002. Restart(2)
“Huh…?”
When I blinked once, the world had changed a lot.
Yellow flooring on white wallpaper.
In front of it, there was even a cathode ray tube TV with the back of its head sticking out.
There was news on TV that Park Ji-seok’s transfer to Eindhoven was imminent.
‘You’re back properly!!’
The place where I am standing now was clearly the 18 pyeong apartment where I lived as a child.
There were many other things that proved regression.
“Ahhh.”
The level of one’s eyes suddenly lowered due to a clear voice that had not yet transformed.
Hoyoung was soon able to find the white calendar attached to the wall.
It was Saturday, August 3, 2002, exactly 14 years ago.
’10 years old….’
I’m only in the 3rd year of elementary school.
My heart began to swell with the thought that I could do anything in the future.
Meanwhile, a familiar voice was heard from the kitchen.
“honey. “Please eat at the table.”
“Uracha! “It’s time for dinner~”
When I raised my head, I caught a glimpse of my parents, who had become noticeably younger.
“wow.”
All I could say was admiration.
Hoyoung, now a ten-year-old boy, sat in front of the red table.
Then, my father Woo Hwang-seon suddenly asked.
“Hoyoung, what is your dream?”
This is what my father sometimes said when we ate dinner.
Woo Hwang-seon asked again today without fail, and Ho-young answered without hesitation.
“I want to become a soccer player.”
“haha. My son’s tone suddenly became more dignified. Do you still want to be like Park Ji-seok?”
“no. More than that! “I want to become the best soccer player in the world!”
“hmm?”
The eyes of the couple who were spooning widened at the same time.
Hoyoung laughed like a child.
“Hi-Hi. “I definitely want to do it.”
What parent wouldn’t be happy to hear that?
The couple burst out laughing and patted Hoyoung’s head.
After finishing the meal, Hoyoung came into the room and had some alone time.
It was a small room, but it was the only personal space allowed to Hoyoung.
‘Not yet…’
That is, until I share a room with my younger brother who is 8 years older than me.
‘By the way, I’m only ten years old.’
Take a moment to think about what to do first.
‘You may not know it, but you can do anything!’
Isn’t third grade in elementary school the age where freedom is guaranteed until you fall asleep if you skip 4th period?
Hoyoung opened the door and went out to ask Woo Hwang-seon.
“dad! Where is Fevernova?”
Fevernova, the official ball for the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup.
Why does my heart fill with excitement just by looking at the soccer ball?
Hoyoung ran out to the elementary school playground and could hardly contain his excitement.
Like a fish out of water, I drove the ball and shot it here and there.
‘I’m so happy.’
When I was young, I wanted to become an adult as soon as possible, but I realized that it was spring only after the flowers withered.
That this is the happiest time.
“Then where?”
Step by step.
Hoyoung first confirmed that it was an alien ability that Mamon had given him.
[Woo Ho-young]
No
talent
. In other words, it was a system like something you would see in a novel.
“It’s not good.”
When I was young, I thought I could kick the ball a bit, but it turned out that I didn’t have a single talent, so I wasn’t big enough to be a soccer prodigy, let alone a soccer prodigy.
I needed time to adjust to my younger body.
‘It would be nice to have something to compare it to.’
Just then, a happy face appeared on the playground.
“Hey, what are you doing with the bun! “I can’t even play soccer.”
The person who entered the playground holding a soccer ball was none other than 10-year-old Jeongho Yoon.
“Do you start a fight as soon as you see me?”
“Giggle. Don’t tell a kid who can’t do it that he can’t do it. Then what do you say? Me~long!”
Since he was young, Jeong-ho Yoon has been good at teasing out men’s tempers.
It may not seem like a big deal, but I was secretly excited.
Hoyoung was about to hit the honey chestnut but ended up failing.
Instead, I stared at Yoon Jeong-ho.
Will we be able to confirm not only our own talents but also the talents of others?
[Yoon Jeong-ho]
Talents
-Soccer gifted (B)
-Quite a heavy mid-distance shot (C)
(You can pursue one talent if the conditions are met.)
(Condition: Play soccer together for more than 60 minutes)
“Oh yeah!”
do.
With Mammon’s ability, he was able to check not only his own, but also other people’s.
‘But you weren’t a soccer genius?’
Still, it was much greater than having nothing.
Moreover, that wasn’t the only surprising thing.
‘Can I covet abilities if I meet the conditions?’
This is the devil’s talent that Mammon talked about.
Covetousness.
I don’t know how it will turn out, but let’s give it a try.
Hoyoung said after making his decision.
“hey. Do you want to play soccer?”
Cough!
Just an hour after starting soccer, Yoon Jeong-ho made a grumbling noise.
“Not funny. “I’m not doing it with you!”
