SPW 27

Florian must have been disappointed, too. Whatever he said, Sarang had no excuse.

Meeting the downcast eyes, Florian sighed softly with a stern face.

Ah, he’s angry.

While nervous at Florian’s reaction, Sarang didn’t avoid his gaze and waited obediently.

“I’m sorry.”

“…”

Sarang’s pupils, who had been bracing himself to be scolded, widened.

“It was something I should have been mindful of, but I wasn’t.”

“…”

“I’ve ruined your national team debut, Sarang.”

“Ah… no. That’s not it, Lian.”

“I didn’t have an understanding of what it’s like to be a soccer player. I had no idea you suffered from such difficult aftereffects.”

Florian, who calmly admitted his mistake, wasn’t just trying to get out of the situation with a few words.

“I’m truly sorry, Sarang. The expectations and the pressure must have been immense.”

“…”

Tears quickly welled up and were about to fall, so Sarang hastily turned his head and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

“I only thought that allowing partners to stay with the players was just a measure to help them maintain their condition.”

“…”

“Come here, Sarang.”

The tip of Sarang’s nose, who kept wiping his tears with his head turned away, had already turned red.

“Sarang?”

Unable to resist the voice calling his name again, Sarang looked back at Florian with reddened eyes. Florian was holding out both his arms.

“Come here.”

At the repeated invitation, Sarang, who had been gazing at Florian, moved a little closer. And before they could fully touch, Florian’s arms reached out first, wrapped around Sarang’s back, and held him tightly in his embrace.

“Sarang is still a child, but because you’re big and have already debuted as a pro, I keep forgetting.”

Sniffling in Florian’s warm embrace, Sarang mumbled softly.

“I’m… not a baby.”

“Ah, that’s right. You’re a boy.”

“And I’m… not that big…”

“Haha! In just half a year, you’ll be towering over me, Sarang.”

When Florian laughed, the chest against his cheek also shook lightly. Feeling as if a gentle wave was washing deep into his heart, Sarang couldn’t move a muscle. It was hard to tell if the thumping heartbeat he heard was Florian’s or his own. In no time, Sarang’s entire body grew hot.

[Player Kim Sarang is full of energy today! His condition looks good, doesn’t it?]

[I agree, he looks very light on his feet today. He might just do something big, don’t you think?]

[There’s the issue of adjusting to the time difference, and a debut match is never easy for anyone. Still, I’m sure our citizens will be patient enough… Kim Sarang breaks through the pressure! (The ability to get past defenders who are pressing you while you have the ball) Wow, he was surrounded by five players, but he held on to it. A pass after breaking through! Oh, oh, the pass didn’t connect with player Min Ido! Ahh, that was a good move, what a shame!]

[The opponent’s long ball! It’s a counterattack, a counterattack! Ahhh! Player Kim Goun steals the ball! A forward pass! Ah, was the ball a bit long? No, no, no! Player Kim Sarang runs and saves the ball! It didn’t cross the touchline! It did not cross the touchline! Pass! Kim Goun, one touch! Kim Sarang plays a long ball with a one-touch pass! Player Min Ido sprints! Wooow— he didn’t cross the half-line! (If the attacking player receives the ball before crossing the half-line, he won’t be called for offside) He did not cross the half-line! It’s not offside! It is not offside! An incredible key pass from Kim Sarang! (A pass that leads to a shot) There’s only the goalkeeper in the opponent’s territory! Kim Goun and Kim Sarang are running with player Min Ido! The opposing defenders are late to get back! They can’t catch up to our players’ speed!]

[Player Min Ido, one-on-one! Ahh, he’s even gotten past the goalkeeper! The goal is empty! Player Min Ido, a light tap! Goaaal—! Goooaaal—! It’s a goal! A goal! Wooow— that link-up play was insane! Fantastic! A truly picturesque pass and a refreshing counterattack!]

[That’s player Kim Sarang’s first assist! Hahaha, look at player Min Ido’s celebration! Look at him taking care of player Kim Sarang! How lovely is that, smiling on the pitch! Oh! Who is player Kim Sarang greeting?]

[Oh, oh, the broadcast camera is showing us!]

[It’s Florian! Florian! He’s player Kim Sarang’s guardian, right? He wasn’t seen at the last match, but he’s in the stands today!]

[Florian doesn’t usually watch soccer! Could he have ever imagined he’d come all the way to a soccer stadium to watch a game live because of player Kim Sarang? Hahahaha!]

[Look at player Kim Sarang smiling brightly and waving with both hands in the air! He looks truly happy!]

「Second Evaluation Match, Republic of Korea vs. Netherlands, 5:0 Landslide Victory」
「Kim Sarang, 2 Assists, 1 Goal.」

☀️

Sarang came out of the shower and fidgeted, needlessly tugging at the hem of his shirt. Florian, who was on the phone while sitting on the bed, patted the spot next to him. Tsk, tsk. Hesitating at the gesture to come and sit, Sarang moved his feet. The bed dipped slightly as Sarang sat down. After finishing his long call, Florian put down his phone and was the first to lie down on the bed.

