Became The Premier League’S Youngest Manager [EN]: Chapter 143

With the FA Cup match concluding in March, players and coaching staff not called up for their respective national teams were granted a week-long vacation.

While Tae-jin was thrilled to bring his family from Korea, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time, the Burnley Football Club’s first-team coaching staff gathered in Hyung-min’s office. They were finalizing discussions about wrapping up March and preparing for April when a sudden outburst of cursing from one corner of the room made them turn their heads.

“What the F!”

However, the coaching staff ignored the manager, their eyes glued to the latest news from the Premier League headquarters on the TV that the manager was glaring at.

“Congratulations, Tae-jin!”

“Ooh! Congrats!”

Tae-jin, looking as bewildered as Hyung-min was grumpy beside him, stammered his thanks.

“Huh? No… This… Ah, thank you.”

The announcer on TV continued the announcement.

“…Yes, Burnley’s forward Tae-jin Jung has surprisingly won the Player of the Month award for March, while the Manager of the Month award goes to Jurgen Klopp, who secured two wins. Tae-jin Jung scored four goals in two Premier League matches, leading Burnley to two victories. Burnley’s manager, Hyung-min Kim, also achieved two wins but unfortunately finished second, missing out on the award. It seems the evaluation committee of the League Managers Association favored Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp due to a higher goal difference.”

“Woo-hoo-hoo! I’m the Player of the Month!”

Finally realizing it, Tae-jin, who had scored a whopping four goals in the two Premier League games in March, leading Burnley to two wins, burst into hearty laughter and hurriedly started calling Korea.

Hyung-min, who had left the TV and plopped down on the sofa next to Tae-jin, began to frown and complain.

“How can they evaluate the Manager of the Month award based on goal difference! They should consider that it’s harder for Burnley to get two wins than for Liverpool! Isn’t there any evaluation of relative difficulty?!”

“Hey Kim, you’ve never been interested in the Manager of the Month award, have you?”

Paulo Morais asked, well aware that the Manager of the Year trophy he had won last season was gathering dust in a corner of Hyung-min’s office after Arthur stubbornly refused to accept it. Hyung-min shook his head.

“That’s only when that punk doesn’t receive an award!”

***

“Yes, come in.”

Helena answered the knock on the door.

Having just finished the last line of the email she was writing, she looked up from her laptop and found a very unexpected person in her office.

“Tae-jin! What brings you here? Oh, no. I heard the news. Congratulations on winning the Player of the Month award!”

“Ah, thank you.”

Tae-jin, looking slightly embarrassed, scratched the back of his head and expressed his gratitude.

“Ah, would you like to sit down?”

She gestured to the sofa, rising from her seat, but Tae-jin shook his head.

“It won’t be a long story. My family is visiting Burnley next week during the break.”

“Oh, I see. It’s been a while since you’ve seen your family, hasn’t it?”

“Indeed. Actually, I barely saw them during the World Cup, so if you think about it from December, it’s been almost four months since I’ve seen them.”

Helena nodded.

“The kids must be happy to spend time with their dad.”

“Ah, yes. They are.”

“Yes. Oh, but…?”

Tae-jin smiled at Helena’s questioning expression.

“My family will mainly be in Manchester, but they’re planning to come to Burnley for a day to look around. And they’re going to come to Barnfield [Burnley’s training ground] to have dinner together.”

“Ah, yes. Well, your family is welcome to use the Barnfield facilities comfortably.”

Helena smiled.

“You don’t have to tell me such things.”

“Ah, that’s not it.”

Tae-jin waved his hand.

“I’m inviting Helena to dinner too. Uh, should I call this an invitation?”

“Ah, yes…”

Helena was momentarily taken aback.

It seemed strange to attend a dinner with the family of a staff member she barely knew.

“Uh… of course, I’d be happy to meet Tae-jin’s family, and I’m sure I’d be very pleased, but…”

Helena’s gesture to her desk, trying to imply that she was too busy to attend, stopped at Tae-jin’s next words.

“Hyung-min will be there too. He stayed at our villa last summer and became very close with my family.”

Ah.

