Half-Line

“Which side hurts?”“Left side.”Answering randomly, Mukyeom waited for Hajoon’s next move. Hajoon looked down at Mukyeom’s waist, took a long breath through his nose, and slightly furrowed his brows.Only then did he move his hands and finally place them on Mukyeom’s waist. Pressing down firmly, he used the joints of his four fingers and the tip of his thumb to press gently on Mukyeom’s left side. As he pressed down, Hajoon asked cautiously:“Does it hurt?”“No. A bit lower.”“Here?”Hajoon’s hands pressed down on Mukyeom’s waist. His touch wasn’t bad. Mukyeom felt like a small animal was walking and pressing on his back, which gradually put him at ease.However, Hajoon’s state was the opposite. When Mukyeom tilted his head to check Hajoon’s expression, he initially looked somewhat troubled, but his serious face gradually showed deeper confusion and doubt like beads of sweat. It was understandable. After all, Mukyeom’s back was perfectly fine, with no pain at all.Hajoon’s hands moved to the left, right, up, and down, diligently exploring Mukyeom’s back to find the source of the pain. Realizing that just touching the waist wasn’t enough, he began to palpate around the pelvis, tailbone, sides, and the inner and outer thighs.His hands are soft. Mukyeom, lying on his stomach with his chin on his hands, closed his eyes to enjoy the massage-like touch.The more Hajoon confirmed that Mukyeom’s body was perfect, the more serious his expression became. After pressing and palpating various areas, Hajoon seemed to give up, letting out a tired sigh before standing up. Picking up his notebook again, his voice tried to sound calm but was evidently drained.“I’m still not experienced enough to tell exactly, but if there’s pain with no issues in the back or abdominal muscles, it might be referred pain from somewhere else. But the muscles around the pelvis and legs seem fine too… It might be best to get a detailed examination from the medical team. I’ll let them know.”Mukyeom didn’t want to cause so much trouble. He had already undergone a medical check when joining the team, and it hadn’t been long since his last test. He didn’t want to make unnecessary work for others with a feigned illness. Mukyeom opened his mouth to make up an excuse.“Two days ago…”“Hmm?”“I accidentally kicked my back on the bed. Could that be the cause?”Hajoon looked at Mukyeom with a puzzled expression before understanding and slightly opening his mouth in an ‘Ah.’His face showed momentary confusion mixed with resignation; after staring into space with a look of defeat, Hajoon nodded.“That could be it. Then it’s probably temporary.”“Probably?”“If it continues to hurt, let me know.”“Got it.”Hajoon stood up, pressing his knees. His back seemed less energetic than before as he walked towards another player. It seemed he realized he had been played, but Mukyeom didn’t feel guilty. After all, it was Lee Hajoon who had made the misunderstanding, or perhaps it wasn’t a misunderstanding at all. Hajoon’s expression before touching Mukyeom’s back only confirmed his suspicions.Seems like he doesn’t like me.While doing the ankle strengthening exercises Hajoon had instructed, doubling the reps on the left side, Mukyeom chewed over his irritation.It’s not good to have friction with the new team coach. If this had happened at Greenford, he would have directly pointed it out, but this was Junsung’s team. He didn’t want to give the coach a headache with trouble right from the start. But if he was going to be treated differently like this, Mukyeom also needed to come up with a strategy. It was a work-related issue after all.Either have Lee Hajoon removed from his training schedule or make him change his attitude so that he treats him properly.🏀Braised short ribs, seasoned spinach, dried pollack soup, rolled omelet.Mukyeom was genuinely satisfied looking at the side dishes on his tray. He had jokingly mentioned what he liked when they asked, and today’s lunch menu was packed with the very dishes he had said he wanted to eat.“We can’t do the same thing every time, but we’ll do our best to cater to your tastes, so feel free to tell us what you want.”“Thank you, ma’am.”“Oh, you’re so polite!”Wishing to appear even kinder than when he was with a date, Mukyeom greeted with a smile, and the cooks, pleased, added more braised short ribs to his tray. As he turned to find a place to sit, Jungkyu, who had already secured a spot, waved at him.Despite being annoying at times, thanks to Jungkyu, Mukyeom was getting closer to the other players quickly. He walked over and set down his tray. People were talking as they ate.