Lazy Genius Striker [EN]: Chapter 2

< 001. Passion and Talent >

“That’s it! Keep your ankle locked like that! Okay, one more time!”

“Haa, haa!”

Stratford, London, England.

A father and son are working up a sweat on the green lawn.

The son, who has just turned 18 and looks quite grown-up, is named Ban Rohan, and the father is Ban Seokho, a former South Korean national team player and Premier League player.

The two were working hard for the West Ham United Academy tryouts, which would be held soon.

“Alright. That’s enough for today. Let’s take a break.”

“Whew. Can’t we do a little more? Just ten more times.”

“No. It’s time to rest. What did Dad say?”

“…You said rest is also training. But I’m a little anxious…”

“Rohan. There’s no need to be anxious. You’re working hard. As long as you can accept any outcome without regret, that’s all that matters.”

They had already trained for three hours today, and Rohan was exhausted.

Still, the reason he seemed uneasy was probably because Rohan had failed the tryouts five times already.

The London West Ham Youth Academy.

The West Ham Academy, which has produced outstanding stars such as the Ferdinand brothers, John Terry, Frank Lampard, and Joe Cole, is renowned in England. Befitting its reputation, not just anyone can enter the academy.

They set strict standards to test players, and if they don’t pass the test, they are not allowed to join.

Even if they are the son of a legend of the team.

Like Rohan, the eldest son of Ban Seokho, who played for West Ham for seven years, failing the test five times.

“Whew.”

“Are you very anxious?”

“I try not to be, but I can’t help it. After all, this is practically my last chance. I can’t join the 18-year-old team if I get another year older.”

After repeated failures, Rohan had already turned 18.

Even if he passed the test right away and joined the under-18 team, he would be at the age limit.

If he didn’t pass this test, he would have to take the under-21 team test next time.

But if he couldn’t pass the under-18 team test, passing the under-21 team test would be nearly impossible.

Besides, Rohan didn’t want to join any other team.

He knew that his father, Ban Seokho’s only wish,

was to see his son wearing the uniform of his favorite team, West Ham.

Therefore,

the father and son were dedicated to training, thinking this was their last chance.

Every day, to the point of exhaustion, just like now.

However, even so, Rohan couldn’t seem to shake off his anxiety.

“Don’t have negative thoughts. Luck only follows those who approach things with a positive mindset.”

“Whew. I’m sorry, Dad.”

“What’s there to be sorry about?”

“I’m always sorry. As the eldest son, I didn’t inherit even half of Dad’s talent…”

Rohan makes a dejected expression.

The Ban family was a well-known soccer family.

From Rohan’s grandfather to his father.

Two generations had played for the national team, and they were a prestigious soccer family that had promoted national prestige by playing active roles overseas.

Having been born as the eldest son in such a prestigious family,

Rohan had grown up with great expectations from those around him since he was young.

Everyone said that he would become a player who would follow in the footsteps of his grandfather and father, or even surpass them.

However,

Rohan had already admitted it a long time ago.

Unlike those expectations, he was not born with the innate talent that had been passed down through his family.

He knew better than anyone that all he had inherited was a passion for soccer, not talent.

That’s why he always felt sorry.

His grandparents and father wanted their grandson and son to become the best soccer player, following in their footsteps.

Contrary to the expectations of the adults, who wanted him to further enhance the honor of the Ban family,

he had not even been able to pass the academy tryouts yet.

“Rohan. How many times has Dad told you not to say things like that?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Alright. You’ve rested for 10 minutes, so let’s do it again.”

“Yes.”

Of course, Ban Seokho felt the most sorry for Rohan.

His son felt guilty even though it wasn’t his fault.

How could a father feel comfortable watching that?

He only felt sorry.

He felt like it was all his fault.

Ban Seokho felt sorry that he hadn’t been able to share his talent with his son.

Therefore, at times like this, Ban Seokho would resent the heavens.

It was because of his younger son.

Ban Seokho had a younger son, Yohan, who was two years younger than Rohan.

Yohan had also played soccer until a few years ago.

But he wasn’t playing now.