Helena put both hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow.

“Are you trying to set us up?”

“Set you up!”

Tae-jin chuckled, raising both hands and spreading his palms.

“Just think of it as giving a little nudge to a hesitant friend.”

“Does that hesitant friend know they’re being nudged?”

“Not at all!”

“Hmm… Well, I understand.”

*If help is offered, I should take it.*

Confirming Helena’s answer, Tae-jin grinned and turned to leave, stopping at the office door.

“I have a feeling that day would be good for casual attire, don’t you think?”

***

“Huh?!”

Hyung-min was surprised to see someone walking into the first team meeting room where he was playing with Tae-jin’s children.

Unlike her usual formal attire, she looked different with almost no makeup, simple jeans and a white t-shirt, and only a coat in one hand.

“Helena?! What brings you here?”

“Tae-jin’s family came, so I was invited to have dinner together.”

“Ah, yes.”

Helena smiled at Hyung-min and then smiled brightly at the two children, holding out her hand.

“Hello? I’m Helena.”

“Ah, hello…”

“Hello!”

The two children, with completely opposite personalities, still answered politely in broken English.

Having come from England and seen her often, the two children, finding a fair-skinned, blonde beauty taking an interest in them, immediately approached her, curious about Helena.

What Tae-jin and Helena both overlooked was that the Barnfield Training Centre’s cafeteria did not provide dinner during the vacation period.

Thanks to this, they had to order all sorts of dishes from the only unidentified Asian fusion restaurant that delivered to the Barnfield Training Centre and eat in the first team meeting room.

Tae-jin’s wife, Hye-rin, who had finished the meal with its subtle flavors, tilted her head and finally chuckled.

“This is what happens when you leave the planning to this person.”

“No, I clearly…!”

Tae-jin tried to retort, but Hye-rin smiled and turned to Hyung-min.

“Isn’t he a bit like that when he works too? Like doing well in the beginning but being sloppy with the finishing touches?”

“Um…”

The match against OGC Nice immediately came to mind, but seeing the various expressions Tae-jin was making beyond Hye-rin, Hyung-min showed mercy and decided to let the teasing of his friend slide just this once.

*I’m benevolent.*

“Sometimes?”

“Pfft!”

Helena, who had been watching the situation from across the table, finally burst into laughter, while Tae-jin furrowed his brow at Hyung-min, his face etched with betrayal.

*You, I’ll get you later.*

*The person who says “I’ll get you later” is the least scary, right?*

As they exchanged glances filled with many unspoken words, and Tae-jin stroked his thick forearm meaningfully, Helena looked at the clock on the wall and said with a slightly regretful tone.

“Oh, it’s already this late.”

The two children began to doze off on the sofa.

“I agree. I really enjoyed today.”

Hye-rin, who had risen from her seat with Helena, handed her her coat and spoke quietly.

Hyung-min glanced at the children and then looked at Tae-jin.

“What are you going to do tonight?”

“I have to go back to the hotel.”

Hyung-min nodded at Tae-jin’s answer.

“Ah. Is there anything I can help with?”

“Hey. My wife and I can handle it well enough for now.”

“Okay. Don’t clean up what you ate. I’ll clean up before I leave.”

“You’re going to clean up?”

Hyung-min was slightly taken aback by Tae-jin’s raised eyebrow.

“Hey, I’m not someone who raises kids, but I’m good enough at tidying up, okay?”

“No, that’s not it…”

Tae-jin smiled and looked back at Helena, who was quietly talking with Hye-rin.

“…You have to take Helena home.”

“Take Helena? Why?”

He was about to say, “Helena usually gets around Burnley just fine on her own,” but as if hearing their conversation, Hye-rin turned to them.

“Hyung-min, you shouldn’t do that. It’s late, so get up and take Helena to her accommodation, and you should go in and rest too. We’ll clean up here and go back to Manchester with the kids.”

“Uh…”

The question of whether this was really necessary popped into Hyung-min’s head, but he immediately got up at Hye-rin’s expression, which raised one eyebrow and frowned slightly.

