My Girlfriend Wants Victory

---

I decided to spend time with Gyeouri during the A-match ‘break.’

Recently, due to the busy match schedule, I had more time resting at home than going on dates with Gyeouri.

Next year, Gyeouri will be in her senior year, and she’ll be busy focusing on her studies, so I figured we should stick together now for a while.

“Shall we go out for a trip this weekend?”

“Sure!”

For that reason, we decided to take a trip on the weekend. Since we have to go to the gymnasium during the weekdays, we hardly find any time to hang out.

As time passed.

The day after South Korea won 3-0 against the UAE.

Gyeouri, my mother-in-law, and I set off for a tour of Neuschwanstein Castle.

– Han Gyeouri: (pic of her in a picnic outfit)

– Father-in-law: … I definitely sent you to study abroad, but it seems like you just keep going out.

My father-in-law couldn’t hide his bewilderment as he looked at the picture Gyeouri proudly posted.

– Mother-in-law: Gyeouri isn’t here to study; she came because of Jinho.

– Mother-in-law: But she does look pretty, takes after me, and has managed to snag herself a good guy!

– Father-in-law: Well, it’s true that I feel bad that Jinho’s better than Gyeouri.

– Han Gyeouri: … Is Jinho really the son of this house? Did I get picked up under a bridge or something?

– Mother-in-law: Oh my, didn’t I tell you this before? Did you forget?

– Han Gyeouri: Mom!!

– Father-in-law: Sigh, I wish I had a respectful and kind son like Jinho…

– Han Gyeouri: … I’m not going back to Korea now.

– Father-in-law: Well, take this chance to marry Jinho and become independent.

– Father-in-law: Then Miyeon can return to Korea, right?

– Han Gyeouri: Mom said she liked being with me?!

– Father-in-law: No, she said she liked the dad more!

– Mother-in-law: … Both of you be quiet.

The painfully childish argument between dad and daughter was silenced by my mother-in-law’s command.

“… Isn’t this a bit unfair to dad?”

Even after the incident was settled by my mother-in-law, Han Gyeouri kept complaining about her father.

“Right! Father-in-law is being unreasonable.”

“Hey, why are you insulting my dad?”

“…”

What am I supposed to do?

As I sighed with a look of disbelief, my mother-in-law, who finished parking, chimed in.

“Jinho, as Gyeouri’s mom, I allow you to hit her on the head.”

With her words, I raised my fist. Han Gyeouri, with both hands on her head, playfully screamed.

“Ahhhhh! If you hit, that’s violence! Violence is only allowed in bed…”

Whack─!

“Ouch!”

“You brat! You’re saying whatever you want in front of your mom!”

I quietly gazed out of the window while ignoring the bickering duo.

Neuschwanstein Castle was beautiful.

*

As smartphones became widespread and social media became active, events happening on the other side of the globe began to be rapidly conveyed to the public.

[While the South Korea National Team is sweating in the Middle Eastern expedition, Son Jinho enjoys a date around German tourist spots.]

└ He’s already retired, so he can enjoy his own life.

└ What can you do if he wants to live his life after retirement…

└ The title’s nuance hints that they want us to hate on him.

└ But really, it’s because the association and you all made such big blunders.

└ For real, if I were Son Jinho, I’d renounce my citizenship. They treated him so badly and he just declared retirement from the national team, what can you even say about that?

└ Honestly, I think he shouldn’t come back. He’s on the Golden Boy final list now; better to focus on his team than come back to ruin his condition with the national team.

└ First Asian Golden Boy winner? Ah, lol, that’s just hype building up, haha.

[Column) Does the South Korea National Team even need Son Jinho?]

└ What kind of nonsense is that? Of course, we need him;; where’s another Korean player performing like Son Jinho in the top 4 European leagues?

└ Why not? There’s Park Jisong, aren’t you ignoring Park Jisong who is currently playing in Huangyu?

└ Damn, Park Jisong has retired from the national team, you fool!

└ By that logic, Son Jinho has retired too, you idiot!

└ Park Jisong retired due to chronic knee injuries, and Son Jinho was forced to retire because of the association’s blunders before he even debuted, is that comparable?

└ They’re both retired, aren’t they?

└ I agree with the journalist. Everyone’s shouting Son Jinho, Son Jinho, but honestly, we don’t need him. The national team is in its golden age, y’know? Probably no place for Son Jinho in the midfield.

└ You’re saying there’s no place for Son Jinho, I get it, hahaha. First off, it’s obvious you don’t watch Bundesliga matches.

└ It seems like you don’t watch football at all?

└ I think the journalist has a point. It’s not that there’s no place for Son Jinho in the national team; it’s more like begging someone who’s already lost interest in the national team while cheering for the players who are focused now.

└ But isn’t it true that Son Jinho has lost interest?

└ The association asked him to come back, but he declined, so that’s that.

