Chapter 956: Visiting an Old Friend (I)

Honestly, giving five days off seemed a bit much here, especially in the middle of the season.

How could it not, since the game was always weekly, and not training for that long would only make them rusty and unprepared.

However, this was a different case, one that allowed Schalke’s players to relax a little bit as a reward after getting three wins in a row.

Not only was it to replace the break that the team took away from them on New Year’s Day, but the next game week would be a break as well for the league. In return, they would play the DFB Pokal, the cup where all the teams from any division could fight against each other.

The most important thing was that it was still in the second round, and most Bundesliga teams would only play against the second or third division teams. This was definitely the best chance to rest the main players and let the benchwarmers take over the team even for a moment.

Still, while everyone was happy to have a break, Higo somehow became restless, not knowing what he had to do in that period.

After all, Kumiko was still back in Hakodate, and the closest friend he had here would be Sakura and Kawabe, the couple who seemed to enjoy the whole Europe during this New Year break.

Oh, yeah, the schedule for the second division started late, at least in the second week of January. So, it was no wonder that Higo could see Kawabe’s social media post of him and Sakura traveling all around Europe, like to Italy or Spain.

Unfortunately, that also meant Higo wouldn’t be able to meet with them, and having five days without anyone next to him sure would drive the boy crazy.

’No, I have to at least have something to do in this period. Find a hobby, maybe?’ He murmured secretly.

However, before he could think further, his phone suddenly buzzed, and when the boy saw who had sent a message and its content, his eyes lit up instantly as his fingers danced on the keyboard with a godlike speed.

You: Sure, I have a break for about five days! Just send me the address!

-0-

The next day, Higo found himself driving his Volkswagen Golf R-Line across the city, fighting the slippery terrain due to the snow on the road.

After getting the car from his sponsor, this was probably the first time the boy had a chance to use it on a long drive, and it would be a lie if he said that he didn’t enjoy this feeling.

’Yeah, it seems that the old saying is right. Driving will always be men’s romance, huh?’ He couldn’t help but mutter, having one hand on the steering wheel as his eyes were locked on the road.

It also helped that the road was basically empty at this point. Only a few pedestrians could be seen wearing masks on the sidewalk, while cars were basically just a rarity nowadays.

The reason was simple. Outside of the football community, the country was still getting swarmed by the virus, and since the number of cases didn’t show any trend to move downward, the self-quarantine policy was still on the board at this point.

Of course, that didn’t mean Higo was exempt from the rule. No, even right now, he was still carrying so many documents in the car, from his ID card, driver’s license, and the copy of the result of his PCR test a few days ago that showed that he was healthy for travelling.

Not only that, but his phone was also ready at any time, so that when anyone asked, he could show the message that he wasn’t just going to a random place, but was being invited to a friend’s residence.

At least, this would show that he was responsible not only for his safety, but also for the people around him, not coming to a crowded place or something that could get him infected out of stupidity.

Fortunately, though, even though the road was quite empty, business started to open, so Higo had a chance to stop at some of them to pick up a gift or two.

"So, which one is suitable for a girl at around ten years old?" He asked the clerk at one of the shops he visited.

"A ten-year-old girl? Wanting to visit your niece?" The old lady just chuckled while taking out a few toys that seemed to be suitable as a gift. "It depends on your budget, I guess, but if you have a good amount in your wallet, I guess you can pick something like this, or that..."

Well, this was the first time Higo picked a gift for a younger girl, so he had quite a headache finding a suitable one here.

In the end, he picked the LEGO toy from the famous Disney movie Frozen, thinking that the girl at that age would probably like a princess movie like this.

After that, he went to another shop to pick something for the parents, from cake, snacks, and something that could fill stomach.

Honestly, Higo himself didn’t know what to expect here. After all, this was the first time he visited a friend like this, and the boy felt like he had to bring a lot of gifts to make sure that he wouldn’t just be there to freeload.

After he felt like everything was ready, the boy hit the accelerator once again, going straight to the southeast to a big city called Bochum.

That was the house of the friend that he would visit right now.

It only took around 45 minutes for him to arrive, and after 15 minutes searching for where the house was, he finally arrived at a humble house, not standing out much in the neighborhood.

Still, the sound of a child squealing and laughing was enough to make the atmosphere lively, and honestly, Higo couldn’t help but smile when he heard that.

"Oh, well, it seems that I am in the right place. Let’s see..."

Knock! Knock! Knock!