Second Half Chapter 7

“If it’s something to talk about, go to Vice-Captain William…” Jerim had just made up his mind to pass off the responsibility like that, when suddenly Manager Verdi popped out, let out a boisterous laugh, and slapped them both on the back.

“You two look very close! Good, good.”

The manager must have heard that mess of an interview earlier, so Jerim sincerely wanted to ask exactly what part of them looked close. As Jerim stood there dazed, his fists clenched, the manager pulled him slightly closer and whispered quietly.

“As his old teammate and the captain, take good care of him. It seems that friend over there is quite shy around strangers.”

“Huh? Who is?”

“He didn’t say a single word on the plane either. When I asked, I was told he isn’t very good at English.”

“Excuse me? Are you… No, are you talking about Aaron right now?”

Who’s shy and who can’t speak English? Because it was so absurd, his question came out in a series of shrill, high-pitched squeaks.

A long time ago—that is, back when he and Aaron first got to know each other—their conversations were conducted using a mix of two languages. Aaron in clumsy English, and Jerim in clumsy Spanish. In an effort to have longer and deeper conversations somehow, they had both stubbornly pushed themselves to become bilingual.

By the time Jerim’s efforts had progressed to the point where he could speak Spanish without a hitch, Aaron’s English conversation skills had also improved to a high level. Truly, that saying was spot on.

If you want to learn a language in a short amount of time, make a lover of the nationality that speaks that language….

Of course, Jerim’s native language wasn’t English, but figuratively speaking. Thanks to his mother, who had been completely swayed by a coach’s hype that he would absolutely end up playing in the Premier League and made him study English conversation as intensely as he practiced soccer, his English had been fluent since childhood.

The immature romance that had started with a spark at a young age ended up leaving them both with the prize of fluency in a second or third foreign language before it went up in flames. And it had ended messily, like smoldering residue reeking of pungent gunpowder. It was already over 10 years ago. At present, enough time had passed that everything had burned away and even the remaining ash had been scattered by the wind.

Jerim, who had inadvertently recalled the first relationship he had kept buried, frowned slightly. There wasn’t even a speck of lingering affection or a desire to make things work again. He was just a little embarrassed remembering how childishly they had dated.

Seeing Jerim’s expression, Manager Verdi kindly repeated what he had said, making sure to clarify the subject.

“Yes, I mean Aaron. He said he isn’t confident in his English. Besides, it’s his first time in England so he feels quite lost, but he said he feels relieved to have a friend who was a youth teammate and can even speak Spanish. It seems he relies on you quite a bit.”

“…Did he say that himself? That he’s very shy and feels lost?”

“Mhm.”

The manager gave a breezy affirmation and patted Aaron’s shoulder encouragingly as he stood stuck fast to Jerim’s side. At that, Aaron tilted his head with a curve to his eyes. It was a look that suggested since the manager seemed to be cheering him on, he would smile for now, but he had no idea what kind of conversation the two were having.

Watching that composed acting made the back of Jerim’s neck go stiff, to the point where his voice wouldn’t even come out. Aaron’s acting itself was ridiculous, but what was even more nonsensical was everything Manager Verdi used to describe Aaron. The things he allegedly said about himself were, without exception, complete and utter lies.

‘Even if you have no conscience, there should be a limit.’

Shy, my foot. Having spent his mid-to-late teens straight through with Aaron separately from their dating, Jerim knew well how ill-fitting that modifier was to describe the human being known as Aaron Reyes.

He supposed a personality could change a little as a significant amount of time passed, but one’s innate nature wouldn’t have changed. To begin with, a truly shy guy wouldn’t be able to let out a relaxed yawn while keeping his arm wrapped around the shoulder of an old lover he’d broken up with terribly and met again for the first time in 10 years. He wouldn’t be able to do an interview like that, either.

Furthermore, there was no way a guy who had been called a genius since the moment he could pick up a spoon would be on the verge of tears because he felt awkward and lost just because he moved leagues to a neighboring country.

