Chapter 929: After the Game is Over

Higo himself didn’t know what was going on. The next thing his consciousness was back, the boy felt a massive headache as if his brain was about to be split open.

"Oh, God... What’s wrong here?!" He groaned, finding himself feeling so dizzy. Even opening his eyes made him see the whole world shaking, unable to stop at all.

"Wait, I was back already? How come?" The boy blinked repeatedly, trying to regain his sanity while adapting to the situation.

His brain raced so fast right now, digging through all the memories that got suppressed by alcohol last night. That was when everything finally clicked in, as that memory finally emerged even though a little bit vivid inside his head.

"Hiss... I have drunk 2 bottles of Helles straight away?! How could I still survive so far?!" He blinked once again in disbelief.

Helles itself was one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in this country, and almost all the people here enjoyed the whole drink when they celebrated a good occasion or something like that.

Higo himself was never a drinker. No, he was a terrible one, but since everyone was drinking last night, he had to be dragged there, and in the end, some stupid things were done without him even knowing what was going on.

Fortunately, everything happened inside the bus on the way back to Gelsenkirchen, and the team’s staff was kind enough to drop him straight in front of his flat. At least, they were willing to put him on the bed instead of letting him wander in his drunk state on such a cold night.

Not only that, though, but the medical team even provided a soul-healing meal, a chicken soup, that could wash away all the effects of the alcohol inside his system.

"Hey, Higo! This is from the old lady from the cafeteria! Don’t forget to call her later once you are sober, okay?!"

Your friend—Guzman.

Well, yeah, the food came from the cafeteria. However, at this point, Higo would never question himself about where it came from, especially since he got it free.

Once he took one big gulp of that soup, the boy could feel the warmth in his throat, finding his surroundings to be peaceful again. All the noises inside his head subsided, and at least his brain started to work again, even though a little bit slower.

’Brush my teeth first... Then a quick shower, eat, and after that, let’s see the news from Kumiko-chan...’ He murmured while also dragging his exhausted body to the washroom.

He did exactly so with the precision of a machine even in his drunk state, and the next thing the boy knew, he was already back on his own couch, scrolling through his phone while his hand was still holding a fork as the boy also ate to enjoy his time here.

All the news platforms, especially the local ones, of course, would only share about Matthew Hoppe, as he was the team’s hero yesterday.

Matthew Hoppe – A Hat-trick Hero to Seal the Win Against Hoffenheim!

Who is Matthew Hoppe, the New Schalke striker?!

Hoppe: This is just the beginning!

...

Well, Higo had already been so used to receiving that kind of treatment, so he didn’t mind it too much. Still, he couldn’t help but frown, especially after finding one part to be quite thought-provoking.

’...A reliable source said that Hoppe’s contract only lasts until June, and some teams have already inquired about him. The supporters are anxious now, waiting for the team to clarify that and start the negotiation for a new contract...’

Well, this was definitely an attempt to drive a wedge between the team and the boy. Even though Higo was still quite innocent when it came to this regard, he wasn’t na?ve enough to think that this was a coincidence.

’Either it is from another team that wants to bag him at a low price... Or his agent who tries to extort more money from the team. Damn! Just one game, and everyone is so eager to get a piece of him?!’

He couldn’t help but groan here, finding the whole situation to be ridiculous.

Unfortunately—or fortunately, depended on the point of view—Higo’s headache was still there, so the boy decided to shut his social media down and went into the famous messenger apps on the internet.

It was none other than LINE, as almost all the people back home always used it.

With a quick hand movement, he scrolled through the long list of his contacts before finding one in the middle of the pack. After pressing the call button, he waited for a second before hearing a voice that could still make his heart skip a beat.

"Hey, Ryukkun! Congratulations on the win yesterday! It was a good game!"

Yeah, it was none other than Kumiko he called, as she would always be the first name popping into his head when the boy had good news to share.

A smile cracked on Higo’s face for a split second when he heard the joyfulness on her voice before he answered with still a raspy voice and dragged tone, "Thank you. That was the best win we have ever had this year..."

There was a pause for a few seconds before Kumiko replied with a worried tone. "Are you still drunk? You are not a drinker, so what is going on? Are you alone there? Do you need any help?"

Higo could feel his heart warm in that exact second at the concern that his girlfriend showed.

"Don’t worry, I am okay." The boy smiled fondly. "Just a little celebration with the teammates that went a little bit overboard; nothing too much for me to handle on my own."

"...Well, if you say so..." Her tone was unsure.

Not wanting her to dwell too much on this matter, Higo shook his head strongly before asking, "Anyway, our flight is tomorrow, right? Are you ready to go back home?"

The answer he received was an excited squeal as the girl cheered loudly. "Of course, I am! I cannot wait to see you again, Ryukkun!"