Cristiano Ronaldo finished the World Cup European qualifier against Albania and took a short one-day vacation nearby.
Afterward, he arrived in Madrid, Spain.
Though he remained a Manchester United player until July 1, the transfer had already been confirmed, and this trip was to make the announcement official.
It was undeniably a historic moment.
The airport was flooded with a countless number of fans, and 800 security personnel were deployed to maintain order in the area.
"Uooooooooh!"
"Ronaldo! Ronaldo!"
The deafening cheers were constant.
Surrounding the arrival gate were hundreds of different placards welcoming Ronaldo.
As he stepped through the gate, Ronaldo stopped in his tracks, wearing a look of disbelief.
He hadn't expected this many people to show up for him.
'So many Madrid fans wanted me here.'
He too had once been a Madridista, dreaming of wearing the Real Madrid kit.
Since childhood, he had longed to join Real Madrid, and now, this all felt like a dream come true.
'Now it's my turn to give them dreams.'
Feeling grateful, he began waving in all directions as he resumed walking.
"...!"
His eyes widened.
Scanning the placards as he passed, several lines caught his attention with a striking impression.
[RONALDO, Thank you for Being with WHY!]
'Ho-young.'
Woo Ho-young, "WHY."
A nickname Real Madrid fans used to refer to Ho-young.
In other words, they were thanking Ronaldo for coming to Madrid to play alongside Ho-young.
'Hmph...'
Seeing Ho-young's name at what was supposed to be his own welcome ceremony gave him mixed feelings.
And it wasn't just one or two placards either.
Though they would soon be teammates sharing the same pitch, Ronaldo already felt a hint of discomfort.
The Champions League final.
Having faced Ho-young there, Ronaldo found him to be an unsettling and awkward presence.
To make things worse, the media constantly compared the two, slowly creating a sense of rivalry.
Then, one placard completely seized Ronaldo's attention.
[RONALDO X WHY, Dos soles debajo del Real Madrid!]
"Ronaldo and Ho-young, Two Suns under Real Madrid."
It was a clear indication of how much faith the Madrid fans had in Ho-young.
'I mean, I knew it but still...'
How could there be two suns in one sky?
Ronaldo disliked that line.
He wanted to be the protagonist at Real Madrid.
Still, it wasn't as if he disliked Ho-young's presence altogether.
Rather, he was very intrigued by the chance to compete with him.
Ronaldo was naturally a highly competitive player.
It was something he acknowledged himself, and he knew it was the driving force behind his growth.
So when Kaka's transfer to Real Madrid fell through, he had felt a slight tinge of disappointment.
But Ho-young remained the "main star" of Real Madrid.
Which is why Ronaldo made a firm resolution.
'I'll take it within three months.'
He would reclaim the protagonist's role.
With that determination in mind, he headed to Santiago Bernabéu.
The official signing ceremony was scheduled after July 2, so today's event was just a light press conference.
The first question came from a reporter from AS.
"Mr. Ronaldo, you've finally achieved your childhood dream. How would you describe your transfer to Real Madrid in one word?"
"Fantastic. That's all."
Click click click click—
As camera flashes poured in, the next question came right after.
"It's been said that you'll be taking a vacation for about a month, but with all the excitement, are you planning to return early?"
"Unfortunately, that won't be the case. Winning the treble with Manchester United was incredibly taxing. This time, I really want to take a proper rest."
A subtle boast about his treble.
Without giving the reporter a chance to follow up, Ronaldo continued.
"And I want to achieve the same success here at Real Madrid. Right now, I feel even more pressure than I did at Manchester United, but, as always, I'll give my best."
"A treble, huh? That's quite the ambition."
"Real Madrid has always been my greatest ambition. That hasn't changed. I want to make this place my stage. No, I will make it my stage."
"Haha. Some people watching this press conference might be feeling a bit nervous."
To that, Ronaldo extended both hands, refusing to answer.
It was his way of dodging a question that seemed aimed at someone.
But the reporter pressed on.
"Surely the fans watching right now are going wild. Many are hoping for a Champions League title. Some believe Real Madrid would have won this year if not for you. Do you have anything to say to those fans?"
It was a tricky question.
But Ronaldo had expected it, so he answered without hesitation.
"One thing I can say for certain is that we are no longer the Real Madrid of the past. Under a great manager and with great teammates, we will evolve. Coach Scolari, in particular, is someone I share a deep connection with. He's a fantastic coach and knows exactly how to use me. So I hope the fans can give us time and watch with patience. Our Real Madrid will make it happen."
