Chapter 3

Lazy Genius Striker - Chapter 3 (3/202)

< Chapter 2 – Passion and Talent >

“I’m sorry. Were you worried?”

“You scared me. Oh, really. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“Sorry. But it’s a good thing, right? I’ll be recovered before the test day.”

“That’s a relief. But you should have been more careful. Sneaking off to train alone and getting hurt like that, I really can’t understand you, big brother.”

In one step, he arrived at the hospital room where his brother lay with a bandaged ankle.

Upon hearing the story, it turned out that after feeling the training was insufficient, he skipped classes and secretly trained alone, which led to his ankle sprain.

To Johann, it was an absurd situation.

Wanting to train more when he didn’t even want to train for a minute, and doing it secretly.

Indeed, his brother was incomprehensible.

But it was fortunate that he wasn’t seriously injured and could recover before the test day.

“I need to get up now. Can you help me a bit? I don’t need to be hospitalized, so I’m going home.”

“Sigh. I’ll carry you. What are you going to tell Dad?”

“To be honest, that’s what I’m most worried about.”

“I really...”

Johann carried his brother and left the hospital.

Rohan was a large man, but Johann, who could lift him easily, was also incredibly strong.

It was probably a family trait.

Being robust and strong was in their blood.

“Hey, Johann.”

“What is it?”

“What if...”

“Hmm?”

“What if I fail again this time?”

On the way home, carrying his brother, Rohan asked in a dejected voice.

Johann frowned.

“Why are you worrying about failing already?”

“What if I do. I’ll feel so guilty towards Dad.”

“Why would you feel guilty? You did your best.”

“But... Dad has done so much for me. He trained me every day and took care of my diet. No matter how much he is my dad, he has supported me to the point where I feel guilty. If I can’t produce results this time...”

“Brother.”

“Yeah.”

“You can do it. Who are you? The proud eldest son of the Ban family, the one Grandpa and Dad cherish the most. Is the eldest son of the Ban family really worrying about such things?”

Though he tried to sound mature,

Johann felt strange.

It was the first time his brother had sounded so weak in front of him.

Even though his brother always failed the tests, he always said he would definitely pass next time and that he just needed to work harder.

Was it because he was getting older and feeling more anxious?

His brother was feeling anxious.

“Whatever it takes, I have to pass this time. Everyone is expecting it. I can’t disgrace the Ban family. Haha.”

“Yeah. Disgracing the Ban family is enough with me alone.”

“Why would you disgrace the Ban family?”

“A disgrace. Neither Grandpa nor Dad would be pleased with me.”

“...”

Johann’s words made Rohan bite his lip.

Rohan knew.

He knew that the treatment from the family elders was very different between him and Johann.

He was always the one who received all the affection from Grandpa and Dad.

Because he was the most passionate about soccer.

Even though he hadn’t achieved any results yet, the elders praised him for his dedication.

On the other hand, the elders always scolded Johann, to the point where he felt guilty for his younger brother.

They kept comparing him to his older brother and scolding his younger brother.

That’s why Rohan felt even more sorry for Johann, who didn’t want to play soccer.

Rohan knew.

His younger brother, who got scolded every day because of soccer, actually had more talent than he did, the eldest son.

If his younger brother decided to show off his talent, he could easily win the elders’ affection.

He could become a soccer player who would bring glory to the Ban family, far surpassing someone like him.

But his younger brother didn’t want to play soccer.

From his brother’s perspective, it was heartbreaking.

“Johann.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you really have no intention of playing soccer anymore?”

“...Not this again. Oh, really. Even you, brother?”

For a long time,

Rohan had hoped Johann would play soccer.

But every time, Johann’s answer was NO.

He said he didn’t like it because it was troublesome.

Rohan, who knew his younger brother had been stressed about soccer since he was young, couldn’t force him.

Instead,

Rohan decided to become an excellent soccer player so that his younger brother wouldn’t have to suffer from stress.

However,

Now, facing what might be his last tryout,

Seeing himself sitting with an injured ankle before such an important test,

Rohan no longer felt confident in his role as a reliable older brother.

“Johann. What if...”

“Yeah.”

“What if I suddenly quit soccer one day, what do you think?”

“What are you talking about, all of a sudden? You quitting soccer? Don’t say such ridiculous things.”

Johann frowned.

Johann knew how much his brother loved soccer.

There was no way his brother would quit.

But,

His brother’s voice was serious.

“If I fail this test again, honestly, I don’t know if I can continue playing soccer...”

He was serious.

Rohan, who moved from Korea to England at the age of 10 and is now 18,

is now at an age where he knows everything.

Including the fact that his father is called a traitor by Korean soccer fans for leaving the country.

His father decided to move to England and give up his Korean nationality, which he had held for over 10 years, to provide his sons with a good environment to learn soccer.

Korean soccer fans called his father a traitor.

They also threatened to see how excellent soccer players his sons would become after giving up their nationality.

But if he turned out to be a mediocre soccer player,

His father would be criticized again.

How could he bear to see his father, who had endured everything for him, be criticized because of him?

