The Little Prince of the Field - Chapter 4

“There was a video of you scoring a goal on the Internet.” 

“Really?” 

“Read the comments. It’s interesting.” 

On the weekend after the second round of La Liga in Malaga, Dad was as excited as Captain Hook, who captured a winged fairy floating in the clouds.

I feel good looking my father’s excitement, but I wondered if he was still in his adolescence while looking at his enthusiasm as he looked at the comments. 

I’m sure there’s a lot of bad comments. 

“ Kim. Eat some fruits. The lady next door gave me this.” 

“The lady next door.?” 

“She congratulated you on scoring the winning goal.” 

The lady with short red hair seems to be cunning. 

It’s not a bad choice to buy fruits for future soccer star.

No, it’s not. 

Don’t be conceited. Just because you scored a goal in a match against Malaga doesn’t mean you’ll be a first division regular. 

There is still a long way to go to compete at the same level with Castro.

“ Kim. What are you doing today?” 

“I’m going to exercise. The club drew a separate recovery training manual.”

“Is there such a thing?” 

“They gave it to me after scoring the goal.” 

Physical coach Juan Naranjo, who said that a science training center would be built in Gran Canaria next year or so, handed over a manual on the plane back from the game. 

“Well… Dad will be at home, so let me know when you have time. We’ll go somewhere fun again when you get a day off.” 

“Yes,” 

Dad said stepping back when he heard that I had personal training.

Before joining the first division, We used to go to Tenerife Island by boat on Sunday if there was no game, but now I had a greater desire to focus on training as I rode the flow.

Even if it’s hard this year, I want to put Castro and I on the same scale and make them think next year in Manager Pepe’s selection of starting players. 

By then, Pedri will be returning to Barcelona, so if it’s really difficult to replace castro, it would be good to take away the position where Pedri played through a change of position. 

I wear sportswear and left home for a light jog. 

The unique building style consisting of primary colors is new every time I see it. 

Some houses were painted with red paint, while others looked like they had just taken Lego blocks and stacked them up. 

My school 7 Palmas right now looks like a giant beige Lego block.

Passing through houses and apartments with unique features and exiting narrow alleys, I can see a group of yachts anchored in the port.

Even if lava bursts from the island, it will be so crowded that I think I can’t evacuate without much damage. 

Isn’t it amazing that so many tourists come to sail to this remote area? 

I wrapped up my random thoughts and started my recovery exercise in the park next to Catalina Hospital. 

It was time to start jogging.

Weekends have ended and weekdays have begun, but there is no change in daily life between school and training ground.

The local people asked for an autograph once in a while, but the residents’ sideways glance was not special since my status as the only Asian resident in the neighborhood was already solid. 

After class, I headed to the training ground to avoid the crowded student cafeteria. 

On the way, I was going to find a deserted place and eat my lunch from the lunch box. 

When heading toward the training ground from Maxi Pizza House next to the stadium, a car approaches and lowers the window. 

It’s Dani Casteyano. 

“Ninoo coreano” 

“I’m fine. The ground is right ahead.” 

The car followed me in the back.

“I’ll be waiting for you with all my heart until you get on board.” 

Bloody hell, I have to eat lunch before I go into the training ground. 

As he was laughing and teasing me, the annoyed expression got revealed on my face.

“Don’t make such a frightening face, my prince. I’m scared.”

“Stop teasing me and go to the training ground quickly.” 

“Slow down, relax. What did you learn at school today, Prince?”

I controlled my emotion considering that Dani is over thirty.

After the short but long ride, I asked Dani, who wants to go to the training ground with me, to go first. 

“Why?” 

“I didn’t eat.” 

“What meal? Lunch?” 

I pat on the lunch box in the bag and replied with a sound.

“Now, you can leave me alone.” 

He made a strange expression that I couldn’t understand, and walked to the training ground shaking his head. 

I looked at the grass next to the parking lot. 

Even when training in the second division, I often sit here in a quiet seat next to the tree and ate. 

It wasn’t uncomfortable, but I thought it wouldn’t look good if someone saw me like this, so I tried to eat as soon as possible and enter the training ground. 

Dani Casteyano. 

I’ll Keep this name in mind your mind. That irritating loser. 

When I was halfway through the bibimbap packed in my lunch box, I found a familiar-built physical coach and Dani in the parking lot looking around. 

Our eyes met before I could escape, and Juan Naranjo beckoned to me with broad shoulders and a shining head. 

I took the food I was eating and followed him into the training center building.

Dani, that vicious fellow must have said something about me. 

I thought people were okay even though I never socialized with anyone, but people are not everything as they look on the outside.

Before entering Juan’s office, Dani disappeared, and I sat in a chair waiting for the coach’s disposition. 

Is it such a big mistake to eat in the parking lot? 

Is it a crime to eat alone in Spain?

I felt wronged. 

“Kim. God, why did you eat in the parking lot?” 

“Coach, that’s…” 

“You’re a professional player. You are a player in the first division of Las Palmas.” 

“I was just hungry.”

I wish I could speak Spanish a little better. 

I have belated regrets. 

I just didn’t like to eat in the crowded school cafeteria. 

What’s the word for “crowded” in Spanish? 

How can I explain this? 

“I mean, I don’t like lot of people. It’s good to be alone. I ate because I wanted to eat alone. I had no other idea.” 

“Kim, if you have any problems, tell me honestly” 

Coach said with a serious look. 

I thought there was a misunderstanding due to my immature conversation skills, but the problem is that I don’t understand what this misunderstanding is.

 “There is a mistake. It’s hard to understand.”

“Okay, I’ll speak slowly.” 

“Do you have any difficulties in the first division?”

“No, I don’t have.” 

It’s good now.

I’m good that I’m scoring goals and playing games. 

“It’s the best.” 

“Instead of playing in the game, what about the training ground? Who are the players you’re close to?” 

The coach’s expression, which is getting darker and darker, is frustrating. 

Suddenly the subject of the conversation seemed strange. 

How long have I been in the first division? 

I haven’t had any close friends in the second division even though I was there for a year.

To me, who hesitates to answer, the coach says with an expression of understanding. 

I’m going crazy. 

“Is there anyone on the team that bothers you? Anyone is fine. I’ll keep it a secret from Manager Pepe.” 

What kind of nonsense is this? 

Dani, what did that crazy person say? 

“No, it’s not like that.” 

“…Really.” 

“ Yes. Not at all.” 

I said, half pleadingly, feeling unfair and absurd. 

Suddenly, in my head, I thought that I could look miserable to the coach as I squatted in the parking lot and was eating half-mixed bibimbap. 

“I just ate.” 

“Well, take it easy. I won’t tell anyone about this. Instead, promise me.” 

“What promise?” 

“Let’s eat lunch together before training, okay? Otherwise, I’ll have to contact your parents. You’re a minor, and I’m responsible as one of the team’s chief coaches. You promise, don’t you?”

“…okay.” 

Dani, I’ll kill you. 

I’ll kill you for sure. 

Coach Juan sighed quietly and asked me to finish my meal in his office before leaving. 

Coach took an energy bar from his desk and I took out my lunch box from bag, looking at the coach.

Coach Juan expression doesn’t look very well. 

If he had seen my rice before mixing it with red pepper paste, he wouldn’t have looked at it like this, but now I don’t know what he will say.

Yeah, it looked a little bit like dog food.