18 — The Star and the Sibling

Eun Ha and Yeong Gu glanced at each other, their expressions a mixture of concern and pride. "We're honored by this recognition of Jae-il's abilities." Eun Ha said, both hands on her lap. "But we're also cognizant of the potential challenges. Is it typical for an eight year old to join the U-12 team? We don't want him to feel isolated or overwhelmed."

"We understand your apprehension." The Academy Director responded. "But let me assure you, we've carefully considered this. We believe that not only is Jae-il capable of competing at the U-12 level, but that he'll thrive in that environment. His maturity, both physically and mentally, is far beyond his years. He's not an ordinary eight year old, by any means."

Yeong Gu, silent until now, spoke up. "It's a huge leap. Are you sure about this?" His question was directed at me. His gold-rimmed glasses couldn't conceal the pride and encouragement in his eyes.

I nodded, my expression calm. "I'm ready."

He turned to the Academy Director and Coach Park. "If this is what he wants, and if you think it's best for him, we won't stand in his way."

"Thank you, Mr. Cha." The Director replied. "We'll do our utmost to support him and ensure his transition is smooth and successful." He then looked at me. "Jae-il, are you prepared to take on this new challenge?"

"I am." I replied confidently.

He smiled. "Excellent. Coach Park, do you have the documents?"

Coach Park pulled out a stack of papers and placed them on the desk. "These are the necessary forms. We'll need your signatures."

My parents took the forms and began reading through them. Yeong Gu, mostly. Eun Ha usually deferred to his judgment, and in turn, Yeong Gu deferred to mine. He glanced at me once in a while, as if checking to make sure I was okay with all of this. But I wasn't worried; I was eager to move forward.

As they signed the forms, the Academy Director turned to me. "You'll be training with the U-12 team from next week. Use this time to say goodbye to your current teammates, as well as to get yourself mentally and physically ready for the change."

I bowed politely. "Thank you for the opportunity, Director Lee."

"You should be proud, Jae-il." The Academy Director said. "This is a rare opportunity. We don't make this kind of promotion lightly. You've earned it through hard work and talent. We're eagerly anticipating your performance in the U-12 league."

"Thank you, sir." I replied, a small smile on my lips. Yet another significant milestone was reached.

xXx

The following days after that were uneventful, until the weekend. The club had organized a 'farewell party' for me, to celebrate my promotion to the U-12s. It was a bit of an overstatement to call it a party, really. In reality, it was more like a team lunch, a small gathering of my teammates.

Sung Hynwoo's eyes shone with sadness and determination. We hadn't been teammates for that long, but the kid still had some sort of bond with me. "Jae-il." His voice was soft and sincere. "I'm going to work really hard to catch up to you. I'll be in the U-12s in no time."

"Keep your head down and your mind on the game." I gave him a small, encouraging pat on the shoulder. "You've got the potential. Just remember, don't chase me. I'll wait for you. And if you're good enough, you might find me in the same team as you."

He nodded, a fierce determination burning in his eyes. "I won't let you down."

"Make sure you don't." I said, a hint of a smile on my face. Sung Hyunwoo, despite his young age, showed a surprising level of maturity, and a certain amount of self-awareness. He was a good kid, with a lot of potential. I'll likely meet many more like him on my way to the top.

I was going to miss him, just a little bit.

From the corner of my eye, I spotted Kim Jee approaching. His face was a mixture of pride and sadness, his lips trembling slightly. "Jae-il." He began, his voice unsteady. "I'm going to miss you. You've taught me so much." He paused, swallowing hard.

I didn't know how to respond to that. To be honest, I didn't teach him shit. Just nudged him into the right direction during practice and games.

"Group hug!" Sung Hyunwoo suggested with big, crocodile tears.

"No." I responded immediately. "Wait—"

"Too late!" Kim Jee exclaimed and threw himself at me, wrapping his arms around me in a tight embrace. Soon, Sung Hyunwoo followed, and the other teammates joined in, surrounding me in a massive, suffocating group hug. My eyeballs were about to pop out of their sockets.

I was starting to wonder if being a footballer in this life was the right call. My last one was simpler, at least in terms of social interaction. I'd never hugged anyone in the BOPE.

"Okay, okay, let him breathe!" Coach Park's voice rang out, and the group reluctantly disengaged. I gasped for air, trying to regain my composure. I shot a look at Coach Park, who wore an amused grin. "Sorry, Jae-il. I couldn't resist." He chuckled. "You're a part of the team, even if you're moving up. We're like family here."

"Gee, how sweet." I said dryly, adjusting my shirt.

Coach Park adjusted his cap. "Alright, everyone. Let's let Jae-il enjoy the rest of his day. He has a lot of work ahead of him." His gaze turned to me. "You're going to kill it out there, kid."

I smirked, a glint of mischief in my eyes. "Of course I will, Coach. That's what I do."

He smiled.

The conversation and lunch went on for a while. My teammates wished me luck, shared some memories, and teased each other. I mostly stayed silent, observing. I had little to add, and I wasn't feeling particularly emotional about leaving this team.

We'd won all our matches, and it had gotten quite boring towards the end. I'd had to hold back to avoid embarrassing the other teams too much, which was a challenge in itself. Even then, the victories were overwhelming. The other teams had barely put up a fight, and it had become increasingly difficult to stay motivated.

