Memories

I could hear the rain drops hitting against my window, the storm was intense and it seemed that it wasn't going to end soon, I closed the curtains and lay down on my bed, even though I had dried myself as soon as I arrived, I was still wet so it wasn't recommended to rest straight away since I could catch a cold, although due to my mood I didn't give it much importance.

I closed my eyes trying to rest, hearing the sound of the rain splashing in the street helped me calm down, which in a different scenario would have ended in a pleasant nap, right now it was me fighting against my own thoughts, "I haven't changed a bit...have I?" I asked myself with a helpless smile and wet eyes as I stared at the window without looking away, I thought that I had overcome it, that in these 9 months I had improved, that I wasn't afraid of him, that I wouldn't be the same incapable and helpless boy I was before... But just by hearing his name, it was enough to make my mind destroy everything I thought I had got over, I was naive for thinking that if I came to Gangseo-Gu and got into Seoul United I wouldn't see him again and time would bury my memories gradually, but it looks like... I was wrong.

I couldn't avoid an image of my past showing up in my mind briefly, wounds were spreading all over my body because of the three people who were standing in front of me at that moment.

'Seoul United eh?...There...will they treat me the same way too?' My eyes moved to the bottom of the room where a schedule was hanging, it had football decorations, on each page there was a different famous football player, it was the month of August and the player it showed was none other than, the striker who took the Spanish league apart, 'Cristiano Ronaldo'.

'I wish I could be like him...' trying to put these ridiculous thoughts away I looked at the day which had a red circle circled around it pointing to the 2nd of September, "30 days eh...Still...now I'm not so sure I can get through..." Even though I have now obtained a unique tool such as the system, although I still don't fully understand it, I knew how far I could go, however, I didn't feel like continuing the trials tomorrow.

I leaned up, a window suddenly appeared.

[1/30]

'I've completed one, honestly don't even know how' constantly looking at the screen, I noticed something strange about the number, as if my brain had already figured it out seconds later I understood it '30 tests...30 days' there was a relation with the number of tests and the practical exam of the club 'Are you telling me that...If I manage to complete all the tests I will get in?' without realizing it, with that thought I fell asleep from exhaustion while subtly observing my legs.

5 years ago.

At Daegu Middle School, after finishing the football club training I was heading home to rest for today's practice. Due to the cold weather I was wearing my winter season club uniform, it was a blue outfit with the Daegu City badge embroidered on the top right side of the jacket. As I was walking along the outside exit, I noticed someone tapping my shoulder, I turned my head, recognising the person instantly.

"Shall we go together?" asked a girl of about 15 years old, with slightly loose black hair, we had just finished club activities, but she was wearing our school uniform, only the sports clubs had a separate outfit.

"We'd better not...Hyori" I answered hesitantly as I tried to hide certain parts of my body, then kept walking.

She narrowed her eyes and grabbed my arm, "Hey what are you doing?!" ignoring my reproach, she pulled down the sleeve of my jacket and said seriously "They've done it again haven't they?".

"Tell me the truth!" she insisted while she started to shake me even harder for answers, I knew she was worried about me and wanted to help me, but still, I pulled my arm away from her "That's none of your business" I launched her a sharp look "Stay out of my own things" after saying those words I pulled away from her and kept on walking.

I lived in an orphanage not so far from the school, so it was not a long route, but still, it was always the same. As I passed in front of one of the alleys someone pushed me from behind quite hard, causing me to fall to the ground, it was so sudden that I couldn't stop the fall with my hands, instead I had to stop it with my elbows, tearing my clothes in the process.

"What did I tell you loser?" a voice echoed behind me, as I tried to sit up a kick impacted on my stomach moving me further into the alley causing me to spit some blood out of my mouth.

A hand gripped my hair tightly moving my head in his direction until our eyes met "What do you have to say huh?!" the boy who was hitting me was called Chung-ho, he was the typical class bully who only picked on those who were weaker than him, though I... wasn't one of those.

When his face was close enough I headbutted him gathering all the strength I could "AAAA!!! you bastard!!!" he screamed in pain while he covered with his hands where he had been hit, took a few steps backwards in shock.

"Without Kwon you're shit" I said as I charged and punching him in the face.

That punch pushed him far away from me "You...damn scum, you dare to hit me huh!!!" when he was about to make a counter attack, a voice sounded from the other side of the alley, I froze, I knew that selfish and arrogant voice, I saw Chung-ho surprised for a moment, then a smile appeared on his face, I turned my head back slowly hoping I was wrong, a boy appeared from the deepest part of the alley.

