YEAR 2002

"Daehan Minguk!  Clap! Clap!... Clap! Clap! Clap!... Daehan Minguk!  Clap! Clap!... Clap! Clap! Clap!"

The cheers for national pride were everywhere.  It was the first FIFA World Cup held in Asia and South Korea won the right to host the games with Japan.  Ten cities in Korea, including Suwon, had been chosen as venues of the World Cup games.  To say that Heungsoo was over the moon about it, well... that would be putting it lightly.

Ever since construction of the Suwon World Cup Stadium was completed last year, Heungsoo's soccer fever only kept rising. 

Nowadays, you can hardly pry the ball away from Heungsoo.  In fact, Heungsoo had gotten into trouble in school for it.  He broke one of the glass windows after a particularly strong kick went awry.  Even though he got a beating from one of the teachers for his infraction, Heungsoo still played soccer the next day... outside the classroom this time. 

From the way he runs, one would never think Heungsoo sported some ugly-looking bruises on the back of his thighs.  But Namsoon knew.  He saw them.  Namsoon had seethed with anger.  He thought Heungsoo received too harsh a punishment that should be given to an eight-year old boy. 

Namsoon wished he could have shared the punishment with Heungsoo.  He should have been there, he thought regretfully.  But he was absent that day, which has been a recurring event lately.

But Heungsoo waved Namsoon's concerns away. 

"It was my fault," Heungsoo admitted.  

Heungsoo was just too damned nice sometimes, Namsoon shook his head resignedly.  Sometimes, he can't believe Heungsoo is an eight-year old.  There are just some days when Heungsoo acts too old.  But then again, the same could be said for Namsoon.

Maybe the World Cup fever was some sort of anaesthesia because Heungsoo didn't complain about his bruises.  Well, not until he stopped playing and had to sit down.  Namsoon winced in sympathy.  Namsoon wishes they were back in kindergarten or even the first grade.  At least their teachers were nicer then.

The Suwon World Cup Stadium is the 6th largest stadium in the country.  It can seat close to 44,000 people.  Although it had already hosted several international matches since it was built, Heungsoo said those tournaments couldn't compare to the FIFA World Cup.

"It's THE World Cup, Namsoon!  THE World Cup!" Heungsoo enthusiastically explained to Namsoon. 

It wasn't really much of an explanation but for Namsoon it was enough.  The World Cup is VERY, VERY important.

Of the 64 matches to be played, only four would be held in Suwon.  It was a huge disappointment to Heungsoo that none of these four matches included South Korea.  Heungsoo said it would have been awesome to see his favorite defender, Choi Sung-Yong of the Suwon Samsung Bluewings, in action with the national team.

Aside from the local team, Heungsoo had also learned to love Ronaldo of Brazil.  Even Namsoon, who is largely a spectator when it comes to soccer, had learned to love Ronaldo. 

Who could resist Ronaldo?  Heungsoo's uncle had regaled the boys of stories about Ronaldo, one of the greatest soccer players in the world, from his poor beginnings to his knee injuries and to his success on the soccer field.

When Heungsoo told Namsoon that Brazil was going to play against Costa Rica at the Suwon stadium, Namsoon thought Heungsoo's eyes could have outshone a flashlight.  They were that bright.

"Namsoon-ah!  Can you believe this?  Ronaldo's going to be in Suwon!  Oh my god!  He's going to be visiting our town!" Heungsoo grabbed Namsoon's shoulders and grinned from ear to ear.  

Heungsoo had caught Namsoon just as his friend came inside their classroom.  While waiting for Namsoon to arrive, Heungsoo had been talking to the other boys in the class who were interested in soccer as well.  He could not keep the news to himself but it was Namsoon, whom he wanted to tell it the most.  Namsoon understands Heungsoo's obsession.

Namsoon smiled back as widely and as sincerely as he could at Heungsoo.  He had just met his father earlier during breakfast.  His father had looked exhausted but he still nodded and smiled at Namsoon.  Namsoon figured he can do the same for Heungsoo.

