Shooting Trajectory is Visible - Chapter 29



Only Krnovel

As always, Director Yoo Jin-ho called me again.

But something is strange today. To be exact, Director Yoo Jin-ho is splitting things up. Why is he acting so scary?

“Kim Min-woo!”

“yes?”

“The scout wants to see you. Do you know Suwon Sunyang Bluewings? I’m a scout there.”

“···A professional club? Isn’t that a first division league?”

“Yeah. I told you so.”

Yoo Jin-ho, who was looking at me with eyes filled with hearts, hugged me tightly and stroked the back of my head.

“Don’t get carried away. The competition isn’t over yet. You shouldn’t let your mind wander.”

“···I can’t breathe, Director.”

“Come on in. I’ll be waiting inside.”

Right now, I’m fresh out of the shower and feeling refreshed. I’m glad I don’t have to see scouts with my sweaty body, but it looks like a professional team is finally taking notice of me.

‘It’s a new feeling.’

Although his time in the business was extremely short compared to others, his performance during that short time must have been amazing. He’s already been contacted by a professional team.

I thought that at least if I won this tournament they would start to take interest.

I calmed my pounding heart and opened the door and went in.

Inside was a man who looked to be in his late 20s or 30s, wearing a suit in this weather.

“Kim Min-woo! Nice to meet you!”

As soon as the opposing scout saw me, he jumped up from his seat and shouted in a loud voice. He then held out his hand. He looked at the opponent and grabbed his hand.

“I heard you left the club.”

“Yes! I’ve watched many of Kim Min-woo’s matches! Would you like to sit down first?”

“yes.”

I sat on a creaky wooden chair across from a small round table. The chair must have gotten wet because it creaked with the slightest movement.

“First of all, Kim Min-woo. He plays soccer really well. I was really impressed watching him. He is much better than other goalkeepers his age.”

“thank you.”

My heart is pounding.

My head started to heat up as I regained my sense of reality.

I just couldn’t believe this situation. It felt like I was in a scene from a movie.

“Player Kim Min-woo······.”

The scouter kept talking nonsense, but I paid attention and didn’t miss a single word. Leaving out the ramblings, this is what the scouter was trying to say.

You’re awesome. Let’s sign a contract! We’ll do it for you!

“···How are you, Kim Min-woo?”

The moment I’ve been waiting for has arrived, but for some reason my heart has become cold.

My heart that had been beating hotly calmed down.

‘Concentrate. Concentrate.’

This is the moment when my life is decided.

You shouldn’t make decisions easily.

But in this situation, which player would refuse? In this situation, would any player refuse? When the long-awaited professional threshold is right in front of them?

I bit my lip and swallowed my words. Then the scouter, feeling awkward about the silence, opened his mouth to lighten the mood.

“Are you worried? I know it’s not an easy decision to make. And even if Kim Min-woo agrees, he’s still a minor, so he needs his parents’ consent.”

“Excuse me.”

“yes?”

“I would like to discuss the contract.”

The scout’s expression brightened noticeably. If I were to describe his expression in a sentence, it would be something like this. ‘That’s it! We’ve passed the 9th ridge! Just a little more!’

“Of course. I brought a copy here anyway.”

The scout rummages through his briefcase and takes out a professional contract. He then explains it to me in detail.

This is like this, that is like that, there is this law, that law, things like that.

“So, what you’re saying, scout, is that I’m signing a semi-pro contract?”

“Yes. There is nothing we can do about it because Kim Min-woo is still a minor. This is the same whether he signs with any club in Korea or not. That’s the current law.”

“If I sign a semi-pro contract, is my annual salary fixed at this level?”

“yes.”

1200 per year.

Fuck, this is so annoying.

The scout read my expression and continued speaking quickly.

“The semi-pro contract ends on December 31st of the year you become a high school senior. Then, the player and the team sign a new contract. Depending on your performance, you will receive a higher salary.”

“Is this salary fixed no matter which team I go to?”

The scouter is silent for a moment. What?

But the moment of silence was short-lived.

“Yes. All players who sign a semi-pro contract receive this salary. It may seem a bit unreasonable, but they are literally ‘semi-’pros.”

“Hmm···.”

A scouter who accentuates ‘Jun’.

As I tapped the table with my index finger and pondered, the scout’s words grew louder.

