"Please entrust your son to me!"
Sitting on the sofa, Yoo Han-woo, and Seo Seol-hee, who was preparing fruit in the kitchen, were startled.
"Huh?"
Yoon Moo-tae struggled to suppress his laughter, while Rodrigo, confused by the unexpected reaction, finally sensed something was off.
"Did I say something wrong…?" he asked cautiously in Spanish.
Yoo Han-woo chuckled and explained, "What you said is usually something people say when asking a loved one's parents for permission to marry. Haha."
Rodrigo's face turned crimson as he whipped his head toward Yoon Moo-tae, glaring daggers at him.
Flinching, Yoon Moo-tae tried to stifle his laughter, pinching his thigh desperately.
Seeing Rodrigo's trembling face, Yoo Han-woo stopped laughing and looked at him seriously.
"Mr. Rodrigo."
"Yes?"
"My son has been deeply hurt in the past."
"I am aware."
"The incident as reported by the media is quite different from what actually happened."
"…"
"It's true he assaulted the coach, but that coach provoked him. The man was notorious for extorting money from players' parents and even committed acts of sexual harassment when parents didn't comply."
Rodrigo's eyes widened as he heard this for the first time.
"We were powerless. Even though the case went to court, it was ultimately ruled as an impulsive act by my son, and he was disciplined accordingly."
Rodrigo remained silent, listening attentively.
"I don't want my son to suffer any further."
"I understand."
"Can I trust you with him?"
Rodrigo, who had been glaring at Yoon Moo-tae moments ago, now looked straight at Yoo Han-woo with wide eyes.
"Yes! I promise to ensure that Yoo never gets hurt again. I'll personally look after every detail."
Realizing that Rodrigo was not one of those scouts who only cared about profit but rather someone who genuinely loved football and his club, Yoo Han-woo felt slightly reassured. At least this man didn't seem to be exploiting his son but rather recognizing his potential.
After Rodrigo's group departed, the family held a meeting.
"I think they're trustworthy people. When they spoke about your future, they seemed sincere and honest," Yoo Han-woo began.
With his profession involving meeting many people, Yoo Han-woo had a knack for discerning sincerity. After probing Rodrigo with questions, he concluded that Rodrigo was someone who pursued his goals with unwavering honesty.
"What about you? Are you still determined to go?"
At Yoo Han-woo's question, Yoo Ji-woo nodded firmly.
"Yes."
"Life in a foreign country won't be easy."
"I'm prepared for that."
"You'll face challenges far worse than anything you've experienced here. Can you promise not to give up?"
Having traveled abroad extensively before starting his business, Yoo Han-woo knew the hardships of living in a foreign land. It wasn't just about staying temporarily; living there was an entirely different challenge.
That's why he was asking: Could Yoo Ji-woo endure and stay true to his aspirations, no matter what adversities arose?
"I was already pressured to give up a year ago."
The family listened intently as Yoo Ji-woo spoke.
"Coach Goo Joong-tae will likely continue to block my path, using his connections in the football association to obstruct me in any way possible."
Though a mere 16-year-old might not usually attract attention, Coach Goo's persistence would surely employ every means to sabotage Yoo Ji-woo's progress.
That's why he needed to go somewhere beyond Goo's reach.
"I want to go to Argentina to improve myself further."
Seeing the determination in Yoo Ji-woo's eyes, Yoo Han-woo nodded.
"I'll allow it. And since minors under 18 are required to be accompanied by family, I'll go with you."
"You'll come, Dad?"
Yoo Min-ha looked at her father in surprise, while Seo Seol-hee calmly took a sip of tea and said, "Should I go instead?"
"What?! No way! It's dangerous over there. I should go to ensure his safety!"
Seo Seol-hee glanced at him with a skeptical expression.
Sigh.
"Why the sigh?"
"I'm not worried about Ji-woo; I'm worried about you."
"What's wrong with me?"
"Well, you get so distracted by new cuisines. Can you really focus on taking care of Ji-woo? Right, Min-ha?"
"Honestly, Mom or I would probably do a better job."
"Min-ha! Should we go instead? Living abroad might not be a bad experience."
"Maybe we should. I've always wanted to visit South America anyway."
The family exchanged lighthearted banter, and as always, laughter filled their dining table.
In the Boca Juniors meeting room, Director Enrique Boto sat at the head of the table with his arms crossed, while other executives focused on a seven-minute video playing on the large screen.
"Hmm."
Initially skeptical about the short video, they grew more impressed as they watched.
"Capturing attention in just seven minutes is a remarkable talent."
"Turning a 0–2 deficit into a hat-trick victory shows strong mental fortitude. With proper development, he could be first-team material."
The executives discussed amongst themselves, and when the video ended, the lights turned back on, brightening the room.
"What do you think, Coach Sebastián?" Enrique Boto asked a man who had been silently watching the video the entire time.
"Not bad."
