Min jae was wake up from his bed for morning run like everyday after he finished he entered the house where his sister was waiting for the morning tiffin while his mother was busy in kitchen to prepare the food for the family.
seo-yoon while turning her face into his brother who covered with full of sweat " go take the bath stinky brother " while showing the hand towards the washroom.
Then min Jae comes forward to hug his little sister with the sweat to tease her as she was irritate with sweat " come little sister give this brother a hug for recovering the energy."
she went to the kitchen directly to complain her mother who is already very busy with her works.
then her mother with somewhat angry voice " Min, go take a bath first you have training later don't waste time with your sister " while cooking in the kitchen.
Min jae with soft voice " ok mom, i am going to fresh up."
After the breakfast he went to the for the trainig.
The sky above Hércules CF training ground was still dim, painted in pale blue and grey. The floodlights flickered faintly as Min-jae stepped inside, earlier than ever before.
The silence of the pitch felt different today—heavier, almost expectant.
He didn't waste a second.
Ball at his feet, he began with light touches. Left, right, turn, accelerate. His breathing synced with his movements. Every step carried intent. Every touch had purpose.
This match against UD SIA Benigànim… I won't let it pass me by.
Footsteps echoed behind him.
Head coach Rubén Torrecilla arrived with his staff, stopping quietly near the sideline.
But today, they weren't the only ones watching.
A tall figure stood beside them—arms crossed, sharp eyes analyzing every move.
It was Alejandro Ruiz, a visiting academy scout invited to observe potential prospects.
The assistant coach leaned closer to Ruben and whispered,"Perfect timing… let him see Min-jae."
Alejandro didn't say anything. His gaze stayed locked on the boy training alone.
Inside the conference room, discussions grew intense.
The assistant coach spoke first,"Min-jae's work rate is unmatched. If we don't test him now, we might miss something important."
Ruben leaned back, thoughtful."Effort is there. But football isn't just effort… it's timing, intelligence, adaptability."
Alejandro finally spoke, his voice calm but firm,"Sometimes… those who lack talent develop sharper instincts. Give him a situation where instinct matters."
Ruben glanced at him, then nodded slightly."Fine. Today, we test him under pressure."
By the time players filled the field, the atmosphere had changed.
Word had spread—someone important was watching.
Sen noticed it too.
And when he saw Min-jae, already sweating from early training, irritation flashed across his face.
He walked up slowly, clapping mockingly."Trying extra hard today? Is it because someone's watching? Don't embarrass yourself."
Before things escalated, Ronan stepped in again."Enough, Sen. Focus on your own game."
But this time, another voice joined.
Diego Alvarez, known for his aggressive style, smirked as he approached."Let him talk. Pressure reveals everything. Let's see if Min-jae breaks… or surprises us."
Min-jae didn't respond as he knows ho it ends and also he didn't get any chances before to enter the match so he was eager to prove hinmself.
But his grip on the ball tightened slightly.
Training began with higher intensity than usual.
Sprint drills.
Passing sequences.
Sharp transitions.
Everything felt faster, sharper… heavier.
Then came the dribbling run.
Sen went first again, performing cleanly. Diego followed—strong, explosive, aggressive.
Then Min-jae stepped up.
This time, there was no hesitation.
He exploded forward.
His acceleration shocked everyone. The ball didn't just follow—it obeyed. Each touch was perfectly timed. His body leaned, shifted, flowed like water.
Even Alejandro's expression changed slightly.
When Min-jae crossed the finish line—fastest again—the silence was louder than applause.
Ronan grinned widely."Okay… now even I'm getting scared of you."
Min-jae exhaled slowly, but his eyes were calm.
He wasn't done.
Afternoon training.
Ball-scrambling drill.
But this time, Ruben added a twist.
"Limited space. Faster passes. One-touch only."
The pressure increased instantly.
Min-jae, Sen, Ronan, and Diego were placed in the same group.
Sen smirked. Diego cracked his knuckles.
The ball moved.
Fast.
Sharp.
Unforgiving.
Min-jae stepped in.
At first, the speed overwhelmed him. The ball zipped past, players moved like shadows.
Then—
He slowed down.
Not his body.
His mind.
He stopped chasing.
Instead, he watched.
Sen's shoulder tilt.Diego's planted foot.The angle of the pass.
Then—
Interception.
Clean.
Unexpected.
"Again," Diego muttered, now serious.
The game continued.
This time, Diego tried to overpower him—body feints, sudden bursts.
But Min-jae adapted.
A fake move from Diego.
Min-jae didn't react.
Half a second later—steal.
Now Diego was inside the circle.
The energy shifted.
What started as mockery turned into challenge.
Players began targeting Min-jae deliberately.
Faster passes. Trickier angles.
But something had awakened in him.
Each mistake became a lesson. Each touch became sharper.
At one moment, Sen and Diego tried a coordinated play—one faking left, the other cutting right.
Min-jae read both.
He moved before the ball even left the foot.
Interception.
Gasps.
From the sidelines, Alejandro finally spoke again,"He's not reacting anymore… he's predicting."
Ruben nodded slowly, eyes narrowed."…and that changes everything."
Minutes later, Sen stood in the center again, breathing heavily, frustration boiling over.
Diego, now outside, stared at Min-jae with a different expression—not contempt, but respect.
Ronan laughed loudly,"Looks like the 'rubbish' is running the game now."
Min-jae stood still for a moment, ball at his feet.
The noise faded.
The pressure disappeared.
For the first time—
He felt it clearly.
Not just improvement.
Control.
And somewhere on the sidelines, Ruben Torrecilla made a quiet decision.
This boy… will play.