After practice finished, the players said goodbye to each other, some returned to their homes, while others stayed behind for a post-match recovery session.
However, William did not immediately inform his family that training was finished.
He chose to stop by his hostel first, a place that became his second home after signing with a youth team at the age of 16.
Even though the distance between his house and the training ground was probably only about 1 hour's drive – William firmly chose to live in the dormitory and it happened just like in his previous life.
An hour-long round trip would cut into his training, recovery, and personal training time, and he wasn't willing to lose that extra time.
That's what he thought in his previous life, but after being given a second chance, William went home more often with his parents and younger siblings.
And he also spent more time with Maria because in his previous life William was too serious about training so their relationship seemed normal to William before the tragedy happened.
Upon unlocking his dorm room, William stepped inside and was greeted by a familiar sight: a simple single bed, a small table, and a wooden chair tucked against the wall.
Even though Manchester City has now been taken over by a rich owner, building everything from scratch will still take time.
Even though it seemed simple, this dormitory was much more magnificent than the dormitories of other junior teams, so William didn't complain much.
The biggest change will probably come after Manchester City completely dominated and the current owner's investment has returned, albeit slightly.
After cleaning himself and resting for a while in the silence of his dorm.
The phone belonged to William, and when he looked at who was calling it turned out to be his mother.
The moment he raised a warm and cheerful voice rang out.
"Will–how was your training? Is it finished?"
"Yes ma'am, I'm now in the dormitory"
"Why didn't you tell me that when you finished training, Maria and her parents would be here! Did you forget we were going to have dinner together today?" His mother asked in an annoyed tone because she knew that her son had probably forgotten that there was an appointment for dinner together today.
"Ah–no, I-I didn't forget" William answered nervously because he had completely forgotten about this due to too intense training.
There was a slight pause hearing William's answer as if Ana felt that her son had really forgotten this promise.
"Okay, if you remember–wait for your father to pick you up, Maria's father and mother really want to meet you," Ana said in a cheerful tone even though she also really wanted to hear how her son's training went today.
"Yes-yes, ask father to call me when he arrives."
After chatting for a while William turned off the call from his mother.
"Hahh–damn, I forgot about this. If the bald man hadn't added training for me, maybe I would still be able to remember this problem," William muttered in a weak voice because the intensity of the training was too heavy.
While he was daydreaming the system sounded and a panel appeared in front of him.
[Ding! High Intensity Training Session Complete!]
[Evaluation: Perfect. User successfully synchronized trainer tactics with 100% accuracy.]
[Mission reward: 3 Energy restoring potions]
Reward effect: recovers 50% energy after drinking it]
[Notice: the system will only provide additional missions and rewards in the first season after the first season is completed so the rewards are only obtained after the host obtains the champion title]
[The mission reward will only be a few items such as potions, anti-light injury cards, serious injury gift cards, etc. – while the champion prize/title will get skills/skills from other players so that the host becomes a maestro who can be placed in various positions in the champion prize/title. The host will also be given additional statistical points (main statistics)]
"Oh, I forgot about this too," said William while looking at the screen floating in front of him. "So that's how it is, system missions only appeared in the first season! –okay I understand"
"Give me an energy restoring drink," William said to the system, even though he could actually say it from his mind, but because he was alone, he said it a little louder.
After that, a small transparent water bottle appeared out of thin air–this appearance was truly like something out of a Japanese anime.
He immediately took a small transparent bottle containing a blue liquid that suddenly appeared in his hand.
Without hesitation, William drank it. It felt cool and refreshing, like a subtle electric current traveling from his throat to all his muscle fibers. A miracle happened; The pain in his knees disappeared instantly, and the heavy burden on his shoulders evaporated. His body felt light again even though only half of the energy he used in today's training was returned.
"Wait, if the effect is like this–shouldn't I use it during important matches?" William tiba-tiba menyadari hal salah.
"System! Will I get something like this again?" William asked the system because with this kind of effect he could last for more than 90 minutes of the match.
