Shooting Trajectory is Visible - Chapter 31



Only Krnovel

President’s Cup Competition.

Summer season, the highest level competition in the high school league.

Suyang High School has advanced to the finals of this competition.

As it is the most prestigious competition that started in 1968, the finals were broadcast live and even had a terrestrial commentary team.

Casters Choi Jun-ho and Park Jun-seo, looking down at the field from the commentator booth, began their pre-match commentary while wearing headsets.

The content of the broadcast was like this.

Explanations of how prestigious and historic this competition is, what the rules are, and which schools made it to the finals.

For the sake of the viewers watching this competition, the stories and process of the two teams that made it to the finals of this competition were explained in detail.

“So, in the semi-finals, Seoul Jinwi High School won 2:1 against Seoul Songpa High School and advanced to the finals, and Suyang High School advanced to the finals with a 3:0 win over Gangwon Heungcheon FC, without conceding a goal.”

“Oh, both teams have unique histories. Seoul Jinwi High School advanced to the tournament by beating only Seoul teams throughout the tournament.”

“Yes, right? Seoul Jinwi High School is a team that has advanced through family feuds with opponents they often see. Suyang High School also has a very unique history. It is a team that has not allowed a single goal throughout its entire run to the finals, and has advanced to the finals with a record of 0 goals conceded in the tournament so far.”

Caster Choi Jun-ho immediately responds to commentator Park Jun-seo’s words. Since ancient times, the story has been the most important thing in these types of sports competitions.

“Wow, a shutout the entire game. That’s amazing. There has only been one instance like that in an international competition that South Korea has participated in.”

“You’re talking about the 2015 Asian Cup. Stielike’s team didn’t concede a single goal until the final, and then ended up as the runner-up in the final.”

“Hahaha. That’s right. And there’s another unusual history. This clean sheet trend isn’t limited to this tournament.”

“Could you elaborate?”

“Yes. Suyang High School······.”

The caster’s words introduced Suyang High School as a team that won the Geumgang Banseok Tournament by only allowing ‘1’ goal, and also had very high records and a low goal-allowing rate in the high school league.

“So there’s one player I’m really watching closely, the goalkeeper of Suyang High School who’s been keeping a clean sheet. That’s Kim Min-woo, right?”

This time the commentator took over the caster’s words.

“If you look at Kim Min-woo’s record, you know? This guy hasn’t been playing soccer for very long.”

“You just started playing soccer?”

“Yes. The official records recorded by the Football Association start from April. And this player has no records from elementary or middle school. So this player is-”

“So you’re a player who started playing soccer this year!”

The caster is excited even though the game hasn’t even started yet.

“Starting soccer at the age of eighteen is a very, very unusual case. If you look for it, there are cases like Kwak Tae-hee, but it’s hard to find records for most. But this clean sheet record. And if you look at Kim Min-woo’s data······.”

A rambling commentator.

The caster listens patiently and then adds some exclamation.

“To sum it up in one word, he’s a genius.”

“I’m cautious, but if you look at the records, Kim Min-woo is a genius. If you look at the history of Korean soccer, there are many cases like that. This player will definitely succeed as a goalkeeper, that player will definitely become the first goalkeeper to transfer to a European league, there were many players like that, but if you look at the ending, most of them ended badly.”

“Yes, that’s right!”

“But in my opinion, in all the years I’ve been involved in Korean football, I’ve never seen a goalkeeper with such a record. There’s a saying that a goalkeeper loses before he wins, but I think this player is a different case from all the goalkeepers that have come before.”

“Oh, that means···?”

“I think viewers will be able to see this in today’s game, but this player is ‘real.’ If he maintains this form, I think he will be able to become the national team goalkeeper in the future, and even transfer to a European league.”

“Ah! Are you really that sure?”

As the commentators and casters excitedly raised the tempo, TV viewers and users who had already logged in to YouTube became interested.

The number of comments coming in has increased significantly even before the game has started.

