A pair of icy, bluish eyes are observing me.
"Mr. Tae, you're scheduled for an interview today, right?"
"Yes, I'm Tae Hyun-seok. Hyun-seok is my first name, and Tae is my surname."
"You came really early."
"Haha, yes."
The woman introduced herself as Katie Cubitt. She checked her watch and looked me straight in the eyes through her glasses.
She was quite beautiful, which made it difficult for me to maintain eye contact.
"I know the name order in Korea. Should I pronounce it as Tae-Hyun-Seok? Your name is quite unique."
"No, it's Seok, not Seok. It's more like Seo-uk."
"...Seok?"
"Just call me Tae."
Hearing my name, which sounded almost like a curse word, I gave up on being called by it.
"Alright, Mr. Tae. Please wait over there for a moment. We're in a meeting. Feel free to use the supplies and have a drink."
"Ah... okay."
Katie Cubitt pointed toward the lounge next to the office and quickly disappeared down the hallway.
Did I come too early? Is she upset about it?
Her tone and demeanor felt so dry that it almost seemed cold.
I worried that I might have made a bad first impression, even though I felt I hadn't done anything wrong. They had told me to come anytime between today and tomorrow, so I arrived just after working hours, but...
"Phew."
I took a deep breath to calm my nerves.
Being anxious wouldn't help at all. I decided to relax with a cup of tea and act confidently and boldly. This isn't Korea. England values a proactive attitude more than modesty, right?
Thinking this way made me feel a bit better.
With my chest wide open, I started boiling water in the coffee pot when I heard someone's voice from the office entrance.
"Is anyone here?"
I turned my head, still holding the teabag, and accidentally dropped it.
"Oh, there's someone."
A young man with neatly styled blonde hair in a two-block regent cut approached confidently.
"Where did Ms. Cubitt go? I came to ask something regarding the advertising contract."
"Um..."
I froze in place, despite having promised myself not to get too nervous.
It was only natural, as a player I had seen only in videos—one who played for a big club—stood right in front of me.
"Excuse me?"
He was Aaron Ramsey, one of the players signed with EW Agency and a key member of the Welsh national team, playing as a box-to-box midfielder for Arsenal.
Though often disparaged by Arsenal fans in Korea and football fans worldwide as a "player who can do everything except finish, a player with great movement," he was still a solid starter in the Premier League.
Maybe because I was staring blankly, Aaron Ramsey started looking at me like I was a thief.
"Now that I think about it, I've never seen your face before..."
"I'm a newbie! No, I'm the one who's going to be a newbie... uh, I mean I'm here for an interview..."
I desperately tried to clarify, speaking like a private in the military. My words turned into a mix of jumbled phrases that were even harder to understand because I slipped in some Korean.
Aaron Ramsey awkwardly smiled and raised both hands, making a playful expression.
"Whoa, calm down. So you're here for an interview?"
Aaron Ramsey helped me organize my words. I tried to speak as calmly as possible.
"That's right. Ms. Cubitt said she would come back after the meeting."
"Oh, I see. Then I'll have to wait a bit. Is it okay if I sit here?"
"Yes, yes, of course."
As I awkwardly pulled out the chair for him, Aaron paused and thanked me before sitting down. He exuded an effortless confidence. He was smaller than I expected, but he still had that unique aura of a celebrity.
I couldn't believe I was sitting at the same table as a player from the first division, a person I had only seen in videos or articles.
But I couldn't bring myself to sit at the same table as Aaron Ramsey, so I took a step back to a distant table.
No, no. I promised myself to act proactively! There's a Premier League player right in front of me!
I turned my body back to speak to Aaron Ramsey again.
"Um..."
"Yes?"
Aaron Ramsey was looking straight into my eyes. The player who appeared a bit silly on video now looked so serious and intelligent.
I forced myself to squeeze out a voice that was difficult to produce.
"Could I have your autograph...?"
Oh."
"And a photo, please..."
Realizing how nervous I was, Aaron Ramsey smiled broadly and asked where he should sign.
