Second Half Chapter 54

“It wasn’t much. More than that, Jeri, it seems like you’ve become close with Reyes lately. Normally, since Reyes hates it, you would have insisted I call him strictly by his last name…”

As soon as Aaron vanished, Lehmann returned to being the gentle youngest teammate Jerim knew so well, tilting his head. Jerim’s jaw dropped at the description of his own past actions, which sounded incredibly petty when heard from someone else’s mouth.

“What exactly do you take me for? Was I really acting that childishly?”

“…It’s, it’s not exactly like that… just, it seems like you two have gotten much closer lately… Originally, separate from the bickering, you seemed to be on quite familiar terms, but how should I put it, it feels a bit more…”

The way he avoided eye contact and glossed over his words when asked if he’d been acting childishly was somewhat suspicious, but Jerim didn’t pry further. It was because the guy was so flustered that his neck had turned a bright red while he rambled.

Transmuting the rising suspicion of what kind of person they had viewed him as into the act of pedaling his cycle as hard as a hamster on a wheel, Jerim replied.

“Really? I’m glad it shows. I reflected a lot after that fight with him on the field last time.”

“Ah, I was certainly surprised back then too. You aren’t usually the type to point out others’ mistakes, Jeri.”

“Huh? No way. I point things out a fucking lot? Back then, I even gave Robin a piece of my mind, telling him I wouldn’t let it slide if he got another useless card.”

“Eh? But I’ve never had my mistakes pointed out by you…”

“That’s because you’re the youngest and a baby, so I restrained myself. Wait until you grow up a bit more, I won’t go easy on you.”

“I’ve told you so many times I’m not a baby…!”

Leaving behind Lehmann, who was starting to get huffy, Jerim suddenly raised one arm and mimicked rubbing his eyes. A voice made nasally from sniffing leaked from his mouth.

“‘Van, could you please exchange jerseys with me? It would be perfect if you could remember my name as well…’”

“D—Don’t do that!”

When Jerim imitated the time four years ago when he first encountered Lehmann, who had just escaped his youth status and was playing in the Bundesliga, Lehmann’s face finally turned beet red. Jerim was preoccupied with teasing him.

“I’ve watched you since you were sobbing with tears and snot running down your face, thrusting your jersey into my face the moment you stripped it off, so how could I not see you as a baby, right?”

“If I could go back to that time, I would never ask you to exchange jerseys…”

“Why. Thanks to that, I remembered ‘Lehmann Fritz’ clearly, and now we’re playing together.”

At that time, the team Lehmann and Yeobin belonged to was defeated by Sefton in the final match of the Champions League group stage, failing to advance to the knockout rounds. Lehmann, who had come on as a substitute for Yeobin in the second half and tasted his first-ever Champions League match, was wailing from the pain of defeat. In the midst of that, the audacity he showed by grabbing Jerim and thrusting his stripped jersey at him was so fresh it became the reason Jerim remembered his name.

He didn’t know back then. That he would end up playing on the same team as that boy who was crying so sorrowfully. Recalling it after a long time, the feeling was special. Jerim quietly looked directly at Lehmann’s face, which had become much more mature than his memory, and continued.

“Anyway, back then, it wasn’t that Aaron had done something wrong; I was just taking my anger out on him. That’s why we fought, and I reflected on it…”

Jerim’s black eyes, filled with sincerity, flashed. I have a debt to those Molden bastards. A debt for having the league title snatched away last season. I cursed Aaron for his shitty personality of always paying back what he received, but Jerim himself had a personality shitty enough that he wasn’t in a position to talk about others.

When I think about all the humiliating nicknames I got, like having two ‘number twos’ because of that fucking incident… Jerim gnashed his teeth.

“I’m going to make sure that never happens again. We have to win, the Molden match. Both away and home.”

Historically, they had never won an away match at Molden, but the grander the dream, the better. It would be great if he could crush those bastards’ pride by winning big at their home this time. It would be thrilling to perform a ceremony with the boos of Molden fans as a curtain call.

While harboring such dream-like wishes, Lehmann suddenly whispered weakly. It was a tone almost close to talking to himself.

