If blood will flow when flesh and steel are one
Drying in the colour of the evening sun
Tomorrow's rain will wash the stains away
But something in our minds will always stay

On and on the rain will fall
Like tears from a star like tears from a star
On and on the rain will say
How fragile we are how fragile we are

"Fragile" - Sting -

I stand next to the window in Chun-Soo's living room, taking a peek from behind the drawn curtains. It's raining heavily, and every now and then I can hear thunders in the distance. Seems to me like we arrived here just in the nick of time.

One look at what's happening behind me, though, and I start to wonder if I'm going to end up regretting this little scheme I've planned.

Chong-Gug was on the large couch in the living room, with Chun-Soo cradled like a baby on his lap. He hasn't stopped crying since we got here, and judging from the way they're holding on to each other it's safe to say that they're surgically attached now. Chong-Gug is busy doing everything humanly possible to calm him down, stroking his hair and whispering in his ears, just short of planting a kiss right on his lips to quiet his sobs.

Not that I mind, really. In fact, they can just skip the preliminaries and fuck each other's brains out right here and now, and I won't even blink.

It's not that I'm concerned about.

From the earliest days of training camp and all the way through Seogwipo, I never suspected anything between them. Even when I first caught hint of something going on, I thought it was just brotherly love. But after the match with Italy, I was injured, grumpy as hell, and had nothing better to do than watch my teammates train. So I watched. And I watched some more. And inevitably, I noticed.

Maybe it's the way Chong-Gug often ran his fingers through Soo's hair, lingering just a bit longer than a playful touch. Or the way Soo's laughter sounded different when it's Chong-Gug who's grabbing him by the waist and tossing him around during training. Or the way he cried on Chong-Gug's shoulder in Seoul, after our loss to Germany, things that the cameras missed but I didn't.

By the time I saw them exchange glances on the Gyeongbok Palace stage, it all added up. Even then, all I did was smile and shake my head. It looked innocent enough, like they were playing some sort of game. Nothing I saw then clued me in on just how infatuated with each other they'd become in such a short time. Seeing them together like this, I realize for the first time that their bond is far deeper than anything I've ever imagined. When Chong-Gug said he wanted to kill the Ulsan bosses, there was no doubt in my mind that he really meant it, and it scared me.

I may have done them more harm than good by bringing Chong-Gug here, and what I see before me only serves to deepen my guilt.

The sight of Chun-Soo crying is nothing new to me, of course - but I've never seen him looking so desperate. It's heartbreaking. He's clinging on to Chong-Gug like he's the only thing that mattered in this world, and it frightens me. I'm pretty convinced that if I were to walk there and pry them apart, Chun-Soo would literally drop dead.

So what have I done here? One terribly upset, emotionally distraught football player is bad enough, but when you put two of them together - especially two who just happen to be desperately, hopelessly in love...

I can't help but see a little of Park Ji-Sung in Chun-Soo. They're of the same age, the same fiery spirit, though Ji-Sung isn't quite as outspoken or bold. He is, however, even more naive and innocent to my eyes. I'm still not sure what drew us together in the beginning, but I know all too well what drove us apart. What disturbs me the most is the thought that if I hadn't gotten injured - no, if I hadn't become such a bitter, miserable jerk after I got injured, he and I may have become just like Chong-Gug and Chun-Soo. But if being in love is going to do to me what it's doing to them - making them so vulnerable just when they need their strength the most, I think I'll pass.

For better or for worse, I guess I'll never know.

A flash of headlights jars me from my thoughts, and through the rain outside I can see that a car has stopped in front of the house. I'm a little alarmed at first, but soon my cell phone is beeping. I reach into my pocket and retrieve it, reading the text message.

'We're in front of the house.'

I breathe a sigh of relief, glad that another part of the plan has fallen into place. But wait a minute - did he say 'we'? He's bringing company?

"Who's outside?" Chong-Gug asks. His face looks worried, and Chun-Soo looks plain scared.

"Remember what I told you in the car? That I've worked out how I'm going to be at Pohang tomorrow but still be able to get you home in time?"

Chong-Gug nods.

"My solution's right outside. Where's the key to the front door, Soo?"

Chun-Soo wipes his eyes and stands up. "It's not locked. Who is it?"

"You'll see." I tell him, not quite sure what to expect myself.

We make our way to the foyer, and watch from the windows as a black sedan pulls into the driveway. As there's no room left in the garage, the driver has no choice but to park there and make it to the front door on foot. As soon as the engine dies, I see two figures emerging from the car, both wearing jackets with hoods thrown over their heads. Through the pouring rain they ran up the steps to the front door, and pretty soon we hear three strong knocks from outside.

Chun-Soo reaches for the handle and opens the door, and we see two figures standing there, holding their dripping coats in their hands.

I feel my heart stop as I realize who it is.

"JUNG-HWAN!!" Chong-Gug and Chun-Soo scream simultaneously, and they both launch themselves at him. Ahn Jung-Hwan is nearly knocked off his feet as he takes both of them in his embrace, his face smiling beautifully.

