When I Opened My Eyes, I Was Drafted by the Rival Team

Mido spent his nights checking gate alarms and his weekends in front of a screen, because both jobs taught him how to spot a pattern before other people did. His rural station held a seed bank no other place could match, with rare varieties packed beside reports and old team gear. When a rival scout noticed his numbers, Mido was pulled into brackets that reopened an old wound. He had already been signed by another team, but he still played the match against his former mentor's squad in front of an unfriendly crowd, with only Nari watching what he chose to hide. Every win felt thin. Every loss felt familiar. The borrowed jersey in his kit-bag and the knee tape in his jacket kept dragging him ...