My Girlfriend Wants Victory

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Starting with Son Jinho’s opening goal, the South Korea Olympic National Team bombarded Jordan, successfully securing a dominant 5-0 victory.

“Waaaaah—!!”

The fans cheering for the South Korea National Team erupted in joy at the refreshing performance.

“Are we really going to make it to the Round of 16 for two tournaments in a row?”

In the hearts of the crowd, excitement for the 2014 Brazil World Cup began to swell. Although they had lost to Japan in the Asian Cup, a successful generational change had taken place.

In the attacking lineup, the impressive growth of Jang Sin-wook, Cha Dong-won, and Gu Byeong-soo stood out, while in midfield, Gu Jachil and Joo Bitgaram shone brightly. They also discovered a new player, Yoo Yongrae, which strengthened their squad.

But above all, what they anticipated the most was the inclusion of Son Jinho in the adult national team, a promising young talent currently gaining attention in the Bundesliga.

At such a young age, he hadn’t been called up to the adult national team yet, but surely next year or the year after he would make the leap, right?

Even now, his skills seemed more than sufficient to join the adult team. No, they were overflowing.

He dominated the midfield, chewing up Jordan’s midfielders and led to multiple goals because of it.

Honestly, if we didn’t call up players who performed in the previous Bundesliga season, who would we even call up?

If Son Jinho were just one or two years older, he might have been seen in the adult national team instead of the Olympic team.

[The Olympic National Team sets off for the away match to Jordan!]

Anyway, after finishing the first match of the second qualifying round, the second match against Jordan took place four days later.

[Cha Dong-won shoots! After breaking through, shoot! Fold, then shoot! Ah… no, pass to Son Jinho coming in from behind! Son Jinho enters the penalty box! And shoots! Fold and shoot!! Finally, shoot!!! For real!! Goooooal! Son Jinho successfully nets the opening goal!!]

The Olympic National Team won the away match in the Middle East with a score of 3-0, successfully advancing to the final qualifiers.

“Wow! Are we really going to the quarter-finals for the first time in history?”

With their strong performances both at home and away, South Korea football fans began dreaming of the quarter-finals, beyond simply advancing to the Round of 16.

And from this period, South Korea football fans began using the term “Sangryong Sangson” (Lee Cheong-ryong, Ki Sung-yueng, Son Heung-min, Son Jinho).

*

[Son Jinho proves his class even on the Olympic National Team, recording 2 goals and 3 assists over 2 matches with a perfect performance!]

[If someone asks about the future of South Korean football! Turn your gaze and look at Sangryong Sangson!]

└ Sangson? Who’s with Son Jinho?

└ Son Heung-min

└ Is Son Heung-min good?

└ He debuted in the Bundesliga at 18 and scored a debut goal, he’s really good.

└ Son Heung-min is also an up-and-coming talent in the Bundesliga.

└ So what about Son Jinho?

└ That guy is a freak of nature.

*

[Exciting expectations for the 2014 Brazil World Cup! Best XI picked by the reporters?]

└ Wow…. Son Jinho (Dortmund), Son Heung-min (Hamburg), Ki Sung-yueng (Celtic), Lee Cheong-ryong (Bolton), Park Ju-yong (expected to transfer due to relegation), Cha Dong-won (Sunderland, PSV, Augsburg, Schalke – transfer rumors) a legendary squad.

└ Jumin hasn’t confirmed the transfer yet, right?

└ Yeah, a lot of transfer rumors, but where will he go?

└ Is Cha Dong-won going to the EPL?

└ He said he’s thinking about going to the Bundesliga.

└ A man should go to the EPL! Why go to the boring Bundesliga?

└ The Bundesliga doesn’t look so bad, he seemed to be friends with Son Jinho on the Olympic team.

└ Plus, Gu Jachil and Son Heung-min are playing in the Bundesliga too.

└ Anyway, if that squad grows properly, the quarter-finals in the World Cup should be a piece of cake, hahaha!

*

While South Korean football fans dreamed of a bright tomorrow, Son Jinho returned to Dortmund after completing all Olympic team matches.

“Luckily, there are no serious injuries. Just a minor bruise that will heal in a few days.”

The first thing he did upon returning to Dortmund was head to the medical center to check on his injury status.

“Jinho, it’s not that we underestimate your country; we just want you to know how much we care for you.”

After finishing his injury check at the medical center, the Dortmund staff carefully conveyed their message to Son Jinho.