“…I wish I could play as a starter with you in the Molden match too.”

“…”

Jerim’s lips parted slightly because he didn’t know what kind of reaction or comfort to give to those words. Since there was no way they wouldn’t use Aaron as a starter in a match as important as a derby, whatever he said would eventually just give him false hope. Sensing Jerim’s embarrassment, Lehmann quickly erased his discouraged face.

“I’ll work harder.”

“You’re already doing enough. Don’t overdo it and just push forward at your own pace. Once Aaron retires, the world will be yours anyway, won’t it?”

What a commendable guy. Jerim’s white hand roughly ruffled the shaggy golden hair.

“If only you fix this soft-hearted mentality.”

“…I said I was working hard, including on those parts.”

“Sure, sure, work hard then. Anyway, you’re cute…”

“Who is?”

It was right after he finished stroking Lehmann’s head. In that moment, a face suddenly popped out from behind his shoulder and left a languid question in his ear. The voice was so sticky it felt as if an octopus sucker had slammed onto his ear hole. Jerim shuddered while brushing off his ear.

“Gosh, you startled me!”

“Who’s cute? Is there anyone here who could be cute?”

“Make some noise when you move around. You’re as big as a mountain, you’re not a cat or anything…”

Aaron, who had been called out by the coach, had returned in the meantime. And with light footsteps as if he were practicing to be a ninja. When Jerim only shivered without answering the question, Aaron’s eyebrows twitched as if he found it absurd.

“Everyone is exercising, so what, should I shout that I’m entering every time I open the door and come in?”

“Try losing an argument for once. Then who knows? Maybe I’ll say you’re cute too.”

“Don’t make me laugh. You’d just ask if I ate something wrong.”

Would I only ask if he ate something wrong? I’d probably nag him to go see the team doctor immediately so it wouldn’t interfere with the upcoming matches. Before Jerim, whose point had been hit, could react sharply again, William, who was doing finishing stretches far away, shouted at the top of his lungs.

“You two! The verbal argument count starts now!”

At the vice-captain’s frost-like scolding, the captain hurriedly lowered his voice and grumbled.

“Ugh, is that guy going to collect all those fines and buy stocks or something…”

“I heard he wants to have an after-party with that money after the Molden match?”

“Why do I have to feed these dark, gloomy men with my own money…”

Even though they were all guys who received weekly wages at least three or four times the annual salary of a regular office worker. To a miserable-looking Jerim, Aaron spitefully added, asking why he was acting like he was paying alone when his own money was included too.

Whatever, your weekly wage is almost 1.5 times mine. When Jerim once again showed that mean and spiteful expression previously dubbed as ‘the majestic appearance of the Sefton captain’, Aaron reached out and covered Jerim’s entire face. His small face was completely covered by the large palm.

“You should use that handsome face of yours properly. Then how much cuter would you be?”

“Mmph!”

Jerim struggled desperately like an evil spirit just before being exorcised by holy water. At that uncontrollable outburst, Aaron laughed low and raised his hand to slightly loosen the part over the mouth. Then, gently shaking the small head, he cross-examined him.

“So, out of all these dark, gloomy men, who exactly is cute?”

“Who else? Obviously the youngest.”

“Aha.”

Jerim shook off Aaron’s arm with all his might and pointed bluntly at Lehmann. At that, Aaron seemed to stare blankly at Lehmann for a moment before finally twisting his lips into a smirk.

“Your standard for cuteness is… truly unique, just like you. I guess someone has to be at least 6.2 feet tall to look cute in your eyes.”

“Bullshit?”

“Back in the day, you even called me a chi—Ack!”

Slap! A cheerful striking sound filled the gym. Jerim had swung the sports towel he had hanging on the cycle handle like a whip and struck Aaron’s trap.

Due to the structure of the gym designed for sound to resonate well, that cheerful striking sound didn’t end as a one-off but spread like an echo across the walls—Slap, Slaaap—. Even Jerim, who had just swung whatever was in his hand to shut that reckless mouth, was startled. At that sound, the other teammates also made a fuss in their own ways.

“Jeri, are you hitting him now?”

“Did we not set a fine for assault? How much should it be?”