God Of football Chapter 1002: Shedding

The following morning, normalcy had returned.

The lingering excitement from the birthday celebration had faded.

As Izan leaned against the kitchen counter, Komi approached him.

"Could you take Hori to school?" she inquired gently.

Izan blinked slowly, still shaking off the last remnants of sleep.

"I can, but what's the reason?" he asked, suppressing a yawn.

Komi simply shook her head.

"I have numerous obligations scheduled for tomorrow."

He arched an eyebrow.

"Aren't you the boss?"

"That doesn't grant me permission to slack off," she responded calmly.

"Besides, I also work for someone else," she added with a smile, but he dismissed it with a shake of his head.

"As your son, that doesn't really hold much weight."

He let out a breath through his nose and then nodded.

"Alright."

Komi moved closer after his agreement and planted a soft kiss on his cheek.

As she drew back, her expression shifted.

For a fleeting moment, her gaze rested on his face longer than usual.

"You're beginning to resemble him more and more," she murmured. "Yet, strangely... not like him at all."

Her words seemed to carry a softer tone than she had intended, while Izan offered a simple smile in return.

Komi gave a single nod, as if content, before turning away.

Outside, Miranda's car headlights swept across the front windows. Komi retrieved her coat and moved towards the door.

"Have a wonderful day," she said over her shoulder. Izan responded with a lifted hand as he moved to close the door behind his mother.

Out in the driveway, Miranda waited behind the wheel, the engine already humming. A second later, Komi entered the car, but just as the vehicle began to pull away, a white blur darted past Izan's legs.

"Miko—!" he called out after the dog before also moving into action.

The Samoyed bolted towards the driveway as if the morning itself had beckoned her outdoors.

"Not today," Izan shouted, intercepting her before she could reach the gate.

Moments later, he scooped her up mid-leap, eliciting a surprised bark as her paws flailed in protest.

"Nice try," he commented, adjusting his hold.

He carried the fluffy escape artist back inside and secured the door.

After ensuring the dog was occupied with its morning meal, Izan headed upstairs.

Pushing open the bedroom door, he found Olivia in the exact same posture as when he had left earlier.

She remained hidden beneath the covers, curled into a ball, clearly showing no intention of waking anytime soon.

He paused there for a beat.

Then he left her to her slumber.

In the bathroom, he meticulously brushed his teeth before stepping into the shower.

By the time he descended the stairs again, the morning had fully arrived, and Hori was already in the kitchen.

She occupied a seat at the counter, dressed in her complete school uniform, with a bowl of cereal before her. Her phone was in her other hand, while Miko sat attentively beside her chair, like a devoted guardian.

Izan rested against the counter.

"Are you ready to go?"

Hori looked up, finished her spoonful, and nodded.

She placed the bowl in the sink, retrieved her bag from a nearby stool, and then the pair proceeded outside.

The two supercars that Izan personally owned were not something Hori particularly cared for on a school day. Thus, they made their way towards the black Mercedes AMG G63S waiting in the driveway.

She entered the front passenger seat without any fuss, placing her bag in the back as Izan started the engine.

Soon, they were en route.

The journey to Barnet was largely uneventful, with traffic flowing smoothly through the morning streets.

Izan's hand rested on the steering wheel, his gaze occasionally drifting towards Hori.

She detected every glance and finally turned to him as he attempted to look again.

"What is it?" she inquired, but he simply shook his head slightly.

"Nothing."

She observed him for another moment, unconvinced, before returning her attention to the window.

Fifteen minutes later, the car entered the drop-off lane at Queen Elizabeth's School.

Students were moving towards the entrance in groups, but Hori did not exit the vehicle immediately.

Instead, she rummaged through her bag for a few seconds.

Then, she tossed a small object into Izan's lap.

"Happy birthday."

Her words were spoken softly, almost reluctantly.

Before he could respond, she had already opened the car door.

"Hey—"

"Hey!"

He called out after her, but she was already walking towards the building, headphones now in place.

Izan looked down at the item she had thrown and saw a small, square container.

He glanced up again, noticing Hori was now halfway to the entrance, merging with the crowd.

A faint smile touched his lips as he opened the box.

Inside lay a bracelet, a silver one adorned with patterns resembling runes.

A vacant space beside it indicated that it was part of a pair.

He lifted it carefully. Engraved onto the metal were his initials.

And on the side, in smaller lettering.

Big bro.

Izan leaned back in the driver's seat, a slight shake of his head.

"Hori..."

The car idled silently for a brief moment as she vanished into the school building, not once casting a glance back.

He slipped the bracelet onto his wrist.

Then, starting the engine, he pulled away from the curb, a faint smile lingering on his lips.

A few minutes later, the car merged seamlessly onto a broader road, heading north, a different direction from where he had come.

He had initially intended to return to Hampstead to retrieve some personal items. However, midway, a thought struck him: 'Perhaps I can use these few hours to purge the remnants of yesterday's festivities?'

And twenty minutes thereafter, the familiar gates of London Colney emerged into view.

The security guard at the entrance straightened perceptibly as the Mercedes approached. Though it wasn't a vehicle he encountered frequently, his demeanor instantly relaxed when Izan rolled down the window.

"Good morning, Fletcher."

"Morning, Izan. Haven't seen this one too often," the security guard remarked.

Izan responded with a slight nod and a small smile. A moment later, the barrier was lifted, and the guard waved him through.

Within the complex, groundskeepers were already tending to a distant pitch, meticulously mowing patterns into the grass that would soon vanish.

The majority of the squad would not arrive for another hour and a half.

Izan parked in the designated player lot and stepped out into the crisp morning air.

The building was largely deserted as he entered.

A few staff members looked up from their workspaces, offering nods and 'mornings' in passing, but little else.

He continued towards the equipment room, which, as always at this hour, stood unlocked.

Along the walls, rows of boots were neatly arranged, with boxes meticulously labeled by player name and sponsorship details.

Adidas had shown him considerable generosity.

His signature line already had more pairs stored here than he could realistically use within a season.

Without much deliberation, he selected a spare pair before heading back into the player locker room.

There, he took a seat on the bench and slowly laced up his new boots. Once finished, he stepped back into the corridor.

Upon emerging onto the training ground, several balls rested in their sacks nearby.

"Perfect," he murmured, walking towards the center circle. The new boots felt firm against the turf, possessing that satisfying sensation unique to fresh studs.

After a couple of minutes of stretching, Izan picked up one of the numerous balls and began his rigorous training session.