Chapter 2

Lazy Genius Striker - Chapter 2 (2/202)

< Chapter 1 – Passion and Talent >

"Right! Fix your ankles like that! Come on, one more time!"

"Huff, huff!"

In Stratford, London, England.

On the green field, a father and son are drenched in sweat.

The son, who has just turned 18 and looks quite grown-up, is named Rohan, and his father is Bahn Seokho, who was once a South Korean national team player and a Premier League player.

The two were sweating it out to prepare for the upcoming West Ham United Academy entry test.

"Good. That's enough. Let's take a short break."

"Phew. Can we do a bit more? Just 10 more times."

"No. It's time to rest. What did Dad say?"

"…Rest is also part of training. But I'm a bit anxious…"

"Rohan, there's no need to be anxious. You're working hard. As long as you can accept the results without regret, that's all that matters."

They had already trained for three hours today, and Rohan was completely exhausted.

Still, he looked anxious,

probably because Rohan had failed the entry test five times.

London West Ham Youth Academy.

West Ham Academy, which has produced outstanding stars like the Ferdinand brothers, John Terry, Frank Lampard, and Joe Cole, is renowned in England, and it's not just anyone who can enter.

They have strict criteria for testing players, and those who fail the test are not allowed to join the academy, even if they are the son of a team legend.

Like Rohan, the eldest son of Bahn Seokho, who played for West Ham for seven years, who failed the test five times.

"Phew."

"Are you very anxious?"

"I try not to be, but I can't help it. This is practically my last chance. I can't join the under-18 team if I turn 19."

After failing the test repeatedly, Rohan had finally turned 18.

Even if he passed the test immediately and joined the under-18 team, he would be the oldest.

If he failed this test, he would have to take the under-21 team test next.

It would be almost impossible to pass the under-21 team test if he couldn't pass the under-18 team test.

Moreover, Rohan didn't want to join any other team.

His father, Bahn Seokho's, only wish was

to see his son play for his beloved team, West Ham.

Therefore,

the father and son were training hard, thinking this was their last chance.

Every day, they trained to the point of exhaustion.

However, Rohan still couldn't hide his anxiety.

"Stop thinking negatively. You need to approach it with a positive mindset to attract good luck."

"Phew. I'm sorry, Dad."

"What's there to be sorry about?"

"I'm always sorry. As the eldest son, I haven't inherited even half of your talent…"

Rohan looked dejected.

The Bahn family was a well-known football family.

From Rohan's grandfather to his father,

two generations had been national team players, and they had brought glory to their country by excelling overseas.

Being born as the eldest son in such a prestigious family,

Rohan had grown up with high expectations from those around him.

He was expected to follow in his grandfather and father's footsteps, or even surpass them.

However,

Rohan had long accepted that he didn't have the innate talent passed down through generations.

He knew better than anyone that he had inherited his passion for football, not his talent.

Therefore, he always felt apologetic.

Despite the adults' expectations for his grandson and son to become the best football player and further the Bahn family's honor,

Rohan had failed to even pass the academy entry test.

"Rohan, how many times have I told you not to say that?"

"…I'm sorry."

"Alright. We've rested for 10 minutes, let's get back to it."

"Yes."

The one who felt the most sorry for Rohan was, of course, Bahn Seokho.

His son, who felt guilty for something that wasn't his fault.

How could a father's heart be at ease watching his son like this?

He felt more sorry than anything.

He blamed himself for not being able to pass on his talent to his son.

Therefore, Bahn Seokho often blamed the heavens.

It was because of his younger son.

Bahn Seokho had a younger son, Yohan, who was two years younger than Rohan.

Yohan used to play football a few years ago.

But he doesn't anymore.

Two years ago, when Yohan turned 14, he refused to play football.

For the bizarre reason that he found it too troublesome.

How could a son from the Bahn family dislike football?

Bahn Seokho was at a loss.

However,

what truly made him blame the heavens was that Yohan had inherited the talent.

The talent that had been passed down from his grandfather.

It was a cruel twist of fate.

The child who loved football the most lacked talent, and the child with talent lacked passion for football.

Why couldn't both be given to one child?

Bahn Seokho blamed the heavens.

If both had been given to one child,

everyone would have been happy.

Why did fate play such a cruel trick, making everyone unhappy?

"You can do it. Don't worry too much. Just do your best tomorrow."

"Yes, I understand."

The heavens are also indifferent.

Today, Bahn Seokho couldn't shake off his complicated feelings.

...

In a park in London.

A boy is lying on a bench.

Bahn Seokho's younger son, Bahn Yohan.

At this early hour, when his friends should be at school,

Yohan is skipping class and lying in the park again.

Because listening to boring classes is too troublesome.

"Ah. I don't want to do anything."

Already doing nothing, yet saying he doesn't want to do anything, the epitome of laziness.

It's understandable why Yohan was considered a very unusual Korean when he first came to the UK.

Everyone thought Koreans were diligent, but Yohan was the laziest of them all.

Even the famously laid-back Mediterranean people might stick out their tongues at Yohan.

Yohan was a loafer, pure and simple.

"Hold on. What's the date today?"

After lying there for a while, Yohan takes out his phone to check the date.

April 18th.

Come to think of it, there's only a week left.

His brother's entry test.

Yohan, who is uninterested in anything in the world,

has only one interest: his brother.

The two grew up relying on each other in a foreign land.

To Yohan, his brother is a precious existence that can't be replaced by anything in the world.

"He must pass this time."

This is his brother's sixth attempt.

Yohan sincerely hopes his brother will pass the test.

He knows how desperate and hardworking his brother is.

His brother, who works hard every day, even though Yohan, who finds everything troublesome, can't understand it.

Yohan hopes his brother will pass this time.

"If he fails again, it will be a problem."

However,

there is another reason why Yohan hopes his brother will pass the test.

It's because of the family elders.

From his grandfather to his father,

all were footballers, and excellent ones at that.

Born into such a family,

Rohan and Yohan had to start kicking a ball as soon as they could walk.

One of them had to become a footballer.

One of them had to become a footballer, surpassing their grandfather and father, to carry on the family legacy.

However, Yohan had no intention of taking on that legacy.

Football just didn't suit him.

Football is a sport that requires diligence.

A single match lasts 90 minutes, and you have to train hard every day to prepare for those 90 minutes.

Yohan, who is so lazy that even Mediterranean people would find him lazy, couldn't possibly enjoy such a sport.

That's why, despite being scolded by his father every day, Yohan refused to play football.

So, he hoped his brother would take on that role.

Carrying on the legacy of a football dynasty.

Fortunately, his brother loved football very much.

Unlike Yohan, who was a mutant who hated football despite being born into a football family, his brother was clearly the eldest son of the Bahn family.

Yohan believed his brother had to become a footballer and had sincerely supported him.

He hoped his brother would definitely carry on the family business.

"He'll do well. Who's worried about who?"

Sighing, Yohan found it funny to think that he, the family's troublemaker, was worried about his beloved brother.

Who's worried about who?

He'll do fine on his own.

With that thought, Yohan smiled and closed his eyes.

Vroom!

His phone vibrated in his pocket.

Frowning at the disturbance, he checked it.

"It's my brother?"

It's his brother.

Yohan immediately pressed the call button to answer.

However,

his brother's voice on the other end of the line was heavy.

"Yohan, I'm sorry, but can you come to the hospital? I got a little hurt..."

His brother was injured.