< 004. Wow! >

Two questions: “Can you tell me how to exercise properly?” and “Can you recommend me some protein supplements?”

He had heard that these two questions were every health maniac’s favourite words. As expected, Jung Gook started to show interest.

“Ho Yung, I think you’re a bit young to eat things like that. But what’s the harm in knowing, hey? Would you like to talk with me for a bit?”

“Yes! And can you also teach me how to exercise?”

Jung Gook smiled widely.

That was answer enough.

[Choose the ability you desire.]

The strong muscles of a healthy man (C)

The slender voice of a ballad singer (C)

‘Of course the former!’

What was a soccer star going to do with a slender voice?

Time had flown by and Ho Yung had exercised for an hour with Jung Gook, earning a new skill.

[Ho Yung Wu]

Skills Possessed

Soccer Prodigy (B)

Heavy Mid-Shoot (C)

Strong muscles of a healthy man (C)

He could already feel his muscles strengthening.

They were not the muscles of a professional athlete, but this would still help a lot.

“Thank you so much. I’m sorry if you lost valuable time because of our son, you must be so busy…”

“No, I had a great time too. I don’t have a lot of work nowadays so I focus mainly on working out.”

Jung Gook loved children so he considered this time valuable too. It was the first time a child had shown interest in exercise and health science.

Two weeks later.

“Ho Yung! We’ve done it!”

Hwang Sun, who had just finished a phone call, picked up Ho Yung and spun him around.

“Aaah! Dad, I’m getting dizzy!”

“Hahahahaha! I’m so proud of you, my son!”

Hwang Sun was happy for one reason only –

“Did MBS call? Am I in Shoot?”

“That’s right! Ahahahaha!”

2002 September 16th

Ho Yung’s name was proudly on the cast of Shoot.

‘It’s happening!’

Celebrations ensued.

“Honey! Come here! Ho Yung’s been chosen!”

Hwang Sun, who seemed like he was more excited than Ho Yung, called out desperately.

The sound of cooking stopped and Hi Sun ran into the kitchen brandishing an apron.

“Really?”

“Yes! They’re even paying him!”

“Oh my god..!”

The couple embraced and jumped up and down like children.

“Ahaha what if our Ho Yung becomes famous?”

“Haha, ridiculous!”

‘I’m going to become a soccer player though..?’

Ho Yung swallowed those words and enjoyed the happy mood.

Of course, he had predicted and expected to get in but the catharsis was electric. It was the first victory he had achieved since coming back to the past!

Then, the nerves kicked in.

‘I’ve never been on TV before.’

Let alone as a main character.

It was not an ordinary appearance – he was to be one of the main cast; his chest fluttered with nerves and excitement. He also knew that this program was going to ignite the nation which made his excitement even larger.

‘What if it flops because of me?’

Surely not.

There was no way that Shoot wouldn’t be a sensation. This wasn’t arrogance, this was confidence.

‘I will succeed!’

All he had to do was let the world know of his skills. Fan clubs? Commercials? They didn’t matter to him. They would follow when he made it as a soccer star.

He needed nothing else – he only had one goal.

Soccer.

Ho Yung closed his eyes with determination. He pictured a soccer pitch – an oval with grass covering it.

Wembley!

Old Trafford!

Camp Nou!

Santiago Bernabeu!

I wonder what it feels like to play in those magnificent, grand stadiums with thousands of people cheering your name? Didn’t it swell your heart, just by thinking of it?

Just by imagining it, he felt his chest shake with anticipation.

But of course, you can only walk 1000 miles by starting with that first step.

“Dad, I’m going out to play soccer!”

Television, whatever – the skills were first.

In this world, there are countless Ronaldos and Messis. But they’re all limited to a person’s imagination. Inside someone’s mind, they could be doing one-man shows and hat tricks but in reality, their body wouldn’t keep up. For one reason.

“Foundation is first!”

They had no foundation.

The foundation of foundations was, of course, lifting. The skill of lifting the ball off the ground to the top of the feet and not letting it fall back to the ground. It was a skill that needed immense concentration and repeated practice. Even the god of soccer, Maradona, started like this.

One step at a time.

Bounce! Bounce!

In the midst of practice, Ho Yung smiled. He was puffing but there was no sign of fatigue. At this moment, everything was just pure fun. He could feel his skills improving by the day.

“This is the skill of a prodigy!”

Hope.

This fuelled Ho Yung’s passion.

“1000 more reps!”

Puff… puff…

In the afternoon, he ran around the oval to improve fitness. This is because soccer was essentially a battle of fitness.

Even if you can do fancy tricks or shoot exceptionally, if the fitness didn’t back you up, they meant nothing. Of course, he didn’t overdo it as to not interfere with his growing body.