[Of course sir, but gifts like this will appear very rarely because it can make you dependent] answered the system.
"Ahh–that's right, never mind, besides, tonight I want to spend a lot of time with Maria." William's voice now sounded softer and his face showed a smile.
_________________
After waiting for almost 1 hour, William's cell phone rang and the person calling this time was his father.
William answered the phone and he thought he would hear his father's voice, which was strict but full of love for his family, but what he heard was the noisy voice of a little girl who was crying.
"Brother–hurry!!, Sis Maria and I have been waiting for you!!"
"Why are you calling? And don't always shout when talking on the phone," complained William, even though there was a smile on his face.
"I don't care, hurry up – or me and Sis Maria will pick you up at the dormitory," Ami answered in a voice full of complaints.
"Okay, okay, brother will be there quickly"
"Just slow down, and don't rush." The voice that appeared this time was Maria's voice.
"Okay honey," William answered and quickly turned off the phone.
To be honest, in this life William and Maria have not lived together and they have not started calling them in this way.
"Ughhh–I was so carried away after hearing his voice that I forgot that I was back in the past," William complained while covering his face with both hands.
"Hahhh" After sighing and winning himself, William stepped out of the dormitory and walked towards the parking lot.
Meanwhile in William's father's car.
"Tuttttt"
With the sound of the call being cut off, the whole car was a little silent before the cheerful voice of an excited 10 year old girl made the atmosphere in the car full of screams.
"Ohhhhhh–Brother William called Sis Maria darling, daddy heard that, right? Right? Right?" Ami asked Richard while continuing to shake Richard's body.
"Yes, yes, father heard it. And Ami, please stop shaking my father's body, which is getting old," answered Richard while stopping his daughter who was continuing to shake her body.
"I didn't know you two were this close now," continued Richard as he looked behind him and saw Maria who was covering her reddened face.
"I–I don't know why he called me like that! Honestly, this is the first time he's called me this way."
Maria answered with her hands still covering her face.
Even Maria was a little surprised by William's sudden words.
"Woowww, when are you going to have a baby?" asked Ami who now turned to Maria who was next to her.
"We–we haven't talked about that yet," answered Maria embarrassedly.
"Wait, don't talk about this anymore, Ami. After all, who taught you to talk about this?" Maria continued asking Ami while trying to change the conversation.
Ami, who heard Maria's question, immediately fell silent and tried to find an excuse.
"Brothers, yes, it's true that Brother William taught me," Ami answered and finally chose to sacrifice her beloved older brother for this matter.
"I'll ask William if it's true that he taught you something like this," Maria said in a slightly sharp and threatening tone to Ami.
"Sure, just ask later wleeee" Ami replied with a short answer and stuck out her tongue a little at Maria.
Richard, who was watching them from the driver's seat, could only smile, even though to be honest he wanted to keep asking about William and Maria's relationship because in the past few months he had seen that William could now divide his time between training, family and being with Maria.
Because before William's 18th birthday, the boy was always too busy with training and always felt that he had to perform well in every junior team match, so he lived in the dormitory and rarely went home.
In fact, Maria often complains that William rarely spends time together because he is too focused on training.
Back to William.
William stepped out towards the CFA main gate. There, the familiar black Range Rover was waiting. As soon as the door opened, a commotion that contrasted with the silence of the dormitory earlier immediately greeted him.
Ami enthusiastically hugged William "Brother – why is it taking so long?" Ami complained but still hugged William as if they hadn't seen each other for several years.
"Sorry, sorry, I had to clean some things in the dorm room earlier," William answered even though it was clear he was just calming himself down because of what he said to Maria.
"How was your day, chatty kid?" William continued while stroking his little brother's head.
After William sat in the car, his father's voice in front of the driver's seat made him nervous
"Why don't you hug your lover too?" Richard said with a grin on his face.
"Uncle–no need for a hug like that," Maria said with a red face, even though she and William loved each other and both families already knew that, showing affection in front of their parents was still embarrassing.
