145 — Finals – South Korea vs Qatar IV

Jassim proudly beamed at the applause.

After all that build-up and suspense, Dae-hyun, having gotten his soul sucked by yet another denial from Jassim's clutches, sluggishly dragged himself across the ground.

Jong-su rubbed the back of his neck, sighing, a strained laugh leaving his lips.

"Huh." He mumbled. "Pretty good save."

Dae-hyun looked dispirited; it'd have been a great goal if that went in. And everyone knew that Dae-hyun was nowhere close to be among the top scorers in this tournament. So, if he had chipped that one in, it would've further solidified his position and reputation in the team.

There was a lot of pressure on the U-17 team due to the rising appearances of Jun-hwan and yours truly, which meant the rest of the team didn't really have many opportunities to deliver on the big moments. In fact, if you were to look at what the public opinion said and how people reacted to news about us, I'd imagine that most people in the country had little idea what the rest of the U-17 squad could contribute to the team as a whole.

Even some of my own teammates shared the same opinion. The benchers, especially. 'Just give the ball to either of those two and that'd be it.' I didn't want this mentality to spread too deeply in the team. Dae-hyun had his opportunity to change the mindset, to show that he had enough talent to proudly wear that jersey, but the outcome was not to his benefit.

But of course, nothing was final. The second half was yet to start, after all.

I made my way towards the flag. I'd take this corner.

Everyone practically huddled up in the box. Jassim, knowing the kind of danger I posed, positioned himself accordingly, ready to swat the ball away when it came his way.

The rest of the men, their legs spread into a tense-straight position, were bracing, and their eyes were trained at the spot the ball was going to come crashing on.

I took a few steps back, and blinked when something soft hit my back. I paused, as did the assistant referee next to me. We both turned towards the ground, where a cute teddy plushie holding a red heart lay right next to my boot.

"......?"

I picked up the toy and heard some of the fans behind me cheering and laughing. I turned towards them, the girls behind me giggling like madmen, while the boys whooped and whistled loudly. There was no sign of the culprit, and I wasn't bothered to go looking for them.

I smiled and waved at the fans. The girls jumped up and down and cheered even louder, their arms waving in the air. They were saying something, but they weren't exactly close so I didn't hear them. Anyway, I had a corner to take.

"Uuu-uuu—!!!"

They chanted. I ignored it and swung my foot. Thump. The ball spun off like a cannonball fired from a heavy machine-gun, right into the thicket of players. Its descent in the midst was met with many white and red jerseys jumping to get a shot at it.

Dae-hyun, as if fate was insisting he should try harder, actually got to it first. It wasn't surprising, with how tall he was. The beast himself jumped high up and aggressively snapped his head into it, making solid contact and redirecting the blast straight for the net.

Jassim was ready and punched his fist against it in an instant, effectively banishing it away.

However, this powerful punch of the glove didn't only clear the ball out, it actually caused a rebound, ricocheting against one of the defenders, who attempted to clear it away, but with how surrounded he was, the ball ended up rebounding around like a ping ball.

Somehow, Dae-hyun got to it once again, his body effectively shielding the ball's integrity from all those harried boots trying to steal it, before planting his feet, and driving that cannonball-like ball towards the net.

The shot blasted against Jassim's outstretched foot in the nick of time, deviating it, but his balance was effectively broken and he stumbled back, leaving the net wide open and unguarded.

Qatar's Number 2 dived just as Dae-hyun went for the rebound. The ball bounced once, met Dae-hyun's incoming boot, and slammed into Number 2's flying body.

Another save.

The crowd went fucking crazy.

Dae-hyun went fucking crazy too, but for a different reason. "AAAHHHH! FUCK!"

Number 4, a tired mess of limbs and legs, slid and tried to clear the ball. The shot bounced and rolled far out of bounds. The assistant referee raised his flag. A throw-in was made, and one that would be given to South Korea. Sung-tae picked the ball with his hands before sending it up into the air.

