Chapter 5

Take everything.

"You brat! You have to trust your family! What if you get scammed or something!?"

I had anticipated this kind of reaction from my father.

I wanted to shout, "Do you think someone who knows better would foolishly trust a scammer and invest in a place they don't even know!?" but I held back.

"Don't worry. I won't entrust my money management to anyone. I'll handle it myself. I'll proceed with their cooperation through legally binding contracts."

"Law!?"

Sure enough, the word "law" is the best way to make ordinary people shut up.

My parents were frightened as soon as they heard the word "law."

"When I start making serious money, I'll buy you a house, a car, and give you a generous allowance. Don't be too disappointed. I just want you to stay out of contract and money management. Honestly, neither of you know anything about civil law, contracts, or financial management."

"..."

My parents were greatly taken aback.

It's understandable, considering how suddenly a kid who only played sports started talking about financial management and law in a businesslike manner.

But it was a necessary measure.

I had to protect our family from scammers.

After resolving the incident of giving up my place on the World Cup team, I went to my room and spent the night on "some work."

***

The next morning.

My mother was shocked to see the people who came to our house.

"Can you take all of this?"

"Yes."

"Son! What are you doing!?"

"I'm getting rid of unnecessary things."

"Unnecessary!? This! This! They were all bought not long ago!?"

"They're all cheap anyway. Sir, take everything."

I called a junk dealer to remove all the cheap items from my room.

Once all the cheap furniture and clutter were gone, the room was completely empty.

"I feel so relieved."

It felt like I had thoroughly cleaned out the gunk in my head.

In the afternoon, a new bed was delivered.

"What kind of bed is this?"

When the delivery men installed the bed in my room, my mother's eyes widened at how expensive it looked.

"It's a special memory foam bed made with NASA technology. It helps athletes recover quickly even with a short nap."

"How much... does it cost..."

"5 million won."

"What!?"

"I put it on your card in 12 monthly installments. Is that okay?"

"Son... Even so..."

"Mom, my body is my asset. I can't skimp on investing in it. And look at this."

Mom looked at the note I handed her.

It was a meal plan I had created overnight by recalling my memories.

"Follow this meal plan by day. And don't bring any cod liver oil or frog juice or any such things into the house."

"Whole grain cereal, pea and barley rice, egg whites, vegetable salad, fruit juice, white fish, chicken breast... No salt, sugar, red pepper, or pepper on any food? No! Do you expect an athlete to eat this every day!?"

"Yes."

By the standards of that time, it would be impossible to understand.

Even European professional soccer players were living on junk food and beer back then.

In the future, Ronaldo would maintain his peak physical condition well into his late 30s through strict dietary management and earn a lot of money, while Messi would significantly reduce his injury rate by cutting out junk food and soda and focusing on seafood-based meals, following Pep Guardiola's advice.

If I start this kind of lifestyle now, I'll be at least 10 years ahead of other players.

"I feel so clear-headed."

The empty room now only contained a new bed, a small desk, and a chair.

The desk and chair were top-of-the-line Italian products, making it comfortable to sit.

I laid out a yoga mat in the empty space and did a headstand.

"Now I can see the path forward."

The environment has a significant impact on a person's mind.

That's why someone who wants to achieve great things must not only take care of their body but also keep their surroundings tidy.

Living in a room filled with cheap items makes your life cheap.

I will only keep the minimum necessary items, all of the highest quality, and create as much empty space as possible to practice yoga and train my mind and body.

This is my new lifestyle.

***

In the afternoon, I went to Ohseong Hospital for rehabilitation exercises.

Kim Seungjin now treated me like an older brother.

Calling the soccer association on my behalf must have been a meaningful experience for him.

Although the rehabilitation exercises were repetitive and boring, I focused and performed every movement diligently.

The instructor was impressed.

Since I know my body is my asset, it's only natural to take care of it.

After the training, I went to Gangnam Station.

After finishing my Japanese and English classes, I asked Kevin Kim.

"Is there a yoga studio around Gangnam Station?"

"Of course! You're quick!"

"Why do you say that?"

"You already know that yoga is a great exercise for soccer players."

"Yes. I especially lack flexibility, balance, and core muscles. There's no better exercise than yoga."

"Jinwoo is really ahead of the game. There's no other soccer player in Korea who is this forward-thinking."