That was because Yohan had refused to play soccer since two years ago, when he turned 14.

For the bizarre reason that he found playing soccer too annoying.

How could the son of the Ban family hate soccer?

Ban Seokho was at a loss for words.

But,

what made him really resent the heavens was that Yohan was born with talent.

That talent that had been passed down from Yohan’s grandfather.

It was truly a cruel twist of fate.

The child who loved soccer more than anyone lacked talent, and the child who had talent lacked passion for soccer.

Why couldn’t both of those things be given to one child?

He resented the heavens.

If both of those things had been given to one child,

everyone would have been happy.

Why were those two things divided like a trick of fate, making everyone unhappy like this?

“You can do it. Don’t worry too much. Just do your best tomorrow.”

“Yes. I understand.”

The heavens are merciless.

Ban Seokho couldn’t shake off his bitter feelings today either.

ㆍㆍㆍ

A park in London.

A boy is lying on a bench.

Ban Seokho’s younger son, Ban Yohan.

It was early in the day when all his friends were at school.

Yohan was skipping class again today and lying down in the park.

Because listening to boring classes was too annoying.

“Ah. I don’t want to do anything.”

The height of laziness, saying he doesn’t want to do anything when he’s already doing nothing.

Looking at this, it’s understandable that Yohan was called a very unusual Korean when he first came to England.

Everyone thought Koreans were diligent, but Yohan was as lazy as anyone could be.

Perhaps even the people of the Mediterranean, who are famous for their relaxed attitude, would be speechless if they saw Yohan.

Yohan was literally a loafer, himself.

“Wait. What’s the date today?”

Yohan, who had been lying down for a while, takes out his cell phone to check the date.

April 18th.

Come to think of it, there’s only a week left.

His brother’s tryouts.

Yohan doesn’t care about anything in the world,

but the only thing he cares about is his brother.

The two had come to a strange land, England, at a very young age, and had grown up relying on each other.

To Yohan, his brother was a precious being that he wouldn’t trade for anything in the world.

“He has to pass this time.”

This is his brother’s sixth challenge.

Yohan sincerely hoped that his brother would pass the test.

Because Yohan knew how desperate and hardworking his brother was.

His brother had worked hard every day to an extent that Yohan, who found everything in the world annoying, couldn’t understand.

So Yohan wanted his brother to pass this time for sure.

“If he doesn’t pass this time, things will get difficult.”

However,

there was definitely another reason why he wanted his brother to pass the test.

It was because of the elders in his family.

From his grandfather to his father.

A soccer family where everyone was a soccer player, and a great one at that.

Because they were born into such a family, his brother and he had to kick a soccer ball as soon as they took their first steps.

One of his brother and himself was destined to become a soccer player.

Someone had to become a soccer player, one who would surpass his grandfather and father, and carry on the family line.

But Yohan had no intention of shouldering that fate at all.

Soccer was a sport that really didn’t suit him.

Soccer was a sport that required diligence.

You have to run for 90 minutes in just one game, and soccer is a sport where you have to dedicate yourself to training every day for those 90 minutes.

There was no way that Yohan, who even the people of the Mediterranean would call lazy, would find soccer suitable for him.

That’s why Yohan had refused to play soccer even though he was scolded by his father every day.

So, he wanted his brother to take on that role instead.

Carrying on the legacy of a prestigious soccer family.

Fortunately, his brother loved soccer very much.

Unlike himself, a mutant who hated soccer even though he was born into a soccer family, his brother was the eldest son of the Ban family in everyone’s eyes.

Yohan thought that his brother had to become a soccer player, and he had been sincerely supporting his brother.

He hoped that his brother would definitely carry on the family business.

“He’ll do well, I’m sure. Who’s worried about who?”

Yohan sighs.

He thought it was funny that he, the black sheep of the family, was worried about his brother, who was loved by everyone.

Who’s worried about who?

He’ll do well on his own.

It was when Yohan closed his eyes with a smile at that thought.

Vibration-!

The cell phone ringing in his pocket.

Frowning at the vibration that disturbed his rest, he checked it and saw,

“It’s hyung [older brother]?”