Chapter 89
“So this is... the country of Hatano Yui. I've wanted to visit so badly.”
At Park Chan-hyeok's words, Ryoichi, a Japanese reporter, was flustered.
‘...Who is that?’
Because he didn't know who Hatano Yui was.
There was no one in the world crazy enough to go around memorizing the name of a just-debuted AV actress.
Ryoichi hurriedly looked around. He wanted to ask who Hatano Yui was.
But the other reporters were clearly just as clueless.
‘Ah. Right, my smartphone.’
Ryoichi took the smartphone from his pocket and searched immediately.
He'd bought it because it was supposedly popular in America, but he still wasn't used to it.
Ryoichi calmly opened the internet search bar and immediately searched for Hatano Yui.
What came up was an article about a rookie AV actress's debut.
At that moment, Ryoichi's favorable impression of Park Chan-hyeok shot up instantly.
‘Chan-hyeok-san, you were a man after all.’
But feelings didn't matter.
What mattered was that, whatever the nuance, this was good news material.
[(Exclusive) A rookie AV actress even a Korean in the Bundesliga knows…?]
Once Ryoichi published the article first, even more sensational pieces began popping up after it.
It was a desperate attempt to draw even a little attention and rack up more views.
['Golden Eye' Park Chan-hyeok names an AV actress this time.]
[Japan's sex industry is number one in the world…!]
[A rookie AV actress hiding heavyweight connections? What is the relationship between Hatano Yui and Park Chan-hyeok?]
***
That evening.
Watching the flood of articles from a hotel suite in Tokyo, Japan, I realized it.
[A rookie AV actress hiding heavyweight connections? What is the relationship between Hatano Yui and Park Chan-hyeok?]
That I'd made a huge blunder.
- Waterboy: Damn, you idiot.
- Me: Hey, do you have no respect for your elders, you little brat?
- Waterboy: Older brother, are you an idiot by any chance?
My younger sister in Germany had checked the article too and immediately called me.
Still, she knows I messed up, but she's way too harsh on her older brother.
I guess I'll need to straighten her out soon.
‘...But what's this Golden Eye? It's making my skin crawl.’
Anyway.
Even though it was the same story, the articles changed in all kinds of ways depending on the reporter's own slant.
There wasn't a single reporter who simply delivered the facts plainly.
People really are the same wherever you go.
Opening a news outlet that just delivers the facts straight doesn't sound bad.
Come to think of it, though, a news outlet would definitely run at a loss.
Still, there was no need to start one right now.
My younger sister said she'd started developing AI, so once it reaches a usable level later, I can open one then. If I don't have to hire expensive people and can use AI, that's even better.
Human beings being replaced by AI in the labor market was an 'inevitable fate.'
***
The next day.
I headed to the Japan Football Association and began negotiations.
In truth, there wasn't much to negotiate.
Because the Japan Football Association had already decided to cooperate fully.
And if negotiations fell apart, the one who'd be sorry wouldn't be me, but the Japan Football Association....
If I needed to, I could just poach prospects from Korea, China, or other Asian countries instead.
But the more I worked with these people, the more at ease I felt.
‘They're good at their jobs, aren't they?’
The players they recommended weren't friends or favorites, but were truly picked for ability. All the players I'd had my eye on were included.
It really is quite different from Korea.
No wonder they're regarded as the most competent, clean, and properly run football association in Asia.
It might be a bit much to say, but it felt like looking at Korea's archery association.
I exchanged greetings with the head of the Japan Football Association, took a photo, and then started talking with the staff.
“Park-san, which player are you planning to take?”
At the Japanese Football Association staffer's question, I kept thinking.
The Japanese players I remembered were too vague.
‘...Kubo, Daichi Kamada, and Mitoma—the Japanese players I know are all pretty young overall.’
After thinking it over, I decided to bring Wataru Endo in through the exchange-student system.
It felt like there were slightly fewer exchange students than in Korea, but Japan's golden age still hadn't arrived, so there was nothing to be done.
I decided to recruit a Japanese player instead of an exchange student.
Since that player's transfer fee and salary were to be covered and coordinated by his personal sponsor, the club, and the association, there was no burden on Union Berlin.
So all I have to do is guarantee appearances, right?
I kept thinking about which player I should sign.
There were strikers like Shinji Okazaki and Keisuke Honda, but considering Union Berlin's forward line was already pretty crowded, signing another striker wouldn't be a good idea.
And if I was going to field the Korean Son Hong-min without fielding a Japanese player, people would definitely complain, so I should choose someone in another position if possible.
After thinking it over, I chose three players.
Makoto Hasebe, who'd played in the Bundesliga for nearly 20 years; Yuto Nagatomo, who'd played for Inter; and Shinji Kagawa, who needed no introduction. Overall, they were players with pretty good character.
