28 — Partying With Strangers

Mia's POV:

Mia sat quietly by the window of the restaurant where the awards celebration party was held.

The room buzzed with laughter and clinking glasses, the soft murmurs of conversations blending with the hum of background music.

Mia's gaze lingered on Jae-il as he engaged in light-hearted banter with his teammates. They all seemed to gravitate towards him naturally; it made sense—after all, he carried himself differently. There was a calmness about him, an unforced maturity that drew people in. He was always attentive to what others said, patient, and poised, even when the discussions delved into silliness. Especially when it did.

It didn't help that he was literally the team's MVP and the youngest individual present, yet easily the one dominating everyone's attention. Her dad drifted from table to table, refilling glasses and sharing bits of old stories, occasionally slipping into animated gestures that earned polite laughs and nods from the other parents.

Her mom, on the other hand, sat nearby, engaging in a light-hearted conversation, occasionally casting a glance towards Jae-il. As for Su Ah, she was quiet, tucked away in her own world, earbuds plugged in.

"Geez, lighten up, Mia. What's gotten to you all of a sudden?" Joo-ri Kang, her best friend, slid into the seat beside her. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I'm fine." Mia muttered quickly, dismissing her worries, although her brows furrowed slightly at her friend's teasing words.

"Oh yeah? If I squint hard enough, will I see your spirit flying overhead?"

Joo-ri grinned and playfully jabbed at Mia's ribs, causing her to frown a little. Mia swatted at her best friend's hands in annoyance.

"Okay, okay... that hurt!" Mia protested. She folded her arms defensively, muttering under her breath. "No ghosts here."

"Alright." Joo-ri conceded with a giggle. She leaned her chin on her palms, fixing Mia with a curious stare. Then, following her friend's line of sight, her own clear, green eyes fell on Jae-il.

"He's done amazingly, hasn't he?" She murmured thoughtfully, nodding toward Jae-il as if confirming his identity. "Not only that, but look at him. Does he even know how handsome he is?"

Mia felt her insides knot ever-so-slightly. She hoped the smile that she plastered on was believable.

“Yeah, it’s ridiculous…” She murmured with a sigh.

What was even more absurd were the girls a few tables over, laughing too loud, tossing their hair like it would catch Jae-il's attention. Did they have no shame? Stupid bitches. Why did Jae-il's teammates have to bring their own sisters too? How old were those girls anyway? Seventeen, eighteen? At least that was what they looked like.

Didn't they realize it wasn't working? Hadn't they noticed that Jae-il was completely oblivious to their antics?

And yes, that was a blessing in disguise.

Or maybe Jae-il was just being polite?

Regardless, the whole situation made Mia's stomach churn, threatening to ruin her appetite.

"Is it true what they're saying?" Joo-ri suddenly inquired, leaning forward as if to share a secret. "That European scouts are taking an interest in him?"

Mia raised her eyebrow, a half-smile tugging at her lips.

"And here I thought gossip only interested you if it had to do with romance." Mia teased, her tone playful.

"Hey, don't get it twisted. I'm not stalking the kid; just passing along what's floating around." Joo-ri retorted. "But hey, with how good he is, it doesn't surprise me at all."

She shrugged nonchalantly as she picked up her glass of lemonade, taking a casual sip from the straw while glancing over at Jae-il. Football might've been the last of her interests, but she was aware of its global popularity and potential career prospects. Not to mention that the subject of those rumors was quite a striking figure in her opinion.

Mia, noticing Joo-ri's intense gaze, bit her lip and quietly uttered. “Can you not look at him like that?”

"Like what?" Joo-ri asked innocently.

"Like... he's some dessert on display..." Mia mumbled, cheeks tingling with faint embarrassment.

Joo-ri grinned mischievously at her. “Ohhh? Someone’s getting defensive, hmm?”

Mia quickly protested, “No, it’s not that—I’m just pointing out the obvious!”

"You sure about that?" Joo-ri prodded further, her eyes twinkling mischievously. “Hmmm~?”

Before Mia could respond, however, a sudden, suave voice interjected.

"Ladies." A delicate young man chimed in with a hint of playfulness in his voice as he approached the pair with a slight bounce in his steps. "How are you faring in this wonderful celebration?" He gestured broadly to the lively restaurant, as if he was the owner.

He was one of the team's midfielders, not exactly an eye-catching talent, but not bad enough that he stuck out as someone who couldn't make it.

"Wonderful." Joo-ri responded dryly. "What more could one ask for than a room full of middle-aged men and kids having a dick contest over football?"

Jaeha laughed, seeming delighted by Joo-ri’s sardonic humor. "Touché, Mademoiselle." He replied with a mock bow before turning to Mia. Gosh, not the fake Frenchness. As if a poorly pronounced mademoiselle and a half-baked bow could magically turn fried rice into escargot.

"Your little brother’s something special, huh?" He continued, casually nodding towards Jae-il amidst the revelry. "Think I should start sucking up to him? Might need him to recommend me to clubs once he's strutting the turf in Europe."

"So it's true?" Joo-ri's eyes widened. "The scouts thing?"

"Why not?" Jaeha shrugged casually. "He's obviously the prodigy-type." He gestured loosely at Jae-il. "Everyone knows it. Makes us mere mortals look terrible sometimes. Besides, I've heard that there were scouts at the match earlier. The question isn't whether anyone saw him; it's who's smart enough to snatch him up first." He added jokingly. "Anyway, you ladies enjoying yourselves?" Jaeha asked, his tone light.