"That's really great news," Namsoon told Heungsoo before sitting down on his chair. 

But Namsoon's mind was on his father. 

While putting some freshly laundered clothes in a bag, his father had asked about school.  Namsoon had assured his father everything was going well. 

"Tell mom not to worry... I am doing my homework every day," Namsoon assured his father before they parted.

"You're a good son, Namsoon-ah.  A very good son," his father praised as he ruffled Namsoon's hair fondly before he left their house.

"I know, right?  Daebak!" Heungsoo agreed gleefully, breaking Namsoon's train of thought.

Namsoon nodded and smiled at his best friend before turning his attention to their second-grade teacher, who just came in.

Three days before Brazil's game, Heungsoo pounded on Namsoon's front door. 

It was early evening.  Heungsoo and Namsoon had just parted an hour ago at the intersection near their respective houses. 

"Namsoon-ah!  Namsoon-ah!" Heungsoo shouted through the wooden divider.

Inside, Namsoon was startled by the loud knocking.  When he heard Heungsoo's voice, he rushed to open the door.  "What's the matter?"

In response, Heungsoo shoved a couple of pieces of paper in front of Namsoon's face causing Namsoon to jerk his head back.  Namsoon slowly lifted his hand to take the paper from Heungsoo.  As he looked closer, Namsoon realized they were tickets to a soccer match at the stadium. 

Namsoon's eyes widened.  "Is this... is this real?" he whispered, afraid the tickets would disappear if he spoke louder.  He looked up and saw the answer in the maniacal glint in Heungsoo's eyes.  "!" he exhaled softly.

"I know!  This is !" Heungsoo crowed loudly and joyfully.  Heungsoo laughed as he jumped up and down clutching Namsoon's hand.

"Congrats!" Namsoon slapped Heungsoo's back.  "Your uncle's taking you?"

Heungsoo nodded.  "He is the best uncle in the world!" he shouted.

"You're so lucky!" Namsoon agreed a little enviously.

"We're so lucky!" Heungsoo asserted as he slung an arm around Namsoon's shoulders.  At Namsoon's questioning glance, Heungsoo clarified, "The other ticket is for you, jerk!  You didn't think I'd go without you, did you?"

Heungsoo reluctantly left the house without extracting a promise from Namsoon that he'd come.  The game falls on a Thursday so they'd have to skip school.  His mother had agreed after some serious begging and pledging to do various household chores. 

Heungsoo hopes Namsoon's father will allow Namsoon to go.  Watching the game without Namsoon won't be the same and won't be as much fun. 

In the two years they've been friends, Heungsoo and Namsoon have spent most of their waking hours together.  Heungsoo still can't understand sometimes why Namsoon would think he'd go on his own since they're practically joined at the hip.

Heungsoo remembers an incident nearing the end of the school year in first grade.

The most popular girl in their class was celebrating her 8th birthday. She placed invitation cards under everyone's desk, except Namsoon's.  Namsoon acted like he didn't care.  But Heungsoo knew better.

From what he had gathered, Namsoon had been bullied before he moved to Suwon... hence his reluctance to open up to Heungsoo.  But Heungsoo had broken that wall.  He had Namsoon's Robot Taekwon V as proof. 

Everything -- from the last year of kindergarten until most of the first grade -- had been going well for Namsoon in school.  Nobody bothered him that is... nobody until Park Joohyun.

Even though Namsoon had felt at ease with Heungsoo, he still kept the other kids at arm's length.  Most of the other boys in class didn't really care because you don't need to be close to play games and stuff.  It was different for the girls though.  Some, like Joohyun, thought this made Namsoon unattainable and desirable at the same time.  Yeah, the girls were thinking about these things.  Joohyun, in particular, wanted Namsoon's attention.  But her overtures just went over Namsoon's head, embarrassing her in front of the other girls.

