44 – Inevitable Destiny
044
The image of the football association in Korea is far from positive.
In fact, the tarnished image is not unique to Korea; in most countries, criticism is more common than praise when it comes to football associations.
While there are many comrades in the same situation, it’s not like suddenly realizing the importance of self-reflection will make being insulted feel any better. Naturally, efforts for an image overhaul are bound to follow.
The best method, after all, is performance.
It’s a proven fact since the experience of 2002 that if the national team performs well, even the football association receives praise.
If that’s the case, what is needed for the national team’s performance to be satisfactory?
A competent coach and coaching staff? High-level analysts and systems? Competent administrators and medical teams?
While all these factors are important, the most crucial is the quality of the players.
Therefore, the football association has undertaken a long-term project starting from youth to enhance the quality of the national team’s players.
The so-called ‘Dream Project,’ a youth investment policy of the past 10 years, was the result of this effort, and its first fruit was the current under-20 national team.
As they set sail, the under-20 national team received a lot of expectations and concerns, and they returned with a big success, from winning the Asian Cup to reaching the World Cup final.
From the football association’s perspective, it was truly an extraordinary achievement, and with ample resources, generosity also followed suit. In light of this joyful outcome, the football association, for once, generously extended its goodwill.
“Thank you for your hard work until now. Now, we have only one match left, the final. We have fought hard so far, and we will not take a single step back—”
The day after the 4th round match against Italy, Coach Jang Ki-seok, after the recovery training, gathered the players and suddenly gave an unexpected motivational speech.
“To help everyone enjoy the results, the association has specially invited families to China. Are you all ready to meet your families?”
He revealed the fact of family invitations.
Even though it was just a meeting for half a day, it was a rare opportunity to meet family members, especially in a place where they could share a ‘proud’ achievement. The term “returning home with honor” was not coined without reason.
And in the midst of everyone cheering, there was someone standing alone with a bitter expression.
“I knew it would be like this. They shouldn’t have invited my family in the first place.”
This was Ju Ji-tae, who had spent a considerable amount to invite his extended family to China.
In fact, the cost of inviting the family was not much compared to what Ju Ji-tae had spent overall. From parents to in-laws, including his wife, the cost of plane tickets and hotel accommodation for the five people amounted to a not insignificant sum, but compared to the total expenditure, it was like a drop in the bucket. Ju Ji-tae had spent a whopping 60 million won this time.
China was not that far away, and it wasn’t a luxurious itinerary, so the round-trip flight and stay for five people wouldn’t even cost a meager 10 million won. Then where did the remaining 50 million won go?
It went right here.
“Son, isn’t this too much?”
His mother’s gaze fell on the people following behind him.
Three men and one woman—all of them with a robust physique and an intimidating aura that seemed far from ordinary.
“No, Mom. It’s not excessive at all.”
“Oh my~ Our Ji-tae even hired bodyguards because of his parents’ worries. Such a filial son.”
Looking at his mother, who smiled at Jaesin’s teasing, Ju Ji-tae apologized inwardly.
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“Sorry, Mom. It’s not because of you.”
Honesty is a virtue, but it’s not always the right one.
Ju Ji-tae closed his mouth to let his parents be mistaken.
“Ha-ha~”
Of course, there were people who knew the truth.
Even if you don’t need to know everything, you should at least know the basics to get your act together.
However, the person in question had no interest whatsoever in stalkers.
“It’s my first overseas trip! Actually, I wanted to go to Europe more than China, you know? But it’s the first overseas trip, and China feels a bit, you know. But now that I’m here, China seems fine too.”
Rather, it felt like being a celebrity,
“With bodyguards and all, doesn’t it feel like I’m an idol secretly dating? In Korea, you get caught quickly, so you secretly meet and date overseas!”
‘True… our goddess is so bright.’
Ju Ji-tae looked down at the chatty goddess who started chattering as soon as they met.
Truly, she was endlessly bright.
“But Ji, the stalker story, is that real? Really? Well, it’s not that I don’t believe it~ It’s just, you know. No matter how much he likes me, why follow me all the way to China?”
He would follow.
Ju Ji-tae was sure of it.
After all, on the first encounter, he followed her all the way to the Netherlands.
The reason was really simple.
#JuJiTae #DontLookAway #Death
The day Ju Ji-tae headed to the Netherlands to sign with PSV, the goddess posted the only post.
And a few days later, with the successful completion of the medical tests and only the final sign left, his parents and the goddess visited. And later, it was revealed that the stalker guy had followed them all the way to the Netherlands.