From behind Jung-Hwan the other figure steps into the foyer, and it's the person I expect to be here. I smile and walk towards him, extending my hand.

"Hello, Captain..."

"Oh, don't be so formal with me." Hong Myung-Bo pulls me right into a back-slapping hug, with strong arms that make me feel comparatively slender all of a sudden.

The other three are still wrapped up in each other, and I can't tell whether the beads of liquid on Jung-Hwan's face are raindrops or tears. Probably both. He catches my eye and smiles, disengaging Chun-Soo's arm from around his neck and whispering something in his ears.

Chun-Soo's head spins in our direction, and he gasps as he realizes who his other visitor is. In a flash he comes leaping towards Myung-Bo and the captain is all too happy to welcome him, literally picking him up off the ground and spinning him around, like a small child and his father.

There's laughter ringing throughout the foyer - Chun-Soo's laughter. I don't know how long it's been since he had a good reason to laugh, but one look at Chong-Gug tells the story. He has a hand over his mouth, his body shaking so badly he has to hold on to Jung-Hwan to stay upright. On his face was an expression of sheer relief, nothing else.

So this time, I can be sure that bringing the captain here is definitely one of the best decisions I've ever made.

We've always looked up to him, always trusted him to be the rock that would anchor us down and guide us, the strength that will give us all strength. Through thick and thin, win or loss, we never lost our faith in him. And tonight I'm banking on my faith in him that he will prove just as good a leader figure in real life as he is on the pitch. It's a gamble that I can't afford to lose, for Chun-Soo's sake.

Hong sets Chun-Soo down and smiles at all of us, his eyes glassy. "Look at all of you..." he sighs. "I've missed you so much..."

"I've missed you too, Captain..." Chong-Gug says as he flings an arm around Myung-Bo and holds him tightly. "Nam-Il didn't tell us you were coming."

"Ahh..." Myung-Bo looks at me. "Wanted to surprise them, did you?"

"Looks like you've managed to surprise me, too." I say. "I didn't know Jung-Hwan was with you."

"I was in Seoul for a photo shoot yesteday." Jung-Hwan explains. "On the way back, Myung-Bo called me and told me about this little plan of yours, and asked if I'd like to come along - so I stopped by Pohang and picked him up. You don't mind, do you?"

"What are you, nuts?" I throw my left arm playfully around his neck. "If it weren't for all those interviews and magazine photos, we would've thought you were dead! None of us heard anything from you for weeks..."

Jung-Hwan laughs. "I know. I've just been so busy. Tomorrow I have to report at the Busan Icons headquarters, so Chong-Gug can ride home with me."

"Negotiations?" Chong-Gug asks.

"Same old, same old..." Jung-Hwan shrugs, his face looking tired. "The neverending story, as they call it."

"And Nam-Il can drive back with me to Pohang," Myung-Bo explained. "He originally planned to leave his car here so you can drive it back to Busan, Chong-Gug..."

"...and pick it up later in the week?" Chong-Gug looks at me quizzically. "You're really willing to go to all this trouble for us, aren't you?"

I shrug it off, a little embarrassed. "Hey, I just wanted to feel what it's like to ride a train again..."

"Only this time, you'll probably get mobbed." Chun-Soo says.

"So I figured I'd ask Ahn to come along and save you the hassle." Myung-Bo adds.

"Well, we're all here now, aren't we?" Jung-Hwan says as he looks around.

We glance at each other for several moments, and it seems like something is instinctively triggered in all of us. We move closer and form a huddle, just like we do before every match. Even though there's only five of us, that magical feeling is still there, unchanged, perhaps even more powerful now given the situation that has brought us here.

"So glad¡K so glad you're all here," Chun-Soo says, his eyes once again watery.

"Yeah¡K" I mutter. "Like family."

Jung-Hwan smirks. "One big, happy, dysfunctional family."

We all laugh at that, and Myung-Bo breaks the huddle, straightening his posture. "So...looks like we need to sit down and talk."

"Yes..." I nod. "There's lots of things we need to talk about."

"Lots..." Chun-Soo repeats a little sullenly. "Let's go sit in the living room."

We all start walking together from the foyer, but I feel a hand tugging at my arm. I turn around and see that it's Chong-Gug who's holding me back, and he waits until the other three have disappeared through the doorway.

Silently, he draws me closer and rests his chin on my shoulder, and I hear a softly whispered "Thank you..." in my ear.

"I won't just stand by and see him hurt, Chong-Gug..." I say. "Neither will you."

"But you brought the captain here for him... I didn't think of that."

"You were too upset to think." I say flatly.

"True." Chong-Gug says. "Which means you may have saved me just as much as you've saved him."

I close my eyes as his words strike me through the core of my soul. Reaching up to caress his face, I lean close and whisper in his ears.

"I hope so, my dear brother... I truly hope so."

>> On to Part 4