Kiss the Ground Chapter 10

A very strange déjà vu flashed through Chahyun’s mind.

“…London Times?”

“Yes. The main photo of Asplund and Yoon Chahyun players that made headlines after the Umberthide FC victory last time? I took that photo.”

“….”

Ah… this person.

Only then did Chahyun notice the large duffel bag behind him. Numerous words he wanted to say circulated in Chahyun’s mind. However, most of them were coarse curses, so instead of spewing them out, Chahyun chose to wave his own hair. It was clear that the person before him was the one who had caused the confusion, starting with Misha. When he finally paid attention, he saw the reporter’s duffel bag placed behind him.

And then, a large camera bag was visible behind him. Many words Chahyun wanted to say swirled in his head. However, most of them were coarse curses, so instead of uttering them, Chahyun chose to wave his hair. The person who caused this chaos, starting with Misha, was right in front of him. With his lips parted, the trembling voice flowed out.

“… Do you know how much trouble I went through because of that photo?”

“I assumed you might. But that photo looked like the epitome of camaraderie between Asplund and Yoon. All the other angle shots, what should I say, turned out more romantic than I expected.”

Ilya smiled nonchalantly. Unable to spit out coarse language in the face of his smiling visage, Chahyun chose to brush aside his own hair. Looking at Chahyun, who remained silent with a disappointed expression, Ilya rested his chin on his hand and grinned.

“So, is my guess correct that my photo contributed a bit to the discord between Yoon and Asplund?”

“…No, it’s just speculation.”

“Is that so? You seem to be avoiding it so clearly in my eyes. Maybe it’s a professional habit.”

“…”

As if his mouth were sealed shut, Chahyun found it difficult to speak. When Chahyun hesitated, Ilya shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, even if it’s hard to talk about, I understand. It’s probably a personal matter. I didn’t mean to, but I ended up seeing it anyway. Let’s just say I didn’t see what happened just now, so don’t worry.”

“Should I trust the words of someone who put such a photo on the headline?”

“Private matters are separate. I’m a person who upholds journalistic ethics even as a sports reporter, you know.”

With a deliberately just expression, Ilya extended his chest, showing that he was not a bad person. As someone who worked with words and language, dealing with people seemed effortless for him, and being a journalist suited him perfectly.

Strictly speaking, he might have been better suited to a different field than sports, but if capturing such crazy photos was a skill, then it was a skill. Whether Ilya knew Chahyun’s thoughts or not, he spoke with concern, touching his glasses.

“More importantly, the player interview is about to start soon, and it seems like you’ve thrown away your clothes. That’s a big problem.”

“How did you know that?”

“It was damp when I held it earlier. It seemed quite dirty.”

“Ah… I guess it shows. I need to at least wipe it off roughly.”

“If that’s the case, wait a moment.”

Ilya stopped Chahyun, who was about to take out a handkerchief stuck in his suit to wipe the stains. Instead, he pulled out a white handkerchief folded in his bag and handed it to Chahyun without hesitation.

“The pocket square attached to the club suit is for decoration, so it shouldn’t get stained. I don’t think I’ll spill coffee today, and if it’s okay with you, you can borrow mine.”

“Is it really okay?”

“Of course. Besides, the pocket square needs to be clean for the suit photo to come out nicely. It’s good for me too.”

Ilya said it cheerfully. Grateful for his kind favor that eased the burden, Chahyun accepted his handkerchief without hesitation. The corners of the simple yet elegant cloth were adorned with silver initials.

「I.P」

“Then I’ll go to the press room first. It was an honor to have a private conversation with you, Yoon Chahyun.”

“Likewise… Thank you for the handkerchief.”

“You’re welcome. If we’re lucky, we might meet again later.”

“I’d like that.”

With a courteous bow to Chahyun, Ilya left the bathroom. Checking that his black hair was in order, Chahyun stood in front of the sink again. He glanced at the mirror absentmindedly, but there were no familiar faces reflected in the corridor behind him anymore.

“Yuan, why are you just coming now after saying you were only going to tidy up your clothes? Did you go to get new ones or something?”

“Um… I had something to take care of, so I was late. Haven’t I missed my turn yet?”

“You’re next! Come here quickly.”

Jude hurriedly scolded the belated Chahyun. Though he hadn’t noticed the suit was black, the coffee poured by Cahill was quite plentiful. Trying to erase the stains that kept reappearing even after wiping, Yoon Chahyun ended up spending more time in the bathroom than he had anticipated. As a result, when Chahyun entered the preparation room next to the press room, the coach interview was already over, and the player interview was underway.

The player interview format consisted of groups of three to four people entering the press room to facilitate more detailed questions and answers. The criteria were generally based on positions or players who had a good rapport in the same game. There were groups composed of center-backs and goalkeepers, midfielders and strikers, or players who scored and assisted in the same game.

Before he knew it, most of the player interviews were over, and the players left in the preparation room included only a few midfielders, including Jude. It was natural for Jude and Chahyun to have an interview together, having scored an equalizing goal with a nice combination play in the Umbertide game, but it was unclear who would take the remaining seat.

