The rumor that a new player was joining spread through the soccer club faster than expected.
"Is the one coming today that guy?"
"Yeah. I heard he was pretty famous in middle school. He was even the top scorer at a regional tournament."
"Still, this isn’t the same. A high school soccer club isn’t such an easy place."
Ryu, stretching on one side of the field, didn’t show any special reaction even as he listened to the younger players talk.
A new ace.
It was something that came up once every year.
There had been players who’d made a name for themselves in middle school, and players who’d received scouting offers from other schools.
But once they actually joined the team, most of them realized reality not long after.
Individual skill and the skill needed for a team were completely different.
"Ryu."
The coach came over and lightly patted Ryu on the shoulder.
"You know that second-year who’s joining today? Start working with him from the beginning. Introduce him to the others too."
"Yes. Understood."
"His skills seem pretty decent. Make sure you guide him well."
Ryu gave a small laugh.
"If I have to guide him that much, then he must be better than I expected."
"That’s why I’m putting him with you."
That was when it happened.
Someone slowly walked in from the entrance of the field.
He was carrying soccer cleats in one hand and wearing a black tracksuit.
He didn’t even bother looking around.
He just walked straight onto the field as if he already knew it well.
"There he is."
One of the younger players muttered quietly.
Ryu naturally turned his gaze too.
The man stopped in front of the coach.
"I’m Lee Han."
It was a short, calm introduction.
The coach pointed at Ryu.
"This is Ryu, a third-year. He’s captain this season. If you have any questions from now on, ask Ryu."
Ryu naturally held out a hand.
"Hey. I’m Ryu. They call me captain, but don’t think too hard about it—if you don’t know something, just ask me."
Lee Han looked at the hand for a moment.
Then he took it.
"Yes."
"……."
Ryu blinked.
"That’s it?"
Lee Han tilted his head.
"Pardon?"
"No, usually when you first meet someone, you at least say your name again or something."
"I just did."
"I heard that part."
"Then isn’t that enough?"
Laughter burst out around them.
Ryu couldn’t hold back his own laughter in the end either.
"You’re funnier than I expected."
"I hear that a lot."
"That wasn’t a compliment."
"I know."
For a first meeting, it was a pretty strange conversation.
As he let go of Han’s hand, Ryu looked him over from top to bottom.
He was better built than expected.
And more than anything, his eyes were calm.
There was no sign of tension.
It wasn’t common for someone new to a team to answer the captain that calmly.
"For now, warm up first. Today we’re starting with basics."
"Yes."
"And I heard you were good in middle school, but here it’s better to think of it as starting over from the beginning."
Lee Han fixed his cleats and asked,
"Why?"
"Why?"
"If I’m good at it, is there any need to start from the beginning?"
For a moment, the area around them went quiet.
Ryu looked at Lee Han, then laughed in disbelief.
"You really do have confidence, I’ll give you that."
"It’s not confidence. It’s a fact."
"Sure. Then we can see for ourselves whether that fact is really true."
Lee Han lifted his head.
Their eyes met.
Ryu smiled first.
"Show me in today’s practice game."
"Yes."
"But remember one thing."
Ryu’s voice grew a little more serious.
"This isn’t a team where you can do well alone. No matter how good you are, if your teammates don’t move, it’s hard to even score one goal."
Lee Han looked at Ryu for a moment, then replied briefly.
"Then I’ll adjust."
"……What?"
"You told me to fit in with the team. So I’ll adjust."
Ryu was momentarily speechless.
Then he snorted a laugh.
"Yeah. You sure know how to talk."
It was less than ten minutes after practice began.
Ryu had to admit he had underestimated Lee Han a little.
He was different from the moment he received the ball.
He read the direction of the approaching defense in advance and moved accordingly, and he didn’t hold onto the ball for long.
When he needed to, he pushed forward quickly, and when he had to pass, he sent the ball accurately to a teammate.
And at the decisive moment, he cut toward the goal faster than anyone else.
"Lee Han!"
Ryu shouted.
Lee Han turned his head.
Ryu threaded a pass into space.
As soon as Lee Han received it, he beat the defender with one touch.
Then he shot.
Bang.
The ball rattled the net.
The field went quiet for a moment.
"Wow……"
Someone let out a low gasp.
Ryu looked at the goal, then shifted his gaze to Lee Han.
Lee Han had already picked up the ball with a completely unfazed expression.
"One more?"
Ryu let out a dry laugh.
"You."
"Yes."
"You’re good."
"I know."
"……."
Ryu laughed in disbelief.
"You really are not humble at all."
"If I’m good, there’s no reason to say I’m bad."
"That’s true, but if you say it like that, people usually think you’re obnoxious."
"Do you think so too, senior?"
It was an unexpected question.
Ryu looked at Lee Han for a moment.
Then he lifted the corner of his mouth.
"I don’t know yet."
"That’s a relief."
"Why?"
"Because I didn’t want to hear the senior call me obnoxious."
This time, Ryu really had nothing to say.
Lee Han was already walking somewhere else.
Ryu watched his back and muttered quietly,
"What is with this guy……"
After practice ended.
While the players left the field one by one, Ryu was alone putting the balls away.
Then an familiar voice came from behind him.
"Senior."
When he turned around, it was Lee Han.
"What is it?"
"What you said earlier."
"What?"
"About adjusting to the team."
Lee Han chose his words for a moment, then said,
"I know it’s important to play as a team. That’s why I came here to learn."
Ryu silently looked at Lee Han.
It was a slightly different expression than before.
"Then that’s fine."
"But there’s one thing I think you need to help me with, senior."
"What?"
"How far I can go on this team."
Ryu’s eyebrows rose slightly.
"Why me?"
"You’re the captain."
His tone was so matter-of-fact it was almost absurd.
Ryu laughed.
"Right. I am the captain."
"So please tell me."
"Tell you what?"
"How to play as a team."
A brief silence fell.
Ryu looked at Lee Han, then slowly nodded.
"Alright."
Then he lightly patted Lee Han on the shoulder.
"In return, I’ll make one promise too."
"What is it?"
"I’ll check for myself whether you can really become the team’s ace."
Lee Han looked at Ryu.
"Then I’ll make a promise too."
"What?"
"I’ll keep showing you until you 인정 me."
Ryu couldn’t say anything for a moment.
At first, he had only thought of him as a new underclassman.
A slightly cocky, confident, and talented underclassman.
That was all he thought he was.
But after that day, Ryu came to realize it.
The person he would end up paying the most attention to from now on was,
probably that underclassman.
And Lee Han still didn’t know.
That what he truly wanted wasn’t simply the ace position of the soccer club.
The person he most wanted recognition from was,
none other than that person.