章 2: The Mysterious Man
The cool afternoon breeze swept across the pitch, carrying the lively hum of parents, coaches, and spectators gathered to watch the youth match. Among the crowd stood a man clad in a dark coat, his face obscured by a scarf and a cap pulled low. He was here for a casual reason: to support his friend's son, who was playing for the opposing team. His expectations were low—it was just a youth game, after all.
As the whistle blew and the match began, the man leaned back against the cold metal fence, his attention flickering between conversations around him and the game on the field. But his indifference waned as his eyes caught the movement of a player in a white-and-red jersey, wearing the number 11. The boy played on the right wing, and there was something magnetic about the way he moved—light on his feet, agile, and relentless.
At first, the boy hardly saw the ball. His teammates seemed to avoid passing to him, opting instead for safer, less daring options. Yet, Number 11 didn't sulk or retreat into anonymity. Instead, he tracked back to retrieve the ball, tackling an opposing midfielder cleanly. The man noticed how the boy handled the ball afterward, weaving through two defenders with immaculate control. His dribbling wasn't just skillful—it was purposeful.
The boy carried the ball forward, scanning for an opening. Two defenders rushed to close him down, but a quick shift of his body left them scrambling. With a flick of his boot, he slotted the ball low into the bottom right corner. The net rippled.
"2-1!" shouted someone nearby, the crowd roaring.
The man felt an involuntary grin form under his scarf. The boy's celebration wasn't ostentatious—just a clenched fist and a determined nod to himself. There was passion in his demeanor, a fire that wouldn't extinguish easily.
The game resumed, and Number 11 didn't slow down. A few minutes later, his team launched another attack. The ball bobbled in the midfield as an opposing player tried to clear it. Number 11 surged forward, intercepting with a fierce tackle. Without lifting his head, he flicked the ball with the outside of his foot. The pass soared through the air like a guided missile, curling beautifully into the box. The striker barely had to jump as he headed it into the net.
"An assist!" a parent cheered.
It was 2-2 now, and the man found himself clapping before remembering his allegiance. This kid was something special.
But as the game wore on, things began to unravel. With the score tied, the opposing team pressed hard. A clumsy foul gifted them a free kick just outside the penalty box. The boy lined up to take it, but the team's striker snatched the ball from him. Number 11 argued, his frustration evident, but his coach barked from the sidelines, "Let the striker take it!"
The boy stepped back, his face a mask of irritation. The striker's effort went wide—well wide—and immediately, the opposing team launched a counterattack. A rapid exchange of passes left their striker one-on-one with the goalkeeper. The ball hit the back of the net with a thud.
3-2.
The boy's shoulders sagged for only a moment before he straightened up, determination etched into his expression. When he got the ball again, he danced through defenders with mesmerizing precision. A quick nutmeg here, a feint there—he moved like he owned the pitch. As he surged into the penalty area, an opposing defender lunged recklessly, bringing him down.
"Penalty!" screamed the crowd.
The boy picked himself up, brushing the dirt from his knees. He grabbed the ball confidently, ready to take the shot. But the striker intervened again, shoving the boy aside. The man noticed the boy's clenched fists, his restraint as he stepped back despite his clear anger. The striker stepped up to the spot and missed again.
"Ridiculous," the man muttered under his breath.
The opposing team capitalized on the chaos, breaking away to score their fourth goal from a set piece. The scoreboard now read 4-2. Most of Number 11's teammates looked defeated. Some trudged, others yelled at each other, but the boy? He fought on.
The ball came to him again. He sprinted down the left wing, outpacing two defenders. His footwork was dazzling, slipping past challenges as if the ball were glued to his boots. Near the edge of the box, he unleashed a thunderous strike. The goalkeeper barely saw it before it was past him.
4-3.
The man couldn't help but cheer, even though his friend gave him a bewildered look. "You're rooting for the wrong team," his friend teased.
By the final minutes, it was clear the boy was running on fumes, yet he pressed on. One final dribble saw him beat three players. He reached the byline and cut the ball back perfectly to his striker, who had an open goal. Somehow, the striker skied the shot.
The final whistle blew. The boy bent over, hands on his knees, his exhaustion and disappointment palpable. His teammates walked off without so much as a pat on the back, muttering under their breath. The man couldn't take his eyes off the boy, Number 11.
Determined to meet him, the man made his way down to the sideline and spoke to the coach. "That left winger—what's his name?"
"David Jones," the coach replied, his tone dismissive. "Talented kid, but too hot-headed. Thinks he's a one-man team. He won't go far if he doesn't learn to play with others."
The man barely heard the words. "Where can I find him?"
Back in a small grocery store on the outskirts of town, David stood behind the counter, stacking cans with mechanical motions. His father had stepped out to make a delivery, leaving him to manage the shop alone. The air smelled of detergent and slightly overripe bananas, a far cry from the grassy pitch he had left hours ago.
David sighed, staring out the window. "Is this it?" he muttered to himself. His mind replayed the match: the goals, the misses, the humiliation.
The bell above the door jingled, and a man walked in, fully covered in dark attire. David barely glanced at him until he noticed the man approaching the counter, his steps deliberate. The man stopped in front of him, pulling down his scarf just enough to speak.
"Are you David Jones?"
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