“Hasn’t the food at the cafeteria gotten better lately?”“It was good here to start with.”“Still, it seems better now. Mukyeom hyung, enjoy your meal.”“You too.”Now that the players were no longer intimidated by Mukyeom and were eating together, he picked up his spoon. Jungkyu waved his hand again.“Hajoon, no, Coach Lee. Come over here and eat!”It was amusing how it looked like a high school cafeteria, with Jungkyu calling over everyone he knew to eat together. Mukyeom chuckled and turned his head. Hajoon, led by Jungkyu’s call, was walking towards them with his tray when he suddenly stopped, his eyes meeting Mukyeom’s. He seemed momentarily flustered, then quickly smiled.“I think I should eat with the other coaches.”“Oh, okay?”“Yeah. See you at the afternoon training.”“Sure, enjoy your meal.”Hajoon quickly turned around, briskly walking to the table where the older coaches were seated. Mukyeom raised one eyebrow. Watching Jungkyu, who seemed oblivious to the discomfort, eat his meal, Mukyeom casually spoke as if he had just remembered something.“You said before we should have a drink, the three of us, with Coach Lee.”“Yeah, I did. If you’re okay with it, should we set a date?”“Set one. Both he and I are new here; it wouldn’t hurt to build some camaraderie.”Jungkyu, drinking water, looked at Mukyeom with wide eyes in surprise.“Camaraderie? What’s gotten into you? You know that word?”“If you listen to you, you’d think I’m some kind of social misfit.”“Almost.”That made the players sitting nearby laugh.“What’s with you, Jungkyu hyung? Mukyeom hyung seems nice when you meet him in person.”“Really? Don’t make me laugh. That’s only because I’m here. Otherwise, do you think you’d be able to eat next to him, chatting away? He does whatever he feels like.”Though there was some truth to it, Mukyeom couldn’t argue back and continued eating with his chopsticks. The food was very good. If it hadn’t been for Hajoon’s suspicious behavior earlier, he would have enjoyed his meal without much thought. Hajoon, eating at the coaches’ table, seemed to be enjoying himself, laughing and talking with others.This guy keeps getting on my nerves for no reason. A rookie coach who’s just started, not even the head coach, and he’s the same age as me. As Mukyeom glanced at the distant table, Jungkyu raised his phone and asked:“When are you free? For the drinking session.”“Tomorrow’s fine. The day after is fine too. I’ll make time if I can.”“Why the sudden enthusiasm? I should grab this chance while it lasts.”Jungkyu immediately sent a message. Mukyeom, while breaking a piece of tofu in his dried pollack soup, looked at Hajoon, who was seated far away.Hajoon seemed to have received the message as he checked his phone. For a moment, Mukyeom saw a hesitant expression on Hajoon’s face as he looked at the screen without immediately replying. After some time, he picked up his phone.Vibrate. Now it was Jungkyu’s phone that rang. While Jungkyu was deeply engrossed in his meal and slowly checked his phone, Mukyeom asked first.“What does he say?”“He says it’s going to be tough for a while. He has workshops after work. Well, there’s a lot to learn in this job. We’ll have to set a new date later.”It’s going to be tough for a while?A twenty-six-year-old rookie coach busier than Kim Mukyeom?“He’s supposed to be good-natured.”“Huh?”“Never mind.”Good-natured? He was far from generous. It was clear that he was still upset from the first day when Mukyeom didn’t recognize him and was avoiding eye contact. Mukyeom could tolerate not having meals or drinks together, but he couldn’t accept such an attitude during training.How dare a rookie coach pick and choose which player to coach? And it’s me of all people?Even after knowing he was avoiding him, Mukyeom tried to give him a chance. In his life, he could count on one hand the times he had initiated a drinking session. Upon reflection, it was really just a few times. And even then, it was only with people like Jungkyu or Junsung, who he was already close to; he rarely made efforts to build camaraderie by setting up meetings or making plans.Being kind to a million people is meaningless if they’re not kind to you. Mukyeom took a sip of cold water from the cup he had placed next to his tray.An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, pettiness for pettiness. Whether on or off the field, Mukyeom was the type to return the same treatment to those who cursed him, provoked him, or used violence against him. He was fully prepared to be as petty as necessary.