Chapter 277 – Epilogue: Victory, After -1
#Winning parade.
“Picture! “Take a picture!!”
“Yeeeee-!!!”
After the awards ceremony was over, a FIFA official entered the locker room where a wild party was taking place, handed me a replica from a distance, and then collected the World Cup trophy.
“Jesus, this is a replica trophy! “We’ll take the original with us!”
“… What is it?”
I understand that normally, when you leave the locker room, you return it to FIFA. I’m afraid I’ll jump out with the trophy. FIFA seems to be in trouble too.
“From now on, this replica is mine. “I can do whatever I want.”
What… It was a little disappointing, but it was okay. Because I have a replica in my hands.
“I should put it on display at the Colchester United Museum.”
I have an overwhelming stake in winning this World Cup. Even if I take this home, what can the association do?
“Uh… What should I do, team leader? Joo Jesus is holding a replica?”
“You’re screwed. What should I do?”
As I held the replica, I could see the future clearly just by looking at the association staff fidgeting in a corner of the locker room like a puppy that wanted to poop.
“Korea, we are returning!”
I boarded the charter flight back to Korea without even dropping the replica trophy.
“Republic of Korea, we are back!”
The charter plane carrying the national team landed at Incheon Airport.
Even though it was late at 4 a.M., The stadium was full of people who had gathered to welcome the national team.
“Jesus type—!!”
“Kwaaaaa!! Jesus saw me! Hallelujah!!”
They cried my name with one voice.
“Is this the sadness of a supporting role?”
“Tsk tsk. Seokjun, have you realized that now?”
“Like Messi and the children, we are also the Lord Jesus and the children.”
We waved to the cheering crowd and took the bus back to the hotel to rest.
And the next day.
The victory parade has begun in earnest.
In commemoration of the World Cup victory, the Korean government designated the day of the parade as a temporary public holiday.
As a result, a huge crowd of people flocked to Gwanghwamun Square to watch the parade.
Traffic near Gwanghwamun Square was controlled, and police and emergency personnel were deployed.
Despite all the preparations, several people ended up in the emergency room complaining of heat stroke in the hot and humid weather.
Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, and the parade ended successfully.
Just like that, the victory parade came to an end, and the day to return home came.
“I am happy to have won my last World Cup. With this, I will throw off all shackles and restraints, find freedom, and retire from the national team.”
I waved the replica championship trophy in front of the fans and reporters gathered at Incheon Airport to see me off, exploded the bomb, and flew to Madrid.
It was summer.
# Five steps to accepting the retirement of the Lord Jesus.
It is said that the five stages through which a person accepts death are denial, anger, compromise, depression, and acceptance.
That phenomenon also occurred among the people of Korea who heard the news of the Lord Jesus’ retirement announcement.
“This guy is playing around again.”
The people who first heard the news of the Lord Jesus’ retirement treated the news as fake news and denied it.
“Fuck! What did the association do? “Aren’t these bastards fighting with Brother Jesus again?”
However, I became angry when a corrected article was not published as time passed.
“I don’t want to wait until the next World Cup, so why not just play until the next World Cup?”
Soon an attempt was made to compromise.
[The Lord Jesus rejects the people’s request to return. ‘I think it’s right to leave while applauding. After winning the World Cup, my role ended. Now, for the development of Korean soccer, it is right for me, who is outside the standard, to disappear.’]
Even though he did that, Jesus Joo gave an interview and declared that he would not reverse his retirement from the national team.
“Huh! Oh, my! “Korean soccer is ruined!”
People suffering from depression emerged across the country.
And as time passed, the acceptance stage was reached only after the 2050-2051 season opened.
“Hey, Sipal. “I guess I’ll just stop watching the national team for a while and cheer on Jesus while watching the Real Madrid game.”
Of course, there were many more people who did not go through the five steps mentioned above.
“Are you mentally ill?”
“Uh. “I’m taking medicine.”
“I thought so.”
# Luis Garcia & Luka Savic retire.
2050 – Just before the start of the 2051 season.
Luis Garcia and Luka Savic announced their retirement after this season.
“Whoa… I felt it at the World Cup. “My body has reached its limit.”
Luis Garcia didn’t show off, but he seemed to remember shooting a water rocket at the World Cup despite his physical strength.
“For me, it’s not because of the World Cup, but because it happens at the end of last season. “It was difficult to keep up with the training.”
And for Luka Savic, the reason was physical limitations.