“Even the Gangwon FC Youth, a contender for the championship, couldn’t overcome Kim Min-woo’s wall! Not only that, but in the final of the Geumgang Banseok Tournament, Kim Min-woo blocked all 21 goal chances and won the championship trophy! Most of the officials of this tournament say that Seoul Jinwi High School will win the championship, but I am confident that Suyang High School will once again show the miracle of the underdog.”

“Oh! Then, if you could bet your fortune, how much would you bet on Suyanggo?”

“Ahaha. Property? If I had that chance, I would bet my entire property. I would even bet my house deed, which is still unpaid.”

“Ah, I could tell that commentator Park Jun-seo is a very biased commentator.”

“yes?”

“How heartbreaking must it be for the Seoul Jinwi High School fans who are listening?”

“Oh, that’s not it···.”

A relay that continues like a skit.

The talk continues like a comical joke and soon the players begin to enter the field.

Even before the game started, the commentators heated up the atmosphere, so the YouTube comments had a ‘let’s see’ vibe.

The commentator had promised it, so the atmosphere was to watch and see how well he would do.

And a few minutes later, the match began in earnest.

The beginning of the game was boring.

A fierce battle for dominance continued, with neither team able to gain the upper hand.

Then, in the 13th minute of the first half, a fatal mistake occurred in the midst of a tight game.

Suyang High School’s center back misstepped while receiving a pass from a midfielder.

Seoul Jinwi High School’s attacker didn’t miss that mistake.

“Hey hey hey! What is this!”

“Going up!”

When an absurd mistake occurred in a relatively close game, even the commentators screamed.

Seoul Jinwi High School’s solo dribble while running with the ball. The entire Suyang High School defense quickly chased after him, but they were only chasing after him.

“Kim Jun-ho! 1-on-1 chance with the goalkeeper!”

“You can’t miss this opportunity!”

Suyang High School goalkeeper Kim Min-woo hurriedly leaves the goal and sticks close to it. Jinwi High School striker Kim Jun-ho calmly shoots.

A shot with a very high probability of success, aimed between the arm and the side.

And of course, the commentators, who had expected a goal to go in, prepared to call.

“Kim Jun-ho! Shoot! Gooooool?!”

“The goal went in······! Huh!?”

It was a shot that was expected to go in, but Jinwigo’s attack was blocked by Kim Min-woo’s fingertips.

The ball was angled so it went out of bounds.

“Ahhhhhh!”

“It was a golden opportunity! Why are you missing this, Kim Jun-ho! You should have taken it!”

The commentators sigh in regret.

And then, commentator Park Jun-seo, who had come to his senses in a hurry, shouted urgently.

“Did you see it? Did you see it!? I clearly said before the game that we should pay attention to Kim Min-woo, and wow. He blocked this! Actually, I thought this was definitely going in!”

“He is definitely a goalkeeper with incredible skills! Even professional goalkeepers can’t help but get a chance like this!”

And the camera sends a replay of the scene. It was a privilege that was possible only because it was a terrestrial broadcast.

“Now, if you look at it now, you see? Go Young-jun made a mistake while catching the ball for a moment.”

“Yes. The grass is slippery because it rained until this morning.”

“And now, Jun-ho Kim is running, and it caught the goalkeeper’s fingertips!”

The commentators are amazed as they watch the replay.

“It’s only one scene, but Kim Min-woo has shown scenes like this in every game of this tournament. That’s why the underdog called Suyang High School was able to come this far.”

“No one really knows what to do about this match! It was predicted that it would be a one-sided match, but Suyang High School is a team that has laughed at all those predictions and has been killing giants!”

Commentator Park Jun-seo nodded to the caster’s words and made a prophecy that wasn’t a prophecy.

“Viewers will likely be able to see Kim Min-woo wearing the Taegeuk mark in the near future.”

“Where do you see the representative by age group, commentator Park Jun-seo?”

“I······ am even thinking about skipping the age group altogether.”

