A reward on top of the prize?
That was surprising, but what really occupied Ho-young's mind was trying to recall the face of the old gentleman.
Just then.
"!"
Ho-young's eyes widened.
'Ah, the man in the framed photo in the training facility hallway! So that was Director Victor!'
Now that he remembered, Ho-young glanced around.
Some of the kids seemed to already know who he was, but because of Victor's title as the club director, most of them appeared nervous in his presence.
Ho-young, on the other hand, stepped forward without hesitation.
"Hello, Director."
"Oh, Ho-young, is it? I'm honored that a kid like you even recognizes an old man like me."
"No, the honor's mine. Haha."
To Ho-young, Victor didn't seem like the overly formal type.
Wearing a warm smile, Victor asked, "Has anyone here ever been to Morumbi?"
There was only one thing he could've meant by that.
He was asking if anyone had ever watched a match live at São Paulo FC's official home ground, Estádio do Morumbi.
Everyone except Ho-young raised their hands.
If you grew up in São Paulo, chances were high you supported São Paulo FC, Santos FC, or SC Corinthians Paulista.
But Ho-young had never attended a live match.
It wasn't that he didn't want to.
He'd simply never had the time, always tied up with his hectic schedule.
'But why's he asking that?'
Victor answered the question himself as he raised a thick stack of opening match tickets in his hand.
"See you all tomorrow at Morumbi."
That was the club director's reward.
A small gesture to thank Coach Carlos for winning last year's U13 championship, and to reward the U15 squad for their victory today.
And not just any tickets, these were family passes.
"Whoa..."
"Th-thank you!"
Just as everyone was still reeling from the surprise gift.
"Woo?"
The one calling Ho-young was Coach Carlos, returning to the locker room after his interview.
He said, "You've got a media request. Head out there."
"Me?"
"Yes, you. You scored a hat-trick in your debut."
Carlos gave him a look as if to say, 'Isn't that obvious?'
A media zone had been set up to one side of the pitch.
Just as Carlos said, a reporter from SBT was waiting there.
SBT was one of the most reputable public broadcasters in São Paulo, and with today being the season opener, they had sent someone for post-match interviews.
'Now that I think about it, this is my first Brazilian media interview.'
It was also the first solo interview since speaking with Hwang Tae-seok of Korea Daily Sports.
Nerves kicked in for a moment, but the reporter's kind demeanor helped ease the tension.
"You scored a hat-trick in your debut. Congratulations. It's a record we haven't seen since 1986, when Rivaldo did the same. That's 18 years ago! How does it feel?"
"Feels amazing."
"Hahaha."
After that light opening, the reporter moved on to the next question.
"Do you remember the moment you scored the first goal? You fired a cannon-like shot through a tight gap. Was that intentional?"
"Yes. I'm confident in my speed and long-range shooting, so once I saw the angle open slightly, I took the shot without hesitation."
The interview went on, mostly highlighting Ho-young's performance. Eventually, the reporter asked the final question.
"You ran to Coach Carlos after scoring the first goal. Was there a reason for that?"
"Well, I scored the goal, but I believe the opportunity to score was made possible because of the coach."
Hearing Ho-young respond in fluent Portuguese, the reporter looked genuinely impressed.
"Hmm. So you're saying the goal was due to individual effort?"
It was a somewhat loaded question.
Ho-young shook his head firmly.
"No. It was because I spent the last month syncing up with my teammates. That's what made the goal possible."
"I see."
The reporter had likely hoped for a different kind of answer, but that was all he got.
Thanks to that, Ho-young would appear on television not as an 'arrogant Asian prospect,' but as a 'humble rising star.'
The next day, Sunday, May 2.
As lunchtime rolled around, dozens of children poured out from the elite sports facility in Vitória Régia.
Because today marked the official start of the Brazilian national league season for professional adult teams.
As expected from the most beloved sport in Brazil, even the sports prodigies at the facility took time off to attend the opening match with their families.
Those without family nearby, however, stayed behind at the facility with their packed lunches.
"Hmm..."
Monica was one of them.
She could have gone if she really wanted to, but opening match tickets cost about 50 to 60 reais, money she couldn't afford to spend.
'I really want to go.'
That's when some boys began teasing her.
"Hehe, you're not going, huh?"
"She's poor! Poor girl~!"
They were fellow sports students at the facility. They didn't mean real harm.
At that age, boys often tease the girls they like.
"Meh~ we're going to the match with mom and dad!"
"Jealous? Bet you're jealous!"
Only after those boys left did things finally quiet down.
"Idiots."
Of course Monica wanted to go out with her parents.
She even felt like giving everything up and returning home.
But she knew she had to hold out.
She was a mature girl, after all.
'It's just a football match... Not watching it isn't the end of the world.'
She was just about to head outside to grab her lunch when.
"Hey!"
"Huh?"
A shared struggle.
Ho-young stood there holding a red ticket.
On a sunny Sunday afternoon, Ho-young took Monica with him to São Paulo FC's home stadium, Morumbi.
