My Girlfriend Wants Victory

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At the same time,
South Korea.

[Title: Live) Son Jinho Hits Referee.]

└ ???
└ What? Did I just see that wrong?
└ LOL, he just hit the referee’s head! LOL
└ Look at the redness on his scalp! LOL

Could it be that Son Jinho got injured playing Chinese Shaolin Soccer? The few soccer fans illegally watching the game, filled with anxiety, were in disbelief as Son Jinho struck the back of the referee’s head with a ‘Eulryongtae.’

Reporters hurriedly released articles about Son Jinho’s reckless behavior.

[Son Jinho showcases Taekwondo Soccer in front of Shaolin Soccer.]
└ What? How did they watch the game?
└ Did these guys also watch illegally?
└ Where’s the site? I want to watch too!
└ If you zoom in on that photo, you can see it, idiot. Do your research.
└ If we criticize illegal streaming, will there be articles about the people’s right to know?
└ 100% LOL

Normally, reporters would wait for the illegal streaming to spread throughout the community to avoid being caught, but one reporter, dazzled by the headline of being exclusive, rushed to publish an article.

Following that, more reporters began to share their articles one by one.

[‘Reff’s Back Hit….’ Son Jinho embroiled in character controversy.]
└ Can’t you hit the ref’s head sometimes in life?
└ Plus, my brother does get a lot of scrutiny, yeah.
└ Scrutiny? That’s just Son Jinho’s character, idiot.
└ What character? Honestly, where’s a player as sincere about fan service as my brother?
└ Just because someone provides good fan service doesn’t mean they have good character! Okay, let’s just say Son Jinho’s mental state is trash.
└ Agreed! He retired from the national team over some hate comments; his mental’s definitely trash.
└ What nonsense! Back then, the entire nation was ripping him apart like a monster!
└ When you look at the comments back then, I’m just grateful Jinho didn’t give up his nationality.
└ For real, if it were me, I’d have switched to Japan and crushed Korea.
└ What? Why did the game suddenly stop?
└ Ah shit, the site crashed, you media scum.

The illegal streaming site couldn’t handle the excessive traffic and crashed.

***

The moment the referee collapsed on the ground, I quickly realized I had caused an incident.

In truth, during a soccer match, even the most good-natured players often find themselves involved in controversy at least once.

It’s almost unavoidable.

When players collide, it’s natural to get heated.

Especially since players in their 20s often can’t control their bloodthirst.

Moreover, most professional soccer players have an extraordinary desire to win.

Although such zeal and fieriness can earn them scorn from fans,

Well, that’s just how it goes.

Anyway, feeling guilt over hitting the referee, who was provoked continuously by the Chinese players, I hovered near the fallen referee.

Then, shortly after, the referee, regaining consciousness after being hit, mumbled,
“…That’s a warning.”

I approached him to express my apologies, and he pulled out a yellow card against me.

Despite being struck, the referee showing a yellow card was partly because this game was an event hosted by Manchester United, but I believed the biggest reason he pulled out the yellow card was due to—
“Woooooo!”
“Fuck your mother!”
“We came from Sichuan just to see Son Jinho!”
“Woooooo!”

The crowd’s fervent jeers directed at the referee as he prepared to show a red card.

Seeing the audience erupt in boos that shook the stadium,
I understood the saying of our ancestors, that popular sentiment is heaven’s will.
Well, those ancestors did mess up the country while skimming soldiers’ salaries, though.

Regardless, unlike those high-ranking officials that relied on foreign help during the soldiers’ rebellion, the referee ultimately yielded to the furious Chinese fans.

Pat, pat.
I patted the referee’s shoulder, filled with guilt, trying to console him.

***

[Bravo! Bravo! China is a great nation! It should show great tolerance!]

[Referee Wang Wei, demonstrating dignified grace through forgiveness! Truly a gentleman!]

***

After hitting the referee, the Chinese players didn’t provoke me anymore.

Sure, I felt a bit of irritation from the occasional disrespectful stares they gave me as if I were a madman, but honestly, I couldn’t fault them.

If I were in their shoes and saw a world-class football player who won the Ballon d’Or suddenly strike a referee, I’d probably look at him the same way.

Regardless of cultural differences, the notion of not provoking a madman seems widespread.
And it seems it’s the same in China.

After Ronaldo scored, the Chinese players who were glaring at me as if they wanted to slaughter me started averting their eyes after I hit the referee.

Feeling slightly uncomfortable with how the Chinese players treated me like a lunatic didn’t last long.

‘Roar.’
I flinched.

Before long, I began to revel in their gaze.