Therefore, if he couldn’t become the player everyone expected,

Maybe it would be better to give up.

Rohan had been thinking this lately.

So,

If he failed this test again,

Rohan was seriously considering quitting soccer.

“But unlike me, if you, Johann, were to play, you could become a player that everyone would be proud of...”

However, quitting soccer itself was a shameful thing.

If he quit now, all his father’s efforts, including the move, would be in vain.

So,

Rohan, who had always been a reliable older brother to Johann, now wanted to rely on his younger brother.

He hoped that his younger brother’s mind would change and solve everything.

“You know, soccer and I just don’t match. So, don’t think about it and just focus on passing the test, brother.”

“...I will. You’re right, my younger brother.”

Of course, the possibility of his younger brother’s mind changing seemed slim.

Johann, who knew his brother well, also knew Johann very well.

Johann had even said that he would have been happy without soccer.

So, the possibility of Johann, who said that, starting soccer again was very slim.

Knowing this, Rohan had been making desperate efforts, even though he knew he didn’t have great talent.

But,

Today,

At this moment, while being carried by his younger brother on the way home,

Rohan couldn’t help but desperately hope for that slim possibility.

For a miracle to happen one day,

For his younger brother to decide to become a soccer player.

*

“The test is only a week away, and this is a big problem.”

When Ban Seokho saw Johann come home from school with a bandaged ankle, he was shocked.

With only a week left until the test,

An injury at this point.

Even if he were in top condition, he couldn’t guarantee passing.

He had clearly said that rest was also part of training.

Ban Seokho scolded Rohan, who returned injured, for the first time since he was very young.

However, after scolding Rohan,

Ban Seokho, who returned to his room alone, couldn’t help but feel heartache.

‘How anxious must he have been.’

He must have been so anxious that he trained even without attending classes.

It was strange not to be anxious after failing the tests so many times.

But Ban Seokho knew.

Having a calm mind was also necessary to become the best soccer player.

Forgetting past failures as if they never happened and always having the confidence to do it.

Without such a mental attitude, one couldn’t become an excellent player.

In a way, becoming a star required such audacity.

‘In that aspect, Johann is really...’

His thoughts drifted again.

When it came to audacity, it was Johann.

The boy was so audacious that, according to his teacher, he was always late and skipped classes but remained confident.

While other kids made excuses, Johann always said he was late because he overslept and skipped classes because he didn’t want to listen.

When he heard this, Ban Seokho laughed before feeling angry.

Despite being born into the Ban family and disliking soccer, the boy had a part that was exactly like him.

Because Ban Seokho was known for his audacity during his player days.

During his player days, one day during the season,

After a poor performance in a match, in the interview,

When the reporter asked Ban Seokho about the reason for his poor performance, he replied that the grass was like shit.

It was the epitome of audacity.

The stadium where the match was played boasted the best grass conditions.

However, that audacity was Ban Seokho’s way of managing his mental state.

It could be seen as an excuse, but it also meant not losing faith in himself.

Thanks to this mental attitude, Ban Seokho never fell into a long-term slump, even if he had a poor performance in one or two matches.

He believed that to excel at the top level, one needed such a mental attitude.

In that sense, Rohan was too weak.

He was well-behaved and kind.

A perfect son, but as a soccer player, he was lacking.

His younger brother, who resembled his audacity, would have been more suitable.

“Sigh.”

Ban Seokho sighed.

It always happened this way.

Whenever he noticed Rohan’s shortcomings, he would think of Johann.

The boy had already declared that he would never play soccer.

Ban Seokho hated himself for still having lingering thoughts.

If only the boy would change his mind now.

But it seemed unlikely.

Ban Seokho’s sighs grew deeper.

‘If he fails this test again...’

This tryout, Rohan’s sixth attempt.

He only hoped Rohan would pass, but he also had to think about what to do if he failed.

Rohan continued to challenge the West Ham Academy not just because it was a prestigious institution.

It was because it was the team where his father played for 7 years and the team he loved the most.

And because seeing his son play for his beloved team was the only wish of this father.

Rohan had been doing his best to fulfill his father’s wish.

How could he not be proud of his son, who worked hard and shed blood and sweat to fulfill his father’s wish?

But he couldn’t make his son continue to do something impossible just for his father’s wish.

Ban Seokho’s wish was truly a fervent one, but if Rohan failed this test again,

He thought it would be better to give up on such a wish.

What could he do?

There were things in the world that were impossible no matter what.

He just felt resentful towards the heavens.

‘If it were Johann, he could easily fulfill such a wish...’

If Johann changed his mind, there would be no problem.

If Johann started playing soccer again, there would be no need to worry.

Could such a thing really happen?

‘Wishing for Rohan’s success is a much more realistic hope.’

Ban Seokho shook his head.

He should wish for what he could.

With only a week left until Rohan’s tryout,

He shouldn’t wish for the impossible but should focus on helping Rohan as much as possible.

Ban Seokho started to revise the training log, thinking about how to prepare for the test in the next week.

But,

The regret for Johann wouldn’t leave his mind, and he couldn’t help but sigh.