🏀The afternoon training began. Morning sessions focused on physical conditioning, while afternoon sessions concentrated on technique, so the physical coach would either observe and direct from the sidelines or, depending on the nature of the training, work on the next day’s schedule or organize data in the office.Today was the former. Injured players were on a rehabilitation course, while the rest practiced basic skills including passing and dribbling, then moved on to mini-games. During these mini-games inside the training ground, players tend to be more daring. They attempt risky moves like overhead kicks, which are hard to try in real matches, or use their non-dominant foot, engaging actively.“Whoa!”Even if it’s just a mini-game, a game is a game. It only takes five minutes for the competitive spirit among these players to ignite. A young player, overly excited, made a foul tackle from behind on Mukyeom. Their legs tangled, and they both rolled on the grass. Jungkyu, standing near the goal, immediately shouted in anger.“What are you doing, you punk! Is that how you tackle during training?”“Sorry, hyung. I got too excited…”“Team spirit! Don’t you know what that is?”Injuring Kim Mukyeom, a world-class player with a market value in the billions, during a practice game could lead to an unmanageable situation. It wouldn’t just be a personal issue but could result in global backlash, potentially destroying the player’s mental state. The player who made the tackle turned pale, repeatedly bowing to Mukyeom in apology.His knee hurt from the collision, but it was the kind of pain that would soon go away, unnecessary from a training game. Naturally, Mukyeom was angry at that moment, but seeing everyone so anxious around him made it hard for him to express his anger.He understood their feelings, but he didn’t want to be treated so specially. A football player treated like a crystal glass just because of his size was too ridiculous for him.“Forget it. Be careful next time.”Saying it like a reprimand, the players looked at Mukyeom with eyes that seemed to see a good person. Feeling awkward with that too, Mukyeom walked to the edge of the field to drink some water. After quenching his thirst, he thought about taking a brief rest, sitting on the bench to watch the others train when he felt someone approach him hurriedly. He turned his head.“Is your leg okay?”It was Lee Hajoon.Mukyeom met his gaze expressionlessly, inwardly sneering. What brings the esteemed rookie coach to the humble Kim Mukyeom?It seemed he was concerned, acting like a physical coach should.“Come down for a moment. Let me check your leg. I saw you hit your knee earlier.”Although the pain had almost subsided, Mukyeom complied without a word, sitting down with his knee raised. Hajoon instructed again.“Stretch your leg out.”But Mukyeom remained silent and didn’t move. As Hajoon waited for him to adjust his position, he looked at Mukyeom with confusion, thinking he hadn’t heard, and repeated the instruction.“Kim Mukyeom. Stretch your leg out.”Only then did Mukyeom lower his voice so others couldn’t hear and replied:“I don’t want to.”“Huh?”Hajoon’s eyes widened, and his lips parted slightly at this unexpected response. Mukyeom met his shocked expression with a mocking look and continued:“Get Coach Jung. He’s better at this than you, right?”“…”“Didn’t you say with your own mouth that Coach Jung is better? I don’t trust someone who admits they’re not as good. Bring Coach Jung.”Hajoon closed his slightly opened mouth tightly. His eyes seemed to tremble slightly, either from anger or confusion, his expression stiffening. What, does he get upset over this much? After avoiding Mukyeom all this time, now he’s making a fuss over hearing something he doesn’t like.Mukyeom leaned back, supporting himself with his hands on the ground, and said once more:“Bring him.”With the tone of a command, Hajoon finally stood up. Without saying yes or no, he stepped back, then turned around and actually went to fetch Coach Jung as Mukyeom had ordered.That first impression of Hajoon like a thin piece of paper that could crumple easily. Now, as he walked to get Coach Jung, his back looked the same. Mukyeom got up and sat back on the bench. Hajoon said something to Coach Jung, and they both returned to Mukyeom. Coach Jung stood beside Mukyeom and gave the same instruction as Hajoon had.