Kiss the Ground

Injury Time ― [Champions League ― Football Cake Winchester United FC Forum]100001: [??]100028: [What?]?100102: [Site’s back up]😭😭100256: [I’m able to log in]WinU crazy bastards😭100304: [The refresh rate is insane lololololololol]I can’t see the posts100380: [Stop refreshing, you maniacs]Football Cake is dying100422: [ >>>>WinU Champions League Champions<<<< ]No lie100491: [Final, penalty shootout 5:3, Winchester United F.C. wins].100578: [Winchester won]lolololololololololololololololololololololololol100611: [Chahyun is insane]Like he’s possessed100672: [I was so scared of the penalty shootout I turned off the TV, damn it, how did it go]└ Last kicker Chachyun scored, we won└ Bro😭100700: [😭😭😭😭😭]I can’t believe it100690: [My dad has a history of high blood pressure, I’m so worried]He looks like he’s about to run out playing his saxophone└ Let him do it└ No one’s sleeping now anyway100787: [Crazy Chahyun]What a madman100810: [Where is Yoon Chahyun going]He’s going to outer space…100854: [I hate penalty shootouts, I hate them, they’re so scary]How can I watch😭😭😭😭😭😭😭who kicked???└ Order: Cahill -> Aloys -> Winston -> Misha -> Chahyun└ That order is crazy too, how did he take the last kick, he’s got huge guts100899: [What’s up with the site???lololololol]Why does it keep crashing? Did the server die? Since when?└ Since Yoon Chahyun’s multi-goal in the second half until the penalty shootout└ Must have been a near-death experience100970: [Winning the Champions League grants immunity for 100 years]Yoon Chahyun can gamble twice and still be forgiven└ I agree101002: [When I suggested adding more servers during the semifinals, they didn’t listen, knew it would crash once]I told youWinUWould win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!└ Feels like half the nation is on this site lol└ lololol??? Peripheral Football Cake is bewildered…└ All soccer communities are down101040: [The sun’s coming up, guys]I’m saluting the flagTyping with one hand└ Patriot😭101133: [Chahyun is Korea]No. Korea is Chahyun.I am a ‘Chahyun citizen’.└ That country ―.. ‘I’m immigrating’└ ‘Naturalization’ approved└ This concept is intense,,101293: [Look at the transfer trolls who wanted Yoon Chahyun sold, they’re all quiet now lolololol]All those guys who yelled for two years to sell him, where are they now?└ We beat the club that was talking about transferring… downgrade lol😭└ Hahahahaha101421: [Yoon Chahyun will be the breadwinner of Winchester for the next three years]Transfer, what transfer… I can just imagine him farming in London alone└ If it were me, I wouldn’t let him go either lololol101532: [So how much prize money does WinU get?? ㅇㅁㅇ]Champions League winner’s prize money???└ Just the basic prize money is over 70 billion won└ Add a few more things, and it’s just enough to pay Chahyun’s weekly wage└ lolololololol101644: [Try Yoon Chahyun, Korea’s greatest export, wrapped in kimchi]One bite, 80 million euros!└ A tangy price└ How do you afford that lolololol103043: [Oh, I just woke up]My hands are shaking, how did our light score? I can’t rewatch yet😭└ First goal in the first half (Misha assist), multi-goal in the second half (Misha assist), last goal in the penalty shootout└ Wow damn😭😭😭😭😭└ Misha’s assist was amazing104064: [So is Chahyun’s celebration now set as that?]He’s so European???????└ He’s lived there a long time, so physical affection is natural… lol└ Does he kiss like that?104475: [Opinion from a soccer fan of n0 years]That kind of kiss is at the high-five level└ For real└ Wow..104709: [Why do soccer players have such intense physical affection?]Hugging seems basic…└ Since they’re always clashing, they get emotionally attached└ Not wrong, but still…104833: [Guys, look at the angle of Misha’s cross]It’s perfect delivery service, honestly, if you think about it from his perspective, could you resist smashing your face into Misha?└ This is true lololololololololol105121: [But didn’t it look like he really used his tongue at the end??]If you look closely at the gif, pixel-wise└ He scored and used his tongue, two birds with one stone└ Are you crazy??105142: [Those two really work well together]Misha has improved a lot since the start of the league, he’s raised a good junior└ Agree106111: [I want to suck Yoon Chahyun’s toes]I’m going crazy, I’m so overwhelmed, it’s morning, but I can’t calm down└ Stop sucking up😭😭 One pervert per page└ Chahyun’s toes must be melted by now106573: [Yoon Chahyun’s life is now set]He can play for another five years, retire, and get married… first Korean player to win the Champions League😭😭└ Really amazing106623: [I took a day off today]I work in service, but my voice is hoarse, so I can’t go in└ I skipped my class lol107899: [Is Chahyun coming to Korea now?]Isn’t he spending the pre-season in Korea??? Because of the World Cup qualifiers??