The next morning, a gentle breeze swept across the Korni Training Base, ruffling the sleeves and hair of passersby.
Ma'el pulled his suitcase and carried a black bag, bidding a final farewell to his teammates and coaches.
Gilbert followed beside him. Starting today, the two of them would truly be in the same boat, living under one roof.
The entire Arsenal U17 team and coaching staff had gathered at the entrance of the training base, including some other younger academy players.
Having heard that another player from the base was joining a Championship team, they naturally came to have a look and pay their respects.
"Take care and make sure to call when you get to Sheffield United."
Coach Hans waved at Ma'el and Gilbert, saying the usual farewell words: "Be strict with yourselves, I'll be following your progress closely."
"Go for it, Gilbert!"
"Score a goal in the Championship!"
"Goodbye, Captain!"
The other players also waved goodbye to the two, though in reality, they were mainly addressing Gilbert.
Ma'el's powerful shots had somewhat won over the team, but their feelings towards Ma'el were more complex.
There was no pure admiration; even their envy was tinged with jealousy.
Ian and a few others who had issues with Ma'el also showed up today, their expressions the most unpleasant and complicated.
Even as they waved goodbye, it was clear they did so reluctantly.
In an instant, the dynamics between them and Ma'el had flipped, swapping positions, rendering their past words ridiculous.
If Ma'el wanted, he could now hurl all those insults back at them.
But it seemed Ma'el had no such intention.
"Coach Hans, here are the shoes."
He showed no awkwardness about the lack of well-wishes, smiling as he approached Coach Hans and handed over the black bag: "I forgot to return this the other day, here it is today."
"You're well-off now, so I won't refuse it."
Hans took the bag, patting Ma'el on the back: "I hope you find opportunities there. The greater your value, the more valuable these shoes become to me. I hope one day they'll be a prized piece in my collection."
"I hope so too."
Ma'el bumped fists with Hans one last time, hugged, and then turned to leave with Gilbert in tow.
There, Sheffield United's scout, Jorson, was leaning against a pickup truck, hands in his pockets, posing quite coolly as he waited for them.
Judging by his appearance, Jorson was in his thirties, in his prime, and could be considered handsome. The wrinkles time left on his face only added to his mature charm.
"Get in, boys."
Jorson flipped the sunglasses from his head down in front of his eyes, "Don't mind my old pickup; once we reach the train station, you'll be plenty comfortable."
Ma'el and Gilbert nodded, placing their luggage in the back of the pickup before getting ready to board.
Just as he opened the door, Gilbert paused, turned, and looked back at the people standing at the base entrance: "Wait for my good news, make sure to watch my matches live!"
"...Alright!"
"We will, Captain!"
"We'll be waiting for your return!!"
A wave of cheers erupted, and Gilbert took a few more reluctant glances before climbing into the pickup.
Once the noise subsided, those at the entrance still hadn't left.
They watched Ma'el with complicated expressions, seemingly waiting for him to say something.
Noticing this, Ma'el didn't shy away.
His gaze swept over each face, not deliberately avoiding Ian and the surrounding former troublemakers, but looking at them all equally.
After everything had changed, his mindset was quite different from before.
"Good luck, brothers!"
He extended his right arm, clenched his fist: "See you on the professional field!"
With a hearty laugh, as if everything vanished like the wind, Ma'el boarded the pickup and closed the door.
The people at the entrance fell silent for a moment before another wave of cheers burst forth.
"Ma'el! Good luck!"
"Make sure to achieve something!"
"Show those Championship veterans your long shot skills!"
Ma'el leaned against the window, looking at them with a faint smile. After all, they were just a bunch of kids.
As time went by, they would likely remember this day.
......
The truck drove along the road, slightly bumpy.
It was a very old pickup with some parts that likely had minor issues.
Jorson drove with one hand on the wheel, the other resting outside, feeling some indescribable sensation through the speed.
"Actually, why aren't we just driving to Sheffield directly?"
Gilbert, a native-born Brit, was from Leicester City and knew the UK well, "It's only about a three-hour drive, isn't it?"
"Ah..."
Jorson glanced back, "You don't mind the bumps? Sitting like this is quite tiring.
"Actually, I was planning to drive this old fellow back to Sheffield. Afraid you'd find it unbearable, I'll drop you off at the train station instead."
"Athletes aren't that delicate, are they?"
Gilbert waved it off and turned to Ma'el, "What do you think? Should we just drive there directly?"
"Sure."
Ma'el had no objections, smiling: "I'd like to see the scenery along the way."
Jorson laughed a few times, then promptly turned the steering wheel, bringing his hand back inside: "Alright then, buckle up, I'll get you there as soon as I can."
"Drive safely." *2
Ma'el and Gilbert chorused, disregarding other concerns but not the importance of safety.
The vehicle accelerated, and as they conversed along the way, the three became more familiar with each other.
Jorson used to be a football player himself, once a member of Sheffield United in his youth, although he wasn't notably famous.
From his self-introduction, Ma'el gathered one thing most vividly... this guy must be a die-hard Sheffield fan, with an indescribable love for the team.
"Sheffield's situation this season isn't great; several players have left, and only four from last season's main squad remain."
After chatting for a while, Jorson got serious, "And among them, two were barely hanging on last season.
"The team's sole goal this season is survival! Bringing you two over is part of that effort."
Jorson just turned back to look, only to be met with worried 'ouches' from the two, prompting him to focus on the road again, "The key point I want to make is twofold.
"First... the club's current difficulties can be a blessing for you two, as it means reduced competition for playing time, potentially great opportunities.
"As for the second point... though you may not know me well and I don't have much face to save.
"I'd like to say that if you get the chance to represent Sheffield in the future, please give it your all... I don't want to see the team relegated."
By now, the pickup had entered Sheffield City, with many classical England-style buildings coming into view.
Gilbert was about to respond, but Jorson's voice rang out again: "In a sense, you two are the team's last hope.
"I won't let your efforts go unrewarded; doing so would make me insatiable. You can promise once you know me better."
Jorson turned again, flashing a bright smile with his white teeth.
The destination was near.
Ma'el and Gilbert had actually wanted to say that giving their all for the team is the basic quality of a player.
But seeing Jorson seemed to have some fixation or worry he couldn't let go of, they held back from saying more.
The pickup eventually parked in front of a hotel, where they would spend the night.
"The room's already booked; you can head up and rest first."
Jorson helped unload their luggage, saying, "I'll find a rental nearby for you and take you to see it tomorrow."
"Thanks."
After expressing their gratitude, Ma'el reminded him: "The monthly rent should be around £3,000; our salaries aren't very high right now."
The two had discussed it on the way; living together, they could look out for each other.
Splitting the rent and utilities, their bottom line was not exceeding their weekly pay by much.
They dreamt of living in luxurious villas someday, but their current incomes couldn't afford that lifestyle yet.
For now, settling in and waiting for a salary increase to improve their living conditions was the plan!