I hurriedly rummaged through my suitcase, pulling out the cleanest notebook and my digital camera. I had to capture this moment in good quality.
After getting his autograph, we took a selfie with our arms around each other.
Hehe, I have to brag about this in the group chat.
My first day in England was off to a great start. I really felt like I was stepping into the football world now.
Bzzz.
As soon as I distanced myself from Aaron Ramsey, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I took it out to check, and I heard some commotion from the room Katie Cubitt had entered.
Looks like the meeting is over.
Katie Cubitt emerged from the meeting room, interacting with Aaron Ramsey casually without any signs of awkwardness.
Watching her, I truly realized that this was an agency. Aaron Ramsey, having finished his business, said goodbye to Katie Cubitt and winked at me before leaving the agency.
Katie Cubitt walked over to me, holding a few documents from her desk.
"Let's get started right away. Is that okay?"
"Here?"
"Is there a problem?"
"I thought we would go into a conference or reception room. I feel a bit shy with all the staff around."
But I had to be bold and confident.
"No, that's perfectly fine."
"Then let's begin."
Katie Qubit, seemingly in a hurry, sat down and started speaking to me in Spanish.
"Great, you're hired."
"Excuse me?"
"I said you're hired."
Katie Qubit said as she handed me the contract.
It took less than ten minutes. It was suspiciously easy to get hired. They didn't check any languages other than Spanish. If this were a small agency, I would suspect illegal contracts.
But this was EW Agency, one of the major agencies with contracts with dozens of first-division players and hundreds of athletes.
I started to review the contract that I received. Katie Qubit sipped her tea a few times and didn't say anything.
There didn't seem to be any problems. It was exactly as I had heard.
Before the summer transfer market, I would be assigned as the interpreter and assistant for one player, and during the summer transfer market, I would follow various agents to assist with interpreting and miscellaneous tasks. The contract would end on the day the summer transfer market closed in England.
Before the summer transfer market, I would be closely living with the player, able to observe everything closely, and during the summer transfer market, I would follow agents negotiating contracts, making it a perfect growth plan. It was an ideal way to gain experience. Everything was going as planned.
"Is everything alright?"
The moment I finished reading the contract, Katie Qubit asked me. How did she know my reading speed? I felt a bit creeped out, but I nodded.
"Are there any questions?"
It seemed that we needed to move quickly at Katie Qubit's pace, but I had one thing to ask.
"About the part here, regarding the work and the contract period. It says I will assist with the assigned player until the summer transfer market. Which player will I be assigned to?"
"Ah…."
Katie Qubit, who had been speaking fluently without hesitation, paused. Some people in the office shifted uncomfortably, and I felt their gazes glancing at me.
"…Sebastian Rodriguez."
As Katie Qubit spoke, the eyes of those in the office, who had been looking elsewhere, turned to me.
What is this?
"Sebastian Rodriguez?"
"Yes."
Katie Qubit returned to her original expression. The people in the office began to focus on their work again.
This was suspicious. Should I ask more?
"You're talking about the player from Atlético Madrid's youth academy who transferred to Brighton & Hove Albion this season, right? He's also a member of the Spain U-20 national team."
"…How did you know?"
How did I know? I had read the articles.
I knew about Sebastian Rodriguez to some extent. He had performed well in the U-20 World Cup in 2015, and more importantly, he had been dominating the English second division since transferring. Given that I hadn't seen any recent articles, it seemed like his performance had declined.
"It's basic knowledge for working in the industry. There were a lot of articles about him at the start of the season, right?"
"That's true."
It seemed my bravado had worked. A hint of curiosity flickered in Katie Qubit's otherwise emotionless eyes, but she quickly masked it.
"I'm glad you know about him; that reduces the explanations I need to give. You'll receive a detailed briefing about Sebastian from a senior colleague, but for now, shall we discuss the details of the contract? I'm busy."
"Wait a moment. Is there a problem with Sebastian Rodriguez?"
I interrupted Katie Qubit, insisting on clarifying any issues.
Katie Qubit didn't show any sign of anxiety like before.