Just by casually raising my hand, they would flinch and back off.
It felt like I had become a tiger, an otherworldly creature.
‘Is that why the tigers in the Joseon era came down from the mountains when bored?’

Anyway, we showcased adequate skill befitting a friendly match against the Chinese All-Star team.
Since the coach wasn’t demanding full strength like in Japan.

‘Hmm. Still, I should score at least one more goal in the first half, right?’

As I thought that, I successfully pressured a Chinese midfielder who made a touch mistake, stealing the ball.

After managing to retain the ball amid the frantic pressure from three rushing Chinese players, I passed it to İlkay Gündoğan.
“Return!”
I demanded a return pass.

İlkay Gündoğan received my return request and sent the ball back to me with one touch.
With the one-two pass with İlkay Gündoğan, the Chinese defense line fell apart completely.

Even the pale-faced Chinese All-Star center-back was easily sidestepped using La Croqueta.
The Chinese goalkeeper rushed out of the goal, flustered.

Thump—.
I took note of the rushing Chinese goalkeeper’s position and attempted a delicate chip shot, just lifting the ball over him.
The ball slowly sailed over the goalkeeper’s head and toward the goal.

“SIU—!”
As Cristiano “Big Hair” Ronaldo surged in from the left flank, desperately trying to score from my chip shot, despite his efforts to head the ball,
The chip shot barely missed Ronaldo’s head and rattled the net.

“Wooooo!”
While I dashed toward the corner flag, performing my goal celebration for the fans,
“Congrats on the assist, Son Jinho.”
Cristiano Ronaldo came over with a bizarre congratulation.

“What nonsense are you spouting? You didn’t even touch it with your head.”
“It grazed my hair.”

I looked at Ronaldo, shamelessly pointing to his hair, in disbelief.
Wow. Did this guy get a China patch after coming here?
‘Wait, isn’t he going to claim it belongs to Ho-woo too?’

***

We played the second half without exerting ourselves too much.
[Manchester United secures 4-0 victory against Chinese All-Stars in the event match.]

In the second half, İlkay Gündoğan and Cristiano Ronaldo each scored one more goal, ending the friendly match with a score of 4-0.

[Right after the match, Son Jinho conveyed his apology to the referee.]
[Cristiano Ronaldo claims to have achieved a hat-trick.]
└ ??? Didn’t Ronaldo score two goals?
└ Son Jinho claims the chip shot grazed his hair, LOL
└ That guy’s crazy, LOL

Even after the match, we kindly answered reporters’ questions, leaving a good impression before boarding the plane back to the UK.

‘…What’s up with the reporters being so cautious in their questions?’
I felt a slight oddness watching the overly cautious reporters ask questions, but—
Thinking about returning home to see my family, I didn’t pay it much attention.

“I’m home!”
As soon as I arrived in Manchester, I dashed home.
“Dad!!”
Haeun rushed over to hug me as soon as she heard Dad’s voice.
“Son Jinho, welcome back.”
Then, the warm voices of my family greeted me.
“What tone is that?”
“Rude baby dinosaur tone.”

***

With the conclusion of the match in China, Manchester United’s preseason Asia tour came to an end.
[UK media reports: Manchester United generated record revenue from this Asia tour….]

British media remarked the Asia tour was quite successful.
Well, it seems that evaluation might be somewhat right.

“Hehe….”
The face of Manchester United’s treasurer, Ed Woodward, who was frowning due to financial issues, blossomed into a smile, giving a rough understanding of how much money Manchester United raked in during this Asia tour.

According to sources within the club I personally know, they reportedly recovered a significant portion of the money spent in this summer transfer window.

‘…Why can Manchester United earn so much money, yet they couldn’t win the league title in their original history?’
I suddenly began to ponder that fundamental question.
‘How strange.’
Well… anyway.
[Is it the results of the Asia tour? Why did Manchester United’s stock rise?]
Manchester United’s stocks, previously listed on the New York Stock Exchange, started to sway upward following the Asia tour.
When articles detailing the results from this Asia tour emerged,
[Manchester United announces Asia tour performance.]
The stock prices soared.
[Within one night, Manchester United’s stock went up by 6%….]
└ Shit, I barely recovered! Oh God, it sucked when I bought stocks right before announcing Ferguson’s retirement!

After Ferguson’s retirement announcement, I quickly picked up the plummeting stocks and could once again smile in satisfaction.

***

As Son Jinho continuously gathered shares to own Manchester United,
Time flew quickly.
– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: Don’t cry after losing the game, nephew.
– Gyeouri: lol

Before long, the Community Shield match signaling the start of the 14/15 season arrived.