It seemed as if, at this very moment, he was trying to somehow get confirmation of the contract signing.

His fidgeting appearance was just like that of a mouse.

‘Let’s calm down. There’s no need to decide right now. And this person’s attitude right now. Something is strange. He looks like B instead of A. Why?’

Doesn’t it look like he’s whining and begging for a contract right now? Do he do this to other players? No way. He’d be treated like a boss instead.

The authority of a high school football coach is sky-high, but the authority of a scout who decides whether or not to give a contract to a prospect is likely to be just as great.

‘And now that kid is struggling in front of me?’

He pretended not to notice, but his expression showed his urgency.

I shook my head up and down gently. And then I decided.

“I have carefully listened to the scout’s suggestion. It is a truly grateful suggestion. However, I cannot give you a definite answer yet. I need to discuss it with my family as well.”

“Oh, yes. You need some time, right? Then, when can we meet again? After the semi-finals?”

I answered that firmly.

“No. After the finals are over, I want to go up to Changnyeong and watch it with my parents.”

“······Ah. The competition is over?”

“yes.”

The scout wipes the embarrassment from his face and suddenly starts acting bossy.

“Player, I’m telling you this out of concern, but I don’t think this is something we should waste time on. I think you’re a great player, but if we waste time, the contract could fall through. Can we move the timing up? At least before the finals. Or right after.”

I feel something. I don’t know, but I feel a strong urge. I only have two pairs of balls, but I hit them hard. For a man, isn’t life ‘a fight’ or ‘bluffing’?

“Then I’ll sign with another team.”

“······yes?”

“I’m signing a contract with another team.”

“Do you think you will receive offers from other clubs?”

“What is your intention in saying that now?”

I jumped up from my seat.

And then he shot.

“Then why is the scout making this offer to me? Isn’t it because I’m worthy of the job?”

“No, what I mean is, sir?”

“I appreciate your polite suggestion. I will go.”

I left the room, leaving the bewildered scout behind. Wait a minute. Is this right? Did I do this for nothing? Did I just kick away a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

Eugene Ho was standing right in front of me, as if he had heard the whole story from behind the door.

And he was looking at me like I was crazy.

“···and.”

Director Yoo Jin-ho is speechless.

I tried to speak calmly.

“Coach, don’t think that the offer will come only to that team. You were the one who told me that I could become the national team’s goalkeeper.”

“······Keuk. Hahahaha! You crazy kid! Why? You’re lining up teams and going to the team with the best conditions?”

He nodded silently.

Director Yoo Jin-ho sighs and pats my head.

“I’ll take care of the rest, so go and rest.”

*

A day has passed since the quarterfinals ended.

Kim Jun-young ran up to me like he did at the last competition and handed me his cell phone as if bragging that we were in the article again.

[Suyang High School, the winner of the Geumgang Banseok Tournament, continues its momentum in the President’s Cup Tournament. It advances to the tournament in first place with 3 wins out of 3 matches in the group stage!]

[‘Next Generation Stars’ Following Cha Beom-gun and Hwang Hee-cheon All Out. Who is Suyang High School’s Kim Min-woo?]

[Geumgang Tournament winner Suyang High School vs. local powerhouse Gyeongnam Motgol High School, clash for a ticket to the quarterfinals!]

“Do you look for things like this every time you have a break?”

“Oh, of course, brother! This is so much fun!”

Kim Jun-young, who took the phone back, looks for the article again.

[Suyang High School, which changed the landscape of high school soccer this season. Will this competition be the same as last competition?]

[Suyang High School, once again, has defeated the championship contender. Gangwon Youth Taebaek Central defeats them and advances to the semifinals!]

[From Geumgang Banseok to the President’s Cup? Suyang High School’s ‘countdown’ to the finals]

[Suyang High School Kim Jun-young “I’m happy to repay my parents”]

“What is this? Did you have an interview?”

“Haven’t you seen it, hyung? It was really short, didn’t I tell you?”

“What the heck? You’re doing it too, so why can’t I…”

“to?”

“Joke.”

Today’s training was recovery training because we had to rest for a day and then play in the quarterfinals again tomorrow.

For us, who used all our energy to defeat Taebaek Central High School, a giant and a championship contender in the quarterfinals, stamina was more important than anything else.

We already experienced the nightmare that can unfold when you play without stamina in the finals of the last tournament.