Joo-ri tilted her head, sipping her drink with a bored expression. “Oh, immensely.” She said flatly, then sighed. “If only there were any boys worth looking at...”

Jaeha chuckled, unfazed. “You always this charming, or is it just when I'm around?”

Mia arched an eyebrow at the weak attempt. Joo-ri just blinked at him, slow and unimpressed.

Jaeha took that as his cue to lean in slightly, resting a hand on the back of her chair. “Look, I know I’m not the MVP or anything, but—how about we grab something to eat together sometime? Just you and me?”

Joo-ri cocked her head. “Are you asking me out on a date?”

“Something like that, yeah.” He admitted sheepishly.

“I’m sorry, I’m actually busy studying for an exam for the next couple of centuries.” Joo-ri said sweetly, smiling widely in fake politeness.

Jaeha blinked, thrown for half a second before he laughed and held up his hands. “Ouch. Alright, fair. Had to shoot my shot.”

“Consider it blocked.” Joo-ri said sweetly, returning her attention to her drink.

Jaeha gave a lopsided grin and a shrug. “Well, if you change your mind…” He winked. "Now, let's see if Jae-il is kinder to me." He easily backed out with elegance before sauntering away with a spring in his step. Mia chuckled to herself. What, was he going to seduce her little brother now?

Once he was out of earshot, Joo-ri muttered. "I'm surprised he didn't hit on you instead."

Mia shrugged, inwardly glad he didn't. "Probably because of how grumpy I look? Or he knows I'm related to Jae-il."

"Probably scared you'd break his arm." Joo-ri commented off-handedly.

Mia grinned mischievously. "Wise boy."

...

The rest of the dinner unfolded uneventfully, with jokes, laughs, and memories being shared as the plates piled high with food. As the evening came to a close, families began filtering out of the restaurant, offering congratulatory handshakes, hugs, and waves to the players. Some promised to support them at every game, while others joked about needing to rest their aging bones after tonight.

Amid the lingering crowd, Jae-il stood near his table, half-listening to his teammates’ banter when his coach stepped up beside him. There was a subtle shift in the air. Mia and Joo-ri Kang, who had been approaching him, slowed down to a stop.

The older man’s eyes were sharp, but there was warmth there too.

He placed a firm hand on Jae-il’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “Congratulations, son. You were outstanding tonight.”

Jae-il bowed his head slightly, his tone steady. “Thank you, sir.”

The coach’s expression grew more serious, though the pride never left his voice. “Word is, the U-17 national team is looking to bring you in for the upcoming FIFA World Cup. The call-up’s not official yet, but my contact says it’s practically guaranteed.”

Mia’s heart leaped into her throat. It wasn’t surprising, but hearing it from the Coach… this meant that her baby brother's success was reaching new heights.

“I’ll try my best.” Jae-il responded, keeping his tone neutral. "We'll bring it home."

The coach's grip tightened. “Good lad. We’ll miss you during the season, but the exposure will be excellent for your career.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You’re young and hungry, exactly what the team needs.” The coach continued. “This will open doors for you, many doors that you cannot possibly imagine.” He released his grip and patted Jae-il's shoulder. His gaze softened as he added. “Keep it humble, work hard, and never let up.”

The words echoed deeply.

Jae-il closed his eyes, smiling lightly. “I promise.”

Satisfied with the response, the coach finally cracked a smile. “Enjoy your night, boy. You earned it. Stay focused, and stay away from alcohol—no matter how hard these buffoons will push you to celebrate tonight. You're fifteen and no alcoholic substance will go through your body on my watch." The coach said sternly, yet humorously. "Go home after this and enjoy the day with your family."

Jae-il chuckled, nodding. "Understood."

With that, the coach turned away, his broad frame vanishing into the thinning crowd.

As the older man walked off, the rest of the assistants and some of the players walked up to him one by one. Jae-il engaged with all of them with a practiced, attentive smile.

Joo-ri finally let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

“Damn." She muttered under her breath, still staring at Jae-il. “Up close, it really hits you, doesn’t it?”

Mia glanced at her, eyebrows raised. “What does?”

“That he’s not just talented." Joo-ri said, her voice unmistakably impressed. “He carries himself like he’s twice his age. Like he knows exactly where he’s going.”

Jae-il stood tall, fielding a few handshakes and congratulations with a smile that was polite but never too eager, gracious but not showy. He didn’t look like someone who had just been told his life might change overnight.

“He’s fifteen.” Mia reminded her.

“Exactly.” Joo-ri said, shaking her head slightly. “When I was fifteen, I was still crying over secondhand K-pop lightsticks.”

Mia smirked. “You still do.”

“Don’t change the subject.” Joo-ri fired back with a grin. She turned her attention back to Jae-il. “He’s going to be something, Mia. Like... scary big.”

Mia didn’t know why, but the observation felt weird to digest. Almost suffocating. “Yeah.” She managed to whisper, watching as Jae-il eventually separated from the dwindling crowd and moved toward them. “I guess so.”

When he was within a few strides of them, Jae-il finally caught their gaze. The corner of his lips twitched upward briefly, revealing his amusement at their startled expressions.