└ If you’d been unilaterally slapped like that, would you come back if someone asked you to?

└ Then what do you want, he didn’t come back when everyone from that time has already stepped down; isn’t that evidence that Son Jinho has lost interest in the national team?

└ Ho-woo.

└ So the association needs to promise to prevent it from happening again and smoothly get him back to the national team?

└ Ho-woo-oo-oo─!

└ It’s not good to bow down too much to one player; I think the association did well now.

└ Ho-woo.

└ What’s this idiot doing, trying to jump in to stir things up with a reply?

└ Ho-woo villain, it’s been a long time.

└ Ho-woo-hoo.

Since anonymity is guaranteed online, the innermost thoughts of individuals were exposed without filters.

As netizens’ opinions became divided, a heated debate erupted.

[Taeguk Warriors Entering Lebanon!]

Soon the match between South Korea and Lebanon was approaching.

[Sorn Jinho cheering for the South Korea National Team on SNS. ‘Let’s cheer for the Lebanon match together!’]

└ Can’t you just come back and play yourself instead of cheering?

└ Please, declare your return after being frustrated watching the match….

└ If you’re frustrated, why don’t you just play? (please!)

*

November 15, 2011.

Today was the day of the match between South Korea and Lebanon.

I sat down with a slightly nervous expression to watch the game.

On the sofa were Gyeouri and my mother-in-law already sitting.

“Hey, Son Jinho, what do you think the score will be?”

“I think we’ll win by one goal.”

“Okay, noted. I think we’ll win by two goals, so how about the loser grants a wish to the winner?”

“… As long as it’s within something a person can grant? Not something like winning Manchester United’s Big Ear again like last time?”

“What’s wrong with that? Why is that not a wish you can grant?!”

Ignoring Han Gyeouri’s words, I thought to myself.

‘But is it okay if we win this?’

The upcoming Lebanon shock was a miraculous match that would unite Lebanon, which was reeling from religious conflicts and the aftermath of civil war.

‘If the South Korea National Team wins, what happens to world peace?’

It wasn’t for no reason that Coach Park Kwang-rae earned the nickname “The King of Peace.” It truly was a bad situation for Lebanon right now.

‘I hope a civil war doesn’t break out again?’

While I worried about world peace.

Beep beep!

With the referee’s whistle, the game between South Korea and Lebanon began.

Even though Cheongryong-hyung couldn’t play due to injury, compared to Lebanon, South Korea’s power was overwhelmingly superior, and South Korea’s football fans were confident of victory.

@Jinho95

Let’s cheer for the Lebanon match together.

#SouthKoreaVsLebanon #SouthKorea_NationalTeam

Latest Comments.

└ Gervais kid, don’t worry, even without you, the South Korea National Team will do fine~

That’s why they’re leaving nasty comments on my SNS.

[Kick! Ah! Hit the crossbar! The South Korea team looks light on their feet!]

However, as the match started, things began to go strangely.

[Yes, currently, Lebanese spectators are shining lasers at players, but it’s fine! At moments like this, just calmly play as you prepared!]

Repeatedly hitting the crossbar and goal posts, South Korea couldn’t find a way to score, and as Lebanese players lay down on the ground to waste time, anxiety began to show on the faces of the national team players.

Then at the 30th minute of the first half, during a corner kick situation for Lebanon, a Lebanese player’s shot deflected off a South Korean defender’s leg and found the back of South Korea’s net.

Lebanese players who began to take the lead were even more active in laying down on the ground.

Beep!

As soon as the referee blew the final whistle, Lebanese players were seen sitting down, shedding tears of joy.

“…”

At the same time, a heavy silence hung in the air on the sofa where my family was seated.

Whether it was due to the intervention of the Earth’s author or the restoration of history, it was the moment that the South Korea National Team lost to Lebanon, ranked 146th in the FIFA rankings.

*

[‘Lebanon Shock!’ The football association issued a national apology! “The effects of the reform have yet to show. Please trust and wait a little longer.”]

[Even Chairman Jeong Do-cheol’s national apology received a cold response from the public.]

While the shocking defeat sparked outrage among the South Korean public, a festive atmosphere spread across Lebanon.

This phenomenon in Lebanon was even reported in the 9 o’clock news.

[While South Korea’s football team lost, a festival was held in Lebanon.]

[South Korea’s football secures Lebanon’s peace.]

The individual who took over the coaching job instead of Coach Park Kwang-rae took home the glorious title of King of Peace.

From the instance of the Lebanon shock, comments urging Son Jinho to come back began flooding his SNS.

@Jinho95

#SouthKoreaVsLebanon #SouthKorea_NationalTeam

└ We’re sorry, we’re sorry, we’re so sorry! We beg you to come back! Please come back! Please come back!

└ Ho-woo-oo-oo-oo-oo!

└ Hyung, come back, come back, come back!