“You hit your knee, right? Let me see. Stretch out your leg.”“No, it’s fine, there’s no problem.”“What?”Coach Jung slightly furrowed his brows. This was the second time today that he was called by Hajoon to check on Mukyeom, only to hear that there was no issue. He looked back and forth between them, chiding:“Are you two playing games with me?”The scolding from the veteran coach, who was about ten years older than both Mukyeom and Hajoon, naturally targeted Hajoon, who was still learning. In front of Coach Jung, who was frowning at him, Hajoon bowed his head again, apologizing.“I’m sorry. I just wanted you to check more thoroughly.”“Then, Coach Jung, since you’re here, would you mind checking?”Mukyeom finally sat down and stretched out his leg. Following his request, Coach Jung examined it, but Mukyeom’s leg was perfectly fine. After all, it was just a fleeting pain from a brief collision, nothing that needed special attention.There was no need to check from the start, but Hajoon had overreacted by insisting on looking at it. It wasn’t necessary to call Coach Jung, but due to Mukyeom’s insistence, he had no choice but to call him. After examining Mukyeom’s knee, Coach Jung stood up with a somewhat baffled expression, as expected.“Coach Lee, come here for a moment.”Hajoon followed behind him like a student who had done something wrong. Mukyeom didn’t know how many times he had seen that defeated back today. As Hajoon walked, his slightly drooping hair made him look like he had puppy ears that could flutter at the ends.“Coach Lee. You shouldn’t call me for every little thing like this. It’s true you need to keep an eye on Kim Mukyeom’s condition, but you should assess the situation first before asking for help. If you handle things like this, how many bodies do we have to spare?”“I’m sorry. I was too hasty.”Their lowered voices reached Mukyeom, who was sitting nearby. Leaving them to their conversation, Mukyeom stood up and rejoined the training. The break was sufficient.Joining the training and observing the two coaches, it seemed their scolding was wrapping up. Hajoon gathered his notebook and pen from the bench and walked away, looking quite downcast even from a distance. He then went straight into the office.‘Serve you right for acting so arrogant.’Mukyeom blamed Hajoon internally. He had tried to resolve this amicably, but since Hajoon claimed to be too busy after work, he had no choice but to show his stance during work hours.Initially, Mukyeom intended to give Hajoon a hard time until he humbled himself. However, seeing his pitiful, drooping back softened his resolve. Why act so prickly and then get discouraged by just a few words from a superior? It was hard to tell if he was brazen or foolish.He’d give him one more chance. Feeling somewhat magnanimous, Mukyeom told the coach he would step away for a moment and headed towards the building where the offices were located.Since it was still training time, the office building was relatively quiet. The linoleum-tiled hallway floor was divided into sunlight and shadow, looking as if it had been painted with two colors due to the sunlight streaming through the windows. The sound of players training outside faded into the distance.Knocking on the door to the coaches’ office, which also served as a waiting room, he heard a “Yes” and the door opened. Since the afternoon training was in session, Hajoon was alone in the waiting room.“Uh…”Hajoon made a dazed sound, not expecting to see Mukyeom at the door. Mukyeom noticed the mix of panic and slight fear in Hajoon’s eyes.He didn’t seem as shameless as Mukyeom had thought. Feeling a bit surprised, Mukyeom gestured inside with his chin.“Let me in for a moment.”“Uh, sure.”Hajoon stepped back, looking around before pointing at the sofa.“Someone looking for me? Everyone’s out right now. Have a seat. Want something to drink?”