Now, the prospect of playing against older, more skilled opponents... didn't exactly make me that eager since it was still a league for literal children, but it was a welcome change. It meant I could push myself a little harder, set higher goals, and not feel like I was participating in a rigged wrestling match.

...

Su Ah's POV:

Dad didn't hold back with the news, or the beer.

It was the first time she'd seen him drunk, and it wasn't exactly a pleasant sight. He was sitting on the floor in the living room, his head leaning against the sofa, an empty bottle in his hand.

"Jae-il! My son, the star player!" He hiccuped, his cheeks flushed. "U-12, can you believe it? And he's only eight! Hahaha!"

Mom sighed, rubbing her temples. "Dear, please. You're setting a bad example."

Dad laughed, waving her away. "Nonsense! This is a celebration, Eun Ha! Our son, the little prodigy!" His voice was slurred, his words blending together. "I always knew he was special. Didn't I tell you? Didn't I say he was going to be big?"

"Yes, dear, you did." Mom replied, a tone of resignation in her voice.

"Big, I tell you! Bigger than the stars!" Dad's laughter filled the room, his eyes sparkling with a mix of pride and drunkenness.

Su Ah didn't know what the deal was, or why he was getting so worked up, or why she should care. She was sitting in the corner of the living room, a book in her hand, trying her best to ignore her drunk father. She was used to his business trips and long absences, but this version of him, loud and inebriated, was new and quite pathetic.

Then again, what did she know about football? All she knew was that her little brother was better at it than most boys his age. And apparently, that was a big deal. A very big deal, according to their father.

He waved a newspaper around, constantly pointing and reading out loud what the local media was saying about Jae-il, about their team, about the U-12 promotion.

Su Ah tried to focus on the words on the page, but they kept slipping away, replaced by her father's voice echoing around the apartment.

“‘The youngest ever to be promoted to U-12 in our club’s history... a genius forward with vision beyond his years…’” He read aloud, stumbling over the quote with theatrical flair. “Watch out, Europe!” He shouted, raising the bottle like a trophy.

“Watch out, liver failure.” Su Ah muttered.

Their mother shot her an exasperated look but said nothing.

It wasn't that Su Ah hated her brother—far from it. She just wasn’t used to all this noise surrounding him. Until a year or so ago, Jae-il had just been a quiet, serious kid who barely talked unless it was about football or what he wanted for lunch.

Now? Now he was the future. A future that went hand-in-hand with reporters, and, apparently, their father turning into a drunk cheerleader.

She sighed and stood up, tucking her book under one arm. “I’m going to my room.”

Her father, lost in his own world of alcohol, didn't notice her leave. She could still hear his voice echoing down the hall.

Once in her room, she closed the door behind her, muffling the sounds from outside. Her space was her sanctuary, a quiet haven amidst the noise and chaos.

She let out a sigh of relief, placing the book on her desk before flopping onto the bed.

She wasn't jealous of her brother's achievements, nor did she resent the attention he was receiving. But the whole spectacle was overwhelming. Why couldn’t everyone just calm down a bit? Football was a sport, not a religion.

As she lay there, staring at the ceiling, a soft knock interrupted her thoughts.

It was a familiar pattern, one that she had come to recognize.

"Come in."

Predictably, Jae-il opened the door and stepped inside. "Hey."

She sat up, her gaze meeting his. "Hey."

For a moment, none of them said anything.

Then...

"Sorry about that." Jae-il gestured vaguely towards the living room. "I didn't think father would go that far." It must’ve been one of the reasons why he and Mia had left earlier, no doubt.

Su Ah shrugged, sitting up. "It's fine. It's not your fault he can't handle his drink."

"Yeah." Jae-il leaned against the door, his expression thoughtful. "Still, it must be annoying for you."

"It's not..." She hesitated. "Okay, it is a bit annoying. But I'm not blaming you for it." Her voice softened, a trace of amusement in her words. "You're my little brother. I'm proud of you, even though I don't understand what's so great about a U-12 promotion."

"Nothing's great about it, don't worry. Anything related to children's football is ridiculous, at best." Jae-il said dismissively. "The hype's stupid, too."

Su Ah's eyebrows raised at that. She thought along the same lines as him, but it seemed he put his achievements on a lower pedestal than even Su Ah herself did.

"Well." She cleared her throat, changing the subject. "How are you feeling about it, then?"

Jae-il paused for a moment, considering her question. "... Excited, I guess. But not for the reasons people think."

Su Ah tilted her head. "Then for what reasons?"

He shrugged, but didn't elaborate on that any further. Instead. "Here." He held out a platter with cake on it. "Saved you a piece before Mia Noona could eat it all." He said, chuckling. "I saw you reaching for it earlier. Mia Noona's going to go crazy for the rest, and that'd be bad. You know how she is."

A smile tugged at her lips. "Thank you."

Jae-il nodded and handed her the cake. She took it, their fingers briefly brushing against each other. "Make sure to eat that quickly, Mia Noona's got a sixth sense for this kind of stuff." He warned her. "She'll sniff that out."

Su Ah rolled her eyes. She knew how chocolate-obsessed that Unnie of hers was. "Don't worry, I will."

"Alright, then." Jae-il said, stepping back. "Good night, Noona." He paused, his eyes softening. "Enjoy the book."

"Hmm."

She nodded, her growing bangs falling over her eyes.

As he left, closing the door behind him, Su Ah looked at the cake and then at her book.

Indeed, how could she ever be jealous when her little brother behaved like this?