His hair was brown and somewhat short except for two strands that fell over his eyes, he had an outstanding athletic build, no wonder he was the tallest in the grade, he held his characteristic cocky smile while glaring at you with those slanted brown eyes.

"Are you done with the punishment...Kwon?" I anxiously asked as I leaned back slightly.

"And whose fault is that?" I could see a vein begin to stand out on his face, his smile spread even wider as he began to approach.

Quick footsteps were heard where Chung-ho was standing, I watched as he approached towards Kwon "Hahaha now that you're here let's destroy that bastard", when he said that I couldn't help but think 'What an idiot', Chung-ho turned expecting his confirmation and what he got was a face full of anger and annoyance from Kwon "Eh? Kwon? What's wrong?" he said shaking, 'The thing he hates most above all else is... when someone inferior to him dares to order him around'.

She grabbed him by the neck avoiding his breathing "Wait...Wait!!!" He tried to wriggle out of her grip but his attempts were useless "We are...friends", physical strength was what made him one of the main powers of the team, along with his physical appearance made him popular in the school.

After a few moments before he lost consciousness he was thrown against the wall, Chung-ho began to cough as he clutched his neck tightly making sure it hadn't been ripped out, I couldn't blame him, after all I knew that feeling better than anyone.

"Chung-ho" was on the ground trying to breathe properly, he looked up answering Kwon's call, their eyes met momentarily, he had those same eyes, "Know your place" those hated eyes that look at you like you're trash.

Chung-ho just nodded in response, "Well then..." Kwon turned his attention to me, he began to slowly approach me again, "Aren't you going to apologize to me?" he asked ironically.

"Me? Because I should...it was your fault that..." without giving me time to finish I was slapped by him "You...you still don't understand the situation you're in, do you?"

Even with the hit I received I didn't let myself be overpowered easily and finished the sentence "You were punished".

More than the words I think it was my unbreakable and determined expression that pissed him off the most "Son of a bitch" he raised his fist with force to hit me, I knew it was impossible to beat him in a fight, but I didn't give up, I tried to dodge him but he suddenly changed the direction of the blow, I could see his fist inches away from my face.

"STOP!!!" a familiar voice bounced across the alley, his fist stopped a few inches from my nose, Kwon turned his head in the direction of the voice, my eyes followed him.

"Hyo-Hyori?" I couldn't help but be surprised and concerned by her presence "What are you doing here?" I reproached.

"I've come for you of course" she determinedly said, turning her attention to Kwon she yelled "What do you think you're doing to Tech?!".

Come to think of it she had always been like that, Hyori always cared about me, even back then, even if I didn't treat her like I deserved she saw me as her friend and yet I still kept my distance from her, it was as if an unbreakable wall had been separating me from her even though we were childhood 'friends', a wall that I myself create, I...I guess I never really considered her as one...until that day.

"Oh wow Tech, I didn't know you had such a good looking friend...It'll be..." I looked at him bewildered "Fun to play with her.... " I knew that tone he did, whenever there were girls involved he did it, for the first time in my life, I unleashed my rage on him landing a punch to his jaw causing him to unbalance, falling to his knees instants later, he was disconcerted, Kwon didn't know what had happened, until his mind came back to his senses and he saw himself on his knees, when he looked up our eyes met, "Don't say her name again... substitute".

I didn't know it at that moment but right in that instant when our gazes met Kwon flinched...the boy who had everything and was feared, felt fear for the first time in his life, and that fear was coming from the same person he continuously bullied.

Chung-ho was in shock at what had just happened and quickly ran away in fear of what he had seen.

"Uh...Tech?" Hyori asked concerned.

"Yeah, I'm coming now" I turned my back to him and started to head towards her, I don't know why I did it but if I hadn't, if I had just kept quiet, maybe...I could have saved myself from the hell that awaited me.

"If you're so proud of your strength" I turned my head towards Kwon one last time, I could see his blank expression still processing what had happened "Prove it on the field".

Present

I opened my eyes slowly 'That's when it started heh....'.

'Why I remember that now...' I sat up in bed and picked up my mobile while continuing debating myself, remembering what that bastard did to me always filled me with terror and panic, without knowing how or why I searched the internet for 'Daegu Union' but when I saw his image in the K league picture that I hadn't seen in a while I understood everything, I began to squeeze my mobile hard, 'I....' without realising what was happening, what I thought would always be fear and terror, slowly began to turn into a relentless rage "I know I was part guilty...but" my teeth began to chatter as I kept a look of fury watching the picture "What you did to me...there is no forgiveness" looking at the window of the remaining tests I said determined "You will become my first step...The first step for my own evolution..." .