The selfish dreamer

The game was intense, and both teams were evenly matched. Yet the score was against them at 0–1, and there were only a few minutes left on the clock. Kai was on the field struggling as he tugged along the game. Why was he here? Kai questioned himself as he eyed the players even in the most desperate of situations fighting valiantly, struggling along despite the odds.

What is the joy of fighting a hopeless battle?

No. Kai shook his head. They weren't fighting without a reason.

A dreamer must keep on dreaming. Anything is possible. As long as there are the slightest of chances. As long the match clock doesn't hit 90 minutes. As long as your heart is committed. Anything is possible.

He already wounded his heart for this. He already sacrificed so much. Why is he wasting this opportunity in the face of adversity?

I am Kaiser.

The beast awoke, and its deep slumber ceased as its wary eyes observed his surroundings.

The ball was with the opposition, and they were pressing hard. Kai saw an opportunity and made a dash towards the ball. He made a sliding tackle as he ferociously attempted to win the ball. His attempt failed, but that didn't deter him. Kai only ran harder, each minute passing as his untamed animalistic nature grew in momentum until it can no longer be restrained in chains.

I am the King

If only he had intercepted that pass. If only he stopped that pass. If only he was slightly faster, then they wouldn't have been losing. The score won't be 0–1. He was responsible for the situation and Kai knew it very well in his heart. Deep down, a heavy burden crashed on him.

I am the one true Ruler.

As the game continued, Kai's eyes were locked on the ball as it sailed through the field. Like an orchestrator admiring the ensemble, Kai could feel it, he could detect everyone's movement and their role before his very eyes. What the opponents were doing, what his teammates were doing, even the slightest deviation in someone's body posture he could detect. None could escape his eyes. Nothing was out of his sight.

I am the one blessed by the heavens.

A pass towards his team's goal. Kai knew that the opposition's striker was lurking nearby, waiting to pounce on any mistake. But he was like a hawk, poised and ready to strike at a moment's notice.

I am the one who sacrificed his family.

As the ball approached, Kai took a step forward and extended his leg, intercepting the pass with the precision of a surgeon. It was like a shield blocking a sword, a barrier that the opposition could not breach. He had read the play like a book, anticipating the danger and reacting with lightning-fast reflexes.

I am the one who sacrificed his friendship.

With the ball now under his control, he turned and surveyed the field, looking for an opportunity to launch a counter-attack. He was like a general on the battlefield, strategising his next move with the coolness of a veteran.

I am the one who sacrificed everything that meant anything to me.

The midfielder's foot was like a brushstroke on a canvas, painting a masterpiece with the ball as the colour. As he looked up and saw his teammate making a run, he knew exactly where to place the ball. It was like a needle threading through the eye of a storm, splitting the opposition's defence like a surgeon's scalpel. The pass was a bolt of lightning, crackling with electricity as it flew towards its target. It was a missile seeking out its target, honed and deadly. The midfielder had unleashed a dragon, breathing fire as it soared towards the goal, leaving the opposition in its wake. It was a pass that would be etched into the memories of everyone who witnessed it, a testament to the midfielder's skill and vision.

I am the one destined for true greatness.

The winger received the ball on the flank, and as he looked up, he saw that the opposition had left a gap in their defence. With lightning-fast reflexes, Nkunku darted towards the gap, his feet moving in a blur as he dribbled past the first defender.

The crowd gasped in amazement as the dazzling forward spun around the next defender, leaving him in his wake. He was like a magician, with the ball seemingly glued to his feet, moving effortlessly and gracefully past his opponents.

The opposition's defenders were closing in on him, but Nkunku was undeterred. He feinted to the right, then to the left, sending the defenders stumbling in the wrong direction. It was like a dance, with the winger leading the way, moving to his own rhythm. He dribbled past one defender, then another, and then another. The crowd was on their feet, cheering him on. He was unstoppable. He reached the edge of the box,

With just the goalkeeper to beat, the winger took a deep breath and made his move. He was a few steps before the goal, but the keeper was way off his line. Placing his bets, Nkunku sublimely struck the ball as he scooped it underneath. It was an elegant arc as it flew over the keeper's hands, out of his reach as it rolled into the back of the net in the gentlest of manners.

The crowd erupted in cheers, and the winger was surrounded by his teammates, all congratulating him on his stunning solo goal. It was a moment of magic, a true display of skill and artistry on the football pitch. Nkunku had dribbled past the defenders with ease, leaving them in awe of his speed and agility. And with his final move, he had delivered a finishing touch that would go down in history as one of the most memorable solo goals of all time.

The team celebrated together, each member jumping over one another in pure bliss. They hugged and they were adrenaline-filled to the brim at that miraculous goal. Everyone surrounded Nkunku as they celebrated with the crowds, waving and thankful for their support.

As Kai's team celebrated the goal, he couldn't help but feel like something was still missing. Even though he had played a vital role in creating the chance that led to the goal, he still felt like an outsider among his teammates.

It wasn't that they didn't welcome him or that they were openly hostile towards him, but there was still a distance between them that he couldn't quite bridge. He felt like an interloper, a newcomer who had yet to earn his place in the team.

Perhaps it was because Kai had only recently joined the team, or maybe it was because he had struggled to find his form in the early parts of the game. Whatever the reason, he knew that he still had a lot of work to do to win the acceptance of his teammates.

He stood there motionless and indifferent about the goal. He observed his teammates from afar, a distance in the heart and on the pitch that Kai knew in his heart.

Kai shook his head. He doesn't deserve it. He had no right to celebrate with them... He must do more than this, much much more.

~~~

As the match restarted, Kai could feel the weight of his teammates' expectations on his shoulders. The burden was delivered by his teammates, but a burden he created in his mind. Kai knew he hadn't erased his crimes with just a simple assist. The only way to apologize was to take action, by making an action that outdone his crimes. Drawing the match wasn't enough, only a win will be acceptable to him.

But the opponent team had other plans. They defended stubbornly, closing down Kai and his teammates at every turn. Try as he might, Kai could not seem to find a way through their defence. He tried every trick in the book, but the opponent team seemed to anticipate his every move. He spotted gaps in the defence, but it seemed his teammates didn't run with their heart and soul.

Opportunities turned into nothing as Kai became increasingly frustrated. The gaps that opened up couldn't be exploited, even though Kai could see those chances right before his very eyes. The team put on the handbrake, were they satisfied with just a draw?

As the game wore on, it became clear that it was going to be a tough battle. The opponent team was determined to hold on to their draw, and despite Kai's best efforts, neither team could break the deadlock.

The game continued like this, with both teams fighting tooth and nail for every inch of the pitch. There were moments of brilliance on both sides, with spectacular saves, tackles, and shots on goal. But in the end, neither team could find the breakthrough they needed, and the game ended in a hard-fought 1-1 draw.

For Kai, it was a bittersweet result. On the one hand, he had contributed to the team's goal and had played his heart out on the pitch. But on the other hand, he knew that he had struggled to create any more chances and had not lived up to the expectations of his teammates.

As he walked off the pitch, a bittersweet ending that Kai couldn't accept. If only he had been playing his best game since the first whistle. If only he had been focused since the very start. If only he weren't so afraid of his past traumas. Maybe, just maybe, the results could've gone their way.