I rejected the school bully's confession because of soccer. - Chapter 5

“You’re coming to pick me up? There’s no need for that.”
Dad stopped preparing to go out and continued the phone call.
“I was just about to leave anyway. Ah, yes.”
A moment after he hung up the phone.
An unfamiliar face was waiting for me in front of the house.
“I’m Kang Jin-ah, the junior writer. Pleased to meet you.”
“Oh my, we should be the ones saying that.”
The junior writer seemed quite young and friendly.
Even more so with her clumsy nervousness of a new social worker.
‘More than that, even if it’s a children’s program, to come pick me up like this?’
Even to me who doesn’t know much, this is clearly unusual.
There’s no way all the other kids are getting this treatment.
‘Is it because I’m so cute?’
I glanced at mom from the corner of my eye.
She was smiling warmly.
But I could see she was noticeably uncomfortable.
‘Yeah, no matter how cute I am, this kind of consideration should be in moderation.’
This kind of consideration is just an extension of unnecessary work.
It also reduces the time to be with family.
If the pick-up was part of the filming, I’d understand, but it’s not even that, so it’s not entirely welcome.
But to my surprise.
“Thank you for being so considerate.”
Dad’s reaction was completely different.
His brightly smiling face seemed more sincere than anyone’s.
He looked proud as if I was going to the World Cup final.
‘As expected of Dad.’
To think this level of attention is amazing.
No, well, I don’t mind being cared for either.
Let’s be grateful for the consideration, even if it’s uncomfortable.
A moment later, as soon as we arrived at the filming location, before the car door could even open, someone quickly ran over.
“Is Kang Tan here? Kang Tan!”
It was the PD who reached out his hand as soon as he saw me.
He was almost trying to tear off the car door.
“Wow, Tan is here! Our Tan~ We’ve been waiting!”
It was like a kindergarten teacher welcoming a child.
Before I could even get out properly, those big hands lifted me up.
“Wow, your face is so handsome too. Kang Tan, I’m counting on you today too!”
I was slightly dazed.
To be lifted up and coddled like this.
This is a bit embarrassing, isn’t it?
I know my body is five years old, but for some reason, I felt a bit of reality hitting me.
‘Should I load up a cry?’
Meanwhile, Dad had a very satisfied expression.
“Wow, our Tan. To be welcomed like this. You should say ‘Thank you to the PD for loving me so much~’!”
“Thank you~ I’m counting on you too~”
The PD’s lips split into a wide grin.
“Aww! Our Tan is so polite too~”
Okay, I get it, now put me down.

I was doubting my eyes.
It was because of the person introducing himself as the coach.
‘Is this for real?’
My mouth opened involuntarily.
I thought it would just be some celebrity who likes soccer since it’s an entertainment show… but a national team player?
“Do you kids know this uncle?”
How could we not know?
Ji Sung-woo, a name that can’t be left out in Korean soccer history.
Apart from that, he’s a national team player anyway.
If you’re playing soccer, of course…
“Oh? I know! This uncle went to the World Cup! That… old one!”
“It’s not that old! It was just a few years ago!”
“But my dad said he watched soccer because of this person!”
As expected, the children seem to know too.
“Coach, are you a soccer player?”
Oh, there’s a kid who doesn’t know.
I understand since it’s Hwang Min-chul.
Coach Ji Sung-woo was surprised but soon smiled brightly.
“Well, yes. I’ve retired now, but I played hard.”
One child raised his hand high.
“But why don’t you play soccer anymore?”
Before the coach could answer that question, Hwang Min-chul, who had asked if he was a soccer player, intercepted the answer.
“Because he’s old!”
Hwang Min-chul, you crazy bastard.
The production team burst into laughter at his audacity, and Coach Ji Sung-woo smiled awkwardly with a face that had taken a hit.
Next was the manager’s introduction.
As soon as they saw the person appearing from afar, the children stood up.
“Wow! It’s Choi Iseul!”
“I’ve seen her on TV!”
Choi Iseul.
She was one of the top actresses currently at her peak.
Whether it’s acting or commercials, it’s no exaggeration to say she appears whenever you turn on the TV.
Even Hwang Min-chul, who couldn’t recognize Ji Sung-woo earlier.
“I know her too! My dad doesn’t change the channel when she comes on!”
Among the laughing adults, I saw someone with an embarrassed smile.
Probably Hwang Min-chul’s father.
“Hello, I’m Choi Iseul. I’ll be working with you as a manager from now on. Please take care of me.”
When she greeted with a bright smile, the children clapped excitedly.
‘In my previous life, there was an age difference and I wasn’t interested, so I just thought whatever… but seeing her like this now, she’s definitely pretty.’
Some of the children had already started sticking to Choi Iseul and following her around.
“Noona! Do you like snacks?”
“Are we going to see you every day now?”
I smirked watching this scene.
‘You little rascals.’
Yeah, it’s good to see them so confident.

