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The match-up between Dortmund and Manchester United in the Round of 16 has been confirmed.

“Hey, Son Jinho.”

“What?”

“This isn’t a dream, right?”

“It’s real.”

Han Gyeouri, who was blaming the sky, was steadily going through the five stages of grief.

Stage 1: Denial.

“…Yeah! It’s rigged! They’re going to redraw!”

“How can they rig a live analog draw?”

Stage 2: Anger.

“Uuuugh! How the heck did Dortmund come up against us!!!”

“Well, you guys finished second in the group, unlike us, who were first.”

Stage 3: Bargaining.

“Oh, heavenly father!!!!”

“If you wished on Santa Claus, maybe he would have granted it?”

“…Son Jinho. Stop scratching beside me.”

Stage 4: Depression.

“I was wrong. I can’t choose between Manchester United and my husband.”

“No. You should at least choose a human husband…”

“Shut up!”

And finally, the last Stage 5: Acceptance.

“Hehe… No matter who wins, I won’t lose!”

“…”

Han Gyeouri was broken.

And that evening.

– Gyeouri: The undefeated Han Gyeouri appears!

– Gyeouri: Whether Man U wins or Dortmund wins, I will not lose!

– Gyeouri: (GIF of throwing a boomerang)

– Gyeouri: Because winter always comes back!!

– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: Little sister, can you calm your daughter down? She’s creating a black history over and over again.

– Cheolmo: Just leave her be. Once she gets her head straight, she’ll kick her blanket a bit.

Amid everyone neglecting her, Han Gyeouri’s black history was piling up in real time.

***

Meanwhile, at the same time.

[Title: Whoa! The Champions League Korean Derby is insane.]

Unlike Han Gyeouri’s despair, most soccer fans were excited about the Korean derby happening in the Champions League.

Their only concern was whether Park Jisong would play.

Park Jisong had been suffering from chronic knee injuries, and recently, signs of aging had started showing, so Korean soccer fans naturally expressed their worries.

[Title: But is Jisong-hyung going to play…? He hasn’t been playing much these daysㅠㅠ]

└ I don’t think he’ll start, but I hope he gets at least a few minutes off the bench.

└ Isn’t it possible for Son Jinho to man-mark him like he did with Pirlo?

└ Park Jisong was born in ’81 while Son Jinho was born in ’95, can that even be man-marking?

└ 14 years apart, lmao!

└ Wow… Wasn’t Park Jisong in the 2002 youth line? Time has flown by already;;

└ Well… Is there really no chance at all?

└ If Son Jinho had less activity, it’d be different, but he’s pretty active, so man-marking seems tough.

Of course, given the nature of the community, it didn’t take long for a new topic to arise.

[Title: So, which team do you think my brother will transfer to?]

Write down the team you want them to transfer to and go.

└ Ah. This is obviously Real Madrid, lol. How could you resist being Zidane’s successor?

└ Ho-woo: Barcelona!!

└ Since it’s the same Bundesliga, Bayern Munich wouldn’t be bad either.

└ ManU Doctor: No way, it’s gotta be Manchester United!!!!!! Let’s wear number 7!!

***

For a while, Han Gyeouri kept generating black history and kicking her blanket.

“Glory Glory Man United!”

She turned on Manchester United’s cheering song, saying she’d do prenatal education, and quickly regained her calm.

I smiled watching her and then turned to check the news articles.

[Recently, YouTubers have become a rising aspiration among elementary school students?]

The word “global village” I learned in elementary school was becoming a reality.

As smartphones advanced, social media began to gain popularity, connecting the world even more closely.

Along with the popularity of social media, K-POP started to spread worldwide.

[Is the world in a Gangseo style craze? The YouTube music video views have surpassed 800 million! Breaking Justin Bieber’s record and achieving number 1 on YouTube views!]

Dortmund’s marketing team was quick to respond now that Gangseo style had surpassed Justin Bieber’s video views and gained global popularity.

– …You want me to dance like a horse?

– You can just mimic the movements.

Just a few days ago, I filmed a video that would go up on the official YouTube account upon request from the Dortmund marketing team.

I could have refused, but I sincerely remembered filming it as part of fan service.

Well. The shoot wrapped up so quickly that I had forgotten when it would be uploaded.

Vrooom—!

The video was just uploaded, and my smartphone was ringing like crazy as if it was a phone call.

***

– Kang Chan: Hahaha, Son Jin-ho! You dance terribly!

– Ho-woo: Chan-hyung seems really excited.

– Dobongsan Crazy Dog: What’s going on? What’s the matter?

– Son Heung-min: (a gif of swaying Son Jinho.)

– Son Heung-min: Hahahaha!

– Ki Sung-yueng: Hahahaha!

– Cha Dong-won: The youngest can’t dance at all, lol!

– Kang Chan: Swaying like a live octopus, hahaha!

– Ho-woo: Hehe.

– Ho-woo: Does it not feel like someone else’s business right now?