└ Yeah, he’s called up for the A match, he’ll be here for a while this time└ Ah… I hope he stays longer this time….😭😭😭 I never get to hear him speak Korean because he always leaves quickly107939: [?? Who are we playing in the A match]└ Sweden108200: [Sweden for the A match??]lolololololololololol└ Lololololololololololol└ ??lolololololol108323: [I thought Sweden sounded familiar]Isn’t that the country of his in-laws?└ lolololololololololol108387: [Is Misha coming to Korea?]Is this a hidden camera prank?└ This is getting creepy now.108433: [Having Sweden as the A match opponent is kind of crazy]That’s not a friendly match, it’s a matchmaking event.└ National introduction ceremony lololol108565: [Wait, are Chahyun and Misha really facing each other??]What is this, Romeo and Juliet?└ Guys, I can’t tell if you’re serious or joking anymore…108858: [I feel a strong intent from FIFA]Some kind of cosmic force to pit Yoon Chahyun and Misha against each other.└ The beginning of delusion lolololol└ Matchmaker FIFA lololol108911: [Damn it, I’m going to the airport with a cannon and a flower garland to greet Misha]I’ll show them how in-laws bow to a beautiful daughter-in-law.└ The Swedish team will be so surprised lol└ It’s going to be packed with people…108960: [Welcome, Misha]We’ll take good care of you today.└ You’re going to wear a hanbok, right?109002: [I don’t care anymore. We won the Champions League, who cares if my daughter-in-law is a foreigner]As long as my boy is happy ^_^└ Let’s think about if there might be a bigger issue than being a foreigner.109012: [😭😭😭😭 When is the ticketing for the Sweden match??/??/]I’m going to mobilize my family and relatives to buy tickets. I can’t miss this.└ You’ll probably need to mobilize your classmates and friends to get even one F seat…└ It’s going to be like a national course registration day.109056: [The Sweden match is at the end of next month]I’m just letting you know the schedule even though you won’t be able to go lol└ Damn, I’m so pissed off😭😭😭😭└ You’re a trashy bastard.└ I’m seriously mad lololololol109074: [But seriously, who do you think will win?]If Sweden is our qualifying opponent, the draw isn’t great…└ We’ll see.. if Park Jung and the young players join, won’t we go to the finals?109088: [Yoon Chahyun vs. Misha Asplund]Skill comparison only, not position.└ In terms of agility and speed, isn’t Chahyun faster?└ That’s because Yoon Chahyun is smaller.└ Yoon Chahyun is suing you.109102: [It’s meaningless to compare since their positions are different]I just want both of them on the national team.. Are we in a position to be picky?└ 😭😭 It’s going to be brutal.109140: [I have a genius idea]First, prepare a sack.Then, hide at Incheon Airport.As soon as Misha comes out, cover him and kidnap him.When he comes to his senses, he’ll be playing in our midfield.└ Misha in the sack: 194cm/85kg109184: [Why bother preparing a sack??]European countries have been doing marriage diplomacy since the medieval times anyway. Seducing Yoon Chahyun is the most efficient method.Just catch him when he arrives, give him two glasses of makgeolli and some boneless chicken, and the next day he’ll be stamping papers at the Gwangjin District Office.└ This is the best plan so far lololololol└ Misha shivers in confusion…109199: [But if Misha comes, won’t they film a show?]Last time, Yoon Chahyun did a variety show together…😭They said they signed a CF contract too. Aren’t they going to appear on something like Global Friends?└ That’s more of a Yoon Chahyun problem than Misha. He’ll never do variety shows.└ 😭😭109204: [The sun is up, and the morning news is all about Yoon Chahyun lololol]No matter which channel I switch to, it’s all the same lololol└ They’ll be talking about the Champions League for the next month.109215: [Chahyun, I love you]I love you… I love you….└ Cheap love confiscated.└ Damn it…109350: [I’m new to football, where should I start to become a fan of Yoon Chahyun?]I only know that you win if you score goals.└ Watch the last group stage match of this Champions League, Umbertide vs. Yoon Chahyun.└ Thanks!└ Isn’t that the kissing match?└ Right, Satan would be out of a job…113332: [It feels like a dream and it’s great, but something feels empty]What do we do after the Champions League ends?└ Don’t you know? When one Champions League ends, another one begins.