Chapter 88
“Today… we really had a great time.”
A bed in a spacious premium suite room.
Mr. Choi, lying on the floor under a blanket, spoke in a calm tone. Perhaps it was the darkened room, or the stunning night view through the window, but his voice held a slightly dreamy air, as if floating.
“It was good. The sauna was great, the massage was amazing, and the food was delicious.”
Mr. Kim, lying next to him, nodded in agreement.
The sauna on the top floor of the building was truly exceptional. Although they were a bit disappointed to hear that the massage wouldn’t be given by Taehan but by someone else, it still managed to completely relieve their fatigue and leave them feeling refreshed. It was the kind of skill that deserved the title of “master.”
The hotel buffet they visited afterwards was also top-notch.
As they lay in bed, having spent such special moments from late afternoon until now, it almost felt surreal.
“Kang really raised a good son…”
“There are many successful sons around, but not many take care of their fathers like that. Don’t you agree?”
“Of course, it goes without saying.”
Mr. Choi nodded his head while lying down.
The two men often spoke highly of Taehan, but perhaps due to the luxurious treatment they received today, their praise was reaching new heights.
“Hey, listening to you guys makes me feel a bit awkward.”
Finally, unable to listen any longer, Kang Hoyeon interjected.
Unlike the two men lying on the floor with blankets, he was lying alone on the bed.
“What, you were listening? We were talking for you to hear.”
Mr. Kim said cheekily.
“More importantly, are you going to keep lying there? We have two bedrooms, why are all three of us crammed in here?”
“Why? It’s fine. It feels like we’re on a trip together.”
“I prefer sleeping on the floor to a bed.”
“Oh, come on.”
Kang Hoyeon let out a laugh of disbelief, but his expression didn’t look too bad.
In fact, for almost the past ten years, Kang Hoyeon hadn’t stayed overnight anywhere except when he went to his ancestral home for ancestral rites on holidays.
He went to his restaurant, came back home after work, and even when he went out, it was only to look around the grocery store or take a walk in the neighborhood.
So, going on a trip like this with his acquaintances was a truly rare occasion for him.
“Well, it’s not… too bad. Like Kim said, it feels like a trip.”
“Right? By the way, where should we go tomorrow? We had a good time thanks to Taehan today, but before we head back to Daejeon, let’s do some sightseeing in Seoul.”
“Then I want to go to Namsan Tower!”
“Choi, Namsan Tower? Seriously?”
“That’s where I first met my wife!”
“Then go with your wife next time. I don’t want to go.”
Perhaps it was thanks to the massage that had washed away all their fatigue.
As the night deepened, the three men, full of energy, spent their time discussing their plans for the next day and engaging in lighthearted banter. All of them, especially Kang Hoyeon, were smiling brightly, their faces radiating happiness unlike anything seen recently.
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『Kang Juwan, returns to Korea alone for injury recovery amidst season… Could this be a precursor to his release?』
A large article prominently displayed on the main page.
The content started with details about his injury from last season, followed by mentions of his sluggish performance, number of appearances, and so on.
It concluded with a speculative ending, ‘This could be manager Albert’s calculated move to release him from the team.’
『I believe our Juwan-hyung will be able to make a comeback』
『Isn’t this a real case of being used and then discarded like a rabbit after the hunt?』
『It’s not being discarded, it’s realistic, isn’t it? Honestly, it’s a fact that Mr. Kang’s form has been off lately lol』
『It’s, obvious, he’s, laying the groundwork, to avoid military service. Can’t you see it? He keeps doing this because they’ve given him a chance once, twice! This is the military service evasion show that’s rampant in the sports world! The government needs to stop this!』
“Sigh.”
As he scrolled down, he saw hundreds of comments, befitting an article on the main page. Of course, as always, there weren’t many comments worth reading.
Kang Juwan, who had scanned the article while waiting for the elevator, let out a small sigh tinged with a hint of bitterness.
“I wish it was a show…”
A quiet murmur to himself.
