"Could you teach me some exercises?" or maybe "Can you recommend a protein supplement?"
He had heard those were the words gym enthusiasts loved the most.
Sure enough, Kim Jong-kook's face lit up with interest.
"Our Ho-young is still a bit young for that, but it wouldn't hurt to learn early. How about we talk about it together?"
"Yes! And if possible, could you also show me how to work out properly?!"
Kim Jong-kook smiled broadly.
That answer alone was enough.
[Select the talent you wish to obtain.]
- Fitness Enthusiast's Muscular Build (C)
- Ballad Singer's Gentle Voice (C)
'Of course, the first one!'
What use would a football player have for a soft singing voice?
After spending an hour kicking the ball around with Kim Jong-kook, Ho-young successfully obtained a new talent.
[Ho-young]
[Possessed Talents: Football Prodigy (B), Powerful Long Shot (C), Fitness Enthusiast's Muscular Build (C)]
He already felt his body becoming firmer and stronger.
It wasn't at the level of a professional athlete yet, but it was certainly a huge improvement.
"Thank you so much. I hope we didn't waste too much of your time because of my son…"
"Not at all. I had a great time. I don't have many schedules these days anyway, so I mostly just work out. Haha."
For Kim Jong-kook, who loved kids, it had been a pleasant experience.
It was the first time he had met a child genuinely interested in fitness.
Two weeks later.
"Ho-young! We did it! We made it!"
Woo Hwang-sun hung up the home phone, grabbed Ho-young, and spun him around in excitement.
"Ahh! Dad, I'm dizzy!"
"Hahaha! My proud son!"
The reason Woo Hwang-sun was so thrilled was simple.
"MBS called? Did they say I got selected for Shoot Dori?"
"That's right, son! Hahaha!"
September 16, 2002.
The moment Ho-young's name appeared on the official Shoot Dori member list.
'Yes!'
It was a huge success.
"Honey! Come here! Our Ho-young got in!"
More excited than even Ho-young himself, Woo Hwang-sun shouted urgently.
The chopping sounds from the kitchen stopped. Kim Hee-sun, still wearing her apron, ran out in a hurry.
"Is that true?"
"I'm telling you! And they're even paying him a performance fee!"
"Oh my goodness…!"
The couple hugged each other and jumped around like kids.
"At this rate, our Ho-young might become a celebrity!"
"Oh, come on, isn't that obvious?"
'But I'm going to be a football player, not a celebrity…'
Swallowing that thought, Ho-young savored the moment.
Even though he had expected to pass, the thrill was electric.
It was his first major achievement since returning to the past.
But soon after, a wave of nervousness followed.
'This will be my first time on TV.'
And not just any appearance, but as one of the main cast members. The thought made his heart pound uncontrollably.
To make things even more exciting, this was a show that would soon take the entire nation by storm.
'No way I'll mess it up… right?'
Nah, impossible.
If anything, he'd make it even more popular.
It wasn't arrogance. It was confidence.
'I'll make this a success, no matter what!'
No matter how it turned out, as long as he proved his skills to the world, everything else would follow.
Fan clubs? Sponsorships?
Those didn't matter.
His only goal was football.
With that resolve, Ho-young closed his eyes.
He pictured a lush, green pitch in his mind.
Wembley.
Old Trafford.
Camp Nou.
Santiago Bernabéu.
What would it feel like to play under those grand lights, with tens of thousands of fans roaring his name?
Just imagining it made his chest swell.
'Hehe!'
Even the thought sent shivers down his spine.
But every great journey begins with a single step.
"Dad, I'm going out to practice."
Before anything else, he needed to improve his skills.
The world was full of Messis and Ronaldos.
At least, in people's imaginations.
In their minds, they scored hat-tricks and ran wild on the field, but in reality, their bodies couldn't keep up.
The reason was simple.
"I need to start with the basics!"
Without solid fundamentals, you couldn't go far.
And the most fundamental skill of all was juggling.
Keeping the ball in the air with the instep without letting it touch the ground.
It required intense focus and endless repetition.
Even Diego Maradona, the so-called god of football, had started with the same humble practice.
Step by step.
Tap. Tap.
As Ho-young juggled the ball, a grin spread across his face.
His breath grew heavier, but he didn't feel tired.
Right now, everything was fun.
He could feel himself improving every day.
"This is what a prodigy's talent feels like!"
Hope.
That was what fueled his determination.
"1,000 more!"
"Haa, haa…!"
In the afternoon, he ran laps around the track to build stamina.
Football was, after all, a battle of endurance.
No matter how good one's dribbling or shooting was, it was meaningless without a strong foundation of fitness.