“You.”At that, Hajoon looked at Mukyeom with a stiff face. Mukyeom didn’t like that expression. It seemed Hajoon was all smiles and friendly with others, making them like him, so why did he always put on a serious face in front of him?Of course, Mukyeom wasn’t expecting him to smile cheerfully at him right now. Just a few minutes ago, he had mocked him, and because of him, he had been scolded by Coach Jung. If Hajoon were to smile in front of Mukyeom at this point, it would either mean he had no sense or was being deceitful.Mukyeom had accumulated several days’ worth of grievances, but he decided that being petty once was enough. If Hajoon had continued to show hostility or anger, Mukyeom would have toyed with him more, but Hajoon quickly became discouraged, which made him change his plan. He decided to resolve the issue through a peaceful, rational conversation.Pointed out with “You,” Hajoon slightly tensed his lips before asking again.“Do you… have something to discuss with me?”“You.”Tsk, Mukyeom clicked his tongue. How annoying to have to come to the office to talk about this. But for a quiet resolution, it was inevitable. He needed to make his point quickly.“It seems like you don’t like me, but you should separate personal feelings from professional duties.”“Huh?”“During training, you hardly touch me, which isn’t right for a physical coach just because you don’t like a player. What if I get injured? Can you take responsibility?”Hajoon blinked, looking puzzled, then furrowed his brows.“Touch? What touch?”“The palpation. When I said my back hurt this morning, you called Coach Jung. Wasn’t that because you didn’t want to touch me?”At that, Hajoon’s eyes widened, and he closed his mouth firmly. He seemed both baffled by the absurdity of the accusation and startled at being hit with the truth.Mukyeom waited for an answer, slightly furrowing his brows. However, Hajoon quickly regained his composure and shook his head firmly.“Palpation is only done when it seems necessary. With you, just a few movement tests showed your body balance was clearly good, so it wasn’t necessary. Usually, it’s done when it’s not the case. That’s why I thought it was strange when you said your back hurt. Above all, I’m a physical coach, not a physical therapist or a masseur.”“You touch everyone else but not me?”“Because your physique is that perfect. Your posture during training is good too.”After somewhat complimenting Mukyeom, Hajoon continued with a troubled expression.“I called Coach Jung because he’s a veteran compared to me. Since there was no apparent issue from my perspective even though you said it hurt, it’s better for another person to check again than for me to look more. I know you’re very concerned about your condition. Judging the condition of a player like you isn’t something a novice coach like me should do recklessly. If you misunderstood, I’m sorry. I didn’t think you would see it that way.”What is this, this unsettlingly logical argument?Mukyeom frowned. His answer left no room for argument. However, this was just a mental acknowledgment; even outside of training, Mukyeom clearly felt that Hajoon was avoiding him, and it had been going on for days.Still, it didn’t feel right to press the issue further here. As long as he did his job properly, whether he avoided him personally or not was irrelevant.“Enough. The point is, I felt that way as a player.”“That’s…”“Even if I go to a small gym, if I feel like the trainer isn’t sincere just with me, it ruins the workout. Do one thing. Either show some sincerity towards me during training, or completely remove yourself from my schedule. Discuss it among the coaches, whether it’s Coach Jung or anyone else, and assign someone else to me full-time. I can demand that much from this team.”Hajoon’s face hardened as if he was afraid. Of course, there’s no way a rookie coach could say, “Kim Mukyeom wants me out of his training schedule.” Especially not after just being scolded for it. Unless he wanted to broadcast his incompetence.Hajoon took a moment before speaking.“Got it. So… you want me to do the palpation? Touch your body?”When put like that, it sounded strange, but that was indeed Mukyeom’s demand.“Yes.”“Understood.”Hajoon nodded compliantly, as if it wasn’t a big deal. Meanwhile, Mukyeom’s frown deepened, almost imperceptibly. After the conversation, he felt they had discussed something quite odd. But the water had already been spilled.Though it felt awkward, at least one annoying element would be gone, so he decided to get over the discomfort. Silence fell between them, and Hajoon asked awkwardly.“Since you’re here, want something to drink before you go?”