He realized while staying at Tae-jin’s villa in Korea last summer that Hye-rin is usually very gentle and affable, but if you don’t move immediately after she makes that expression, a scolding will start right away.

He had often seen it directed at Tae-jin or the two children, but it was almost the first time that expression had been directed at him.

Hurriedly putting on his coat, Hyung-min left the meeting room with Helena, and as the door closed behind him, Tae-jin and Hye-rin, who had counted to ten in their minds, sighed simultaneously.

“Um… It doesn’t seem easy, does it?”

“Really… Hyung-min is a tough one. Helena must be having a hard time too.”

“Hehehe. But it’s fun, isn’t it?”

“Well, it is fun. Burnley seems nice and quiet too.”

Hye-rin, who had been around Burnley all day, said as if it was okay.

“It looks good because I’m here, not because of anything else?”

“Haa…”

Hye-rin, looking at her husband with an absurd expression as he expressed unfounded confidence, gestured to the table littered with the remnants of dinner.

“Enough, hurry up and clean up.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

***

It was the end of March, but the weather in Burnley was 10 degrees Celsius [50 degrees Fahrenheit] during the day and still dropped to 3 or 4 degrees [37-39 degrees Fahrenheit] at night.

Fortunately, it hadn’t rained for about a third of the month, so it was a cold but clear night.

Hyung-min, who had left the Barnfield Training Centre with Helena, asked.

“Aren’t you cold?”

Helena’s coat looked thick, but she was only wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt underneath.

Helena smiled at Hyung-min’s concern.

“I’ve never been sensitive to the cold.”

“Does all the calorie consumption go that way?”

At Hyung-min’s question, Helena answered as she walked slowly towards Burnley.

“Maybe? But winters in New York are pretty cold too. Although the winter is shorter than in Burnley.”

“Ah, I see.”

Hyung-min muttered and followed beside Helena.

Although a cold river breeze blew over the River Calder next to the Barnfield Training Centre, the plains consisting of forests and fields continued until entering the outskirts of Padiham.

As they walked slowly along the deserted path along the River Calder, Helena pointed to the night sky.

“Isn’t it beautiful? Sometimes I deliberately don’t bring a car just to see this.”

Of course, she always brought a car on rainy days.

Helena added.

With no lights obstructing the view around them, countless stars were scattered across the clear night sky.

“It’s beautiful.”

Hyung-min, who looked up at the sky with Helena, agreed.

The two people, who had stopped for a moment to observe the night sky and the stars, began to move again.

An uncomfortable silence lingered between them.

As they walked and walked, finally passing Padiham and walking around the outskirts to avoid the town of Burnley where people might recognize them, Hyung-min broke the long silence and opened his mouth.

“Helena, you know.”

Hyung-min, who was watching Helena’s profile as she glanced at him and walked silently but slowly, stopped for a moment, regained his senses, and walked together again.

“Haa… I don’t know how to say this.”

“Um… What do you want to say?”

Hyung-min was lost in thought for a long time at Helena’s question.

Before they knew it, they had passed the only Starbucks in Burnley where they had first met and talked, and finally, the Holiday Inn where she had been staying for a year and a half came into view in the distance.

Realizing that he would no longer be given time to think about what to say, Hyung-min opened his mouth again.

“You know, Helena.”

“Yes, talk to me.”

Perhaps because of the bitter cold that barely exceeded freezing, Hyung-min glanced at her face at Helena’s voice, which sounded somehow cold, but he could not read anything from her expression other than her cheeks flushed with cold.

Only after passing through the parking lot with low lighting and entering the brightly lit hotel lobby could Hyung-min find what he wanted to say.

“I hope we can go see the stars together again next time.”

“Next time?”

“Next time. No, often.”

Helena smiled at Hyung-min’s expression, who corrected what he had said.

“I think I’d like that too.”

Before they knew it, they had reached right in front of the hotel lobby.

As the bellboy politely opened the front door, Hyung-min took one hand out of his pocket and waved.

“Well, then.”

As Helena shrugged and asked Hyung-min, who was about to say goodbye and turn around.

“Why don’t you come in for a bit?”