His words were clear and confident, a declaration that he intended to lead Real Madrid into a new era.
And the interview ended on a lighter note.
"Once honorary president Alfredo Di Stéfano returns from vacation next month, it's said the two of you will meet. How do you feel about that?"
"Oh, honestly, I'm as nervous as I was meeting Sir Bobby Charlton. My father figure, Sir Alex Ferguson, always told me Di Stéfano was his idol and that I could learn so much from him. So for Di Stéfano to personally want to meet me, it's incredibly meaningful. If he calls, I'll go without hesitation."
"I see. Then I hope you get to meet him soon."
"Thank you."
As usual, Real Madrid would go on a summer world tour.
But since they were scheduled to participate in the Peace Cup, this year's tour would be a light one in the United States.
Until the call-up date in early July, the players were granted a well-deserved vacation.
But not all players could completely relax.
Especially not Ho-young, who had a packed schedule ahead.
Late at night.
Ho-young was in his room speaking with Lucci.
"I've been running nonstop for the past nine months waiting for June, and it's still not over."
"This is just the beginning. For a footballer, summer is the season for side income."
"How much more are you planning to work me..."
"You've got to earn what you're worth! Do you even know your current value? It's skyrocketed way beyond that old ice cream commercial. After the World Cup, it'll explode again!"
Lucci was clearly excited.
In preseason, players usually shoot six-month or one-year ad campaigns, and this year, Ho-young was receiving tons of such offers.
"As of now, you've already got a sponsor shoot scheduled for August, and you'll appear on Spain's most popular radio program."
Ho-young had become a top priority client for Adidas.
It was only fitting for the youngest-ever Champions League Golden Boot winner.
"After that, you can pick and choose based on your preference."
"Wouldn't it be better to just sign a sponsorship deal instead of doing one-offs?"
"But then you'll have more work to do every year."
Money or time.
The choice was Ho-young's.
"I'll listen to all the offers first and go with the best options."
"Agreed!"
"Haha. Looks like you're finally starting to look more relaxed, Lucci."
"Now that the season's over, I can breathe a little. There was a big situation at the club, but it worked out in the end. The renegotiated release clause is satisfactory, too. Now all that's left is..."
"Now is when it really matters."
After watching Ronaldo's press conference two days ago, Ho-young realized something.
It might take a while before they could truly become teammates.
Lucci shared his thoughts.
"I'm a little concerned about Coach Luiz Scolari."
"Same here. He's notoriously stubborn and rigid."
Ho-young knew him well.
A Brazilian with World Cup-winning experience, he had a solid reputation.
After taking the Real Madrid job, he gave the following interview:
—I am not afraid of star players. If any player defies me, even if it's Pelé, I'll drop them from the starting lineup. No amount of criticism will change my mind.
He also had a long history with Portugal, which meant he was very close with Ronaldo.
Even though their positions didn't overlap, it was hard not to feel uneasy.
"President Calderón seems determined to back Ronaldo. While Pérez brought him in, it was actually Calderón who made the first move."
That was true.
Originally, Pérez wasn't aggressive about signing Ronaldo, but repeated requests from Calderón's board and advice from Di Stéfano changed his mind.
"Oh, right. When are you planning to go back to Korea? We've got over 100 companies requesting ads."
"Whoa... that many? Hopefully none of them are school uniform ads?"
"There are four school uniform brands. Aren't you the icon of Korean teenagers right now? It's only natural."
Ho-young suddenly got goosebumps.
Living in Madrid, he hadn't noticed, but imagining what might happen if he returned to Korea was overwhelming.
"I haven't decided yet, but probably next week. I'll take a week off. My family's planning a trip before my mom goes to Paris."
"Okay. I'll keep that in mind. Let me know once the date is set."
"Sure. Let's take a break and get some fresh air."
But that schedule might be moved up even sooner.
Not long after, Ho-young's phone showed a call from a Korean number.
"Korea? Who could it be at this hour?"
"No idea. It's not a number I recognize. Could it be Coach Cha Bum-kun?"
As soon as Ho-young answered, his eyes widened.
It was because of the caller's gentle voice.
—Oh, hello. Are you Ho-young?
"Yes. Who is this?"
—Ah, nice to meet you. This is Coach Heo Seong-soo. You know who I am, right?
"!"
Head coach of the Korean national team, Heo Seong-soo.
It looked like one more thing would be added to Ho-young's summer schedule.
(To be continued.)