“Yes, I would like to clarify that this is commentator Park Jun-seo’s personal opinion.”

At those words, Park Jun-seo looked blankly at announcer Choi Jun-ho. Choi Jun-ho seemed not to have seen it and continued to broadcast the game.

“Okay, it’s a corner kick!”

***

Choi Sung-hee watched the game with interest.

Especially when I saw my son’s great save in the first half, I found myself jumping up and down in joy.

And now, back to the lull.

I keep thinking about what the scout who introduced himself as Yoon Tae-yoon said.

What Yoon Tae-yoon said was just a bunch of praise.

‘If the coach and the pro club scouts are this stubborn······my son is definitely a genius!’

Genius. A blessed human being who has received the gift of God.

I thought stories of geniuses emerging from ordinary families only happened in dramas, but I was deeply moved when the main character of that story came from my family.

When things go well, it doesn’t seem to happen all at once, and my husband recently told me that a video of Shin-ah dancing at school was uploaded to YouTube and has been getting hundreds of thousands of views.

When I asked my daughter, she didn’t really respond and looked embarrassed, but I could tell she was secretly happy.

Honestly, I was proud of myself.

My son is a soccer talent and my daughter is a hot topic on the internet with her dance videos.

‘I’m not worried because Shin-ah isn’t the type to be outgoing, but…’

I was worried that he might suddenly declare his intention to pursue arts and physical education like his son.

Of course I would never allow that.

Unless you have as much talent as your son, you should never take an uncertain path.

The path to success that has only one chance in a thousand is one that you should never even consider.

As I was watching the game with a complicated expression, I overheard Shin-A talking with scout Im So-Yeon next to me.

“Oh, sis. I had a really amazing experience.”

“Huh? What?”

“Well, the video went viral and at first it was a bit weird, but oh my goodness. Yesterday, someone handed out a business card in front of the school saying they were from an entertainment agency.”

“Huh? Really?”

“Yes! You said you saw the video, and asked if I wanted to come in.”

Seonghee Choi’s head turned without her knowing it. Soyeon Lim, who was talking, felt her gaze and looked at Seonghee Choi and closed her mouth.

Then, Shin-ah also felt something strange and turned her head. Then, looking at Choi Sung-hee’s expression, she covered her mouth with her hand.

“so?”

“huh?”

“What next?”

“Of course I said I wouldn’t do it! Oh my, Mom.”

Shin-ah quickly gets up from her seat.

And then he runs up to Choi Sung-hee, who is leaning against the railing and watching the soccer game, and takes her side.

“You know my personality, Mom? Whose daughter am I?”

“Mom, you’re my daughter.”

“Yes, Mrs. Choi’s daughter. I don’t gamble with my life.”

Only then did Choi Sung-hee let out a sigh of relief and stroked Shin-ah’s hair.

Yeah. If you’re a newbie, you wouldn’t do something like that.

***

The first half is over, and it’s halftime.

An unfamiliar scene was staged.

Go Young-jun, who was in charge of Suyang High School’s defense, was getting scolded by the coach.

“Hey, you······!”

In fact, it wasn’t just that fatal mistake in the first half that Go Young-jun shit himself throughout the entire game.

It wasn’t like this even normally.

‘He’s a dice-type defender, but in today’s game, every time he rolled, a 1 came up.’

I watched Go Young-jun get scolded while drinking water.

I wasn’t particularly worried.

Youngjun Shichi needs to get in trouble.

It’s not like I’m some kind of hawk or anything.

How anxious must I be that every time Ko Young-jun touches the ball, I get nervous. Even I, the team’s goalkeeper.

“It’s not the first or second time you’ve left it up to Kim Min-woo! Your defense is really going to be like this!”

The director’s extreme anger continued.

And now, it’s time to enter the field.

Only then did the coach control his anger, warn Ko Young-jun, and talk about changes in tactics for the second half. It was a very short time indeed.

End

ⓒ Doctor Am

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