After completing 8 laps out of pure willpower, he flopped onto the sandpit.

“Shoot, I will conquer you!”

Ho Yung’s bold plan.

After that day, Ho Yung moved by his schedule without fail.

He slept before 10 pm each day. At 6 am he would wake up like lightning and stretch for 30 minutes. Just because he had only reached 170cm in the past life, didn’t mean he had to in this one.

If he just took care of himself while he was younger, he could have reached over 180cm.

In the morning, he demolished one bowl of rice and went out jogging.

After school, he developed his skills by kicking the ball around in the field.

Eat, exercise. Eat, exercise. Eat, exercise.

Recording day came around soon enough as he lived this repeated life.

Snap! Click! Flash!

There were cameras all around him.

There were so many cameras pointed at the kids with bright flashes – this was enough to induce a phobia that you didn’t even possess.

There were 10 children in total – most kids were fascinated by the cameras but one child was particularly distressed.

“Ho Yung. Are you okay?”

“Yes…”

Ho Yung was not nervous because of the cameras but because of the game that was about to be held.

It was the first game that would judge the children – it came after 4 days of shooting.

It would also be when the first highlights reel, that would show on October 23rd, would be filmed. Ho Yung had been counting down to this moment.

This was because the opposing team was none other than the country’s most prestigious academy’s – the Bum Gon Cha Soccer Academy.

Just before shooting, PD Cho spoke to the coach of Chabum FC.

“Coach. Please go hard on them from the get-go.”

He asked that no matter what happens, the academy’s team needed to destroy the Shoot team – it didn’t matter if it ended with 20:0, they just needed the children to be completely devastated.

Shoot was facing the most prestigious academy’s youth team, so it wasn’t an impossible request.

This was all PD Cho’s design.

He would invoke tears in the children with a bitter loss and gain the sympathy of the audience, immersing them emotionally in the story. But with training and effort, Shoot’s team will overcome this challenge.

A story truly inspiring strong emotions.

PD Cho smiled.

Then, he saw Ho Yung, warming up in the corner.

“If he does well… then that won’t make for a story at all.”

Shoot had gathered national attention just from the promotional video. Especially from the test that Jung Gook had performed with Ho Yung. There were many petty internet debates about if Jung Gook had gone easy on the kid or not, so the PD was planning to put a focus on Ho Yung this game.

“It would be good if he could miraculously score just one goal…”

A ray of hope in the midst of despair!

It was the ideal scenario for evoking emotion. But the chances were too slim.

Even if Ho Yung was exceptional, soccer was a team sport.

Plus, the opponent was Chabum FC! The most prestigious, professional students of the most respected soccer academy in all of Korea. The ages might be similar but even the physiques differed.

It was no use to be good alone.

“It’s okay to have hope, I guess.”

As he was wrapping up his thoughts, some staff members approached him.

“PD! We’re on standby now.”

“Okay, let’s go!”

The field was ⅙ of a normal soccer field. The little players entered the mini-field, shook hands and resumed positions. Even if this was a game of children, all manners and traditions were followed.

Of course, there was a full audience comprising of parents in addition to referees. On top of that, commentators.

[Hello, good morning. We are at the Yong In City soccer centre, Field 3, for a historic game. Youths around the nation were auditioned and the best of them picked to make FC Shoot and this is their first game since their formation. It is true that FC Shoot members face some differences in skill level, yes?]

[Ah yes, very much so.]

[Haha! Well, let’s keep in mind that this is their first game too.]

[You’re right. Even if they lose today, they will be learning a lesson from FC Chabum.]

The MBS newscaster Sung Don Cho and comedian Byung Jun Kim exchanged small talk back and forth. In that time, a referee tossed a coin and chose which team would have the attack first.

“Yes!”

It was tails.

Shoot was to attack first and the children giggled with delight. They were excited at just the thought of playing.

The game began after the cameras established some shots of the coaches shaking hands.

Beep!

The game started.

The audience had no tension, just proud gazes. There would be nothing to see in a game where children are playing. They only expected to be entertained by the children running around and acting cute.

Who could have known?

The moment the whistle blew, Ho Yung slammed a shoot.

And –

Slam!

The ball that he kicked from the half line shook the back of the goal’s net. Within one second of starting the game.

“What..?”

“… PD Cho?”

“Uhh…uh… what is this?”

Regardless, Ho Yung was smiling and running off to elsewhere.

“Where’s that kid going?”

Ho Yung was running full speed ahead to where the aerial camera was.

“Don’t miss him! Keep it on him – focus!”

At that moment, Ho Yung jumped to the sky, then –

“WOW!!”

He raised both his arms upon landing. He had copied the ceremony that Ronaldo would do in the distant future.

‘This ceremony is mine now.’

He didn’t only desire talents.