In some ways, it could have been seen as Dortmund underestimating the medical standards of South Korea.

“Of course. You’re worried about my condition, right?”

At the staff’s words, Son Jinho nodded without any sign of offense. Just seeing the relief on the faces of the Dortmund officials upon hearing no news of injury showed how much they valued him.

Thus, after the checkup ended, Son Jinho was granted a vacation until July 15, a consideration for the players summoned to the national team.

However….

“Jino!”

“Jino! Are you friends with Mario Götze? Götze posted on Beaglegram that you two are friends?!”

It truthfully was called a vacation, but as Son Jinho was still a student, he had to attend Gymnasium.

“Ugh… I want to go home.”

He felt a longing for home when he saw the curious faces of the students looking at him.

*

As he bounced between Gymnasium, home, and dates with Gyeouri, June was swiftly coming to an end.

[İlkay Gündoğan transfers to Dortmund!]

[Top Scorer of the Bundesliga, Ivan Perišić! Joins Dortmund!]

Just like here, Korea too was buzzing with transfer rumors involving South Korean football players.

[“Genius” Park Ju-yong, transferring to Lille?]

[Cha Dong-won receives a call from Augsburg’s manager, is he leaning towards Augsburg?]

The moment I saw a headline about Cha Dong-won.

Beep—

My smartphone rang. As they say, “Speak of the devil,” it was Dong-won, the tuna.

– Dong-won Tuna: Little bro!

– Me: Yes?

– Dong-won Tuna: Hyung is going to the Bundesliga!

– Me: Augsburg?

– Dong-won Tuna: Yeah, honestly, I wanted to go to Sunderland, but I remembered our conversation.

– Dong-won Tuna: The Augsburg manager called and said he needed me, haha!

– Dong-won Tuna: Anyway, I’ll contact you when I get to Germany.

– Me: If you come to Dortmund, let’s have a meal together.

– Dong-won Tuna: Wow, hyung came all the way to Germany, doesn’t that mean you should come too?

– Me: I don’t have a license, lol! You have to come, lol!

– Dong-won Tuna: You little brat!

– Dong-won Tuna: Then how do you get to the stadium? Take public transport?

– Me: I hitch a ride with Jürgen, haha!

– Dong-won Tuna: Jürgen? Isn’t that the name of your team’s manager?

– Me: Yeah, haha! If you play well too, the manager might give you a ride to work, haha!

– Dong-won Tuna: Hmm…. That sounds a bit inconvenient.

– Me: How awesome would it be to talk about tactics with the manager during the commute?

– Dong-won Tuna: ;;;;

– Me: Oh, hyung, my girlfriend is calling, I’ll go, bye-bye!

*

“Hey, Son Jinho!”

Han Gyeouri hummed a tune. The long-awaited summer vacation had begun.

“When is your game?”

Being a girlfriend and not being able to watch her boyfriend play was so sad!

To relieve that sadness, she went wild in the Ho-woo gallery, but all that came in return was a block.

“Hmm? I think Dortmund will participate in the Liga Total Cup on July 19!”

But that harsh time had finally ended.

“Take me with you!”

“…It’ll be hard for me to take you, but come cheer with my mother-in-law.”

Han Gyeouri’s vacation had begun, and there was nothing that could stop her from watching her boyfriend Son Jinho’s match.

*

[Liga Total Cup featuring Mainz, Dortmund, Hamburg, and Bayern Munich kicks off!]

[“Free-naldo” Son Heung-min scores a multi-goal against Bayern Munich, leading his team to victory!]

[Son Jinho scores 1 goal and 1 assist in the match against Mainz, advancing to the finals!]

[Korean Derby unfolding in the LIGA Total Cup 2011 finals! Son Heung-min vs. Son Jinho, a battle of South Korea’s next generation football stars! Who will be the winner?]

*

On July 20th, South Korean football fans gathered before their TVs.

The Korean Derby was set to unfold featuring Son Heung-min, dubbed the “Preseason Ronaldo” after scoring 15 goals in 6 preseason matches, and Son Jinho, who made a shocking debut last season at Dortmund.

[Watch the stunning performances of Son Heung-min at the peak of preseason and the freshly rising star Son Jinho who burst onto the scene last season!]

[That’s right. Even in Germany, the local media is paying close attention to these two players’ match-up!]

[Who will the goddess of victory raise her ‘hand’ for? The match between Dortmund and Hamburg is about to begin!]