After a few awkward minutes in the car, especially William and Maria - everything became very smooth when Ami enthusiastically talked about how her day at school was.
"You won't believe what happened at school today, sis!" Ami exclaimed with sparkling eyes. "My friends in class... even upperclassmen who are usually arrogant, suddenly gathered around me just to ask if I was really your little sister! They started handing me books and papers, asking me to persuade you to sign!"
Ami laughed proudly, showing the small stack of papers in her bag. "I told them, Brother William's autograph is very expensive now!"
William and Ami are rarely seen together, especially because before William returned to the past he was too focused on football and the kids at school could only guess that they were a family by their last names. (Oh of course, after William debuted, Ami put a photo of the two of them on the cover of her book.)
William chuckled as he ruffled his younger brother's hair. In her previous life, Ami had never felt this kind of pride because William's career was destroyed before it could shine. Seeing his sister's smile was a greater reward than any attribute points.
Maria touched the back of William's hand gently, giving it a small, soothing squeeze. "Ami is right, Will. Today he is very busy being your personal assistant where he will tell other people that your autograph can be bought at the right price," Maria teased with a smile. "We spent the day playing together, and he also helped me pack. My room upstairs is now full of suitcases."
Maria's expression changed slightly to sadness when she mentioned the suitcase. "I've finished preparing everything for tomorrow–since you'll have practice at 10, I'll probably leave before you go to practice. It feels strange having to go back to London when you've just started your great journey here. I'm going to really miss the atmosphere of your mother's kitchen...and of course, miss you."
"Does Sis Maria miss the kitchen more than me?" Before William answered Maria's words, a sad voice came from the boy who had been excited.
"Oh–of course I will miss you more than your mother's kitchen, but not as much as Sis Maria misses your sister" Maria's voice got smaller as she said these words.
William held Maria's hand tighter. The seriousness in their past life that made their relationship feel casual is now gone; He didn't want to waste a single second of this togetherness.
In the driver's seat, Richard watched the three people's interactions with a smile. He felt that since his 18th birthday – his son had now become more mature and more reliable.
The range rover continued through the streets of Manchester towards the Carter family's house for the big dinner that had been planned. In the car, amidst Ami's chatter about his friends and Maria's plans in London, William realized one thing: even though the world might say that on the field he was a potential maestro who was feared by opponents, here he was just an older brother, a son, and a lover who had returned home to where his heart was.
The range rover continued to drive until it reached William's house. The warm conversation in the car stopped for a moment when the car engine was turned off.
"We've arrived, come down quickly - your mother said they were cooking something 'Hahh' even though they both know we will eat at the restaurant later, why are they making food now?" said Richard as he opened the car door and sighed at what the mothers were doing.
Inside the magnificent house, the fragrant aroma of high-end cooking spices filled the spacious kitchen area. Ana Carter and her best friend, Mrs Ema Howard, looked busy working together in front of the stove. Ana, with a mother's precision, was making sure William's favorite main course was cooked to perfection, while Ema helped him arrange the appetizers with her artistic interior designer's touch. (yes they are designers so how could they not like making dishes look beautiful let's just say this is a mother who has a talent for creativity)
Suddenly, a household assistant rushed towards the kitchen. "Madam, Young Master William and Master Richard have arrived. Miss Maria seems very happy, even though before she left she complained because Miss Ami always invited her to play," he reported politely and jokingly, this family really appreciates the workers at home so the workers can get along and joke as if they were also part of this family.
Ana's face immediately lit up when she heard the news. He immediately put down the spatula and turned to Ema. "They've arrived! William is finally home – I know he must be tired from training after yesterday's match."
"And it seems like the relationship between the two young people is getting better now," continued Ana with a smile on her face.
"Okay, okay, don't get too excited if you're like this and other people see – the whole of Manchester or even England will be in an uproar because Ana, who they know is a strict woman," replied Ema, shaking her head as if she hadn't changed her attitude in front of her family and in public. "Regarding their relationship, don't get too involved–they're big enough now."
