Paul made his way to the dining table and slowly pulled out a chair to sit down. The kitchen had a warm and inviting atmosphere. The lights illuminated the steam from the food on the table, filling the air with delicious smells. His mother came over to him with a plate in her hand and carefully placed steamed vegetables and grilled meat on his plate. As Paul looked at the food on his plate, his mother spoke sincerely: "It was your favorite meal before you lost your memory, son."
When the smell of the food reached Paul's nose, something stirred within him. Although the smell didn't bring back a memory, it gave him a familiar and peaceful feeling. "Even from the smell, you can tell it's a good meal," he said. "It's undoubtedly my favorite."
Grace, who was sitting at the table, looked at Paul's words in surprise. "You've never talked to Mom like that before," she whispered. "Maybe the memory loss has brought out your true personality."
Paul laughed in a funny way at this comment and put his hand to the back of his neck. He thought to himself: "Paul, what kind of person are you? They're surprised that I'm even saying thank you..."
His mother also sat down in a chair, and they all began to eat together. Paul used his left hand to eat his meal. His mother was surprised when she saw this. "That's very interesting, Paul," she said. "You normally used your right hand."
Grace agreed with her mother's words. "I just noticed that too," she said. "Could this also be an effect of the memory loss?"
Paul laughed in a funny way at these questions and shrugged his shoulders. "Hahaha. Maybe..." he replied. Paul was thinking to himself that in his old life as a defender, his right hand was also more dominant because he used his right foot more. But in this new body, it felt more natural to use his left hand.
Paul looked at his mother and asked to change the subject: "By the way, where is my father?" When he saw the sad expression on his mother's face, he continued: "Even if I saw his face, I wouldn't know he was my father anyway."
Grace answered Paul's question: "He's usually abroad for work. But when I told him on the phone that you had woken up, he started to cry. So don't be surprised if he comes home and suddenly hugs you."
Paul didn't know what to say in the face of this intense emotion. "I'll try to keep that in mind," he said.
As they continued their meal, his mother spoke again: "This will be sudden, but you're going back to school tomorrow."
Paul paused at this unexpected news. The expression on his face had completely turned to astonishment. "What?" he asked.
His mother understood his surprise. "I know you were just discharged," she said. "But your future is also very important."
Grace immediately chimed in: "I'll help you get ready for school, big brother. Don't worry about those things."
Paul looked at his mother and Grace with a blank expression. His mind was filled with the idea of sitting in a school desk again after so many years. "I see..." he murmured.
He looked at the dining table and spoke to himself: "It's like a joke. Am I going back to high school after all these years?" This thought was an absurd situation for him. As Steven, he was at the peak of his career. Now, he had to live the life of a high school student.
Paul looked at his mother and spoke calmly: "Mom..." His mother frowned when she saw his serious expression. Paul continued in a more serious tone: "If I told you that I have a goal for my own future, can you tell me that you will support me unconditionally?"
His mother didn't hesitate at this question. She answered with a clear expression: "Son, we have always supported you and we will continue to support you. We are your family."
Paul was surprised at first. As Steven, his own family had never fully supported his football career. But this new family was offering him unconditional love and support.
After this thought, Paul spoke with a serious expression: "Okay, what if I told you my goal is to become a professional football player? Would your answer still be the same?"
Grace suddenly shouted. "Big brother, do you realize what you're saying?"
Paul looked at Grace. With her eyes shining, Grace shouted again: "Whatever your goal is, we will support you! Don't you doubt that."
His mother also spoke: "What your sister said is what I think. I don't want to repeat myself."
Paul paused. He thought about his old family. This family had unconditionally supported Steven's passion for football, Steven himself. This thought deeply affected Paul.
Paul grinned. For the first time in this life, he smiled so sincerely and said: "Thank you."
His mother and Grace were surprised by this unexpected smile and thank you.
Paul got up from the dining table and said: "Then enjoy your meal. I have to start working to become a football player already. So I'm going for a run."
Paul walked toward the front door. Grace's voice was heard from behind him: "Be careful, big brother!"
His mother also spoke: "We said we would support you, but don't overdo it!"
Paul said as he closed the door: "Okay..."
Chapter 7: Back to School
Paul stood in front of the mirror, taking a deep breath. He was wearing school clothes he hadn't worn in a long time: a white shirt, dark trousers, and a jacket that looked like it was hanging on him. The tie felt like a chain tightening around his neck. When he looked at his own reflection in the mirror, he found it hard to believe that the young man standing in front of him was actually himself.
"It feels so weird to wear school clothes again," he muttered. His tone was both nostalgic and alien.
He tightly gripped his tie with his hand. The stiffness of the fabric dug into his fingers. A bitter smile formed on his lips as he pulled the striped tie up and loosened it.
