Weird Defender Joo Ji-Tae

3 – Childhood Friend Girl

003

“Why are you so proud and smiling like that? Is defending really that great?”

If Jo Jaesin hadn’t poured cold water on him, Ju Jitae would have run straight to the club.

Of course, with his overly self-confident face, he probably got stopped at the entrance.

“Hey, I defend for you all the time. Don’t even think about scoring from now on.”

“You’re overreacting again. Why is your expression so rotten, causing unnecessary fuss?”

“I don’t know. I just don’t like seeing you happy after scoring. I’ll be the only one stopping you.”

Approaching Ju Jitae, who was grumbling with an uneven expression, Jo Jaesin offered a shoulder.

“Hey, be honest. Do you have another reason?”

“Did you grow crow’s feet?”

“What?”

“Aren’t our eye levels the same?”

“…Maybe because you’re taller.”

“I know your height perfectly well. You’re 5cm shorter than me. 179cm.”

Ju Jitae’s narrowed gaze shifted downward.

“Oh, it’s 180. …179.9cm.”

“But still, not quite 180, you little [expletive].”

Whether it was 180 or not, it didn’t change much.

“Damn, so are you really going to play center back?”

“Yeah, I really am!”

Did his ears deceive him? Why was this guy suddenly asking like that?

Smiling in response to Ju Jitae’s pushing hand, Jo Jaesin stepped back willingly.

“Is attention-seeking Ju Jitae, who loves being noticed for flashy plays, really going to be a defender all of a sudden?”

“….”

This sharp-witted guy.

Familiar with Ju Jitae’s tendencies like a sworn brother, Jo Jaesin’s question left Ju Jitae with no choice but to reveal his inner thoughts.

“It’s so fun blocking you. It’s hilarious to see you frustrated and annoyed when you can’t get past me.”

Jo Jaeshin, with a bewildered expression, asked, “But aren’t we on the same team? We usually play together in the starting lineup even during practice matches.”

“…Is that so?”

Should I go and cancel the substitution now?

“Anyway, you’re not being honest. We all know. You substituted because they said your goddess is impressive as a center back, right?”

Jo Jaeshin sneered, poking my side with a mischievous smile.

‘Goddess… Jo Goddess.’

Joo Jitae’s body stiffened at the name he hadn’t heard in a long time.

“…Huh? You’re not… really… Oh, there she is, Jo Goddess.”

Jo Jaeshin’s 3-year-old younger sister, Jo Yeoshin, died in a traffic accident.

* * *

Joo Jitae and Jo Jaeshin, both promising soccer talents representing Korea, are inseparable friends.

They even share the same obstetrics and gynecology clinic, known as “OBGYN buddies.”

They met at the same clinic around the same time, and their homes were even right next to each other.

Moreover, with soccer as a common denominator, the families of the two naturally became closely connected.

Of course, Joo Jitae was close to Jo Jaeshin’s family, especially considering that Jo Yeoshin was like a sister to him, being an only child.

“What? Position change?! Without even consulting with the family, just doing whatever you want!?”

“I decide my position; why should I consult and get involved? Am I a child?”

“You act like one.”

“And you? A baby?”

From Noble mtl dot com

“Enough, stop whining. It’s annoying.”

Therefore, the only woman Joo Jitae, always considered a bad guy to women, except for his mother, would yield to was Jo Yeoshin.

Not because she was like a younger sister… definitely not.

“What? Are you complaining to me now? Well, it looks like I can’t beat you. I really need to scold you.”

“Hey, it’s noisy. Can you leave?”

“Really? Should I go for real?”

“Just shut up.”

Even Jo Jaeshin, who is her older brother, finds it disgusting. Needless to say, it’s even worse for Joo Jitae.

“Since I was young, I’ve watched, befriended, and seen the bad boy Ju Ji-tae, but he never changes. If that were true, he wouldn’t easily cut off the female friends (mostly physical) he was close to since childhood.

The reason Ju Ji-tae was weak to Jo Yeoshin was simple.

“Well then, sir, I must go to the lady~ Today’s goddess is the goddess of irritation.”

Because if his parents were Jo Yeoshin, he’d drop dead.

No matter how bad a guy Ju Ji-tae was, he was an untouchable (flame) saint to his parents.

“Hey. Stop the nonsense and go.”

No matter how much he looked like a little sister when they met again after a long time, the joy was short-lived.

Ju Ji-tae, overwhelmed by sudden fatigue, just wanted to sleep.

That was when.

“But you know~ you suddenly want to be a center-back~”

Wasn’t Jo Yeoshin wiggling her body and making silly noises without getting a response?

Ju Ji-tae just blinked at that bizarre sight.

“Maybe it’s me~?”