Regarding his soccer skills, Aaron possessed a pride that went beyond self-assurance and bordered on arrogance. In reality, he had the talent and skill to back it up. Jerim, who had watched him since they were young, knew that better than anyone.

“You…”

He was about to snap at him to stop deceiving the manager of his own team. Just as the corners of Jerim’s eyes sharpened, Manager Verdi burst into a hearty laugh. The complaints that were about to erupt were buried under that pleasant laughter and vanished without a trace.

“That interview earlier was surely just a type of mischievous joke friends often play on each other.”

“Um, Manager. About that interview earlier…”

He tried to subtly appeal that it wasn’t a joke, but that this damn guy had been sniping at him in earnest. However, Manager Verdi cut Jerim off mid-sentence and spoke quickly in English tinged with an Italian accent. Due to the nature of the language, his tone sounded somewhat impassioned.

“There was some room for misunderstanding in the content, but isn’t the conclusion that he wants to become close again? And just as he said, you must become close. You and Aaron as a pair will be the mainstay of our team’s attack from now on. …Even if you were in a slightly uncomfortable relationship, reconcile. It won’t do for the striker and midfielder to be out of sync.”

“……”

Though a benevolent smile was spread across his face, to anyone’s ears, this was a command. A command where rebuttal was absolutely not permitted.

In a team, the manager is an absolute existence. Manager Verdi had a generally unpretentious personality, so he usually joked around and was friendly with the players, but at times like this, he was stricter and more cold-headed than anyone.

Jerim stood with his arms politely gathered. He also clamped shut his lips that had been about to mutter something. Perhaps pleased by Jerim’s quick change in attitude, the manager’s rapid tone softened significantly.

“I’m asking you once more, but take good care of the newcomer. If there’s nothing else I can be sure of, I always trust you, Jeri.”

“…Yes.”

Toward the manager who showed such unchanging trust, the answer Jerim could give was fixed. He entered his assigned room with heavy steps, feeling as if he were carrying a giant burden on his shoulders.

He had asked to make some time after unpacking, and Jerim let out a deep sigh because of the piece of luggage that had followed him right into his room. He had been asked to take good care of him, but that surely didn’t mean he had to carry him around and live like that. There was no hesitation in the way his hand flung off the wrist that had been wrapped around his shoulder.

“You said let’s talk after unpacking? Get out.”

Why he had told that blatant lie about not being able to speak English, with what kind of mind he had done that interview earlier, and what he was thinking transferring in the first place when neither of them had any good feelings left for the other. There were many things he wanted to ask, but he also didn’t want to ask. To be precise, he didn’t want to show any sign that he was concerned about Aaron.

When he thought about how he would have to live and bump into his ex-lover for the next few years just like before, old memories naturally began to crawl up. How the end had finished, and how much of a mental hit he had taken back then. They were memories he didn’t particularly want to recall.

Besides, if he started prying into this and that, the conversation would get long, and then their feelings would get hurt again…. Jerim was currently in a very exhausted and worn-out state to handle all of that.

‘I’m tired to death.’

On top of being run through a schedule with no break since morning, his energy had been sucked dry from worrying about the reporters. In spite of his anxious efforts to ensure no strange articles were published, the situation he had dreaded eventually broke out thanks to this damn guy’s sniping.

He could clearly picture his mother, who would encounter the articles soon, making a fuss and contacting him. He was already taking special care so that she wouldn’t have any reason to be shocked since it had only been a year since her heart surgery. Just thinking about what kind of excuse he should use to reassure her already made his head throb.

And well, even if he did pry, it wasn’t as if something that had already happened would become un-happened. In the end, it was a waste of time. While there certainly existed a petty desire for revenge—wanting to pay back the guy who had consistently ignored him at the very end—the former reason was greater for why Jerim gave up on the questions. A waste of time.