"The last time I wore something like this was at Grant's wedding..." he said in a pensive voice. For a moment, he replayed that memory in his mind: a crowded, noisy hall, laughter, people dancing, and a night that ended in a bitter way. His eyes became misty. "And it didn't end well."
He studied himself in the mirror for a while longer. His shoulders didn't look broad; in fact, he was a little skinny. He took his hands from his tie and let them rest on the collar of his shirt. Then he silently lowered his hand.
He straightened his head and took a deep breath. A determined expression settled on his face. He turned towards the door, ready to leave the room behind.
"Whatever... it's not the time to think about this," he whispered to himself. "For now, I have to focus on my new life."
He directed his steps at a slow but steady rhythm toward the stairs. The slight creaking of the wooden steps broke the silence of the house. His heart was beating fast; this wasn't just the excitement of returning to school. It was also the shadow of the unknown that lay ahead in his new life.
At the bottom of the stairs, Grace was waiting at the front door. Her presence brought a strange comfort to Paul. There was a cheerful smile on Grace's face. Her eyes held a slight teasing as she looked at her brother.
"It's so funny that your old clothes still fit you perfectly," she said, laughing.
When Paul reached his sister, he smiled and nodded his head. "Hahaha... very funny," he replied. There was a mix of sarcasm and playfulness in his voice.
Grace continued to talk as she opened the front door. "You should eat a lot, big brother. Or do you want to stay skinny forever?"
Paul shrugged his shoulders. He could feel the sincerity behind her words. A few seconds later, they walked out the door; the cool morning air hit their faces. The road to school stretched out before them.
As they walked, Paul became serious. "Rest assured, I want to get stronger as soon as possible," he said. There was an unusual determination in his voice. "After all, it's not easy to be a football player, you know."
Grace looked at her brother in surprise. Then she nodded her head slightly. "Of course I know, big brother," she said, then paused. "But I don't understand why you suddenly want to be a football player."
Paul continued to walk silently, looking ahead. Before answering, his own thoughts echoed in his head.
Grace spoke again. Her voice was a mix of curiosity and sincerity. "Actually, you never told us your life goal before. I was starting to think you didn't have one. That's why I was so happy when you said you wanted to be a football player."
An sincere smile appeared on her face, and she spoke again: "Even if you don't become a football player, I will always support you, big brother."
Paul smiled at his sister's words. He felt a warmth inside. "Thank you, Grace."
The school building now stood before them. The large, multi-story structure looked majestic in the morning sun. A crowd of students was flowing toward the entrance.
Grace looked at the school and spoke. "My class is on the ground floor, big brother. Your class is on the top floor, and it's 12/A."
Paul nodded his head slightly. "I'll keep that in mind."
As her brother walked toward the building, Grace called out from behind him: "Please don't go into the wrong class and embarrass yourself!"
Paul laughed softly and thought to himself: Don't you think you're exaggerating a bit?
When he opened the door and entered the school building, crowded corridors greeted him. Inside, there were students' conversations, the sounds of backpack zippers, and the echo of footsteps.
Good, he thought. Not much has changed in schools.
He climbed the stairs to the top floor with slow steps. His heart was beating fast. There was only one thought in his mind: his new class, his new friends.
"So, 12/A," he whispered to himself, looking at the sign on the door.
He opened the door and stepped inside.
The class suddenly fell silent. As Paul walked inside, the eyes of the students sitting in the class turned to him.
Why is everyone looking at me? he thought shyly, as he walked toward a window seat.
As soon as he sat down, the whispers began.
"Paul is back at school."
"I heard he was in a car accident."
"That's nothing, they say he has amnesia."
Paul frowned. He thought to himself: Ah, so that's what it was. Classic teenagers... No matter what era you're in, there are always gossips.
Just then, a girl started to walk toward him. When Paul lifted his head and looked at her, the girl's short black hair and bright blue eyes caught his attention. The girl stopped right in front of him, her eyes fixed on his.
"Is it really true that you don't remember anything?" she asked in a serious voice.
Paul was silent for a few seconds, then lifted his head and looked at the girl. He then turned his face to the window. "Yes, I don't remember."
The girl narrowed her eyes. She asked again: "Really?"
Paul turned his head toward her. There was a slight regret in his voice. "If you're my friend, I'm sorry that I don't remember you," he said. Then his eyes hardened. "But if it's something else, get out of my way."
Whispers rose from the class.
"He really doesn't remember anything."
"He even forgot his girlfriend!"
The expression on the girl's face froze. Her eyes widened. "How... how did you forget me?" she asked in astonishment.
She took a step forward and brought her face closer to Paul's. She looked deep into his eyes. There was both anger and resentment in her voice.
"I'm your girlfriend, Violet!"
Paul blinked. A sudden wave of shock ran through him. He pulled back, his breathing quickening.
"My girlfriend?" he cried out in surprise.