└ Infinite Champions League lololol120032: [Feeling lonely]Thinking about it ending makes me feel so lonely. What do I watch late at night now?└ Don’t feel lonely. Winchester is the defending champion, so they automatically qualify for next year’s Champions League.└ Oh right lololololol└ Loneliness gone in an instant.122003: [This season was really fun T_T]I’m not a football expert, but I enjoyed watching it with my cake friends. Thank you, Winchester. Thank you, cakes who ran with me. Thank you.└ Thank you speech confiscated T_T└ I thought the football cake fandom was closing.122803: [What’s with the tearful mood lolololololololol]Who’s crying? (sniffling)123999: [European football never ends, cake friends]Hurry up and get to work or school.124590: [If you’re Korean, you should support Winchester]!!!!!!124609: [I’ll be back later!]Jae.Han.Win Yoon Chahyun, come quickly T_TFine. Breaking the boundaries.▶ [Cheer up, Misha. I’m curious to see how it goes. I’m looking forward to it. I want to see you soon. ―L.A.]This is the message that usually arrives the day before a match. Misha Asplund blinked at the blinking string of characters. Then he moved his fingers to clear the message from his screen.Swish. The incoming message disappeared, leaving his face reflected on the black screen. He unconsciously met his own gaze. Wet straw-colored hair, eyes as dull as burnt ashes, and features that were only proportionate. A bland, inorganic appearance, like a well-crafted vessel. The contents inside were neither interesting nor attractive.Misha turned off his phone and tossed it into the team bag inside his locker. He threw the clothes he had just taken off into the bucket in the corner of the dressing room and took out new clothes. As he slipped on the freshly laundered shirt over his neck, a teammate started talking to him.“Misha, you’re coming to the gathering today, right?”“What gathering?”“Don’t you remember? Blue said he’s treating us to dinner before the last group stage match!”“Oh.”Misha’s indifferent reply came out. But Kaya, looking at Misha’s sullen profile, seemed as excited as could be. Kaya, who loved socializing and meeting people, never missed any social event inside or outside the club. This proposal was likely more about flaunting their togetherness at the table rather than genuinely wanting Misha’s company.Obvious intentions. Misha quietly asked, “Who else is going?”“Everyone’s going! Adrian is coming with us… along with Alois’ group, Cahill’s group, and even Yuan’s group. All the coaches are coming too. It’s been a long time since we’ve all moved together.”Kaya rapidly listed their teammates’ names, looking at Misha with hopeful eyes. It was as if he believed the fact that most of the club would attend the dinner would sway Misha’s decision. Kaya knew well enough about Misha’s barren social skills.But among the names, there was indeed one that sent a chill through Misha’s heart.“…Seems like everyone is really moving together.”“Yeah, after tomorrow’s match, we’ll be busy again for a while. We won’t have another chance to have dinner together for some time…”“Right.”“Right… so what are you going to do?”Kaya nervously licked his lips. Misha adjusted his outfit, pulling it down to his waist and straightening it. Kaya’s gaze followed him as he changed into practice shoes and grabbed his team bag.Misha took a deep breath as he looked in the mirror, then gave his answer in one go.“Fine. I’ll go, so stop staring at me.”“That’s the spirit.”Kaya grinned and patted Misha’s shoulder. The indifferent face in the mirror shook side to side. Misha glanced far behind him as he brushed back his disheveled hair. Ten steps away, at the opposite locker, someone had already changed and was heading out.Not going wasn’t an option.***The dinner was planned at a small pub on the outskirts of the city, Redbeard. A familiar spot, known to everyone, like Winchester United F.C.’s own dining hall.When Misha approached the round table in the corner, most of the players had already arrived. A few teammates raised their hands to welcome Misha and his group. “Where have you been, crawling in now?”, “Get over your main character syndrome.” Amid the boisterous laughter and commotion, Misha silently took a seat in an empty chair.Silence is a good thing. It spares you from unnecessary conversations with irrelevant people. As Misha set his team bag on the floor, he cast a sidelong glance. Amid the crowd, at the far end of the table two seats away, there he was.The focal point of the giant arc drawn at Misha’s feet. Sitting where the large, transparent silver compass needle pointed… Yoon Chahyun.Their gazes met for about a second. Yoon Chahyun smiled and raised a hand towards Misha, who had just arrived.