"Ah whatever, let's quickly welcome them" Ana immediately walked towards the living room which was not far from the kitchen, where Mr. Albert Howard was sitting relaxed on a leather sofa while watching sports news on television. Arthur, a giant property entrepreneur who is also Maria's father, seemed so focused that he didn't notice the commotion in the kitchen.
"Albert, stop watching TV!" Ana exclaimed in a familiar but enthusiastic tone. "The children have arrived at the front. Let's welcome them!"
Albert immediately turned off the television and stood up with a chuckle. "Ah, our Prince of Manchester City is home? Well, let's see if Guardiola's training really made him look tougher today."
The three of them—Ana, Ema, and Albert—walked together towards the main door. As soon as the large wooden door opened, they were greeted by a heart-warming sight: William got out of the car with steady steps, while Ami and Maria were seen laughing beside him, under the proud watch of Richard Carter.
Seeing William Albert immediately came over and hugged him "congratulations on your debut in the senior team and premier league yesterday Will, and to be honest your game yesterday was truly amazing"
"Sorry we couldn't watch it live at the stadium, Maria's grandfather was sick so we had to go there to take care of him."
Albert continued with regret in his voice.
Ema came closer and held William's face in both hands "We watched the match on television and Maria's grandfather was even excited when he saw you make your debut – we are very proud of you, son."
William smiled sincerely, feeling a warmth that was much more real than the social media praise he had discussed with the players earlier. "It's okay, Uncle Albert, Aunt Ema. Your presence here now is more than enough for me."
After everyone had entered the warmth of the grand living room, Richard Carter placed his car keys on the marble table and turned to his best friend, Albert Howard.
"Albert, Ema, I just thought of something," said Richard as he took off his jacket. "What if we don't hold Maria's farewell party at an outside restaurant tonight? I feel much more comfortable and intimate if we do it at home. We can chat more freely without public interference, especially since William definitely needs more rest after his hard training."
Albert nodded in agreement, realizing that the tranquility of home was much more valuable for those who were always under the spotlight. "I agree, Richard. It feels more like family here."
William smiled faintly when he heard his father's decision. "Then, I'll go upstairs for a moment to shower and change clothes," he said goodbye before climbing the stairs to his quiet room.
While William was upstairs, Ami - who had been looking impatient to reveal the secret - immediately approached the crowd of parents and Maria who were setting the dining table.
"Mother! Uncle Albert! Aunt Ema! You don't know what I heard in the car just now!" exclaimed Ami with a typical naughty face.
Maria suddenly had a bad feeling and tried to cover Ami's mouth with her hand, but Ami was quicker to dodge. "Brother William just called Sis Maria 'darling'! It's as if the two of them have been together for a long time. It's really so sweet that I want to vomit!"
"But when I asked if they were going to have children, Maria actually scolded me," he continued in a complaining tone.
Ana and Ema looked at each other and smiles appeared on their faces at the same time as if just by looking at each other's faces they could understand each other and make plans.
Just then, William came down from the stairs wearing a casual polo shirt and cloth trousers. He stopped for a moment seeing all eyes focused on him with meaningful smiles, while Maria looked like she wanted to disappear from there.
"What's wrong? Why are you all looking at me like that?" William asked confused, not realizing that Ami had just detonated an information 'bomb' about him.
Ana and Ema immediately said the words in unison and it was as if they had made an agreement for this moment!
"When are you planning to have a child?"
William and Maria heard that question - their faces immediately turned red.
"Come on - I just called her darling, don't act as if that word could make Maria pregnant," William answered while trying to calm himself.
Laughter broke out suddenly in the dining room.
Time passed and they all ended up eating at home and having a small party at the Carter family's house.
William continues to be bombarded with questions about how training in the senior team is like and what it's like to play in a team with players like Aguero, Kompany etc.