– Ho-woo: Everyone should practice. We’ll have to dance soon.

– Son Heung-min: ???

– Kang Chan: What do you mean by that?

– Ho-woo: Now that it has become a hot topic, am I the only one to dance?

– Ho-woo: Promoting the club for a small amount of money, would you guys not be interested in YouTube?

– Son Heung-min: No way…

– Kang Chan: Ah. I’m a terrible dancer.

***

[Dortmund uploads a video of Son Jinho following the Gangseo style dance, causing a buzz.]

└ Didn’t someone say back then that if our brother can’t play soccer, he should become an idol?

└ Lmao, with those dancing skills, become an idol?

└ That’s just horrifying, lol!

└ Thank goodness he didn’t hope to become an idol, phew;;

[Son Jinho comments on Hamburg’s YouTube channel, “I hope Mr. Son Heung-min playing in Hamburg makes the next video.”]

└ Hahahaha, I can’t die alone here, haha!

└ Did someone summon a water ghost? Hahaha!

[Hamburg SV announces they’re talking to Son Heung-min about shooting a video….]

└ Ah, haha, so we’re really going for it? Haha!

[Dortmund is heading to Hoffenheim for the winter break.]

└ When is the game against Dortmund and Man U in the Champions League?

└ February 13th.

└ Thanks a lot!

***

There was still plenty of time left until the Champions League Round of 16 match between Dortmund and Manchester United.

“Let’s focus on the league for a while; it would be easier if other teams could bring down Bayern.”

Jürgen Klopp decided to focus on the league and the cup for the time being.

With the 17th round away game against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and a home match against Hannover 96 in the DFB-Pokal coming up, winter break would soon arrive.

“I heard the manager is giving a reward vacation for winning?”

“Ooooh!! Vacation!!”

The players of Dortmund vowed to give their all to finish the first half with a victory and leave for their vacation in high spirits.

And time passed.

Fans began gathering at Hoffenheim’s home ground, the Rhein-Neckar Arena.

***

“Let’s gain some points in this match to turn the mood around!”

Before the match started, Hoffenheim’s players looked determined to break their streak of five losses in a row.

However, given how Dortmund had recently risen as a formidable opponent to Bayern Munich, the gap in power between the contenders for the title and Hoffenheim, a strong relegation candidate, was broader than expected.

[The match is somewhat one-sided, but Hoffenheim has held up well until now.]

From the start of the game, Hoffenheim was being pushed around and was getting beaten in their own half.

[GOOOOOOL! It’s in! Mario Götze! Götze’s right-footed shot curls right into the corner of the net!!]

Starting with Mario Götze’s long-range shot in the 18th minute, Dortmund bombarded Hoffenheim.

The first half ended with a score of 3-0, and the second half continued.

[Son Jinho! He intercepts the Hoffenheim counterattack!]

Son Jinho read the passing lanes in Hoffenheim’s half and intercepted the ball.

He quickly got back on his feet and surveyed the surroundings.

In Son Jinho’s sight, Robert Lewandowski was penetrating the penalty box.

[Son Jinho! He plays a through ball to Lewandowski breaking into the penalty box!!]

Lewandowski gently turned Son Jinho’s pass towards the goal using his right foot while simultaneously pulling the ball back with his left foot to evade a center-back’s tackle.

Creating a shooting angle, he took a short dribble to the right and fired a powerful shot with his right foot that shook the net.

[It’s in!!! A fabulous additional goal by Lewandowski!]

[And this season, once again, Son Jinho records double-digit assists in the first half of the league!!]

As Lewandowski scored with his fantastic individual skill, Son Jinho rejoiced by climbing onto Lewandowski’s shoulders.

“Damn it! Do that every day!”

***

[Dortmund wins 4-0 at Hoffenheim.]

[An unprecedented title race, Dortmund and Bayern Munich bombarding the Bundesliga.]

***

Just three days after the match against Hoffenheim, the DFB-Pokal match against Hannover was held.

Jürgen Klopp, perhaps feeling the fatigue accumulating, gave Son Jinho a rest.

It might have been a different story at the beginning of the season when İlkay Gündoğan had not settled in yet.

But now, there was enough assurance to allow Son Jinho a break.

Jürgen Klopp split Son Jinho’s role between Mario Götze and İlkay Gündoğan.

Though their combination wasn’t as overwhelming, it was sufficient for taking on Hannover.

“Hey, Son Jinho.”

Watching Dortmund play without Son Jinho made Han Gyeouri realize his influence once more.

“Yes?”

“The Champions League Round of 16 match is on February 13th.”

“Right?”

“Do you think you’ll be sick that day?”

“No. I think I’ll be in great condition!”

With Son Jinho’s decisive response shutting down Han Gyeouri’s weird thoughts, her cheeks puffed up.

“In that case, if you become M.O.M, I’ll specially shout out your name, Gyeouri.”

“Ah! Don’t! Really.”

 

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