“You’re late. Did you eat?”“…I came to eat now.”“Oh right, that’s true.”Yoon Chahyun’s first question was usually about meals. It was as if it was a very important matter to him when and what Misha had eaten, as he always inquired about breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But it didn’t take long for Misha to realize that his questions weren’t truly out of concern for his health. Because, just like this,“Eat a lot. Have fun.”He would immediately turn away.His jet-black eyes quickly shifted to Jude Ingram, who was beside him. Only his sharp-profiled face was left pointed in this direction. Amid the cheerful laughter and noisy chatter, Misha’s presence was already forgotten.It was a familiar neglect. Neither sad nor lonely, just a fleeting interaction.Misha took a long sip from the glass of water in front of him. The cold liquid stung his mouth and throat, soon pressing coolly against his stomach. The staff, accustomed to visits from the local football club, naturally brought food to the table. Roast beef, Scotch eggs, potato dishes… a variety of conversations followed the dishes that were laid out. Misha answered occasional questions directed at him while looking down at the table laden with food.The glass in front of him was covered with cold droplets. Misha gripped it with one hand, rounding his fingers around it.Not coming here wasn’t an option. But he didn’t want to come.Because he had anticipated feeling this way. Unable to approach the center, yet not completely excluded—a vague reality.Yoon Chahyun was kind and gentle, yet simultaneously cruel and sharp. He liked reaching out to teammates who hadn’t yet found their footing, teaching them how to acclimate to unfamiliar environments. But at the same time, once he felt they had grown, he would let them go without hesitation. Like feeding a stray cat with a free spirit, a kind yet cruel attention.So, this neglect meant that Misha Asplund had become a stray that had left his care. With teammates and friends of his own, Yoon Chahyun was confident he would find his way without needing to be looked after.“…Sigh.”Misha fiddled with the fork on the table. He had little appetite. Then, someone approached the table from the opposite side.“Is the food not good?”At the low, serious voice, Misha suddenly looked up. The person sitting across from him propped their elbows on the table, giving him a serious look.“No. It’s fine.”The distance was too close. Feeling suffocated by the close gaze, Misha responded tersely. But the person continued to meddle.“For your age, it’s good to eat well. Especially with a match tomorrow.”“I’ll manage.”“As captain, I’m a bit concerned. Your body is still growing, isn’t it?”Cahill Love leaned forward, lowering his eyebrows just enough for Misha to see. The tone was ambiguous—was he worried or picking a fight? They hadn’t had many conversations before. An unintentionally sharp retort slipped out.“What I eat is none of your business.”It was a response that could easily be criticized for lacking social skills. But Cahill Love only tilted his head slightly.“You seem to have a lot on your mind. Is it because of tomorrow’s match?”“Not really.”The strangely perceptive question annoyed him. And as if sensing that, more probing questions followed.“If you have concerns, I can listen.”“No… I don’t need it.”“I can offer advice if you need counseling.”Annoying. Was he always this persistent and stubborn? His expression contorted despite himself, but the captain, the same age as Yoon Chahyun, continued speaking without blinking an eye.“I can’t play in tomorrow’s match because of an injury, but you can. So, I should help you be in the best condition.”Only then did Misha look directly at Cahill Love’s eyes. His hair, nearly black, was neatly swept back, and the deep eyes beneath resembled the color of absinthe. Understanding a person’s depth and breadth wasn’t usually difficult, but Cahill Love was different.Behind the eyes, masked by responsibility and seriousness, was something enigmatic and unfathomable. It was certainly different from the athletic ideals he espoused.“…”Would it be right to trust this person? He had never asked anyone for help before. Never revealed his inner thoughts to anyone.But even thinking that meant he was already caught in the person’s net.“I–”The fork, which had been poking at the salad, stopped. Misha lifted his lips slowly, fingers hovering in the air.“…Everything feels meaningless.”Then he continued, almost in a mumble.“There’s nothing more I can achieve at my level.”