*

Personal free time after work and school hours are over.

I posted a message in the family chat room.

[Kim Min-woo: I have two slopes.]

[Kim Shin-a: Are you planning on advancing to the semifinals and finals?]

[Kim Min-woo: That and this time, I met a pro scout. Suwon, Shenyang? I heard you came from there and wanted to sign a contract right away.]

[Kim Shin-ah: Huh? Really? A scout came to me there too.]

[Kim Min-woo: ? Why are you telling me that now?]

[Kim Shin-ah: You said it already]

[Kim Min-woo: No;;]

It was my parents who directed the traffic.

[Choi Sung-hee: I was going to talk about it this time anyway. The contract is not ours but yours, Min-woo, so we’ve put off the decision for now. Son? Should we meet in person later and talk about it? Or have you already decided?]

[Kim Min-woo: I got rid of the scout first.]

[Kim Shin-ah: ???????????? What??? Why??]

[Kim Min-woo: I can’t just suddenly say let’s sign a contract. I have to wait and see until the end of the competition and see if there are any offers from other clubs.]

[Kim Shin-ah: ???? Who are you? The eldest son I know doesn’t think like that.]

[Kim Min-seok: He’s my son. What a smart guy~^^]

[Choi Sung-hee: That’s a good decision haha. Then let’s watch for now. Just like my son said, other teams will definitely be watching too. Fighting, son! I’ll definitely go down in the finals!]

[Kim Min-woo: Yay]

[Kim Min-seok: Oh, right. Min-woo, you didn’t see this, did you?]

[Kim Min-woo: ??]

[Kim Min-seok: (video)]

What is this?

[Kim Shin-ah: Ah, Dad!!!!!!!!! What are you doing!!!!]

[Kim Min-seok: Video of my daughter dancing haha]

really?

[Kim Min-woo: Hahahahahahahahahahahaha I’m going to hold my stomach]

[Kim Shin-ah: Ah – -]

Is this a really fun hidden camera?

I immediately downloaded the video my dad uploaded and checked it out.

The image quality was better than I expected. It’s not at the level of a cannon camera, but it looks like it’s at least 1080p by YouTube standards.

“Wow, what is this?”

He wears thick winter gloves over his school uniform, has a cat-like tail attached to his butt, and has cat-like ears attached to his head.

And Kim Shin-ah and her friends dancing to a cheerful song.

-Bo peep Bo peep ah ah~

Oh, I remember this.

It was a song that came out when I was very young.

Did you dance this at the school festival?

‘Isn’t this AI?’

My little sister dancing to a song? I can’t imagine it, and I can’t believe it even after watching the video.

-You keep calling me because you miss me…

“Ugh.”

My little sister pinches me with both arms out in front of her, with both hands clasped to her chest. It’s really disgusting. I can’t stand it.

I immediately turned off the video and started teasing my sister and I.

[Kim Min-woo: Haha …

[Kim Min-woo: Don’t be mad at me, just smile~]

[Kim Shin-ah: Oh oh oh oh oh oh]

[Kim Min-woo: It’s really annoying to act cute]

[Kim Shin Ah: The scout asked me if I had any plans to be an idol. Everyone except you acknowledges my talent.]

[Kim Min-woo: Sister? Aren’t you a guy?]

[Kim Shin-ah: You’re a woman?]

Huh? Looks like there are two scouts?

You said that before, but you want to sign a contract with me to the point where two people are involved?

“Haha.”

Only then can I breathe a sigh of relief.

You don’t have to worry anymore.

Two scouts were dispatched from the same club, not one? Just to sign a goalkeeper? It’s over. Now I can sleep soundly.

[Kim Shin-ah: No answer? You admit it inside, right? Sister’s loveliness, lol]

[Kim Min Woo: It’s not lovely, it’s ugly. Oh no. It’s probably rooney ㅋㅋ wayne rooney ㅋㅋ]

[Kim Shin-ah: What is that, you nerd?]

[Kim Min-woo: (Photo)]

I sent her a picture of Wayne Rooney when he was younger. Then my sister started having a fit. My mother couldn’t stand it anymore and intervened.

[Choi Sung-hee: Stop it now. Mom is going to get angry~]

[Kim Min-woo: Yeah, Mom^^]

End

ⓒ Doctor Am

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