There were many comments from fans cheering him on, but there were also a significant number of negative comments and absurd conspiracy theories.
Normally, he would have just skimmed through them and not given them a second thought, but perhaps because his mental state was not in the best condition, even these comments were shaking him.
‘No. Don’t worry about it and focus on mental care.’
Today was his so-called ‘hotel vacation,’ a day he had planned to relax at a newly opened hotel and get a massage recommended by Choi Taejun. There was no need to waste his energy on such things when he was here to recharge.
Kang Juwan shook his head once to clear his mind and stepped out of the elevator that had arrived at the top floor.
“Well… not bad.”
As he entered the bath after changing his clothes, the view of the Han River, stretching out beyond Olympic Boulevard, came into view.
However, perhaps because he didn’t have much peace of mind, or perhaps he had become desensitized to such sights, Kang Juwan showered with an indifferent expression and immersed himself in the hot bath.
“Haaaah…”
As he submerged himself up to his neck, the hot water enveloped his entire body. It felt as if his whole being was being soaked in warmth. As he always felt, bathing had a special feeling in itself.
‘What should I do from now on…’
However, Kang Juwan’s personal situation was not good enough for him to clear his mind and focus solely on bathing.
The team’s recommendation for rest. In fact, the speculative content in the article, ‘Isn’t it their intention to release him from the team?’, was almost true. That was something Kang Juwan himself knew better than anyone else.
The only difference was that they were giving him one more chance after his return. Manager Albert was someone who would give at least one more chance if he said he would wait.
But… it didn’t feel like the manager had high expectations either. He was just someone who had highly valued Kang Juwan’s potential, so there was a lingering sense of regret. Or, perhaps it was closer to a sliver of mercy.
If he had ligament surgery, there was a possibility that his condition would improve compared to now. But that didn’t mean his old form would return, and it would be irreversible.
Considering the possibility of it worsening due to side effects, rather than improving… it was practically a gamble with his own body.
“It’s tough…”
If he were to be released from the team and his career as a player ended.
It didn’t mean that everything would be over immediately. The title of ‘former Premier League player’ was a label that carried immense weight. At least he wouldn’t have to worry about starving because he couldn’t take care of himself.
But what comfort would that be?
What he wanted was to play on the field as a soccer player. The Premier League, which he had admired since he was young. Even if he were to be released, he honestly wanted to play for at least one more season, no, even one more game.
‘But I can’t play just with my heart…’
A player who can’t perform their role is not needed by the team.
Even in the professional world, passion and effort are important, but those are only things that can be evaluated after one has reached a certain level of skill.
Because he knew that well.
Kang Juwan’s worries, and his complicated feelings, could only deepen.
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“Welcome.”
As the customer opened the door and stepped inside, Choi Seonghyeon, standing at the counter, bowed his head and greeted him.
“May I ask for the name of the person who made the reservation?”
“Ah, I didn’t make a reservation.”
“Then you won’t be able to receive the Cheonma Course or the Master Course. I’ll guide you to the General Course, is that alright?”
A bit awkward, but not a bad customer service. At those words, the man slowly nodded his head, and Choi Seonghyeon, gauging his size with a glance, took out clothes from the lower shelf and handed them to the customer.
“Then please take the clothes first… You can change in the changing room over there.”
“Ah, yes. I understand.”
“If the clothes are too small or too big, please feel free to tell me.”
Choi Seonghyeon gave a light nod to the customer walking towards the changing room and went back behind the counter.
‘Why isn’t this guy coming back?’
Of course, this wasn’t Choi Seonghyeon’s job.
Choi Seonghyeon was a massage therapist in charge of the Master Course. Greeting customers at the counter was a task that Manager Hwang and the staff took turns doing, and it was currently Manager Hwang’s turn.
However, Manager Hwang had rushed to the bathroom, complaining of a sudden stomachache. He must have overeaten at lunch and gotten sick.
