Shocking news struck the football world.
Related articles heated up the media day after day, and the trending search terms were "Ho-young," "marriage," "agent," "Euro Export e PRD," "Lucci," and "Ariana."
[Super agent Giuliano Lucci gets married!
Super agent Lucci, who completed a €500 million transfer last summer, is known as Ho-young's personal agent and the head of his agency.
Players represented by Giuliano Lucci's agency, Euro Export e PRD Ltda, include Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, David Silva, David Luiz, Iniesta, Arbeloa, Vincent Kompany, Gareth Bale, Eden Hazard, Adebayor, Fellaini, Ødegaard, and more.]
Surprisingly, it was Lucci, not Ho-young, who made the front page of the newspaper.
The reason was the sudden wedding news.
"Pregnant, all of a sudden. I was surprised too."
"Pregnancy isn't exactly something you can predict."
"Hahaha. Well, that's true."
Ho-young's mansion near Madrid.
Ho-young spoke with a smile.
He had known Lucci had a partner, but the sudden pregnancy news was naturally shocking.
Then Lucci narrowed his eyes slightly and spoke.
"Always be mentally prepared. This is something that can happen to anyone."
"I don't know. I'm a man without openings."
"Ahem. Or is it just me, or has Monica been visiting more often these days? You never know what can happen in life."
Having recently finished the World Championships, Monica had been visiting Ho-young's house often lately.
It was only three days ago that the paparazzi had photographed it and the story had ended up on the front page of the newspapers.
"I seriously don't know where they keep taking those pictures from. Even with security, they still catch everything. Camera technology has gotten way too good."
Paparazzi followed Ho-young wherever he went.
For him, privacy was a luxury.
So whenever something like this happened, he always ended up going through a few uncomfortable days.
But this time it had been resolved quickly.
"Anyway, thanks, Lucci. To think you'd even announce your marriage for my sake. You really must be an agent by nature. Thanks to you, the articles about Monica and me disappeared right away."
"Haha, this much is nothing."
The two exchanged silly jokes and drank their champagne.
The Champions League final still remained, but on a good day like this, a toast was mandatory.
"By the way, are you holding the wedding back home?"
"No. I'm not leaving here. Madrid is Ariana's hometown too."
"What about the date?"
"She wants to hold the ceremony before her belly shows more... Hmm, but honestly, waiting another two weeks wouldn't change much."
"From her point of view, it would. She already complains every time she goes to the medical center that she's gaining weight."
"Haha. That's part of Ariana's charm."
Ariana.
She had once worked at La Paz Hospital in Madrid, and now she was working as a team doctor at Real Madrid's medical center. She was Lucci's bride-to-be.
Lucci's child was already growing well inside her, and the two planned to hold the ceremony as soon as all club duties were over.
But Ariana's position was that she wanted to hold the wedding even a day sooner.
"Then why not just do it right away?"
"Haha. But marriage isn't something you can just throw together. We have to choose the venue and make plans..."
"Wouldn't it be fine to be spontaneous just once in your life?"
Because of his work as an agent, Lucci had a habit of planning everything thoroughly.
That was also why he had been able to manage Ho-young's schedule so flawlessly until now.
It was a very tight and suffocating kind of life.
So.
"Do as I say. Hold the wedding right away, the way Ariana wants."
Wasn't a wedding a once-in-a-lifetime event?
At least this time, Ho-young thought they should follow their feelings and do what they wanted.
"Besides, after the Champions League is over, everyone will go back home or leave for holiday. If you hold the wedding then, I feel like half the guests won't come. Right now, just after the season ends, is the perfect time."
"Mm, that's true, but..."
"You're thinking about me, aren't you?"
"...Haha. That's not it."
"Of course it is."
There was no way Ho-young would not know what Lucci was thinking.
And he was right.
With the UEFA Champions League final just ahead, Lucci had been worried that if he held the wedding now, it might interfere with Ho-young's training.
At that, Ho-young spoke in a firm voice.
"We're going to win no matter what. So don't worry about me. Family happiness matters more than a single trophy."
"Family..."
At those sincere words, Lucci pressed his lips together.
It was obvious he was holding back the emotions surging inside him.
Ho-young spoke with complete sincerity.
"This time, I'm your agent. I'll take care of the wedding."
It was nothing grand.
Just a small way of repaying everything Lucci had done for him so far.
Saturday, May 23.
A grand wedding was held at the Noed Hotel in Madrid, Spain.
It was the day groom Lucci and bride Ariana tied the knot.
At the wedding, major figures from Real Madrid attended in large numbers, including manager Pellegrini, advisor Pérez, and many players from the club.
There were also guests who had flown in from abroad.
FIFA officials from Brazil and the Middle East, agents from other agencies, and famous football figures close to Lucci such as Alex Ferguson, José Mourinho, and Pep Guardiola attended and lit up the occasion.