Still, he made sure not to overdo it, not wanting to affect his growth.
After eight full laps, Ho-young collapsed onto the sandy field, breathing hard.
"Shoot Dori, I'm going to dominate!!"
That was his bold declaration.
From that day on, he stuck strictly to a self-made schedule.
Bedtime by 10 p.m. sharp.
Up at 6 a.m. for 30 minutes of stretching.
Just because his adult height had stopped at 170 cm didn't mean it had to be the same this time.
If he took care of his body early, he could easily surpass 180 cm.
After breakfast, he went jogging, and after school, he practiced on the field.
Eat. Train. Repeat.
That was his life.
And soon, the day of filming arrived.
Click, click!
Cameras surrounded the entire area.
So many flashes went off that it almost caused stage fright.
There were ten members in the Shoot Dori team, and among the kids marveling at the cameras, one boy looked particularly nervous.
"Ho-young, you okay?"
"Yes… sir!"
But it wasn't the cameras making him nervous.
It was the match about to begin.
Their first evaluation match, set to be recorded four hours into filming.
It would become the highlight of the first broadcast episode on October 23rd.
Ho-young had been waiting all day for this moment.
Their opponent: none other than the prestigious Cha Bum-kun Football Academy.
Before filming started, PD Choi spoke with the opposing coach.
"Coach, please go all out from the start."
He asked him not to hold back and to completely crush the Shoot Dori kids, even if it ended 20-0. The goal was to make them experience despair.
After all, the opposing team was from the elite Cha Bum-kun Football Academy.
This was all part of PD Choi's plan.
A painful defeat would bring tears, sympathy from the viewers, and emotional investment.
Then the kids would overcome it through hard work and effort.
A perfect feel-good story.
PD Choi smiled to himself.
Just then, he spotted Ho-young warming up in the distance.
'If that kid performs well, it'll be perfect.'
Shoot Dori had already attracted attention from its promo video, especially the test between Kim Jong-kook and Ho-young.
There had been a lot of talk about whether Kim had gone easy on him, so PD Choi planned to focus the camera on Ho-young during the match.
'If he can somehow score one miraculous goal, that would be the perfect shot.'
A glimmer of hope in the middle of despair.
The ideal emotional trigger.
But realistically, it was unlikely.
No matter how talented Ho-young was, football was a team sport.
And the opponent's players, trained under a professional youth system, were far superior.
FC Cha Boom.
They were the best of the best, similar in age but far stronger physically.
Even a prodigy couldn't carry a match alone against them.
'Well, no harm in hoping.'
Just then, the assistant director ran up.
"PD Choi! We're ready to start!"
"Okay. Let's begin."
The pitch was only about one-sixth the size of a standard football field.
The kids walked in, shook hands, and took their positions.
It was just a children's game, but everything was official.
Referee, crowd of parents, even a commentary booth.
[Good afternoon, everyone. We're live at Yongin City Football Center, Pitch No. 3, where a historic match is about to begin. It's the debut game of FC Shoot Dori, the newly formed team aiming to conquer the nation's youth football scene. But the players' skill levels seem to vary quite a bit, don't they?]
[They sure do. Quite a lot, actually.]
[Hahaha! Well, it's their first evaluation match, so we should focus on the experience rather than the result.]
[Exactly. Even if they lose today, they'll gain valuable lessons from the Cha Boom Academy.]
As MBS announcer Choi Sung-don and comedian Kim Byung-jin exchanged lighthearted banter, the female referee flipped a coin to decide who would kick off first.
"Yes!"
Tails.
FC Shoot Dori would attack first, and the kids cheered loudly in excitement.
They were just happy to play.
The match began as the two coaches shook hands on camera.
Beep!
Kickoff.
Instead of tension, the atmosphere was warm and cheerful.
After all, it was just kids running around.
Most adults simply watched with smiles, charmed by their clumsy efforts.
But no one expected what would happen next.
The whistle blew, and immediately, Ho-young took a shot.
Thud!
The ball, struck from the halfway line, soared and smashed into the back of the net.
All within one second of kickoff.
"Wha…?"
"PD Choi?"
"Wh-what was that?"
While the staff stood in stunned silence, Ho-young broke into a wide grin and sprinted toward the corner of the field.
"Where's he going?!"
He was running full speed toward the tall camera crane.
"Don't lose him! Focus the shot!"
Then, Ho-young leapt high into the air.
And as he landed, he spread his arms wide.
"Sui!!"
It was the celebration that would one day become Cristiano Ronaldo's iconic goal celebration.
'This celebration is mine now.'
Ho-young wasn't just after talents anymore.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
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