Sebastián Lancelot, head coach of Boca Juniors, replied.
"Right?"
"His fundamentals are solid. His ball-handling skills alone would make him stand out even in the second team."
The coach focused on the basics.
In just seven minutes, the player's ball touches hadn't exceeded ten, yet he showed flawless control, keeping even strong or awkward passes securely underfoot.
"Though his small frame is a slight concern, given his age, he still has growth potential. I believe he's worth investing in and developing."
Sebastián Lancelot had taken a keen interest in youth development since his days coaching in the third division.
His reasoning was simple: The future of a club lay in its youth.
This shared belief with Enrique Boto was what had brought him to his current position as Boca Juniors' head coach.
"Which class will you place him in after recruiting him?"
"Do you have a recommendation?"
"Hmm, since his fundamentals are far above average for his age, I believe placing him in U-20 instead of U-17 would be better."
The mention of U-20 caused a stir among the attendees.
"Even so, placing a 15-year-old in U-20 is a bit much…."
"Judging him based on a 7-minute video is premature. Let's put him in U-17 first and then move him to U-20 if he performs well."
"It might be difficult for him to adapt if he's suddenly placed in a higher-level environment."
However, Enrique Boto had a different perspective.
"If he can't handle that, how will he survive in the professional world?"
The purpose of dividing classes was to allow players to grow among peers of similar ability, but Enrique's decision challenged this traditional view.
Tap.
Tap.
Sebastian Lancelot tapped the desk with his fingers, a habit he exhibited when deep in thought.
After a minute of staring at Jiwoo Yu's profile on the table, he finally spoke.
"What kind of player do you want to develop him into? A main squad asset? Or…"
With a bitter smile, he finished his thought.
"…a marketing player?"
"If it's the latter, will you oppose it?"
"No. In that case, I'd have even more questions. If you're aiming for a marketing player, wouldn't it make more sense to recruit someone with existing recognition instead of training a rookie?"
Even for marketing purposes, a player needed some level of fame. Jiwoo Yu, as an unknown rookie, had zero recognition. Using him for marketing didn't make sense, as investing in uncertain future profits was foolish.
"Yu will become our golden goose, bringing in vast amounts of Asian revenue."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Instinct."
That response silenced everyone. Enrique then delivered his final directive to the executives.
"We're bringing him in, so draft the contract and send it to Rodrigo by next week."
---
A few days later, Rodrigo met with Jiwoo Yu and his parents again in a private room at Hanwoo Yoo's restaurant.
Swish.
"Here is the contract."
Rodrigo presented the contract, and Yuntae Yoon explained its contents to Jiwoo and his parents.
"First, this will be a youth contract. Once Jiwoo joins Boca Juniors, his initial placement will be in the U-20 class."
"U-20? Jiwoo is only 16 years old. In international terms, he's still 15. Isn't U-20 too advanced?"
At 15, he would typically be placed in U-17.
"The club sees that much potential in Jiwoo."
"If this placement will make things harder for my son, I won't allow it."
"It won't be difficult at all! Typically, players start at U-12 and progress through multiple classes before going pro. Jiwoo will skip all those stages and directly join the final class. That's the club's decision."
In other words, it was the fastest path to a professional career.
After hearing this explanation, Hanwoo Yoo had no further objections.
"Let's continue. The contract duration will be five years."
Rodrigo then showed the most important section—the salary.
The weekly wage was listed as 50,000 pesos.
"If we convert that to Korean Won, it's approximately 580,000 KRW per week. This means Jiwoo will earn roughly 2.32 million KRW per month."
Hearing that Jiwoo would immediately earn an income comparable to a decent job surprised his parents.
"Isn't that a lot for a youth player?"
"It's slightly higher than the standard amount. This offer reflects the club's intention for Jiwoo to focus solely on football."
Boca Juniors, one of South America's most prestigious clubs, had undergone significant changes under Enrique Boto. One major focus was creating an environment where talented youth players could concentrate entirely on football.
"If Jiwoo advances to the second team, his salary will automatically increase fivefold, and his contract will be converted into a professional one."
"...."
"If he reaches the first team, a new contract will be negotiated, and at that point, his salary will multiply several times over."
The terms were overwhelmingly positive.
After explaining all the details, Yuntae looked at Jiwoo and added:
"Finally, there's one more suggestion for Jiwoo."
"A suggestion?"
"About hiring an agent."
Professional players typically had agents to manage matters outside of sports.
"If Jiwoo is aiming to become a professional player, having an agent will be essential."
This was something Jiwoo's family had already been considering.
"We'll look into finding an agent."
"Great. We'll finalize the contract in a few days. This draft will need some refinements before it's ready."
"Understood."
With the discussion concluded, Rodrigo stood up, shook hands with Hanwoo Yoo, and smiled brightly at Jiwoo.
"It might be a bit early, but welcome to Boca Juniors!"