Min-hyuk, who had advanced, secured it and immediately passed it to someone who could make something happen. Jun-hwan received it and was able to pivot away from a single marker.

The speed at which he turned the ball and cut away from his defender's shoulder was a thing of beauty.

Jun-hwan unleashed an inch-perfect thunderbolt to strike the net. It looked like it'd have gone in as even Jassim couldn't fly high enough to deflect it. Still, that keeper must have sniffed some good shit straight from Lady Luck's asshole, because the ball only ended up deflecting off the crossbar.

"......"

xXx

Jassim's POV:

Sweat poured down his face in thick rivers. The crossbar was still rattling from that ridiculous shot. It wasn't the only lightning storm he'd warded off throughout the first half. That Cha Jae-il and Kim Jun-hwan fellows were ridiculous.

Qatar was on the defensive. No, they were backed up right against the wall. The only way for the situation to flip would be for an instant miracle or two.

But Jassim knew that that 'miracle or two' had already happened when he stopped a few thunderbolts from Cha and Kim. Or even from that other player, Dae-hyun.

There's just a limit to good luck. And while Jassim felt confident that his own skill was partly the reason why Qatar was still barely alive in this game, he wasn't feeling any confidence in thinking that he'd be able to parry a few more dangerous blows.

'Please…'

Resist a bit more.

Qatar's defense was slowly crumbling from the onslaught. They were all stretched taut as the ball continued to whirl over to their side of the pitch.

They were all tiring fast, trying to keep up, to press and cover, their faces blood-drained.

Sweat flew everywhere.

Jassim drew a desperate breath, his eyes widening as he watched Qatar's defense fall apart before him. He was the only one who saw what Jae-il saw—a perfect lane opening up in the chaotic formation. Jassim's eyes, unintentionally, met Jae-il's just before the latter unleashed yet another thunderstrike.

A trickle of instinctual terror dripped down Jassim's sweaty spine.

Thud.

Still, he didn't give up. He gritted his teeth, his eyes hyperfocused as the ball came at him like a force of nature. He jumped. His knees trembled and his entire world seemed to spin as he desperately attempted to snatch it right from the air.

Another explosion. Another explosion rocking his muscles. His hand snapped back from the impact. Even with the padding of his gloves absorbing most of it, a sharp lance of pain spiked his wrist.

The ball, however, didn't go in. Jassim smiled weakly as he quickly scrambled to his feet, rolling his wrist, probing, and relieved when he found his hand fully operational, albeit a little sore.

He drew a quick breath as he once more went down in his goalie stance.

South Korea was merciless. Another strike coming towards the low post, Jassim blocked it. Another blast. He managed to block that one too. The South Korean strikers were running rampant. He kept his team in the game, denying those deadly strikers who would surely sink their fangs deep into his veins if he failed even once.

Another vicious cross came his way and he somehow managed to save that one as well, punching it away before that Dae-hyun snatched it for a header.

South Korea started their last attack, but Qatar's tired, haphazard defenders managed to clatter and wrestle the ball down with pure blind determination.

The ball was cleared away towards the sideline, far away from Jae-il and Jun-hwan. Jassim could hear some of his defenders pant heavily, leaning on their knees. His face furrowed in concern as his eyes landed on Number 2. "Tarek, brother, please don't let either of those two get too close...don't, just—watch over them..."

"You think I'm not trying...?" Tarek answered, his voice a tad breathy.

Jassim sighed as he kept his eyes on the ball, Tarek shifting for better cover in case of an attempt from the distance. "Just, try harder... we can't let them keep hammering away at the same spot, Tarek!"

Tarek gritted his teeth, but nodded. If it weren't for Jassim, South Korea wouldn't have been leading by just one goal, but by a humiliating amount.

And both of them feared that if there wasn't a change of pace, that nightmare in the back of their minds, could very well become real.

Jassim prayed that Qatar would, at least, have a fighting chance in this match.

'Please…'