With negotiations with the Japan Football Association wrapping up quickly and only individual talks with the players left.
“Excuse me.”
I started eyeing not only the players but the Japanese association staff as well.
“By any chance, are there any association staff who'd like to work at Union Berlin?”
Honestly, I was more interested in capable association staff than in Japanese players.
***
At that very moment, as Park Chan-hyeok was eyeing the Japan Football Association staff.
Union Berlin was busy too.
They had to enter negotiations to sign the players Park Chan-hyeok had handed over.
“At this point, isn't this basically a total rebuild?”
There were many players Park Chan-hyeok wanted to bring in ahead of the Bundesliga.
It looked like he was determined to pour all the money he hadn't spent on transfers last season into this season.
“Karlsruhe rejected our bid to sign Hakan Çalhanoğlu.”
“Even if we offer more money?”
“We were turned down as soon as we approached them. It seems to be because of Chan-hyeok's reputation.”
“Scheiße (Fuck.) Have you contacted the player's agent?”
“The player wants to stay too….”
“Verdammt! (Damn it!)”
“Chan-hyeok's reputation has spread too much through the Bundesliga. It looks like it'll be hard to recruit Bundesliga prospects.”
Most of the players on the list rejected Union Berlin's offer.
Because just a few years ago the club had financial troubles, so playing for Union Berlin still felt risky.
“First, defense is urgent, so let's sign defenders first.”
“How does Chan-hyeok even know about a Dutch youth player?”
“The Netherlands is one thing, but how does he even know a Celtic youth player?”
“The youth guys still have time, so later! What's urgent is someone ready to contribute right away.”
“Virgil van Dijk? Chan-hyeok said this guy playing in the Netherlands must be signed no matter what.”
“Not him! Among the defensive positions, who’s left if you exclude the prospects?”
“Dante and Thiago Silva!”
Union Berlin quickly moved into negotiations with the players.
If word got out that Park Chan-hyeok wanted a certain player, there'd be plenty of piranhas ready to latch on.
Still, fortunately, Dante's transfer was wrapped up quickly.
Because the player himself was very eager to move to Union Berlin.
But the problem was Thiago Silva.
The rival they had to compete with for Thiago Silva was Serie A powerhouse AC Milan.
AC Milan's transfer fee offer to Thiago Silva's club was 10 million euros (16 billion won.)
This was the moment when Union Berlin's highest transfer fee in club history was all but guaranteed.
“Ten million euros… wouldn't we have to sell club shares?”
“…Sorry, but we do have that much money.”
Chairman Dirk Zingler felt a little sad that the staff seemed to think the club was too poor.
***
[Niklas Eisen and Ben Richter retire to start their second lives as youth coaches at Union Berlin.]
└ ??? Aren't they both too young to retire?
└ I guess because there's a case like Park Chan-hyeok, they seem to be retiring early.
└ Well… if you don't have talent, this isn't bad either.
[Dante of Standard Liège transfers to Union Berlin for 4 million euros!]
└ Who is this?
└ Union Berlin is in the top flight now; can't they sign anyone famous?
└ They just got promoted—how are they supposed to sign famous guys lol
[Union Berlin's Dante: “I am very proud, happy, and delighted to be able to come to Union Berlin. Here, I will strive to become a good player.”]
└ Do well.
└ He makes a good impression.
└ Seems to have a good personality.
└ Overall, the guys Chan-hyeok picked seem to have pretty solid work ethic.
[Union Berlin enters the race to sign Thiago Silva?]
[Union Berlin, if it signs Thiago Silva, would set the club's highest transfer outlay ever.]
└ Since they said it was the highest fee in club history, I thought it would be 80 billion won, but 16 billion lol
└ 16 billion won is still a pretty big amount;;
└ Chelsea << because of those bastards, the transfer market bubble is getting ridiculously inflated.
[Union Berlin splashing cash? They even join the race to sign Luka Modrić.]
└ Wait, they're only going after players unproven in the big leagues—is that okay?
└ Thiago Silva being 16 billion is fine, but this Modrić guy has Tottenham asking 30 billion won;;
└ At this rate, if Union Berlin gets relegated, won't they go bankrupt?
[Manager Park Chan-hyeok on the controversy over big-money investment: “Just make it back and pay it off.”]
[Park Chan-hyeok reveals disappointment over off-the-record reporting….]
└ What kind of trash bastard reports off-the-record stuff?
└ The reporter who wrote this article.
└ ???
└ This guy's seriously fucking nuts, huh?
└ They reported the off-the-record remark, and now they're reporting that he was disappointed too.
└ Ah lol, the articles are doubling lol.
└ Creative journalism, holy shit, this is insane.