“Forget it. I need to get back to training.”Without waiting, Mukyeom opened the office door. Stepping out, he felt like he had just been released from some bizarre hypnosis or spell. Reflecting on how he had focused all his attention on such a trivial matter as whether Lee Hajoon was avoiding him, he wondered if he hadn’t been wrong from the start.People can be irritated by such trivial reasons. Clicking his tongue once more, Mukyeom ran towards the center of the still-busy field.🏀Though some argue otherwise, the K League is often overlooked domestically. Broadcasts are sparse, and when they do happen, they’re usually aired in unpopular time slots as recorded broadcasts. In an era where TV channels are abundant, the fact that no station properly live broadcasts the domestic football league is a bitter reality.This season was different. With Kim Mukyeom coming to Seoul, major sports broadcasters, who had never shown interest before, fought over the broadcasting rights, leading to the decision to live broadcast every match. Mukyeom’s first match was sold out, with tickets even fetching premium prices.“Huh.” Mukyeom took a short, deep breath in the tunnel, and one of the midfielders asked, surprised:“Does even you get nervous, hyung? Honestly, this doesn’t seem like a match you’d be nervous for.”“It’s football, so of course.”In a sport played by eleven, no matter how outstanding one player is, it’s hard to predict the outcome. If the opposing team decides to mark him aggressively, even Mukyeom could struggle to finish the game. It was his first match in Korea. He had to score a goal not just for his dignity but also for Junsung’s pride. Scoring wasn’t enough; they had to win impressively.After all, it was his return to Korea after years, and since he had come back in glory, he owed it to the fans who came to see him to show something spectacular. Perhaps because he started his professional career early, club matches felt more significant to Mukyeom than national team games.Players entered the field one by one. Since it was a home game, signs and banners with Kim Mukyeom’s name were hung everywhere. Even before the match started, the fans’ chants echoed through the stadium. Regardless of whether it was a fringe league or a newly transferred team, Mukyeom felt genuinely thrilled by the cheers. The start was excellent.Both teams took their positions, and the match began with the first pass from the halfway line. Seoul, centering around Mukyeom, adopted an aggressive strategy, while the opposing team focused on defense from the start, desperately marking Mukyeom.As soon as the ball came near the penalty box, it was cleared or passed. The pattern was to look for opportunities to send long balls into the opponent’s area and immediately counter-attack. But that’s easier said than done; long ball counter-attacks are inherently difficult to execute successfully.Mukyeom could adapt to such a strategy. His mid-range shots from near the halfway line were famous. He could wait for other players to clear the ball far and then dash straight for the goal.The game’s dynamic, with one side attacking and the other defending, naturally made the players crowd in one area like fish trapped in a pond. As Mukyeom was stuck in front of the opponent’s goal due to tight defense, he gradually moved down the field, and with the attack not working, the defenders started moving forward.The City Seoul side of the field became sparse while the area in front of the opponent’s goal became crowded. From afar, Jungkyu, the goalkeeper and captain, clapped and shouted instructions:“Positions! Don’t keep dropping back! If you go forward, be ready to come back immediately!”Until nearly the end of the first half, neither goal was disturbed, but the cheering grew louder. The chants and songs from the home fans were so loud they seemed to deafen the players.