Can't Stop | HoonSuk [✓]

01

“I heard that Park Jihoon enrolled here as well. But I didn’t see him in any club,” hearing that name made me turn my head. Park Jihoon? Park Jihoon is a very common name. But for them to address that person as ‘THAT Park Jihoon’, I think we’re thinking about the same person. “Too bad. I really want him to be in the soccer club. He’ll definitely ace it,”

“Which Park Jihoon are you guys talking about?” I turned to the owner of the voice. Yoon Jaehyuk. He actually should still be in ninth grade. But for some reason, he managed to skip a grade and attended one grade ahead of the students his age. Well. He’s very smart though. And like always, he’ll be with his best friend. A Japanese transfer student who’s also supposed to still be in ninth grade but, I don’t know. Maybe because he’s smart as well that he can attend a grade ahead of the others. His name is Hamada Asahi. And both of them are some of the newest members of our soccer club.

“Oh. It’s you. We’re talking about Park Jihoon from East Diamond Junior High. He used to be legend in junior high tournament,”

“Ah! I know him. He already became the captain in his first year. Their team was really untouchable back then. He’s a really feared captain. He even got a lot of scoutings from professional clubs and sport institutes,” Jaehyuk said. “But then, he suddenly disappeared from the tournament the very next year. Many people speculated that he got into an accident but many also speculated that the seniors of the club dislike him being the captain. So he quit. The team got easily defeated the moment Park Jihoon is not in the picture. But last year, he suddenly decided to rejoined and make their club as strong as when he joined in his first year,”

Jaehyuk is right. The Park Jihoon in discussion is a feared ace player of his junior high school’s soccer club. I didn’t know that he’s attending his high school.

We didn’t attend the same middle school and he’s a year below me. But I totally acknowledge his skill. I’ve been watching the matches he’s in last year. It started when the kid who lived next to my family’s house, Kim Doyoung, told me that he had to follow his parents' transfer to another city. Just a few days before, he told me that his parents allowed him to stay with his cousin here for him to finish his junior high school at least.

For him suddenly telling me that he’ll follow his parents makes me curious. He said that he made a deal with his parents; if he manages to become one of the soccer club’s official members, he’ll stay and finish his junior high school here. But then, he didn’t get picked because a senior student, who many are really hoping will join the qualification match. And Doyoung didn’t get picked. Doyoung didn’t specifically tell the name of that senior student. Doyoung just said that everyone is expecting him to rejoin and become their captain. Doyoung also asked me to watch the match myself and guess the player he’s talking about.

And I did. I went to their next friendly match and observed them one by one. At first, I thought that it’s the captain who Doyoung told me about. But for some reason, someone else attracted my attention. It’s player no. 5. He seems like he’s trying so hard not to stand out. He’s one of the defenders. But for me, he looked like he’s the one who’s controlling the game of his teammates. Secretly but for someone who also plays soccer, I can definitely tell what he’s trying. He’s more of the captain vibe than the current captain.

I heard some of the kids who were also there, watching the soccer, talking about no. 5. They said no. 5 used to be the genius captain slash forward 2 years ago when he’s just first year. And his name is Park Jihoon. I wonder what made him change his role in the team. But even so, he still looks like the one who’s controlling the game.

I asked Doyoung if it’s Park Jihoon. The guy who he’s talking about. And Doyoung said yes. He asked me how he’s playing and my opinion as a fellow player. My answer is simple. I want to be on the same team as him.

I used to watch all his matches. I followed him like a stalker. I wanted to talk to him about soccer but I'm afraid he'll find me weird. He’s famous anyway. There were probably a lot of random strangers talking to him about soccer. But I am still a little afraid to do so. And then, I didn’t know which high school he’s going to. Until today. I just found out that Park Jihoon is attending the same high school as I am.

“Yoon Jaehyuk,” I called him.

“Yes sunbaenim?” Jaehyuk answered .

“Get him to join the practice. We need him in our team,” I said.

“You knew him?” Jaehyuk impressively asked.

“I heard about him here and there. For an ace like him attending our school but not joining our club, our team, it will be a waste,” I said.

“But it seems like he’s trying so hard not to get involved in soccer anymore. There are a few of the members trying to recruit him,”

Really? If so, I decided. From that moment on, I’ll direct him to the soccer club. I’ll put the soccer club poster wherever he’s going. I’ll roll the soccer ball to his feet wherever he is. I’ll try to make him try to play soccer again. To join our club. To join our team. I told our advisor and the teachers about it too. And finally, our advisor decided to make a qualification match among the students in our high school but not limited to the soccer club members. That way, he might join it because he won’t get tied to the club, just for the team.

And he was there on the day of the qualification match. I figured out that he might have a bad experience with club things. That’s why he refused to join any clubs.

“I didn’t expect that he’s going to be here,” Asahi whispered when he saw Park Jihoon at the field. The kids who also joined the qualification match have been talking about Jihoon as well. And him being the Park Jihoon I’ve been watching for almost one year, acted as if he didn’t hear it. Being in his own world. Doesn’t care what people have been talking about around him. I’m quite impressed with his mentality though. But that’s what makes him an ace.

“He looked intimidating,” Jaehyuk said.

“Come on. I’m sure he’s just fine,” I said. I decided to take a step further. I’m going to talk to Park Jihoon for the first time. After all the stalking I’ve done for almost a year, finally I’m going to talk to him.

But I’m afraid. I quickly shook my head. No. I’m cool. I’m the cool senior who’s friendly enough to start any conversation with anyone. Yes. I can definitely do this. I can feel my heart beating at a faster pace everytime I take a step towards him. At this moment, I feel like my heart is probably going to explode the second I’m standing right infront of him.

Why the hell am I feeling this way? This is so unlike me.

“Hey there,” I said. Jihoon looked around, acting like no one was actually whispering about him, turned to me. I feel like my heart almost stopped. Oh no. Why is my heart pumping too much today? It’s even harder to breathe than when I’m running. I’m not even running right now.

“Annyeonghaseyo,” Jihoon bowed a little at me. See! He even greets people properly. Why are these kids acting like he’s the most feared person ever? I can see some of the kids around us looked a little surprised seeing how Jihoon greeted me. They probably thought that Jihoon is one of those arrogant bastards just because he’s well known.

“I heard a lot about you, Park Jihoon. I’m Choi Hyunsuk,” I said while holding my hand out for a hand shake. “Let’s have a fair match,"

"Sure. Please take care of me," Jihoon took my hand and shook it a little. This is weird but I'm feeling a tingle at where our hand touched. Who the hell is this guy? Why did he make me feel these weird things? I kind of dislike him for this.