Wouldn’t he follow to China as well?
And with more determination than back then?
Therefore, Ju Ji-tae was convinced.
That he followed them to China.
“Oh~ I’m so pretty that all these things happen~ How about it? Can you feel my beauty anew? So, be grateful. Hey! Even though such a pretty girl is acting, she even throws punches! Takes pictures! Pretends to be a lover!”
“Then stop. I’ve posted enough to become a star.”
“No way! So, what I mean is! Ji, you need to reflect a bit! You should be grateful when such a pretty girl treats you nicely. When you see my face, you should treat me as something precious~ Doesn’t that cross your mind?”
“It doesn’t.”
“Oh, really!! Even though nice me is going beyond stalker excuses, you keep coming out like this, huh?”
No excuses.
Ju Ji-tae scanned his surroundings carefully and responded indifferently.
“Hmph. Fine. Unclench your fists.”
“Sure, then.”
Good. It was getting unbearable with the heat, and now he had to deal with clenched fists.
“…Iik!! Seriously annoying!!”
Ju Ji-tae, who had been busy looking around, belatedly noticed Jo Yeo-shin rolling her foot with an irritated expression.
Unclenching his fists only to face this.
“Completely ridiculous! Was I pretending not to notice Ju-ji being embarrassed? But seriously—”
That’s when it happened.
Jo Yeo-shin, who had been grumbling incessantly, suddenly shut her mouth.
“Th-that… that…”
“Hush. Be good. Just stay like this for a moment.”
“Well, um… No, it’s not that I dislike it, but suddenly pulling me close—”
“We’ve got a stalker.”
“What!? Where? Really?”
“Yeah. Don’t look back. Just look at me.”
“Ugh. A stalker. Fine… Yeah, well, maybe… this might not be so bad either…”
Though Jo Yeo-shin looked pathetic staring at the stalker for some reason, Ju Ji-tae didn’t care about such trivial matters.
After all, in the distance, the stalker’s face was vividly visible in Ju Ji-tae’s eyes.
Exchanging glances with the bodyguards and then turning his gaze back to the stalker, Ju Ji-tae locked eyes with him.
Eyes strangely dilated and filled with a bloodshot gaze.
Though he had encountered the face through photos multiple times, it was the first time seeing it in person, yet the face felt so familiar.
Ju Ji-tae smiled brighter than ever.
“I found you. Finally.”
How the stalker interpreted the meaning of that smile made him tremble all over, lips quivering as if in a convulsion.
Tightly embracing as if to assert, burying his face in the rich hair as if flaunting it.
“Hiyah! Wait, just a moment! Huaat!? Ear, ear! Don’t blow wind into my ear! Huhuh!”
Beyond the gaze that never wavered from the moment he found it, he could feel the guy understanding his whisper.
Can I endure this?
“Hng! Ear, ear! Too, too suddenly like this…”
Even like this, can I endure it?
“Heeek! J-just… hoo…”
That’s right. That’s how it should be.
As he sensed the thin patience of the guy breaking, Joo Ji-tae laughed out loud.
“Huee, oppa…”
And the reckless charge of the guy, who didn’t care about anything, ended with a thud!
“Hya! What the!? What’s that sound?”
“Shh. Don’t turn around. It’s okay, just look at me.”
“Huh? Uh? What’s going on? What is it? People are murmuring. What’s happening?”
“There’s been an accident. A traffic accident.”
* * *
Sometimes a person’s death can go unnoticed and disappear without any attention.
For example, the case of Mr. A, a Korean who died in a traffic accident while on a trip to China, buried under the rumors of the love affair of Korea’s most promising Beckenbauer, Joo Ji-tae.
“Korea’s Beckenbauer, Joo Ji-tae, on a date with his younger girlfriend?”
“Scene of Joo Ji-tae’s date witnessed in China!”
“The opponent is a beautiful woman! Joo Ji-tae, declaring his public relationship with his girlfriend?”
“Korean man Mr. A (38) dies while jaywalking during his trip to China!”
“Is ‘she’ Joo Ji-tae’s girlfriend’s sister? What is the identity of the girlfriend?”
“The rumored ‘some girl’ revealed to be Jo Jae-sin’s sister ‘Jo Yeosin’!”
Joo Ji-tae barely skimmed through the short news article he found.
No special content, a truly lonely obituary with no comments.
“A traffic accident. It wasn’t intentional… How did it come to this?”
And it truly was a fitting end for a villain.
