Weird Defender Joo Ji-Tae

183 – After the Season

183

Professional soccer players take a long break after the season ends.

To be exact, based on the top five European leagues, it’s about two months.

Two months is a really long time.

It’s equivalent to one-sixth of the year.

However, the actual break for soccer players is never long.

During the 10-month-long season, they have to play games even on weekends when others are resting. Moreover, they have to lose 1-3 kilograms of body weight every week, which is a huge burden. The fatigue and injuries from the intense physical activity are a given.

But they can’t even take a break during that time.

They have to train.

In the end, a soccer player’s break is just a concept where they make up for what they couldn’t do during the season. Even that is not entirely true.

They can’t just take a break and then suddenly play a game, so they need time to rebuild their bodies and adapt to new tactics. That’s what the preseason is for.

As the name suggests, it’s a time when they gather before the season starts and begin training again. They can’t take a two-month break between seasons.

Additionally, during the season, there are various international tournaments, and “exceptional” players have to play in those games as well. The better they do, the less they can rest, which is similar to other jobs.

No matter how well they manage their bodies, they’re not machines, so it’s natural for them to experience a decline in form after 1-2 seasons, or 3-4 seasons at most.

In that sense, it was inevitable that the Barcelona board, which was basking in happiness after the 35/36 season, would soon become anxious.

“Didn’t you almost play every game this season, and didn’t you go to Asia a lot for A-matches?”

“According to the team doctor, there’s no big problem… but can we really believe that? Even players who didn’t get injured come back during the break for international tournaments.”

“We have to secure our spot next season too. Joo Ji-tae’s form is the most important indicator of our team’s performance.”

Last year, Barcelona’s board, which was facing financial difficulties, had to sell many high-priced players and young talents. This season, no matter how well they did, they were expected to have a mediocre result at best.

Even if they didn’t get relegated to the second division, there was a possibility that they might not even qualify for the Europa League, which was a bleak outlook.

However, after the impressive opening game, Barcelona showed their strength by winning every tournament they participated in, even if it was a long and tiring league.

And everyone knew that Joo Ji-tae was the foundation of that strength.

Would a player like that, who was exhausted during the break, participate in a useless tournament? From the board’s perspective, it was something they had to prevent at all costs.

“Is there any contact? Is there still no response?”

“I sent a message through his agent, but there’s no answer. Is the agent playing tricks, or…?”

The silence was oppressive.

It was a very sensitive topic that no one dared to bring up.

“No way. We’d rather send him to the Olympics than let him transfer.”

* * *

During the break, Joo Ji-tae was actively engaged in various activities.

It started with the CF he had been putting off.

“Where is it this time?”

“It’s a car commercial. We’re going to release it globally, including Korea, Europe, and North America, so the copyright and legal agreements took a long time, but the price is high, and it’s good for my image.”

Joo Ji-tae gazed at Cha Ye-rin sitting across from him.

Dressed in a suit, she was typing away on her tablet PC, exuding an aura of professionalism.

“Wow, you really bring out the old you when you dress like that. It’s not just the old you, but the you from a past life.”

As someone who vividly remembered the 1st-generation Cha Ye-rin, who radiated the confidence of a successful career woman, Joo Ji-tae found her youthful yet mature demeanor more familiar.

Cha Ye-rin became Joo Ji-tae’s manager during the latter half of the season.

Originally from Korea University, one of the top universities in Korea, Cha Ye-rin had overcome her difficult family circumstances to enroll as a scholarship student, demonstrating her exceptional intelligence and determination.

“You’re really smart, aren’t you? In many ways, you’re exceptional.”

Joo Ji-tae, who knew how exceptional Cha Ye-rin was in bed, nodded inwardly.

“What are you staring at?”

“Nothing, just… I’m amazed.”

“What’s amazing?”

“I thought you were just fooling around, going abroad under the pretext of studying?”

During her time in Munich, Germany, she seemed to be just lounging around, but it turned out she was actually studying hard. And it wasn’t just a continuation of her previous studies.

“I had no idea you were preparing for this.”

As a manager?

Of course, it suited Cha Ye-rin. It seemed like fate, as she had done similar work during her 1st generation.

But… was this simply for the sake of her career?

Joo Ji-tae felt a strange sense of certainty that it wasn’t.

“Let’s not do this in the car, humanely speaking.”

“Why? The driver’s seat is blocked by a partition, and the soundproofing is excellent. I’ve double-checked.”