It was a harsh factual assault by a soccer prodigy, but it didn’t matter.
This is because an hour after kicking the ball, the long-awaited reaction appeared.
[Choose the talent you want to pursue.]
-Soccer prodigy (B)
-Quite a heavy mid-distance shot (C)
Hoyoung chose the former without hesitation.
No. 1 soccer prodigy (B).
Then, a change occurred in Hoyoung’s talent.
[Woo Ho-young]
Possessed talent
-Soccer prodigy (B)
‘Nice!’
This puts him on the same level as Yoon Jeong-ho.
The extent of growth will vary depending on how much effort you make in the future, but at least you have confidence that you can grow.
‘Then you can’t bring other talents?’
To confirm, I checked Yoon Jeong-ho’s talent once again.
[Yoon Jeong-
ho] Talent
– Soccer gifted (B)
– Quite a heavy mid-distance shot (C)
(You can covet talent if the conditions are met.)
(Condition: Play soccer together for more than 50 minutes)
‘Hmm. ‘The gifted soccer talent is still there, right?’
Coveting talent does not mean that other people’s talents disappear.
‘And the conditions have been reduced to 50 minutes. ‘Is it because all that’s left is C-grade?’
Hoyoung, who roughly understood the physiology of the system, caught Jeongho Yoon as he was about to leave the playground.
“hey. “Let’s do more!”
“no. You’re not that good. And I have to go to soccer academy later.”
“You can do it until you go. If you kick the ball with me, I’ll buy you tteokbokki. Jjonjjjong too.”
“…hmm.”
“Pikachu too.”
“Is it true?”
It was fortunate.
Because it is still a time of innocence.
“Heh… heh…”
I was running around without realizing the passage of time, and before I knew it, 50 minutes had passed.
[Choose the talent you want to pursue.]
– A fairly heavy mid-range shot (C)
‘That’s it.’
Only then did Hoyoung, who had acquired C-level talent, let go of Yoon Jeong-ho.
“Hehe… It’s hard… Let’s stop now.”
“Whew… Is it already hard? “But have you improved your skills?”
“Thanks to. “Hehe.”
“what?”
“no. “Let’s go eat some tteokbokki.”
“But do you have any money?”
“Of course, dude.”
Thanks to you, I gained talent, but what’s the big deal about 300 won cup tteokbokki?
Even though I had to rob my piggy bank at home, it wasn’t a waste.
“But your house is a beggar. “Don’t you get scolded by your mom?”
“…….”
Yoon Jeong-ho is also a person with a nasty nature.
If you hadn’t said that, I would have bought you everything, whether it’s tteokbokki, Pikachu, or Jjonjjon!
Unfortunately, Hoyoung, who was not very good at people, took out a 100 won coin from his pocket.
“It’s old.”
“what!”
“I’ve done my business, so get out of the way, dude.”
“Hey Mr. It’s a dog! ”
Anyway, Hoyoung coolly waved his hand and went back home.
On the way home, my thoughts deepened.
‘This alone is not enough.’
It takes hard work to make talent bloom.
It is essential to solidly develop the basic skills, and to properly start playing soccer, you have to learn it professionally.
It was completely impossible to do it alone.
For example, it would be best to enter a prestigious academy, but the problem was that it required a lot of tuition.
Hoyoung, who clearly knew the current family situation, could not confidently ask to be sent away.
The cost of powdered milk for my younger brother, who had just started walking, would be quite a lot, but I didn’t want to burden my parents.
So what should I do?
‘First, let’s let the world know my skills. Then I might be able to get sponsorship.’
Whether you are scouted by a domestic professional youth team or go overseas, that is the fastest shortcut.
In fact, there was an incident where a soccer video of a 5-year-old child posted on YouTube became a hot topic and was scouted by Manchester United.
‘But YouTube doesn’t exist in this day and age.’
This was a time when feature phones, not smartphones, let alone YouTube, were used, and such a thing was impossible.
Then there is one way!
‘broadcast?’
There were TV programs like that every now and then.
It was a program aimed at training youth, and it was aired during the World Cup season.
And the number of children who became professional athletes through that program was more than ten.
A representative example is Lee Kang-min of Valencia CF.
It was truly a golden opportunity to rise to stardom.
If you appear on TV and publicize your skills, it will be easier to receive various types of support.
‘Then… that would be good.’
A program that was first aired right after the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup came to mind.
This is Korea’s first youth training project that caused a youth soccer boom in Korea!
As soon as Hoyoung returned home and washed his hands and feet, he sat down at the head of his desk and turned on the computer.
I stared at the fat monitor, searched the Internet, and then immediately jumped up from my seat.
Then he ran to Woo Hwang-seon, who was lying in the living room watching TV, and said.
“dad. “I want to play Shootdori!”