When Lucas arrived at the locker room, he quickly found the locker where he had left his bag and began to take off his sweaty uniform. Then, as he quickly washed up, his thoughts turned to Moeka.
He hadn't met her in his past life, but he was pretty sure she would have rejected him even after seeing him play well. She didn't seem like the type of woman who would be interested in him, and she wasn't easy to win over.
"She's different from most women..." Lucas muttered to himself, soaping his arms.
In his previous life, he had only had quick relationships, the kind that lasted a month at most. He worked too hard not to get fired by his strict boss, so he always had to work a lot of overtime. This kind of thing took precious hours out of his day, and even though he liked the girls, he sometimes went out with, he watched them walk away with their hands tied behind their backs.
However, he was young now and had time to devote to not being a thirty-something single man.
After a quick shower, he put on a clean t-shirt and jeans, looked in the mirror and grimaced.
"Nothing impressive, but it'll have to do." He laughed at himself.
When he returned to where he had left Moeka, she was standing exactly where he had left her, staring absentmindedly at the sky. She turned when she heard Lucas' footsteps approaching.
"You were quick."
"I didn't want to keep you waiting too long," he replied.
"Ready to go?" She asked, pointing to the exit. "Don't worry. We won't go far, so you won't worry about your friends and coach."
'If she only knew what Mr. Yamamoto said to me when I told him I had to leave the locker room a little early because I wanted to talk to a girl...' Lucas thought. Lucas thought, a bead of sweat running down his face as he remembered the old coach's naughty side.
The Asset Minato Stadium had a shopping mall inside, with souvenir shops, restaurants, and cafes scattered throughout the corridors. The interior was very modern and spacious, and it was a way for the stadium to make money even when there were no games, and the mall was very busy after games.
Moeka and Lucas walked in silence for a moment, both feeling a little uncomfortable in the situation.
"You played really well today, Lucas." Moeka finally broke the silence. "I knew you had potential from the rumors I heard, but I didn't know you had so much energy."
Lucas laughed. "If you think you saw energy today, you ain't seen nothing yet."
Moeka smiled and blushed a little, but soon returned to her usual expression. "That's what I wanted to talk about."
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "About what, exactly? About my energy?"
Moeka hesitated for a moment, as if choosing her words carefully. "I wanted to know if... well, if the request to go out with me that day was some kind of bet with your teammates."
Lucas stopped abruptly. "A bet? Of course not! What gave you that idea?"
Moeka blushed slightly and looked away. "Well, it's just something teenagers do sometimes. They make bets to see who can get a girl's attention first or put pressure on a classmate to do something."
"Moeka, I would never do that. When I asked you out, I meant it. I really wanted to spend time with you, without any bets or ulterior motives, well, ulterior motives I do have."
Moeka was surprised by Lucas' sincerity, put her hand to her mouth and laughed again, looking relieved. "It's okay, I believe you, Lucas. And I really appreciate your feelings, but... I can't repay you."
Lucas felt a pang of disappointment. "And why not?"
"Because it would be unprofessional of me. I'm a volunteer nurse here, and it's not appropriate to have that kind of relationship with such a young player."
"But you're not working now, are you? We're just chatting, off the clock. That doesn't count as lack of professionalism."
Moeka let out a small laugh, surprised by Lucas' wit. "You're smart, Lucas, but I still can't."
Lucas feigned an exaggerated sigh of defeat. "All right, you win. I'll respect your decision. Now, since you can't give me what I want. How about buying me a coffee so I don't have to rush back to the locker room? I'd pay, but..." Lucas pulled out his pockets, revealing that he was penniless.
"A coffee, huh? You really know how to turn a situation to your advantage, don't you?"
"I've learned that sometimes persistence is the key."
Moeka was hard to decipher, but he was determined to spend more time with her and try to complete the mission of kissing her.
"All right, a coffee won't hurt."
They chose a cozy coffee shop in the corner of the mall, where the aroma of freshly ground beans dominated the air, mingling with the sweet smell of cakes and pies on the counter.
Lucas ordered an American coffee, simple and strong, like he used to drink during his long working days, while Moeka opted for an iced coffee with milk and a hint of caramel. They walked to the parking lot to wait for the Wushia High School team to leave the stadium.
"So, Moeka, how about telling me a little more about yourself?" Lucas asked.
Moeka held the cold glass in his hands. "There's not much to tell, really." I've always liked helping people and being a nurse allows me to do that."
"And you like football? Or do you volunteer more for the chance to help people?"
"A bit of both, I'd say." Moeka replied with a slight smile. "I grew up in a family that always followed soccer. My brothers were fanatics, and I got the hang of it. But more than the sport itself, I like being where I can make a difference, however small."
Moeka seemed so at peace with herself, so aware of her choices, that Lucas found himself reflecting on how he himself had changed since his reincarnation.
"I understand. I think sometimes we just want to find a place where we can be useful, right? We spend so much time chasing goals and objectives that we sometimes forget to live in the moment, to enjoy the little things."
Moeka stared at him for a moment, as if she was really surprised. "Yes, you have a very mature side, don't you?"
Lucas smiled, a bit embarrassed. "What? Don't say it like that, I'm mentally more mature than any boy my age."
"I can see that, you're trying to find an older girlfriend." She joked, making him blush with embarrassment.
She laughed, and the sound of her laughter made Lucas' heart beat a little faster. Just then, Lucas picked up Moeka's cup, which was lying between them on the bench, and took a sip of her iced coffee.
"Hey, that's my coffee." Moeka said, still laughing.
Lucas' eyes widened as he quickly removed the straw from his mouth.
"Oh, sorry! I got my cup mixed up!"
"Um... You saw you couldn't get a direct kiss, so you stole an indirect one, right?" She looked at him with crossed eyes, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.
"What?! Of course not!"
[Congratulations! You have completed the 'Flirt' mission!]
[You have won the following rewards: + 1 Uncommon Loot Box and + 1 Common Mystery Card].
"Don't worry, Lucas. I know it was an honest mistake."
Her tone was playful, but there was something else, a feeling that made Lucas relax. He laughed at his own distraction, and for a moment the embarrassment was replaced by a feeling of friendship.
They chatted for a few more minutes until they saw the Wushia High School players leaving the stadium in the distance.
Moeka sighed softly. "I think it's time for me to go."
"Time has passed quickly, Moeka."
"It has." She agreed and stood up. "Thank you for the coffee and the conversation."
"Thank you, Moeka. It was nice spending time with you."
"Lucas, I hope you continue to play with the same passion you showed today. And remember, no matter what happens, you must always follow what you believe is right."
"I promise, Moeka."
So Lucas joined his colleagues while Moeka got into her car. When he sat down in his seat on the bus, he looked out and saw that she was no longer there.
'She rejected me, but it seems I managed to cheat the system with that simple indirect kiss... Well, not bad for a first rejection in your teens, right?' He thought and a female face with a wicked smile appeared in his mind like a flash, making the smile on his face disappear. 'No, it wasn't really my first rejection...'
"Hey, Tanaka, you dropped this on the bus." Tsuyoshi Nishida approached Lucas and handed him a small piece of paper.
Confused, Lucas opened the paper and there were several numbers on it that definitely made up a cell phone number, and underneath it was written: "Call me if it's a big emergency, but only big emergencies."