When the bus arrived at the stadium, the area around the field had been crowded with players since morning.
As soon as Lee Han got off the bus, he looked toward the stadium.
It was bigger than he’d expected.
There was a spectator stand too, and the other schools’ players were warming up one by one.
Riu came over from the side.
"Nervous?"
"A little."
"So you get nervous too."
"I’m human too, you know."
Riu laughed.
"Then that’s a relief."
"How so?"
"You looked so calm that I was actually worried."
Lee Han looked at Riu.
"Aren’t you nervous, senior?"
"Me?"
Riu looked toward the stadium for a moment.
"I’m nervous too."
"Then why don’t you show it?"
"If the captain says he’s nervous, the others get even more nervous."
"Then you can tell me."
Riu looked at Lee Han.
"I can with you."
Lee Han gave a small laugh.
"Then today I’ll make sure you don’t get nervous, senior."
"How?"
"I’ll score."
"That would be you making sure you don’t get nervous."
"But you’d like it too."
"...That’s true."
The two of them laughed and went into the stadium.
The first game was rougher than he’d expected.
The other team focused on stopping Lee Han.
As soon as he got the ball, two players closed in, and if he tried to break through, another one would follow.
15 minutes into the first half.
The moment Lee Han got the ball, he was surrounded by three players.
"Lee Han!"
Riu’s voice rang out.
Lee Han immediately sent the ball toward Riu’s side.
Riu took it.
Then passed it back to Lee Han.
This time, there was an opening where the defense had shifted to one side.
Lee Han broke through as is.
"Run!"
Riu sprinted forward.
Lee Han hesitated for a split second.
He could have taken the shot himself.
But Riu was in a better position.
Lee Han pushed the ball over to him.
Riu shot.
Goal.
"Nice!"
The players came running over.
Riu grabbed Lee Han’s shoulder.
"That pass just now was good."
"I could’ve scored myself."
"But you passed it to me anyway."
"I thought you’d finish it better, senior."
"That’s teamwork."
Lee Han smiled.
"I know."
Riu looked at Lee Han for a moment.
"You really have changed a lot."
"How so?"
"You."
"For the better?"
"Yeah."
"Then that’s a compliment."
"A huge one."
Second half.
The score was 1-1.
The other team kept pressing on offense.
Riu dropped back on defense and directed the others.
"Cover the left!"
"Get another man on him!"
"Lee Han, behind you!"
Lee Han spun around in a hurry.
An opposing player was breaking toward the goal.
The moment Lee Han started to run over, Riu threw himself in first.
It was a hard tackle.
The ball bounced out, but Riu went down with it.
"Senior!"
Lee Han ran over.
"Are you okay?"
Riu tried to get up.
"I’m fine."
But the moment he tried to stand, his face stiffened.
"...Wait."
Lee Han grabbed Riu’s arm.
"Your ankle?"
"I think I twisted it a little."
"Then come out."
"There’s still time left."
"Senior."
"I’m fine. I can run."
Lee Han’s expression hardened.
"You can’t run."
"I can."
"What did you tell me earlier?"
Riu looked at Lee Han.
"You said if someone gets hurt, they have to come off."
"That was if you got hurt."
"It’s the same."
Lee Han’s voice shook.
"Your body counts too."
Riu fell silent for a moment.
"Lee Han."
"No."
"......"
"This time, I’ll do it."
Lee Han looked at Riu.
"The way you did for me before."
In the end, Riu nodded.
"All right."
After Riu was substituted out.
Lee Han kept looking toward the bench where Riu was from inside the field.
The coach shouted.
"Lee Han! Focus!"
"Yes!"
Five minutes left until the final whistle.
The score was still 1-1.
The ball came to Lee Han.
Two defenders came at him.
Lee Han beat one, then beat another.
And got all the way up to the front of the goal.
Shot.
Goal.
2-1.
The stadium erupted.
But Lee Han didn’t even celebrate.
He looked straight toward the bench.
Riu was smiling and clapping.
Only then did Lee Han smile too.
After the game.
The players moved on to prepare for the next match, and Riu stayed on the bench checking his ankle.
Lee Han came over.
"Senior."
"You’re here?"
"Why are you smiling?"
"You scored."
"You got hurt, how could I smile?"
"Still, we won."
Lee Han sat down in front of Riu.
"Show me your ankle."
"I’m fine."
"Show me."
"Lee Han."
"Hurry up."
In the end, Riu held out his ankle.
Lee Han carefully checked the bandage.
"Does it hurt a lot?"
"A little."
"Liar."
"It really is just a little."
"......"
Without saying anything, Lee Han rewrapped the bandage neatly.
Riu spoke quietly.
"You were really shocked when I got hurt just now."
"Yes."
"Sorry."
"Why are you apologizing?"
"I made you worry."
Lee Han looked at Riu for a long time.
"I don’t like it when you get hurt, senior."
Riu’s expression stiffened.
"......"
"It’s not because of soccer."
Lee Han said slowly.
"I just don’t like it when you get hurt."
Riu couldn’t answer for a while.
Then he asked carefully,
"Did I make you lose focus on the game?"
"A little."
"Sorry."
"That’s why I scored, though."
Riu laughed.
"Fair."
Lee Han laughed with him.
Then Riu said softly,
"I was the same when you got hurt."
"......"
"I couldn’t see anything—not the game, not anything else."
Lee Han looked at Riu.
"So now you get it, right?"
"Get what?"
"Why I worry about you."
Instead of answering, Riu lightly ruffled Lee Han’s hair.
"I get it."
After a moment, Riu added,
"So promise me one thing too."
"What is it?"
"If you’re in danger, don’t think of me first no matter what. Take care of your own body first."
"No."
"Why not?"
"You don’t do that either."
Riu laughed.
"Then I guess we both need to fix that."
"Yeah."
Lee Han stood up.
"There isn’t much time until the next game."
"Right."
"So rest here, senior."
"What about you?"
"I’m going to win and come back."
Riu laughed.
"Yeah. I’ll be waiting."
Lee Han walked a few steps, then turned back.
"Senior."
"Yeah?"
"This time, it’s a real promise."
"What is?"
"Stay here until I come back."
Riu looked at Lee Han for a moment, then nodded.
"Promise."
Only then did Lee Han head back to the field.
Riu watched his back and smiled faintly.
And for the first time, he thought:
as much as Lee Han worried about him, he didn’t want to lose Lee Han either.
The tournament wasn’t over yet.
But between the two of them, something had already changed.