“No… it’s just, we’re on our way to a photoshoot, and this is what you’re doing in the car.”

Under her neat suit skirt, her long legs, clad in black stockings, stretched out, occupying the space between the seats.

“I’ve been too busy lately. I’ve been studying and preparing for business. You’ve been busy with your games.”

“What does that have to do with this?”

As he teased her,

“What’s the connection?”

The black stockings that had been stretched out stopped moving.

“Don’t you remember? You always promised to satisfy me.”

“That’s only natural, unless there are special circumstances. We’re both busy, and we can’t even meet.”

“That’s why we need to make up for it.”

Her voice, laced with temptation, and her toes, which had stopped moving, seemed to be gloating.

…The toes, which were tangled in the stockings, seemed unexpectedly pleasant, making the situation even more absurd.

“I promised to satisfy you whenever you want.”

“Have I ever failed to satisfy you? Who was it that always got tired at the end?”

“Hmm, I don’t remember.”

“Even so, it’s not like that here. We don’t have much time, so what are we going to do?”

“This kind of thing?”

Cha Ye-rin, who had tossed her tablet aside, got down on the floor like a cat, lifting her hips.

The large, plump curve of her buttocks under her skirt was truly…

Next, Cha Ye-rin’s hands, which were on her pants, quickly pulled out something.

“Just relax after the schedule is over—”

“I’ll finish it quickly, Master.”

Juyeon, who was smiling brightly, took a sip of her drink, and Juzi, who was watching her, nodded his head.

“…I don’t know anymore.”

“It’s okay. Leave it to me. You just leave it to me, and that’s enough. Got it?”

Is this where his intelligence shines through again?

Because of the first-time experience, Juzi, who was always dominating on the bed, had a hard time in Germany, but it also made Juyeon grow.

The thrill of being attacked exactly where she was weak.

“You can marry a goddess, and I’ll understand if you’re with other women. But don’t hide it from me, like those three idols last time.”

…This is 100% true.

Juzi was 100% sure. Juyeon had studied hard and taken charge of her own finances for this reason.

Trying not to show the thrill that was building up, Juzi thought lazily.

What… is this okay?

* * *

After Juzi appeared with a tired face, the makeup team got busy, and after handling a few CFs, Juzi’s next move was a variety show.

Since he took a break last year, it’s about time he came back.

The partner for his variety show comeback after two years was, of course, Jo Jaeshin.

Jo Jaeshin, who had a big explosion in Arsenal last season, was also a rising star.

After scoring his 30th goal of the season in the last game, Jo Jaeshin had become more than just a promising player, and the world was now paying attention to him as a striker.

His final stats for the season were 30 goals and 13 assists.

As a player, he was not inferior to Juzi, and as a striker, he was not overshadowed by even Fernando Alvarez, a monster-like player, with a proud ‘world-class’ striker’s performance.

And this was a record set in the EPL, not some mediocre league.

“Why do you look so tired lately?”

“……”

“Jaeshin, hello~”

“Uh, Juyeon noona. Can you handle being his manager?”

“Hmm, I’m not sure.”

“But noona, your skin looks better than before. You looked really tired when we met a while ago.”

“I was studying hard and preparing for business back then, so it was tough~”

“It’s still tough, but it’s not as hard as following him around and taking care of him. Hey, Juzi. Listen to noona.”

“……”

“Why are you like this, really?”

“Just leave it. I’m really tired lately.”

Juyeon smiled brightly, like a cat, and Jo Jaeshin nodded his head innocently.

“Ah~ yeah. We’ve been busy shooting ads lately.”

“Then you two wait here. I’ll go meet with the PD and come back.”

After Juyeon left, Juzi let out a deep sigh.

“That’s why you’re not a fool.”

“Why are you suddenly attacking me?”

If it were before, he would have countered with a joke, but now, as friends who were engaged, joking around was no longer an option.

Jo Jae-shin, who was getting excited, focused on the subtle nuance rather than making a futile attack.

“But suddenly, what’s with this rumor? Um… Huh!? Could it be that someone likes me? Who? Who is it? The only women around you are… at most, a goddess and a nun, right? Could it be… Nun Ye-jin!? Hmm… Nun Ye-jin is pretty. She’s pretty, but… I’m a bit scared of her…”

Ju Ji-tae’s expression turned numb.

You’re just going to be single for life.

“…Ugh, idiot.”

“…? What’s with this sudden outburst. Hey! What’s going on all of a sudden?!”