SPW 58

“Kim Sarang in conflict with the Football Association?”

“National Team vs. Club, What is Kim Sarang’s Choice?”

“Manager Yoo Joongyeon, ‘We don’t need a player who won’t commit to the national team.'”

“Football Association currently coordinating national team selection with Rhinoceros FC.”

“Possibility of failing to be selected for national team UP! The rest is up to Kim Sarang.”

“Noise over national team selection, does a player who prioritizes his club deserve to be a national representative?”

“Football Association official, ‘Kim Sarang is persuading his club’s management.'”

“Will the Asian Cup proceed without Kim Sarang?”

“Football Association Chairman Choi Taeseok, ‘An arrogant player only clouds the national team’s atmosphere.'”

“Football Association official, ‘It seems Kim Sarang is reluctant to be selected for the national team.'”

“An honor for some, a burden for others, the national team.”

“Football Association official, ‘Soccer is a team sport, loyalty comes before individual skill.'”

“March A-match period, will Kim Sarang be selected?”

“Soccer fans disappointed by player more loyal to club than country.”

“Manager Yoo Joongyeon, ‘We won’t be easily shaken by the absence of one player.'”

“A-match days are mandatory selections, Asian Games are the player’s decision?”

“Communicating with the club is the player’s job.”

“Kim Sarang, excelling in the league, but a question mark for the national team?”

“Football Association Chairman Choi Taeseok, ‘A player who only does well in the league is a half-baked player.'”

“Youngest national team debut Kim Sarang, growing doubts about his national team qualifications.”

“Kim Sarang’s alleged mistreatment of the national team, fans even start a petition for his removal.”

“Kim Sarang’s delayed decision, the public’s disappointment turns to anger.”

“National team coach, ‘What the team needs is a dedicated player, not a star.'”

“Will Kim Sarang refuse the call-up for the March A-match?”

“Kim Sarang’s entry into the country confirmed, what about the call-up?”

“Kim Sarang enters the country for a commercial shoot!”

“Is it the right direction for players to prioritize commercial shoots over the national team?”

“These dirty bastards are making me lose all faith in humanity, lose all faith.”

Finally, Jaehyeok, who had tossed his phone aside, gulped down his iced coffee.

“They won’t even write our side of the story.”

Next to him, Jeonghun, who had been sipping his grapefruit juice with a grim face, also exited the portal site.

“Because there are no sources to drop. Florian, of course, and Sarang, they’re both tighter-lipped than a crane, aren’t they?”

“If we just threw them a decent story, they’d go easy on us.”

“That must be what the trash reporters are aiming for, and the Football Association, I really can’t work with those people! I’ve dealt with all sorts of associations, but I’ve never seen an association as incompetent and irresponsible as the Football Association!”

Jaehyeok, who was crunching on ice instead of the finished coffee, was so angry he was about to die from frustration.

“The FIFA-sanctioned A-matches are mandatory selections, so of course he has to come when the national team calls, but the Asian Games aren’t mandatory, so shouldn’t the Football Association be negotiating with the club! The player has said he wanted to go to the Asian Games several times from the beginning! If the club resists, isn’t it normal for the Football Association to step up and negotiate? Those adults really have no shame in what they say to a 21-year-old!”

“They talked all that trash, but look at them calling him up for the A-match this time. It’s not like they invest the spectator revenue right back into soccer. They’re just throwing a fit because Florian isn’t coming with him. They use him as a punching bag for all sorts of criticism, and they call him up a hundred thousand times, and still he says it’s an honor, thank you, I’m sorry for not being enough. A player who is sincere about the national team is a living saint.”

“Whether Florian comes or not, the spectator seats are full. They’re just doing it to save face and get noticed. Sigh, our Sarang probably didn’t see it, right? No, he said he looks up the articles, didn’t he? After he got hit by an egg when he came in last time. He said he was flustered because he was hit without knowing why and didn’t know what he did wrong. He said he’s been monitoring the media reports ever since. His mental state will be okay, right?”

“Are you worried about Kim Sarang’s mental state right now? You should worry about your own, hyung. It’s almost time for the plane to arrive.”

“Why isn’t Florian coming with him at a time like this?”

“Is that man free? To follow him to every single A-match? We should be grateful he even takes care of the league. This time it’s not even qualifiers, it’s a friendly match.”

“You think friendlies aren’t important? This all gets reflected in the FIFA rankings too!”

“Yes, yes~. Let’s get out, hyung. We’ll be late if we dawdle any longer.”