A staff member urgently gestured toward Chahyun and Jude in front of the door leading to the press room. It was their turn. As Chahyun straightened his outfit for the last time, he spoke.

“Jude, can you check the interview list?”

“Oh, right. Let me see… Just a moment.”

Jude searched here and there for the documents. Chahyun urged him in the pressing situation.

“What’s taking so long? The interview is about to start. We need to know who we’re sitting with before going in to coordinate our answers.”

“Where did I put it? I was holding it until just now…”

“No, just tell me the names first…”

Looking back after Jude’s words, Misha was standing there. Chahyun almost stumbled backward.

“…”

“…”

A silence settled in with no one daring to speak first. Seeing the startled Chahyun, Jude, standing behind Misha, awkwardly smiled as if apologizing for not speaking earlier. Then, he pointed at Misha, wordlessly conveying to Chahyun, ‘It’s him.’

Ah, Misha Asplund. Come to think of it, you were also involved in that game-tying goal…

With a bright light, the door to the press room, filled with cameras, swung open. The headache-inducing feeling was undoubtedly not just due to the lighting.

***

The interview seats arranged in the front of the press room were splendid. For the players being interviewed, there were three black leather chairs placed at the table, and the club flag with Winchester FC’s emblem and this season’s Champions League trophy decorated grandly behind them.

Next to the journalists were cameras and broadcasting equipment as tall as a person.

Chahyun stepped forward and walked up to the interview seats. Although standing in front of the camera had become quite familiar, it was a lie to say that he didn’t care at all about the elaborate set with plenty of soccer balls, proving that it was the club’s official annual event. Seating himself on the plush chair that could make one’s waist sink, Chahyun looked around. There were easily more than two hundred pairs of eyes watching.

Following him, Jude jumped onto the platform like a flying squirrel, taking a seat between Misha and Yoon Chahyun. Though he may not have been aware of the situation between the two, his naturally curious personality unintentionally brought a subtle relief to Chahyun. Yoon Chahyun’s tension was not limited to the pressure just before the interview.

Not able to avoid it and eventually hiding it, the fate placed Misha right next to Chahyun’s approximately two-meter side. It was a staggering sight. If there’s a saying that everything that can go wrong will go wrong is called “Murphy’s Law,” then encountering someone no matter how much you avoid them is perhaps named “Misha’s Law.”

Feeling a mysterious tension, Chahyun turned his head, and behind the unfamiliar yet strangely familiar glasses came into view. Ilya, whom he met in the bathroom a while ago, was now blending in among numerous reporters. He greeted Chahyun with a light nod behind the glasses. Like others, he unfolded his laptop on the table and hung a blue press card around his neck. Seeing him like that made it sink in that he was indeed a journalist.

《We will now begin the Q&A session. Journalists with questions, please raise your hands.》

The surroundings became noisy at the staff member’s announcement. The group consisting of Misha Asplund, Jude Ingram, and Yoon Chahyun seemed to draw exceptional attention, given their contribution to Winchester’s advancement to the Round of 16. All the journalists seated raised their hands simultaneously. The poor staff member, reluctantly taking on the role of a lottery drawer, had to sweat profusely to pick the first fortunate person.

“Ah, it’s an honor to be able to ask the first question. As a Winchester FC fan, I can’t help but ask about the recent game… I’d like to start by asking Jude Ingram a question.”

As Jude’s name was called, he adjusted the position of the microphone attached to the table. His expression was quite serious.

“It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the comeback goal started with Jude Ingram’s kick. If you have any thoughts on it?”

“First of all, thank you for your attention. I know everyone is probably more interested in the players on either side of me. I might be like a garnish on a steak.”

The journalist who asked the question chuckled awkwardly at Jude’s witty remark. It seemed like they were indeed a fan of Jude, finding him more valuable than ginseng.

“When I sent the cross, I… I was confident that Yoon Chahyun could receive it. It wasn’t a planned connection, but I trusted him. Yoon Chahyun and I always had good chemistry, and I knew how fast his feet were. Everyone knows that. I thought he might be near the halfway line, but when I turned around, he was already inside the penalty area. He’s incredibly fast, even during meal times, I have no idea when he got in line at the cafeteria…”

“Please edit out unnecessary details.”

Chahyun, leaning forward, drew a line across his throat with his finger. The journalists, who had been tense as if they wouldn’t miss a word from the players, burst into laughter all at once. “Are you going to use me for icebreaking?” Despite his playful comment, Jude didn’t even make eye contact with the cunning fellow.

“That was an answer that felt the camaraderie with Yoon Chahyun. How about getting Yoon Chahyun’s thoughts?”

Chahyun cleared his throat a few times before speaking.

“Because we prepared a lot, the result was something we expected. I’m most satisfied that the fans have more time to enjoy this season with Winchester’s victory. Looking back on the last game is important, but preparing for upcoming matches is equally crucial. From now on, reaching the Round of 16 is practically the beginning.”

“Thank you for the great answer.”

“Um, I have one more question for Yoon Chahyun.”

A young journalist sitting in the back right suddenly raised his hand. His gaze was sharp. Chahyun nodded, and the staff pointed to him.