"No, there's no problem with the player. He's just going through a bit of a slump. And as you can see from the contract, if you want, you can quit within a week."
She answered me clearly, looking straight into my eyes. I searched for that clause in the contract and nodded in silence. The contract included a provision that I wouldn't have to pay any damages if I quit within a week.
Even if there were issues with Sebastian, I would have enough time to find out for myself.
Katie Qubit took out a pen and tapped the contract.
"Then shall we discuss the details?"
"Sure."
Katie Qubit began to ask me about the provisions regarding amenities, salary payment methods, and various incentives, jotting them down on the contract with her pen.
"Billy."
As soon as the contract was completed, a red-haired man dashed in to take the contract. He then sat down at his desk and quickly filed the document.
The provision for amenities included accommodation. Though it wouldn't be in London, I felt happy to have a place to stay in Brighton, where Sebastian lived.
The salary payment method was weekly, and the amount was substantial, making me quite satisfied with the contract. They also mentioned providing meal expenses.
Now I understood why this was a major agency; the treatment was excellent. All I could hope for was that Sebastian would have no major issues, allowing me to see this contract through to the end.
"Here you go."
Before I knew it, the man named Billy handed over the completed contract to me and Katie Qubit. I quickly skimmed through the contract and signed it, finalizing the deal.
"You probably haven't adjusted to the time difference yet, so how about taking a day off and heading to Brighton tomorrow?"
"No, I'm fully alert. I want to go today and meet the player."
"What?"
Katie Qubit double-checked the copied contract.
"You're scheduled to start work tomorrow."
"I don't mind."
Excitement bubbled within me, making it feel like I wouldn't be able to sleep. I had slept soundly on the plane as if it were my home, so I didn't feel tired at all.
Katie Qubit wore a strange expression, probably finding it hard to understand that I wanted to work even though it wasn't stated in the contract. But the place I had lived wasn't one where such common sense applied; it was Korea.
I was a member of the overtime-loving Korean people. My body was conditioned to work beyond regular hours.
Katie Qubit sighed heavily.
"Just like Miss Summer. Are all Koreans like that?"
"Koreans?"
"Yes. They always want to work overtime and keep asking to drink. Such strange women."
Katie Qubit grumbled, looking bewildered.
Hearing the mention of Koreans in an unexpected place made me feel a strange sense of warmth as I looked around the office.
"She's on a business trip today."
I scratched my head awkwardly.
At that moment, Katie Qubit called out to a man who was packing his bag in the distance.
"Mr. Watson!"
He was a big man whose bulk couldn't be concealed even in a suit. He had a bald head with a thick, bushy red beard that looked like it had been placed there on purpose.
"Mr. Tay. He'll be in charge of Sebastian until the end of the season. During the transfer market, he'll be assisting with interpreting for agents."
Looking closer, he was indeed enormous. He must have been at least 190 cm tall.
Mr. Watson looked at me with an expression that seemed to say, "Who is this?"
"This is Harry Watson from the client service team. You can go down to Brighton together now. Mr. Watson will explain the details."
In foreign companies, the term "senior" refers to a mentor, like a 'supervisor' in Korea. I extended my hand first.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Tae Hyun-seok."
"I'm Harry Watson."
Harry Watson took my hand with a stoic demeanor.
At that moment, my phone vibrated.
Zing.
"Ah, Mr. Watson. Chris called. He's waiting at the Red Dragon down below."
As soon as Katie Qubit finished speaking, Harry Watson's expression turned grim, and he gripped my hand tighter. I frantically tried to recall if I had made any mistakes. Then, I hurriedly thought of a way to get my hand free. Just then, Katie Qubit spoke in a cold tone.
"Mr. Watson, I always say this. We're here to do business, not charity."
"I know, but… let's just go."
Harry Watson raised his voice but closed his mouth as he met Katie Qubit's gaze. He let go of my hand, walked back to his desk to grab his briefcase, and then trudged toward the agency entrance.
I said goodbye to Katie Qubit and followed after Harry Watson.