Of course, Heungsoo didn't realize all this until much later.  He was just as oblivious as Namsoon and the other boys.

As revenge for Namsoon's lack of interest, Joohyun singled out Namsoon from her birthday party.  Though Namsoon was not raring to go, Heungsoo knew he didn't like being intentionally left out either.  It was too reminiscent of the bullying he had experienced before.

So on the day of the birthday party, Heungsoo found Namsoon in the park sitting under the tree where they first met and playing with the pebbles at his feet.

"Wanna play soccer?" Heungsoo asked.

Namsoon looked up startled.  "What are you doing here?"

Heungsoo tossed his ball in the air and tried to do some heading.  "Isn't it obvious?"

"What about the party?"

Heungsoo caught the ball in his arms.  "This is more comfortable."

"Huh?"

"It's called loyalty, Namsoon-ah.  This is loyalty," Heungsoo said just before he tossed the ball to Namsoon.  

Namsoon caught up with his father again just before he left school the next day.  He told his father about the tickets.

"I think that's a good idea, son.  You should go.  Have fun," his father said as he waved Namsoon off.

Can he have fun?  Namsoon wasn't entirely sure.  Not with the present circumstances.  He looked back at his father and saw shoulders drooping, so weary and sad. 

When Namsoon told Heungsoo he got his father's permission, Heungsoo let out a shout of joy.  "This is really going to be daebak, Namsoon-ah," Heungsoo gripped his shoulders tightly.

Just for a little while, Namsoon thought.  Just for a little while he'll leave the guilt at home and have fun with Heungsoo for a couple of hours or so.

Thursday finally arrived.  They got nose-bleed seats.  But that didn't matter to the boys.  Being inside Suwon stadium and being around tens of thousands of other soccer fans defied their expectations.  Heungsoo's uncle was also caught up in the excitement as well, grinning widely.

Tension was high as the South American teams viciously attacked each other's posts.  But in the end Brazil obliterated Costa Rica's "leaky defense" to advance in the elimination round.  A total of seven goals were made in the two-hour match.  Five of them were made by the Brazilian team. 

Heungsoo and Namsoon came out of the stadium with hoarse voices and adrenaline still coursing through their bodies.  Even though there was no way Ronaldo could ever hear them, they still shouted his name.  They applauded wildly when Brazil scored the goals and groaned when Costa Rica made a couple of successful shots.  They also danced to the beat of Brazil's samba drums that were pounded constantly throughout the game.

Namsoon was very glad he came.

South Korea went on to become the first and only Asian team to reach the last four of a World Cup.  Namsoon watched the game on TV at Heungsoo's house.  The 4th place win sent the country into a frenzy.  Namsoon ran with Heungsoo out on the streets, joining hundreds of their countrymen in celebration.

Heungsoo was also overjoyed when Brazil claimed the 2002 World Cup trophy.  It was all Heungsoo could talk about over the next few days.  Namsoon smiled throughout Heungsoo's repetitious recap.  He even took advantage of it.

"Heungsoo-ya," Namsoon said while they were having lunch at school.  "Wanna play a game?"

"Sure!" Heungsoo quickly responded.

"Okay, the first person who talks will become the servant and he has to do everything the winner commands him to for the rest of the day.  Got it?"

Heungsoo nodded eagerly.

Heungsoo didn't last 15 minutes.  

Namsoon bit the inside of his cheeks as he made Heungsoo write his notes and carry his bag back home.  If Namsoon's smile got wider because of that, well... you can't really blame him, can you?

The next day, however, Namsoon didn't show up at school.  Heungsoo went to Namsoon's house to check up on him but no one was home. 

The following day, Namsoon was still absent.  Heungsoo started to get worried.  At the end of the day, Heungsoo finally asked their teacher why Namsoon was absent.

When the teacher explained the reason, Heungsoo felt like his legs turned to jelly.  He didn't know why he was still able to run all the way to Namsoon's house.  He couldn't believe it.  He had to see it for himself.