So, while they were looking for a substitute… they grabbed Choi Seonghyeon, who was about to take a 30-minute break after finishing a massage, and put him here without any warning.
‘Don’t I have the right to a break…’
Choi Seonghyeon shook his leg behind the counter, expressing his dissatisfaction in a place where no one could see. Even so, as soon as the door opened, his head naturally bowed in a truly diligent manner.
“Welcome…”
However, as he raised his head after bowing to greet the customer.
Choi Seonghyeon lost his words for a moment after making eye contact with the customer.
He saw a very familiar face in front of him.
‘…Someone who looks like him?’
He could quickly recall who it was.
Kang Juwan. An overseas soccer player.
He was one of the players carrying on the legacy of Korean Premier League players, and currently one of the most recognizable soccer players in Korea.
The probability of encountering such a person here.
And the probability of someone who simply resembled him happening to visit.
Choi Seonghyeon considered which was higher and concluded that it was probably the latter.
“What’s the name of the person who made the reservation?”
“Uh, my friend made the reservation, is that okay?”
“It’s fine.”
“It’s Choi Taejun.”
Suddenly, Choi Seonghyeon remembered a WatTube video he had seen before. The content that Choi Taejun, the baseball player, and Kang Juwan, the soccer player, were middle school classmates and had been close friends since they were young.
“…Could you tell me your name as well?”
This was an unnecessary procedure, but Choi Seonghyeon unconsciously brought his hand to his mouth and asked in a small voice. His curiosity had reflexively surfaced.
“It’s Kang Juwan.”
Kang Juwan revealed his name without any suspicion. Choi Seonghyeon nodded a couple of times and, just like before, took out clothes that fit his size and handed them to him.
“The shower room is over there.”
“Shower room?”
“No, the changing room is over there. You can change your clothes there and come out.”
Ah, yes…
Kang Juwan scratched the back of his head, took the clothes, and started walking in the direction Choi Seonghyeon pointed.
“Ah, I’m sorry, Seonghyeon. My stomach suddenly started hurting. Go take a break now.”
“…Manager.”
“Come on, I said I’m sorry…”
Choi Seonghyeon’s voice was trembling slightly. Manager Hwang, thinking it was from anger, put his hand on his shoulder and apologized again.
“Huh?”
However, Choi Seonghyeon’s reaction was different from what Manager Hwang expected.
Choi Seonghyeon grabbed Manager Hwang’s hand on his shoulder with both his hands.
“Thank you so much.”
“R-really?”
“I think I made the right decision following Taehan.”
“It’s good to have high job satisfaction… I’m glad you’re satisfied.”
Manager Hwang was confused, but he still went along with Choi Seonghyeon’s words.
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“What’s with all the fuss?”
Walking down the hallway of the shop, Kang Taehan scratched his head with a puzzled expression.
‘Taehan! Go to room 3, quickly!’
Choi Seonghyeon, who had briefly gone out to the counter as a substitute for Manager Hwang, had come into the break room making a big fuss. He hadn’t caused a scene, but it was still an excessive reaction.
‘Judging by Seonghyeon’s behavior, it’s probably a sports-related athlete.’
And probably a very famous one at that.
Kang Taehan, making deductions while walking down the hallway, opened the door to room 3 and slowly stepped inside.
“Hello.”
“Ah, yes. Hello.”
The man returned Kang Taehan’s greeting.
Indeed, his face was familiar. Kang Taehan began to carefully observe the man’s appearance.
‘Not a baseball player…’
His eyes naturally moved to the man’s upper body after examining his face.
Although his muscles were well-defined, they weren’t as intensely trained as those of a baseball player. Finally, as his gaze reached the man’s lower body…
‘…Aha.’
The muscles in his lower body were firmly trained, with no flaws to be found.
And seeing the unstable blood flow through the slightly twisted blood vessels from his left calf to his ankle, Kang Taehan was able to recall the name Kang Juwan, which had been frequently mentioned in online articles recently.
