Chapter 417 Bonding
As the training session began in earnest, the atmosphere shifted from one of fatigue to one of focus and resolve. The players pushed through their soreness, driven by the desire to improve and succeed.
Despite consuming so much of his energy, Hiro continued to give his all. Leading by example, he poured every ounce of energy into his performance, leaving no room for error or complaints. And the way he devoted himself made it seem almost as if he had an infinite reserve of energy.
Both his work ethic and enthusiasm were rather contagious. Not only did it influence his peers by arousing their competitive spirit, but it also influenced the coaching staff, making them even more enthusiastic about the session.
The training ground, once quiet and still, was now alive with the sounds of effort and determination. While they marched on the field, the sun kept climbing high up in the sky. And, by the time their training session came to an end, it was already 10 of the morning.
Beep!!
The shrill sound of the whistle tore through the air, causing the players to cease their actions on the field, signaling the end of the session. The training had been nothing but intense. And the sheer intensity of the training was evident on their exhausted faces.
The training had left them gasping for breath.
Panting heavily as they ceased their movement, many of them collapsed on the field. While some stripped their sweat-soaked jerseys to cool themselves. Hiro on the other hand tried to stabilize his breathing. Though it drained him, yet still it felt quite rejuvenating.
"Good work everybody, you all have worked really hard today. Keep it up," Coach Tatsuya commended, applauding his players for their tenacity and dedication, "I'll meet you all in the canteen"
With that, Tatsuya left the pitch before others while discussing some tactics with his peers.
"Thank you for your hard work," The players responded in unison, their voices full of vigor.
Even after the departure of the coaches, Hiro stayed put on the pitch for some while, attempting to bond with other players. He knew that performing well in matches wasn't enough; building strong relationships with his fellow players was equally crucial for success.
"Little guy, I'm expecting your reply to my post," Asahi Miura one of the veteran players of the team who was well over thirty spoke in a friendly manner.
At well over thirty, Asahi was a pillar of experience and skill in the team. His tall, muscular frame and sharp eyes exuded confidence and determination, while his graying hair and lined face told stories of countless battles on the pitch.
Asahi was not just a player but a legend in the league. His achievements were remarkable; a four-time league champion, and a two-time MVP of the league, and despite playing as a midfielder he had been the top scorer of the league for two consecutive times during his prime.
His presence on the field was commanding, and his knack for reading the game made him an invaluable asset to the team. And for that reason even though he didn't move as much as others, he was still valuable for the team.
It's not that he hadn't received any offers from overseas. During his prime, he was even linked with one of the powerhouse teams in Germany, Borussia Dortmund. It was rumored that they wanted to bring him to their ranks.
Though later he denied those claims of Dortmund trying to recruit him so nobody knows whether it's just a rumor or truth.
Surprisingly just at the moment when those rumors were circulating, he had injured himself. At that time, he had been out of action for almost half the season due to his injury. So, even though he had denied those claims, it remains a matter of debate whether he was approached for real or not.
Hiro looked up, smiling at Asahi. "Of course, Asahi-san. I'll get to it right after this."
Asahi chuckled, clapping Hiro on the shoulder, "Good. You've got a promise, kid. Keep pushing, and you'll go far."
Hiro nodded, appreciating his compliment, "I'll do my best to live up to not disappoint you"
"Good, good..." Asahi laughed, "You should visit us sometime. You know my daughter is a huge fan of yours?"
Asahi's daughter was only a year younger than him, so he felt a little hesitant to respond. Even though Asahi was acting friendly, he knew that if he said anything wrong he wouldn't let him go. After all, it was a well-known fact in the team that he was overprotective of his daughter.
Who knows what he'd do to him if he said something wrong?
Even without looking at him, Hiro could tell that he was intently staring at him, waiting to lash out. Since he mentioned it, he could tell that his words were true. But he also knew that he was testing him by mentioning his daughter's name. This made him quite nervous.
Helplessly, he looked in the direction of Tatsuki and Naoto to bring him out of this situation. But just as he looked in their direction, both of them avoided his gaze.
It was as if they were telling him to handle his situation by himself.
Since they decided to abandon him, now he had to handle this situation all by himself. One wrong word and he might get his head chopped.
"Thank you for the invitation Asahi-san. I'll definitely try to visit you in my free time," Hiro replied politely.
As for his daughter, he didn't even mention it. He deduced that it'd be better to ignore his daughter so that he wouldn't get any reason to pour on him.
His response left no room for Asahi to lash out.
"You've said it. So, do visit when you've got time," Asahi replied, "Also I've followed you on Insta. Be sure to follow back," he added.
Hiro nodded his head, "I will"
They weren't aware that he had two separate accounts. So, he knew that Asahi must have followed him in his other account which was meant for the public.
It had been quite a lot since he last opened his account.
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