“…What?”

“Ohh~ I see~ It’s because of me~”

What’s this triceratops-like thing right now?

Jo Yeoshin, playfully flickering her eyes at the blinking Ju Ji-tae, laughed heartily.

“Well, give it your best shot. Maybe you’ll realize? I’ll tell you how cool I am~”

With a cheerful step, waving her hands, Jo Yeoshin moved away.

Ah.

Stress.

Ju Ji-tae pondered.

‘When was the car accident? I have to save, but… can’t I just injure him enough to hospitalize him.’

Even Satan would applaud the thought.

“Wow… the two of you are really playing around. What are you two up to? Dating? Just watching gives me goosebumps.”

…Should I kill this guy?

* * *

There’s a saying in soccer that coaching is a game itself.

It means that in the sport of soccer, the influence of a coach is significant. If the influence is great, then it’s natural for the voice to be loud, so in soccer, the coach holds significant authority.

If we compare it to major sports, doesn’t it show how strong a coach’s authority is in soccer?

For example, if we were to compare it to baseball—oh, the comparison just doesn’t work.

There, the coach seems to gather the players… I don’t understand why soccer is like this.

In soccer, with some experience and a dazzling career and a high status within the team, you could have a long-distance relationship with the coach.

Why, even the Blue Team of London in England sometimes kicks out their coaches along with the players.

But the current Ju Ji-tae is nothing more than a fresh high school freshman.

In reality, he is a veteran with a pro career of more than 16 years, showcasing performances so extraordinary that one might even call it divine, but Ju Ji-tae himself had a secret that, if brought up, would only result in people saying, “Are you crazy?”

No matter how promising he is in Korea, there’s a reason why a promising player is a promising player.

Even promising players who gather tremendous expectations and attention can end up stumbling in the pros, or worse, not even making their debut and quietly disappearing.

Why, even the gentleman referred to as at least “Messi” in his youth left no remarkable trace in the pros and had to exit.

No matter how much they soared in their youth, it doesn’t guarantee success in the pros. Therefore, a promising player must continually prove themselves, or they will be quickly forgotten.

In that sense, even as a high school freshman, Ju Ji-tae had to keep participating in the league to showcase his skills if he wanted to succeed in soccer.

And the formation of the soccer starting lineup is the coach’s exclusive authority.

Like almost all soccer players, today too, Ju Ji-tae had no choice but to faithfully carry out the coach’s orders.

“Whoa!! What’s this, Ju Ji-tae!! When did you get here and start clearing!?”

“Wow~ Great block. Good play!”

“Ugh, we got breached— Ju Ji-tae, you’re amazing!”

But this isn’t right.

Amidst the surrounding praise, Ju Ji-tae sighed.

Strange.

He didn’t choose to play center back to run around like this, sweating profusely.

But why…

‘Why is the center back crossing the midfield line!!’

It wasn’t like this from the beginning.

In Ju Ji-tae’s first regular game as a center back, the coach displayed a defensive strategy.

Although he consistently showed unbelievable performances in practice games, it was a natural choice since it couldn’t be guaranteed in actual matches.

However, in Ju Ji-tae’s first game as a center back.

Ju Ji-tae clearly made the opposing team understand what a ‘wall’ really is.

Even though the opposing team wasn’t a weak one, and their attacking lineup consisted of players quite recognized in the high league.

Nevertheless, Ju Ji-tae was overwhelming.

Truly playing from a different dimension… No, from two, three dimensions higher.

In the latter half, after the opposing team’s momentum, overwhelmed by Ju Ji-tae’s overwhelming skill, had been broken, the center-back took on playmaking duties. Astonishingly, he even dribbled through to the opponent’s penalty box.

Witnessing this absurd scene, Coach Kim Seok-doo of Hojin High School had an epiphany.

“Ah, this guy is just damn good at soccer. He’s not just a midfielder; even if you put him as a center-back, he handles it well on his own.”

And in the next game.

Coach Kim Seok-doo came out with a completely changed strategy.

“What’s that? Are they really positioned properly right now?”

The opposing coach blinked and looked again at the extreme tactics.

An outrageous strategy, attacking with everyone except the two center-backs.

And it worked perfectly.

“Oh. He casually shifted to center-back, wanting to run comfortably, and now he’s directing the entire attack. That’s the only way he can run around so freely.”

Blocking the opponent team’s attacks that broke through the exposed defense line with tackles, Ju Ji-tae, lying on the ground, triumphed.

“Damn, what’s with this crazy strategy. When will they ever properly showcase their incompetence?”

And watching from the touchline, the coach, who clapped his hands, was also shedding a similar triumphant air as Ju Ji-tae.

“It went according to plan.”