These questions keep coming from Ema and Albert, because they have also been Manchester City fans since they were little.
After the party William and Maria decided to spend time together in William's room - while looking at photo albums of them when they were little.
William and Maria somehow fell asleep, perhaps because they were exhausted from the activities they were doing, they fell asleep hugging each other as if even while they were asleep their bodies knew that the warmth would be separated the next day.
-------------
The next day, the atmosphere at the Carter family residence felt a little more emotional than usual. The usually gray Manchester sky seemed to be gloomy as Maria departed back to London.
This is a big moment for the Howard family, because this is the first time that Maria will be completely separated from Albert and Ema for a long time in order to finish her studies. That was the reason why last night's farewell party felt so crucial—a celebration of their only daughter's coming of age.
Indeed, Manchester and London are not far away and Maria or they can visit each other, but life outside Hamilton and Carter is full of their respective activities, where Richard and Albert are a large restaurant owner and a property entrepreneur, they are both busy with their own affairs - while the wives are designers who will obviously be very busy, while the busiest is definitely William with his training and match schedules.
In the front yard, the car that would take Maria to the station was ready with a pile of suitcases that she and Ami had packed yesterday. Maria was seen hugging her mother, Ema, tightly while Albert Howard stood beside Richard, trying to contain his emotion at seeing his little daughter now truly having to be independent.
After saying goodbye to her parents, Maria walked towards William, who had been waiting for her near the car door.
"I will really miss your mother's cooking... and of course, Ami's fussiness," Maria whispered softly, her eyes a little teary.
William held Maria's hand tighter, a gesture he did much more often now than in his previous life. "Focus on your studies, Maria. I will wait for you here, and whenever I have free time, I will make sure the distance between Manchester and London doesn't feel too far for us."
Ami suddenly interrupted, trying to lighten the mood. "Sister Maria, don't forget to buy me souvenirs from London every time you come home! And I'm here to make sure Brother William doesn't look for a new girlfriend here!"
Maria laughed a little amidst her emotions, then gave Ami and William a final hug. As he got into the car and slowly left the gate of Alderley Edge, William continued to stare at the car until it disappeared around the corner of the road.
Now, with Maria gone, William's focus returns completely to the big challenges that await him at the City Football Academy. He knows, to provide a decent future for Maria and her family, he must truly become an irreplaceable Maestro in Pep Guardiola's team.
##################
READER: WHAT IS THIS? WHY ONLY 1 CHAPTER OF THE 6 CHAPTERS CONTAINS THE MATCH – EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A FOOTBALL FANFICTION NOVEL!!!!!
ME: THIS IS THE LIFE OF A NORMAL FOOTBALL PLAYER. DON'T THINK PLAYERS LIKE MESSI AND RONALDO HAVE NO ORDINARY LIFE AND ONLY FOCUS ON FOOTBALL.
Honest; If you feel that this chapter is very strange, I'm the same, because I made this chapter for a few days - it doesn't mean I'm lazy, but for some reason I feel like I don't have the enthusiasm to write or continue this chapter.
But I kept pushing myself and finally I succeeded in making this chapter.
Maybe you think I'm exaggerating in describing Maria's departure, who will only go to London from Manchester.
I'm not British so I don't know what the actual distance is in the real world but on Google it's a 4 hour drive – so I think it's perfect for making a separation like this.
I also actually forgot that this is not the first separation from this family with Maria because you know that in this novel it is already August and Maria should have already studied in London.
I will write the next chapter more passionately and seriously, because Maria is in London so I can focus on the match and not rack my brain too much on their love story - but I will still add William's life at home and even wherever it is up to me.
the next chapter is a match so you can look forward to it, I will try to improve the quality of my writing so that you all can enjoy it.
But it all comes back to the application that I use to translate my language into English, so it's very natural that you might feel that the words that appear in each chapter feel strange. If anyone has recommendations for applications for translation or a free website, of course, you can recommend them to me.
Thank you