Meanwhile, Ho-young, attending as one of the groomsmen, had been looking after Lucci from the day before the wedding until today.
At last, the brilliant wedding ceremony began.
When today's main figure, Ariana, the most radiant bride in the world at this moment, entered the hall, warm applause poured out.
Watching her, Monica blinked her bright eyes.
A smile rose to Ho-young's lips.
"Beautiful, isn't she?"
"Yeah. I'm jealous too..."
"Then I guess we should have a child too."
"Hahaha!"
Even at Ho-young's teasing joke, Monica neither denied it nor agreed.
Meanwhile, the wedding proceeded smoothly, and after a congratulatory song by the Gallagher brothers of Oasis, whom Ho-young had invited, the ceremony came to an end.
And by the time the reception was over, Ho-young handed Lucci a small gift.
"These are plane tickets?"
"I heard you pushed your honeymoon back because of the final. Don't do that, just go and enjoy yourselves. Football can be watched on TV. I'll have people waiting at the airport, so don't even think about coming back early."
"Ah..."
Lucci was so overwhelmed he could not speak.
Only after quite a while did he finally manage to say something.
"But where is the destination...?"
"I picked somewhere both of you will be satisfied with. Here."
What Ho-young handed over was not just the plane tickets.
There was also a bundle of complicated documents and a map, and it turned out to be paperwork transferring ownership of a small island in Spain to Lucci.
"It's a wedding gift."
"..."
Lucci had no choice but to fall silent again.
And then, in the end,
"Thank you, really, thank you..."
Lucci finally burst into tears and hugged Ho-young tightly.
Ho-young returned the embrace just as fiercely.
"No, thank you. I really mean it."
It was the moment their relationship had gone beyond business and become as close as real family.
Late at night.
Once the reception ended, even the people who had stayed until the very end drinking left their seats.
The same went for Ho-young and Monica.
"Monica, want to go to my place and have another drink?"
"Will it really be okay to drink more?"
"On a happy day like this, it's fine. That's what we work hard the other 364 days for. And now Lucci's gone from the house, so from today I'll be there alone. It'd be lonely to spend such a good day by myself."
"Ah, that's true!"
"Then let's go."
"Yeah, okay."
"Haha."
Was it because of the wedding?
Or because of the alcohol?
For some reason, Monica looked especially beautiful to Ho-young today.
And it was the same for Monica.
Just looking at Ho-young made her body feel strangely warm.
A subtle atmosphere.
Perhaps the driver noticed it, because he took them home as quickly as Ho-young's dribbling speed.
Sunday, June 6.
The day of the UEFA Champions League final that would crown the 14-15 season had arrived.
This final was hotter than any other before it.
The scalped ticket prices had even risen compared with last year.
And for good reason, the expectation and interest of football fans in this final were higher than ever.
Manchester City, whom Ho-young had raised to the throne in a short time.
Real Madrid, whom he was now trying to restore once again.
The clash between the two teams drew enormous interest even before kickoff.
[Pelé: "Manchester City are the most complete team in history. On the other hand, the current Real Madrid are a team lacking 2 percent. This match will probably be Ho-young's greatest trial."]
[Sky Sports pundit Thierry Henry: "Manchester City have a strong motive to win. That is to beat Real Madrid and step out of Ho-young's shadow. That may end up being what holds Real Madrid back."]
This season, Manchester City had already proved they could do well without Ho-young by winning the EPL, FA Cup, and League Cup.
Of course, most people were predicting a Real Madrid victory, but Manchester City's players themselves were showing strong confidence.
[David Silva: "I want to show him the strength of the team we completed together."]
[Andrés Iniesta: "We will never back down easily."]
[Eden Hazard: "I will show him proudly just how much I have grown."]
[Gareth Bale: "It will be the greatest classic in history. We have powerful motivation. We will stop our hero, Young, with our own hands."]
And then, three hours before the match.
At the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany.
Ho-young, who had been warming up on the pitch, returned to the dressing room when Ramos called him.
"Your phone keeps ringing. Looks like something urgent."
"Ah, thank you."
When Ho-young hurriedly checked his phone, he tilted his head.
'Monica?'
Because the caller was Monica.
It was strange.
She never contacted him before matches because she did not want to affect his focus, yet now, before such an important match, she had called him.
He immediately called back, and a trembling voice came through the receiver.
Excitement and happiness coexisted in that voice.
Thinking something serious might have happened, Ho-young asked in a hurry.
But then.
"Tw, tw, tw, twotwotwo!"
"Two... what?"
"Two lines!"
An answer far beyond what he had expected.
"Ah!"
Right.
Lucci's wedding, two weeks ago.
That day must have been the day.
"Haha. Looks like I need to start looking for a wedding hall."
Without meaning to, Ho-young had suddenly found powerful motivation.
He wanted to celebrate this happy news through today's final.
His goal was only one thing.
Victory.
(To be continued.)