Did I expect too much after seeing even a national team player?
The first training started, but the content was closer to children playing around than ‘training’.
I guess an entertainment show is just that after all.
I’m left feeling quite disappointed.
‘I guess I’ll have to do proper training on my own separately.’
Right now, I can show off among the kids with the skills I’ve ingrained in my body up to high school, but as my body grows, they’ll catch up quickly.
Until then, I won’t allow even a shred of complacency.
“Alright, now that we’ve warmed up a bit, shall we have a game?”
The children were internally divided into 5-on-5 teams and the game began.
It was a futsal field, but to us little ones, it felt like the size of a regular soccer field.
To be honest, the current situation was far from being considered a serious game.
We hadn’t even trained properly, and of course, there was no player being marked.
‘Well, this is a perfect timing to practice some individual skills.’
If I tried this in a serious game, I’d be cursed at if I made even one mistake.
Even if I executed it well, in a world where you get cursed at for showing off with excessive individual skills to get past opponents.
But not now.
‘Age is a beast… to be at an age where I can do this kind of thing.’
Originally, individual skills are about pulling out everything you can do while enjoying the game in this practice mode, tutorial.

As the game started, Coach Ji Sung-woo crossed his arms and closely observed the children’s movements.
What he expected from children of this age group was simple.
Kicking the ball properly, attempting passes.
And above all, enjoying it.
However, he soon realized how meager his expectations had been.
“What’s with that kid?”
The moment the ball went under Kang Tan’s feet, the game changed to a completely different phase.
“Wow… where did you bring a kid like that from?”
The assistant coach, watching the monitor beside him, let out a small exclamation and asked the PD.
The PD watched the situation with a very satisfied face.
Kang Tan slightly lifted the ball, easily evading the opposing team’s children with feints and flick-ups.
It was as if the ball was stuck to his feet.
Coach Ji frowned.
‘What’s this? A child doing this?’
Kang Tan, while dribbling the ball, showcased three consecutive step-overs in front of a defender.
The opposing defender lost balance and fell right there.
Not missing that gap, he changed direction once again and broke through.
“What skill is that?”
A writer holding a notebook asked from the side.
“Could you ask that after watching the video later? I want to focus on this for now.”
Without a commentary team, there was no one to explain the situation, and everyone was busy just focusing on watching.
Coach Ji also watched with sharp eyes.
‘This isn’t a program to take lightly.’
When he reached the goal, the children rushed in.
But Kang Tan had already prepared his next move.
He feinted as if he was going to shoot, then suddenly crossed his legs and executed a rabona kick.
“Isn’t that a rabona kick? No, can a five-year-old really do that?”
The CP poked the PD repeatedly, grinning from ear to ear.
“Yeah… it doesn’t seem like he’s just imitating.”
The ball gently shook the net.
“Goal!”
Along with the sound echoing through the field, the production team’s reaction exploded.
“That kid is really something!”
“This is amazing. No, not just amazing, it’s super amazing!”
Coach Ji scratched his head, letting out a short breath.

Confusion was visible in his expression.
‘Where on earth did this kid come from? This level of skill is hard to see even in youth leagues.’
The PD was already picturing it in his head.
“As expected, we should edit focusing on Tan without question. He’ll be more than enough to be the face of the program.”
The CP patted the PD’s shoulder with an excited expression and laughed loudly.
“You call that talking? This program, I think it’s really going to be a hit now. This kid is the center. For sure.”
Ji Sung-woo’s gaze remained fixed on Kang Tan.
The way he handles the ball, his sense of reading space, even his instantaneous judgment.
This was absolutely, never! not something that should come from a five-year-old child.
“This talent shouldn’t be here doing entertainment…”
He sighed deeply inside.
It was an entertainment program he had started with a light heart, but somehow this was igniting a sense of duty.
Of course, it’s not bad that a talent like Kang Tan appears on an entertainment program.
Rather, this kind of stage would be an opportunity to make his name known.
But he couldn’t let this talent slip away like this.
If this child received proper training in the right environment, no, if he got to play on an even bigger stage?
The possibility was beyond imagination.
But the filming had already started.
Coach Ji couldn’t just arbitrarily send Tan somewhere else right away.
‘That would mean fighting and causing trouble with the production team.’
Then there’s only one answer.
To provide maximum training during this period.
Even during entertainment filming, he could build up the basics and advanced skills by making time.
‘Afterwards, I’ll connect him to a better youth team.’
Coach Ji Sung-woo’s eyes hardened.
He was already designing the future in his mind.
Kang Tan’s golden future.