It was a small gesture of gratitude for all the Portuguese she'd taught him and the emotional support she'd given.
Choi Maria couldn't join due to church, but Monica looked more than pleased with the surprise.
"It feels great to get outside for once, after being stuck training all the time."
"Yeah, it really does."
The timing was perfect.
The Festa Junina was in full swing, so the streets were filled with sights to see and food to eat.
"I'm so excited! It's my first time watching a match live!"
"Same here. Even though it's our team, it's my first visit too."
Their spirits were soaring.
It felt like all the pent-up stress had been lifted.
And with their opponent being their arch-rival Santos FC, the anticipation was even higher.
As they hurried toward the stadium entrance, carried away by the excitement.
"Huh? It's Monica!"
It was the same boys from the facility who used to tease her.
"The poor girl came to the match?"
As always, they couldn't help but tease her.
But Ho-young completely ignored them.
Instead, he took Monica by the hand and headed straight inside.
"Hurry up. It's about to start."
"Ah, okay!"
Monica quickly turned down the corridor leading into the stadium.
That's when—
"Wait. Our seats aren't over there."
Ho-young pulled out the ticket Victor had given him.
It wasn't a regular ticket.
Nor was it for a spot near the sidelines or in the VIP section.
"Then what is it?"
Victor's so-called "small" reward turned out to be a ticket to the Sky Lounge.
These were tickets reserved only for coaches, staff, and players who had gone above and beyond for the club.
"Wow..."
"Save the surprises for later. Let's go up."
"Okay!"
Monica's eyes sparkled.
The Sky Lounge at Morumbi was divided into two sections.
The east side for VVIPs, and the west for club affiliates.
The western side, where Ho-young was headed, had three levels.
It could hold up to 300 people.
Regular staff had access to the first two floors, while the third was reserved for high-ranking club officials.
"Whoa, it's so packed! Monica, let's head up to the second floor."
"Yeah!"
It was opening day, so the stadium was packed wall to wall with spectators.
With about 20 minutes to kickoff, Monica went off to get some snacks while Ho-young scanned the surroundings.
'The coach must be up on the third floor.'
He wanted to say hello, but neither Carlos nor Victor were anywhere to be seen.
They must've gone upstairs already.
So he turned to head toward the second-floor terrace, when—
"...?!"
Ho-young froze in place.
He saw men in suits walking up the stairs to the third floor.
'The coach and the director...'
Coach Carlos and Director Victor.
But it wasn't them that made Ho-young pause.
It was the middle-aged man walking between them, who gave off an aura that was both sharp and kind.
Instinctively, Ho-young approached and bowed.
"Hello, Coach Ancelotti."
If England had Sir Alex Ferguson, then Italy's Serie A had this man.
Carlo Ancelotti.
A former Italian footballer turned coach, his name was always followed by one word — Maestro.
Especially revered in the UEFA Champions League, he was currently managing the Serie A powerhouse, AC Milan.
He had just secured the league title with a win over AS Roma yesterday, which gave him the freedom to fly to São Paulo today.
And now, a boy had recognized him.
Of course, in today's world, almost everyone knew Ancelotti.
But a young Asian boy? That was different.
"What a bright-looking kid," Ancelotti said, returning the greeting with a warm smile that contrasted with his tough appearance.
It was a brief exchange, but a memorable one.
Soon after, Ancelotti headed to the third-floor terrace with the club officials to watch São Paulo FC's opening match.
That was, after all, the reason for his visit.
He had come to scout Brazil's crown prince — Ricardo Kaká.
From kickoff, Kaká was already giving the Santos defenders a nightmare.
"Truly incredible."
It was common for coaches to watch potential signings in person.
Ancelotti was no different.
To complete the tactical balance of his attacking system at AC Milan, Kaká was essential.
In truth, negotiations between the two clubs had already been finalized. All that remained was personal terms with the player.
Which is why Ancelotti had a favor to ask.
"I hope Kaká doesn't get overworked before coming to Milan. We've got a South America–Asia tour scheduled for June."
"Don't worry. After today's opener, we'll manage his schedule so he only needs to maintain his condition."
Victor gave his assurance, and Ancelotti nodded, satisfied.
"Watching Kaká play reminds me once again how exceptional Brazilians are. I heard FIFA had to create a nationality restriction just to prevent every national team from being filled with Brazilian players."
"Haha. Isn't that thanks to Coach Carlos over here?"
Ancelotti sipped his Brazilian coffee and turned toward Carlos.
"I hear you raise top talents every cycle. Got any new prospects this time? Give me a hint if you do."
"Well, speaking of talented players... didn't you just meet one earlier?"
"You mean that Asian boy?"
Ancelotti narrowed his eyes as Carlos smiled faintly.
"You'll be seeing him again soon. On TV, I mean."
His tone was full of certainty.
Then, with a small grin, he added one more thing.
"So Kaká has some personal time until June, right?"
Carlos.
A master in youth development, he was already planning a meeting between the new generation and the current star.
To put it simply — tutoring.
Or in grander terms, passing the torch to the next ace.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)