And Heungsoo saw it.  From the corner, he saw Namsoon and his dad out on the street in front of their house.  They were both wearing black suits and sporting a white arm band with black stripes on their left arm.

"Namsoon's not going to be attending school for a few days.  His mother died a couple of nights ago and she was buried today.  I appreciate your concern, Heungsoo-ya.  Namsoon is lucky he has your support," the teacher told Heungsoo earlier.

Heungsoo saw Namsoon's dad walking away in the opposite direction and Namsoon turning to go inside their house.  Heungsoo ran, closing the 25-meter distance in 15 seconds.  Then he pounded on the recently-closed door.

Namsoon immediately opened it.  Seeing Heungsoo sweating from his exertions and out of breath, Namsoon asked worriedly, "Are you okay?"

Tears he didn't know he was holding back burst at the question.  Heungsoo felt his legs give way and he just collapsed in front of Namsoon.  you, Namsoon-ah! Heungsoo thought angrily.  He was so mad he could only keep crying.

The words he should be asking Namsoon, Namsoon stole them away.  Are you okay?

Namsoon scrambled to help Heungsoo up and brought him inside the house.  God, he was trying to avoid this!  But in the end he made Heungsoo cry anyway.

Namsoon tried to comfort Heungsoo by putting his arm around him but Heungsoo wouldn't have it.  Heungsoo jerked away from him.

At the back of his mind, Namsoon knew there were going to be consequences for his silence.  Namsoon didn't expect them to come so quick.

When Heungsoo's sobbing subsided, Namsoon handed his friend a clean towel. 

Heungsoo accepted the proffered cloth furiously and wiped his face.  Then he raised his head and looked Namsoon in the eye.

"What the hell, Namsoon?"

Namsoon has never seen Heungsoo so angry with him before.  He opened his mouth to explain but his voice didn't cooperate with him.  He was too scared in the face of Heungsoo's blazing eyes.

"I just didn't want to ruin things for you," Namsoon finally answered obliquely and weakly.

"So while I was going crazy with the World Cup, you were hiding your troubles from me?  Your mother was dying and you didn't think to let me know?  I thought we were best friends!  What the ?" Heungsoo yelled.

Namsoon's eyes widened at Heungsoo cursing.  He can understand why Heungsoo is angry but damn it, he had a reason too! 

Over the years, Namsoon learned how important soccer was to Heungsoo.  And the World Cup being hosted in South Korea?  It was a rare event.  How could he mess it up for Heungsoo?  Heungsoo, who had befriended a lonely outcast and stayed by his side for two years.  Heungsoo, who is always cheerful and made him laugh more often than he ever did before.  And Namsoon?  Namsoon is no stranger to sadness.  You can even say it's a close friend of his.  Put these things on Namsoon's scale and Heungsoo would always bear more weight.

"I won't trade your happiness for anything," Namsoon asserted stubbornly.

Heungsoo broke down again, anger leaving his body.  He doesn't know what to say anymore.  How can he convince Namsoon that he is important to him?  Even more important than soccer.

Namsoon instinctively tried to hug Heungsoo when his friend burst into tears once more.  Fortunately, Heungsoo didn't reject him this time.  Heungsoo's body melted against his and Namsoon staggered under the sudden weight in his arms.

Heungsoo wrapped his arms around Namsoon tightly, his tears and snot soaking Namsoon's t-shirt.  "You're such an !" Heungsoo cursed against Namsoon's neck without any heat.

"I'm sorry," Namsoon whispered into Heungsoo's hair.  His eyes remained dry.  Namsoon refused to cry.  He wasn't wrong.  He made the right decision.

###

Author's notes: So sorry for the late update.  I found it really difficult to get into an 8-year old's frame of mind.  *Certainly a case of I bit off more than I can chew.*  Sigh!  The boys in this chapter are seriously the oldest-sounding 8-year olds I know.  Thank you so much for reading this story despite that.  (Btw, all references to World Cup events in this chapter are REAL.)