*Flashback - Five Years Ago*
The atmosphere was electric. The final match of the International Glory championship had drawn to a close, but the adrenaline still coursed through their veins. The arena, filled with thousands of spectators, erupted in a deafening roar, waves of cheers crashing through the stands. On the massive screen, the words "Victory" flashed brightly, marking the triumph of Excellent Era (Ye Xiu's team).
Ye Xiu sat back in his chair, fingers still resting lightly on the keyboard. His chest rose and fell in shallow, controlled breaths as he processed what had just happened. The final round had been brutal—a clash of minds and reflexes pushed to the very edge of what was possible in the game. But they had done it. They had won.
The tension that had gripped Excellent Era for hours melted away in an instant. The other members of Excellent Era—Liu Hao, Su Mucheng, Qiao Yifan, and the female lead, Zhao Xiaoyu—were shouting, jumping up from their chairs and embracing one another in unrestrained joy. The game had been too close, the outcome uncertain until the very last moment. Yet they had managed to pull off a victory with a final, breathtaking combo that had left the opposing team reeling.
Hao punched the air, his grin stretching from ear to ear. "We did it! We freaking did it!" His voice was drowned out by the cheers of the crowd, but the elation in his eyes was unmistakable.
Su Mucheng, always composed, threw her arms around Ye Xiu's shoulders from behind, laughing. "One Autumn Leaf strikes again. That last combo was pure magic, Ye Xiu!"
Zhao Xiaoyu, flashed a radiant smile, the kind that lit up her entire face. She had played flawlessly; despite the injury she had been nursing for months. Her bubbly personality shone even brighter now, and as she leaned in to high-five Qiao Yifan, her excitement was infectious. "I knew we had it! I knew it!" she beamed, her eyes sparkling with the thrill of victory.
Ye Xiu finally allowed himself to smile, nodding slightly. "We worked for this," he said quietly, his voice lost in the noise. "We earned it."
As the team huddled together, their coach, standing to the side, wiped away a tear. Glory's owner, a well-dressed businessman with sharp features, strode onto the stage to personally congratulate the team. The announcer's voice boomed through the speakers, heralding their victory, and soon the trophies were presented—the shining symbol of their hard-fought success.
*Later That Evening*
The championship celebration was held at one of the city's finest venues, and Glory's owner spared no expense. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and a sea of attendees mingled in the lavishly decorated hall, toasting to the victors. Everywhere Ye Xiu looked, there were smiling faces, hands offering congratulatory handshakes, and glasses of champagne raised in their honour.
The team had been given their table, where they now sat, enjoying the praise and attention. Hao was animatedly recounting a particularly close moment from the match to anyone who would listen, while Su Mucheng smiled knowingly beside him, the picture of grace under pressure. Qiao Yifan sat quietly, but even he couldn't hide the pride on his face. Zhao Xiaoyu, always the social butterfly, was talking to several guests, her infectious laughter carrying across the room.
Ye Xiu sipped his drink, watching his teammates with a sense of quiet satisfaction. This was what it was all about—these moments of shared victory, the camaraderie that had grown between them over years of relentless practice and competition. For as long as he could remember, Glory had been his life. But it wasn't just the game that mattered. It was the people—the friends who had stood beside him through thick and thin.
As the night wore on and the formal celebration began to wind down, it was Zhao Xiaoyu who suggested they keep the party going. "Come on, we're not done yet!" she declared with a mischievous grin, pulling Ye Xiu by the arm. "Let's celebrate properly!"
The team, caught up in the euphoria of their win, quickly agreed. Soon, they found themselves at an exclusive after-party, far removed from the polished elegance of the official celebration. This was where they could truly relax, just the five of them, free from the public eye and the pressures of the game.
In the dim, intimate glow of the club, music thumped in the background as drinks were poured, and the team laughed and reminisced about the match. Hao, already tipsy, challenged Su Mucheng to a dance-off while Qiao Yifan shook his head in amusement. Zhao Xiaoyu was the life of the party, pulling everyone onto the dance floor at some point or another, her joy contagious.
Ye Xiu, never one to seek the spotlight, stood by the bar, watching his friends with a quiet contentment. He had always been more reserved, preferring to observe rather than participate in the chaos. But tonight, he felt different. Tonight, as he looked at his teammates, he realized how much they meant to him. They weren't just colleagues or allies in the game—they were his family.
Zhao Xiaoyu, noticing Ye Xiu standing alone, skipped over to him and leaned against the bar. "Hey, you," she teased, nudging him. "Why so serious? We won, remember?"
Ye Xiu smiled, a real one this time, as he looked down at her. "I know. I'm just… soaking it all in."
Her eyes softened, and for a moment, she seemed to understand what he wasn't saying. "You're always the thoughtful one, huh?" she said, grinning. "But seriously, Ye Xiu, we did this together. We're unstoppable."
He nodded, glancing at the rest of the team. Hao was now singing off-key, Qiao Yifan was shaking his head in disbelief, and Su Mucheng was laughing too hard to stop him. "Yeah," Ye Xiu said quietly. "We really are."
As the night went on, they danced, drank, and laughed until the early hours of the morning. The city outside was silent, but inside, it felt like their world was alive with possibility. Nothing could go wrong. The bond they had forged was unbreakable, their victories the result of years of trust and shared determination.
As Ye Xiu looked around at his teammates, he felt something he hadn't allowed himself to feel in a long time—hope. He believed, with all his heart, that this team would stay together forever. They were friends for life, bound by the triumphs and struggles they had shared. No argument, no loss, no outside force could tear them apart. Not now. Not ever.
At that moment, Ye Xiu couldn't imagine a world where they weren't together. They were more than a team—they were family.
And families, he thought, don't fall apart.
But deep down, in the quietest part of his mind, a small voice whispered otherwise. He pushed it aside, convincing himself that nothing could ever change the way things were now.
It was the perfect night. And like all perfect nights, it would end all too soon.