World Cup is coming up soon, so there’s no need to rush into a decision.”

“… … .”

That’s right.

But not having to make a decision in a hurry and not even feeling the need to make one are two different things. This brings to mind a future where I’m fighting fiercely with my mom and dad.

Jae-seon keeps his mouth shut when talking to his brother, fearing that he might be called a filial son who is full of filial piety.

The national team was a different stage from the club, and I could feel it as soon as I arrived at Incheon Airport.

Click, click, click!

[Gyaaaah!]

People’s attention remains high, and with countless camera flashes going off in front of our eyes, we head to Paju NFC to join a ‘team that neither needs nor can be transferred’.

The first match was scheduled to be against Costa Rica at Goyang Stadium, and the second match was scheduled to be against Cameroon at Sangam World Cup Stadium.