Weird Defender Joo Ji-Tae

142 – Two People

142

At a glance, Joo Ji-tae seems like a soccer player who has only walked on flower roads.

At the age of 17, he was selected as the best player in the U-20 Asian Cup and led South Korea to victory. Immediately after, he led South Korea to victory again in the U-20 World Cup, making a brilliant debut on the world soccer stage.

After that, he made his professional debut in Germany’s 1860 Munich and added the Bundesliga championship cup to his career before turning 20. It seems like he has only walked on flower roads, but Joo Ji-tae is surprisingly not a player who is used to winning.

Although he appears to be a player who has built a solid career with significant wins and awards in just four years as a professional, in reality, he is a veteran with a 20-year career. However, during the first half of his career, Joo Ji-tae was a player who was far from winning.

Of course, it’s not like he had no winning experience at all.

His former professional debut team, PSV, was a top team in the Netherlands, and Chelsea, where he played for three years in the EPL, was also a top team with a strong winning tradition. In fact, he experienced league championships once with PSV and once with Chelsea.

However, during his PSV days, he was affected by his teammate’s death, and during his Chelsea days, his body was in bad condition, which led to him playing only six games and sitting out for the rest of the season, so he couldn’t enjoy the joy of winning.

Well, when he returned to Korea and won the K-League championship, he was a bit happy… Anyway, during his PSV and Chelsea days, Joo Ji-tae’s body and mind were too worn out to enjoy winning.

Maybe.

If it were a World Cup or Champions League championship, he might have been a bit happy.

But in the end, the only time Joo Ji-tae was happy about winning was during his K-League days.

In fact, winning the K-League championship is a big deal.

The standard is set against European big leagues, so people tend to look down on domestic leagues, but the K-League is a pretty good league by professional league standards. It’s better than many European mid-tier leagues.

Of course, if you ask players whether they prefer the K-League or a European mid-tier league, they would mostly choose the latter.

But that’s not because European mid-tier leagues are higher in level. It’s because the financial scale is much larger in the K-League. That’s why many European mid-tier league players or Brazilian league aces come to the K-League. They get paid a lot more, so they come.

Even so, players choose to go to European mid-tier leagues because they have a higher chance of advancing to European big leagues.

In that sense, winning the K-League championship cup is a big deal.

No, in fact, adding any championship cup to their professional career is a big deal.

Among the many aspiring soccer players, only a few make their professional debut, and among them, only a few successfully settle in. And then, only a few of them get to experience winning.

It’s really a small minority of players who can achieve a professional career with a winning record.

And among them, only a tiny minority can achieve a winning record in European big leagues.

So, Joo Ji-tae was very happy about his current win.

It wasn’t like his PSV days when his mind was worn out and he couldn’t feel any joy, nor was it like his Chelsea days when his body was worn out and he couldn’t feel any sense of accomplishment.

The wins over the past 3-4 years had given him sufficient joy, sense of accomplishment, and pride.

Most importantly, it was a championship cup he had earned as the main protagonist.

Joo Ji-tae decided to share this joy with the people he cherished.

First, he sent a photo of himself holding the championship cup and smiling brightly to his family chat room.

＞ (Photo)

＞ Championship!!

Dad ＞ You did well ^^

Dad ＞ Always be humble and sincere, respect the people around you, and don’t think you’re the only one who did well… (Read more)

His dad sent a long text message.

Hmm… I’ll read it later.

Mom ＞ Our son is the coolest~~~

Mom ＞ Eat well and take care of yourself, and don’t forget to eat kimchi at home?

Mom was mom.

Next, I bragged to Jo Jae-shin.

＞ (Photo)

＞ Do you see?

＞ I’ve already won ㅋ

😊 ＞ Haha, congratulations!

Jo Jae-shin had a more subdued reaction than expected—

😊 ＞ But isn’t the Super Cup win also a win? ㅋ

😊 ＞ Isn’t that almost on the level of the Mandela Cup? ㅋ

😊 ＞ Anyway, a championship cup is a championship cup, so congratulations ㅋ

As expected, Jo Jae-shin’s lukewarm response made Joo Ji-tae feel awkward.

Jo Ye-rin? Jo Ye-rin, what’s up…

＜ J_dea ＞

Post 375 Followers 547.4 million Followers 19

＜ (Photo)

Hehehehe~~~~ :3 ＞

#JooJiTae #Win #FirstCongratulationsTalkIs #CuteGirlLikeYou #Hatu

“…Hmm.”

Joo Ji-tae uploaded a screenshot of his conversation with himself, boasting about it on his star Instagram.

At least he confirmed the content related to himself before posting it, but… what to do about that attention-seeking behavior?