No matter how many sports medicine has developed. Not everyone could take care of their body like Zlatan and Ronaldo.
And it is also true that Luis Garcia and Luka Savic’s playing style itself puts a lot of strain on the body because their performance is based on their activity level.
“…”
So, I nodded silently at my friends’ decision.
“Still, I hope you do well this season. Let’s try to win all the crowns.”
And I said with a smile.
Although I feel a little bitter when I hear the news of my friends’ retirement, even if Luis Garcia or Luka Savic retire as soccer players.
Doesn’t our relationship end here? He could become like Jorginho or Pedro, who are currently serving as general manager and manager at Colchester United.
Or Iker Bravona, who worked as a youth coach at La Fabrica, or Sergio Pepe, who is retired and traveling the world…
Come to think of it, Pepe didn’t congratulate me on winning the World Cup.
Pepe, when you came back to Spain, you were left behind.
In any case, the relationship does not end just because you quit soccer, so I decided to put my regrets aside and sincerely congratulate my two friends on their retirement.
‘It would be okay to be the winner of all crowns.’
I wanted to decorate the final stage splendidly for my best friends.
[Jesus of shock and fear scores 156 goals this season and leads Real Madrid to the all-time title.]
And as time went by and the season ended, just as I had promised, Real Madrid won all the titles and created a grand retirement ceremony suitable for my two best friends.
“…”
“…”
I smiled as I looked at the two idiots who couldn’t say anything because they were crying.
# 2054 World Cup.
Before we know it, the World Cup season is back.
“Renewing my contract with the Korean national team was a scary and difficult decision. This is because it was close to impossible to fill Jejus’ void. Perhaps this decision will cause me to retire as a soccer coach in disgrace. However, it is not right to hand over the responsibility of filling Jejus’ void to someone else. This is something I have to deal with, not someone else. That is the way to repay, even in part, the love that the people of the Republic of Korea have shown me.”
As soon as the last World Cup ended, coach James Cook accepted the Football Association’s offer to renew his contract and spent four years trying to fill my void.
[After Jeju’s retirement, three consecutive games without a win, criticism pouring in on coach James Cook and the Football Association.]
Although the Korean national team went through numerous trials and errors, they eventually succeeded in achieving results on the stage of the World Cup.
Even without me, the Korean national team defeated Sweden, Mexico, and Nigeria and advanced to the tournament as first place in the group.
And they succeeded in advancing to the semifinals by defeating Costa Rica and Portugal in the tournament.
People were disappointed, saying that if I had been there, we would have won the World Cup.
Soon, they put their regrets aside and started celebrating in pure joy at having succeeded in advancing to the semifinals.
“Jesus.”
“Jorginho?”
But sadly I couldn’t participate in the festival.
“How about a friend named Jupaul?”
“… “It’s not bad.”
“Hmm… “If you call Jubaul, wouldn’t it be possible to recruit him at a cheaper price?”
“…”
This is because while attending the World Cup, he was caught by Colchester United’s general manager Jorginho and had to help the club.
# Song Yuna under the twins.
As the twins grow, they are becoming more like Yuna, not me.
“Oppa, do you want to get hit? “I told you to bring pudding!”
“Brother, do you want to fold your waist in half?”
It means violent.
“…”
Yohan, now a middle school student in Korean age, glanced at his younger siblings with a tired expression and went into his room.
“Joo Ha-yoon! Joo Seo-yoon! Mom told me not to bother her brother! If you keep doing that, you won’t be given snacks? “Hurry up and apologize to your brother!”
Yohan, who is very patient, was raised kindly and faithfully despite the turbulent times.
“Brother, are you angry? I’m sorry!”
“Brother, are you angry? Girl, I would like to apologize to your brother.”
“… “Come into the room and apologize.”
“No! I’m going to hit you!
“I hate it!”
By the way, why does Seoyoon talk like that?
“Yuna, why does Seoyoon talk like that?”
Yuna responded by pointing to her smartphone.
“Recently, I’m into dramas.”
“I see.”
“Huh, who does it look like? “I don’t study like I’m supposed to, but instead I just bully my brother.”
I quietly looked at Yuna and her twins in turns. It may be surprising, but the mother and daughter are clearly similar in personality, taste, and even appearance. If the other one was the same, it might have been confused with Yuna.
“Hey, Yuna, Hayun and Seoyoon are bigger than you…”
With a smile on my face, I conveyed exactly what I felt to Yuna.
Poop-!
I got hit once.
It was about height, but it was unfair.