Jeonghun, who gave a cursory nod, got out of the car first. Jaehyeok, who had been fuming and spouting curses as if breathing fire, soon joined Jeonghun by his side, looking neat and proper.

“That busy person is the one who should be using it, why did he give our Sarang the private jet to use?”

“The whole world knows that man is a Sarang-devotee. Don’t flare your nostrils, hyung, it’s gross.”

Jeonghun just tutted, clicking his tongue at Jaehyeok’s childish behavior, who seemed so pleased by the obvious fact that Sarang was loved by his husband that he tried to show it off every chance he got.

“Department Head Jung, do you know what percentage of trait-bearers live together because they love each other? It’s less than 20%, 20%. Only two out of ten couples live together because they truly love each other. The rest is all like an agreement based on mutual interests. Yes. And that’s especially true for pro athletes because of pheromones. That man Florian, from what I’ve seen, he’s not the type to live a flashy life for someone of his background. But he goes to watch Sarang’s league games every single time. Ah, well, he misses some sometimes, but like Department Head Jung said, he’s a busy person, a busy maaan. Huh?”

“Yes~ yes~.”

“And a person like that, he flies our Sarang in on a private jet every time there’s an A-match, something he could be using himself. And if the timing works out, he sometimes comes with him. Of course, it was once before the marriage and once after, but. Anyway, a man who values things like honor and face is going around telling the world—‘I am a Sarang-devotee.’ Isn’t that something to be happy about? Especially a kid like our Sarang, he deserves to receive even bigger and more love. To be honest, I’m not completely fond of that man Florian either, but…”

“Here are our passes. There’s one private jet that just came in, right?”

Jeonghun, who didn’t even pretend to listen to the spiel he had heard enough times to make his ears bleed, showed their passes to an employee and was guided inside. Normally, Allen and Sarang would have come out through the gate, but today, Jaehyeok had requested a meeting first. Before they went out the gate, in a place with no reporters. The private jet was the perfect location for that. Fortunately, it had also landed 30 minutes earlier than scheduled.

“CEO, Department Head.”

Sarang, who was standing near the entrance, was the first to greet Jaehyeok and Jeonghun cheerfully.

“Wow~ Kim Sarang! I really missed you. How do you get more handsome every time I see you?”

“It’s been a while, Mr. Kim. You must have had a long journey.”

Sarang, after exchanging greetings with the ever-cheerful Jaehyeok and the ever-gentle Jeonghun, guided them to the seats. Allen, who had been sitting with his feet up on the table as if sleeping, glanced over and then slowly stood up to acknowledge them. The first time they met, he had treated them like stones, but after seeing them a few times, it seemed he was finally treating them like living creatures.

“Actually, there’s something I wanted to say to you, Sarang.”

“Yes, please tell me.”

Jaehyeok, who started talking as soon as the flight attendant had set down their drinks, looked at the brightly smiling Sarang with an affectionate gaze, before quickly snapping back to his senses when Jeonghun, sitting next to him, tapped him on the knee.

“There are a ton of reporters outside right now.”

“Yes, I know. They thankfully come to see me every time.”

“No, Kim Sarang. This time it’s different. There’s a really, reeeally, huge crowd. They’re saying they absolutely won’t let us out of the airport if we don’t get an interview.”

“Weren’t we supposed to do an interview?”

“We were, we were, but.”

Sarang, waiting for Jaehyeok to become comfortable enough to speak, gently offered him a drink.

“Please speak comfortably. I saw a few articles before I came.”

“Ah, as expected. Sarang! I told you not to monitor the media. Being too diligent is also a problem. Huh?”

“I need to know so I can deal with it. Isn’t that why you both took the time out of your day to help me?”

Jaehyeok, moved by every single one of Sarang’s words, muttered a prayer, ‘I hope all those trash reporter bastards drop dead,’ and then gulped down his drink.

“Today, they’re going to throw all sorts of questions at you. The reporters have been waiting for this. You’ve been focused only on the league for a while, right? There were those articles quoting a ‘Football Association official,’ and there’s a high probability they’ll ask you those questions without changing a single word. No, they will. Sarang, I heard you don’t take reporters’ numbers separately?”

“Ah… is that why they dislike me?”

“No, that’s not it, Sarang. Yes, you can’t be loved by everyone, that’s a given. And let me be clear, I also think it’s possible for someone to be uninterested in you, to not like or dislike you. That can happen, if they’re not interested, if they don’t know you well. But to hate Sarang? To dislike him? I’m prejudiced against people like that. Prejudiced that they are very bad people.”

A laugh of disbelief erupted from behind Sarang. It was Allen.

“That friend Allen knows how to laugh too?”