After attending the Ballon d’or ceremony, his follower count surged, making him a celebrity of sorts, and he’s already famous as a ‘WAGs’ (wives and girlfriends of celebrities). He even received TV CF inquiries, but Joo Ji-tae was torn about whether to be happy about it.

“Why so? Who’s contacting you?”

A white, sweaty arm snaked around Joo Ji-tae’s neck, making him ponder.

Chaeyeon’s gaze, which was fixed on the smartphone screen, was piercing.

“Hey? What’s with Ye-rin? She’s so cute.”

“…Is she cute?”

“She’s really cute. She’s a real kid, kid. How can she be so innocent? For a moment… You’re not…?”

“I know what you’re thinking, but no. She’s already in high school.”

“Hmm~ It’s suspicious~ Do I have to believe you~?”

Another white arm suddenly popped out from behind and poked Joo Ji-tae’s bottom.

“This kid is really something. She’s in high school, but she’s not studying and doing this instead.”

“…Studying?”

The two of them froze, unsure of what to say.

“…Yeah. Ye-rin isn’t the type to succeed through studying.”

“Hey, Ye-rin doesn’t need to study anyway. She’s already a top idol, so what’s the point? And you’re not a guy who lacks money either.”

Yeah, that’s right. If I want to do this, I can.

This person isn’t someone who can live an ordinary life.

That’s when it happened.

＞ Kiyeom, lovely Ye-rin: So, are you on vacation now??

“Hmm….”

Joo Ji-tae’s lips let out a murmur again.

“It’s not like I did it on purpose.”

“What’s with the world? You’re unexpectedly sweet, huh? Our Ji-tae, I saw him again. He’s a guy who’s gentle to my girl.”

“…Hmm.”

I thought I had gotten used to the embarrassing nickname that changed every time we met, but… it still felt a bit awkward when someone else found out….

I ignored the chaotic messages from Chaeyeon flying everywhere and sent a straightforward reply.

＜ No

＞ Lovely Sweetheart: Hmm? Why??

＞ Lovely Sweetheart: I want to go play with my oppa, but…

＜ There’s a competition in January

＜ I got selected, so I have to go

＞ Lovely Sweetheart: Huh? Where is it?

＜ Australia

＞ Lovely Sweetheart: Ah, is that Hitler’s hometown?

＜ ?

How could she not know that Austria and Australia are different countries, despite knowing that it’s weird?

Joo Ji-tae seriously thought about it. Should he teach her common sense?

＞ Lovely Sweetheart: Ah, what’s up? I know, I know, kangaroo!!

＞ Lovely Sweetheart: I like Australia too! Then let’s go to Australia this time

＜ Are you coming?

＞ Lovely Sweetheart: Of course!!

It wasn’t going to work out.

Joo Ji-tae reflexively glanced at Chaeyeon, who was leaning on his shoulder.

They had agreed to go to Australia together this time….

It wasn’t like they didn’t know each other, and in fact, they knew each other well, but still, it seemed difficult to spend the night together.

＜ We don’t have much time to meet before the competition, do we?

＞ Lovely Sweetheart: It’s okay

Even the emergency escape route didn’t work.

“Hmm~ I guess I’ll have to take out some time today. We still have a lot of time left… it’s okay.”

Joo Ji-tae chuckled at Chaeyeon’s whispering voice in his ear.

“Who was it that said let’s take a short break just now?”

“Uh-huh? Was it me? I don’t think so. Let me check again.”

And then, she pinched his ear and said,

“I’ll get ready and come~”

She naturally gave him some space.

Joo Ji-tae, who was thinking of apologizing, ended up swallowing his words. Saying sorry here would probably hurt Chaeyeon’s pride even more.

As he watched her leave, he turned his gaze back to his smartphone, only to find Chaeyeon’s excuse waiting for him.

＞ Lovely Sweetheart: My mom says that when men work outside, waiting for them is also a form of support

＞ Lovely Sweetheart: I’m also waiting for my oppa’s competition while watching with my parents

‘Is this… my fault?’

The meaning of ‘my fault’ has changed.

＞ Lovely Sweetheart : Hinggu, don’t go, okay?

＜ Ah, no

＞ Lovely Sweetheart : Am I really going?…

＜ Other players’ families are coming too, so it’s fine

＞ Lovely Sweetheart : Then can I go too!?

＜ Then bring your parents and come together

＞ Lovely Sweetheart : Ooh~ I miss my oppa~ㅎ

For a moment, the hesitant fingers typed on the keyboard.

Why do these short words feel so suffocating?

＜ I miss you too

＞ Lovely Sweetheart : I love you~~~~

＜ I love you too

It feels more mentally exhausting than right after a match.

Joo Jitae forced himself to type with his suffocating fingers.

＞ Lovely Sweetheart : But what’s the competition?

＜ ;;;

＞ Lovely Sweetheart : Hehe, tell me~

＜ Asian Cup