“Come and lie down.”

“…”

“Didn’t you say you go to bed at 9?”

“How did you know that…”

“I’m a person who reflects quickly and has a strong will to improve.”

Even as he spoke, his hand kept patting the spot next to him. Unable to refuse, Sarang got onto the bed and lay down beside him. His heart started to pound strangely again. And why was his throat so dry?

Unaware of Sarang’s inner turmoil, Florian even gave him his arm as a pillow and settled into a comfortable position. Naturally, Florian ended up lying on his side facing Sarang, and his golden hair disoriented Sarang’s dark eyes.

“You must be especially tired today since you played the full 100 minutes, Sarang.”

“…I’m still okay for now.”

With nowhere to look, Sarang lowered his gaze, and the shadow of his eyelashes fell beneath his eyes.

“For the time being, please make do with this. Later, when you become an adult, you’ll be able to find a formal partner.”

Make do with this? Just this is enough to make my heart feel like it’s going to burst.

“Lian… you really are just my guardian, right?”

“Of course. I’m not some shameless person who claims the guardian spot first only to snatch you up the moment you become an adult.”

“…”

“Are you perhaps anxious? That I might be that kind of shameless person?”

Sarang’s ink-black hair tickled Florian’s arm and chin as he shook his head no. Perhaps because he was young, his pheromones had a much sweeter scent. He would naturally learn to control his pheromones as he became an adult and formed a relationship with a partner.

“I am your guardian, Sarang. Until you no longer want me to be.”

“…”

“Until then, I intend to be a very exemplary and sincere guardian.”

Florian’s smiling palm gently stroked Sarang’s back. The scent of fig that slowly seeped out moistened Sarang’s entire body. Sarang, whose chest stung for some reason every time Florian emphasized his role as a guardian, changed the subject.

“Did you see my celebration?”

“How could I possibly miss such a boisterous celebration, Sarang.”

The first time, of course, and also when he got his second assist, and even when he scored a goal in stoppage time, Sarang raised his hands high and waved enthusiastically towards Florian. When his brightly smiling face was shown on the jumbotron, gasps of admiration and cheers erupted from various places in the stands.

“I didn’t mind the feeling of getting special treatment.”

“That was for you, Lian.”

“Haha, I see.”

“Is it okay if I greet you like that every time you come to the stadium?”

“Of course. It would be my honor, Sarang.”

“I was so happy you came to the game today, Lian.”

The way the boy honestly confessed his feelings was lovely. That was something that became more difficult with age. To Florian he was a child, but seventeen wasn’t an age that was simply just young. Inwardly impressed, Florian also shared his feelings candidly.

“I don’t know the rules of soccer well, but I found it very enjoyable to watch you play, Sarang.”

“I really didn’t know you would come, Lian.”

“I also never thought I’d find myself watching a game at a soccer stadium to cheer for someone in my life.”

“…You cheered for me?”

Meeting the eyes of Sarang, who pushed his eyelids up, Florian smiled as if it were the most obvious thing.

“You, Sarang, are the person who monopolized all my cheers in that vast stadium.”

“…”

Florian’s smile deepened as he looked down at the cheeks flushed like a ripe peach.

“Are you happy, Sarang?”

“Yes…”

“It’s quite easy to make you happy, Sarang.”

“That’s not true.”

“Hmm?”

“It’s not easy for you to make time like this, is it?”

“Ah.”

He hadn’t realized Sarang was being that considerate.

He was a thoughtful child.

“Do you think Colin also felt it was a waste of time to spend it on you?”

“…No.”

“It’s the same for me. The time I spend on you is not a waste at all.”

Because Florian was his guardian.

“So, call me whenever you need me.”

The hand that was stroking his back moved up his nape and gently threaded through his thick hair.

“Don’t be in pain by yourself.”

“Lian.”

“Yes, Sarang.”

“Every day after training, when I go to bed, it hurts so much I can’t sleep well. When Colin was here, he would hold me tight, and I could sleep. But I can’t do that these days.”

Of course, Colin, being a recessive omega, hadn’t been a great help in his physical recovery. Nevertheless, when Colin held him, he could fall asleep to his faint pheromones as if they were a lullaby. Sarang’s breath, as he buried his face in Florian’s chest and spoke in a hushed voice, was as soft as cotton. There was peach fuzz on the back of his ears and on his nape, too.

“Sarang, are you very lonely being by yourself?”

“…Yes.”

“No matter how much I am your guardian, I can’t visit you every single day. I don’t think that’s what a perfect guardian would do, either.”

“…”

Sarang’s breath seemed to grow a little hotter. Heat was rising from his cheeks as well. He could automatically picture Sarang’s cheeks, which must be flushed not a peach pink, but a rose pink.

“But making you lonely is not what a guardian should do.”

It hadn’t even been a month since Sarang had moved into the mansion. If this was how it was going to be, should he have just had him move into his house from the start?