"Hahaha. Don't flatter me too much."

"No, I'm being serious. You're preparing to become a professional player very wisely. I can't help but admire you."

Although it might sound a bit strange, Kevin Kim was completely smitten with me.

He would stroke my body in admiration every time I said something.

When I wondered if he might be... you know, it turned out he had a girlfriend.

Saya, my Japanese teacher.

Saya, who looked like actress Hirose Ryoko, loved Korean culture and spoke Korean well.

She was a true K-pop fan.

Interestingly, it was soccer that brought Kevin and Saya together.

They met at a gathering, bonded over soccer, and eventually became a couple.

When I introduced myself as a soccer player planning to join the J-League, Kevin offered to help.

"Jinwoo is so handsome. He'll be very popular with Japanese girls when he goes to Japan."

"Be careful with Japanese girls, Jinwoo. They're not what they seem..."

"Kevin, what are you talking about?"

"No, nothing!"

Even the smart Kevin Kim couldn't resist Saya.

I went to the yoga studio he recommended.

There were already quite a few yoga studios for general fitness, but what I wanted was "Ashtanga Yoga."

Ashtanga Yoga was the most masculine, challenging, and intense form of yoga.

To reach the advanced level, one had to put in almost body-reforming efforts in breathing.

After registering and taking my first class, I headed from Gangnam Station to Eunpyeong District, and it was already dark.

"Busy. So busy."

Since my regression, I've been so busy that I haven't had time to be surprised.

This busyness is a happy one.

It's the busyness of saving myself and my surroundings from the destruction caused by soccer, so it's not tiring at all. Every moment is precious.

"I need to do CrossFit too... but I don't have time."

Once my knee condition improves, I plan to start CrossFit.

In 1998, there was no concept of CrossFit in Korea, let alone the word, so it won't be easy to find a gym.

"Hello, Mother."

"Ah, our Jinwoo is here."

I went to a noodle shop in Eunpyeong Market.

It was a noodle shop run by my friend Lee Yuchan's mother, where his sister Hyunji was helping her mother.

This family is also one I must save.

"Hello, brother."

"Hyunji, how are you? You're helping your mom again today. You're such a good daughter."

"Hehehe. No, I'm not."

Hyunji smiled shyly.

Seeing her smile after so long made my heart ache.

Because I know about her tragic future.

"Our Jinwoo is on the news."

"Brother! Look at that!"

On the small, greasy TV in the corner of the noodle shop, my face appeared.

The headline was embarrassing, and it made it seem like I had defied the coach by using my injury as an excuse.

Those damn journalists.

They always do this.

They sensationalize a so-called "story" and twist the facts to fit their narrative.

They can make anyone look bad.

In three months, those journalists will turn Coach Cha into trash, along with his family.

"Mom, it looks like they're reporting that you're skipping out on an injury. Why are they doing this?"

"Because they're scumbags."

"Scumbags?"

Oops.

That word probably didn't exist back then.

Before the internet, the authority of the media and journalists was quite high.

It was an era when people believed what they read in newspapers or saw on the news.

"Scumbags are a combination of 'scum' and 'journalists.'"

"Hehehe! That's so funny. Did you make that word up, brother?"

"Yep."

Suddenly, I became a neologism creator.

Just then,

My friend Lee Yuchan entered the noodle shop.

"Oh, Jinwoo, you're here?"

"Brother Jinwoo has been waiting for a while."

"You didn't come to school today. What have you been doing all day?"

"Did you finish training?"

"Yeah. The coach was really angry today and pushed us hard. Could it be... because of you!?"

"I don't know. Anyway, let's go. I have something to talk about with you."

As I was about to take Yuchan out, his mother asked cautiously.

"Jinwoo... can you be honest with me?"

"Yes?"

"Is the tteokbokki a bit tasteless?"

"Oh."

I hadn't touched the tteokbokki she gave me to taste.

"I'm currently in rehabilitation, so I can't eat much spicy food. I'm sorry for leaving it."

"How does it taste...?"

"Maybe it needs to be spicier for the kids to like it?"

"More spicy!?"

"Yes, Mother. Let's talk about the tteokbokki seriously later. I'm busy today."

"Okay! I'm sorry!"

Yuchan's mother bowed repeatedly.

Seeing her, my heart ached as if it were being torn apart.