“Oh oh oh, Seoul, oh oh oh, Seoul!”Players immersed in the match become more instinctual than ever. The flow of air, the angle of the wind, the voices of people yearning for victory flow through their veins like blood. Body and mind become one, and legs move before thoughts can form. Yet, maintaining cold judgment is at the core of football.At that moment, the ball, which had been cut off by players’ feet, rolled to the edge, and a teammate on the left side of the field sent a long cross. Players in front of the goal looked up, chasing the ball, with both teams’ players rushing in for possession. It was a battle to see who could get to the ball first.Taking advantage of the defenders’ lapse, Mukyeom, who had been pushed back nearly to midfield, started running after the ball. With each stride, his thigh muscles bulged beneath his shorts, like those of a horse, casting deep, angular shadows.His face showed intense focus, almost looking angry, his eyes sharp like a predator’s. As the ball began to descend, players from both teams jumped for it, but Mukyeom, coming from midfield, was the first to leap.The ball, hit by Mukyeom’s head at the highest point, flew straight into the goal, shaking the net. Mukyeom’s jumping ability, combined with his height over 190 cm, was well-known for his dominance in the air. The stadium erupted with cheers for the first goal scored just before the end of the first half. The chant “Kim Mukyeom, Kim Mukyeom, Kim Mukyeom!” was like thunder.Mukyeom’s face, which had been as hard as if he were angry, quickly filled with joy. He raised his arm, pointing his index finger up to signify the goal, and ran towards the supporters’ section. Other players followed him.Mukyeom, with a sly smile, made a heart with his fingers at the broadcast camera and winked, making his face appear on the scoreboard, amplifying the cheers. Only then did the players, who had caught up to Mukyeom, embrace him. Soon after, the halftime was announced.“Wow! Seeing it live, he’s insanely fast!”“This season, our club might even go to the Club World Cup. Could we actually win the league?”During the halftime break in the locker room, the players were talking excitedly. Naturally, the center of attention was the team’s ace, Kim Mukyeom. However, Mukyeom ignored their chatter and focused only on the man kneeling in front of him, checking his ankle, calf, and thigh muscles by pressing on them.“Seems fine. No pain?”“Yeah.”It was Hajoon. The passionate rookie coach didn’t rest even during halftime, observing the players’ bodies. Although it wasn’t his duty to check on each player like the medical staff, Hajoon seemed to prioritize collecting data by assessing the players’ conditions at every opportunity.It was amusing that he was just doing his job, yet there was a strange satisfaction in watching his white hands press on Mukyeom’s thighs and ankles. Perhaps because it was the result of a kind of struggle.He had said he would only touch when necessary, but since that day, Hajoon made sure to place his hands on Mukyeom’s body to correct his posture during any training, and he used his hands to check muscles as well. His claim that he hadn’t done it before because it was unnecessary seemed true since no issue was ever found during these checks.However, after that day, Hajoon became even more distant with Mukyeom. Maybe he didn’t like being confronted in the office. Even now, Hajoon only looked at Mukyeom’s legs, not once looking up to meet his eyes while they talked.He doesn’t look like it, but he’s really a bit of a prick. Mukyeom scoffed internally.“Coach Lee, my thigh hurts a bit.”“Oh, I’m coming.”Why call a coach if your thigh hurts? Mukyeom grumbled to himself, but Hajoon stood up and headed towards the player who called him. Their conversation reached Mukyeom.“Coach, you saw it too, right? Mukyeom’s header. It was like he teleported there. I got so excited, I yelled like I scored the goal.”“I saw it. Now you just need to score the winning goal in the second half. You seem a bit tense, so let’s do some massage cooling and taping, just to be sure. Go to the medical team and ask them.”“Okay.”Listening to that, Mukyeom slightly furrowed his brows. When someone gets that excited, shouldn’t you at least say, “Yeah, that was awesome?”‘You just need to score the winning goal in the second half.’Objectively, his header in the first half was an incredibly beautiful scene, not something that comes around often. Now that Hajoon was diligently attending to his body, there wasn’t much for Mukyeom to nitpick about, but still, there were many small things about Hajoon that irked him.After discussing the second-half strategy with the coach, drinking water, checking his condition, changing out of his sweat-soaked uniform, and taking a brief rest, the 15-minute halftime passed in the blink of an eye. The players lined up again, ready for the second half. Even before stepping out onto the field, the cheers from the fans surged into the tunnel like waves exceeding their boundaries.