SPECIAL CHAPTER — CAPTAIN RAPHAEL (1)
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(POV: Raphael)
My name is Raphael. I'm 18 years old.
I'm the captain of the most dominant team in the country — Kelana Warriors FC.
You're probably wondering:
"How did I become number one in the Top 18?"
Simple — I never accepted defeat.
Since I was young, I wasn't the type to do things just because someone told me to. But if something made me happy, I'd chase it obsessively.
Back then, that "something" was studying.
(Flashback - age 15)
I was nothing like my younger brother, Reff.
He liked sports, made friends easily. To him, "friends and fun" were essential.
I didn't get it. Why was he always smiling?
What was so enjoyable about football?
I started observing him from afar. Every evening, he'd head to the field — and every time he played, that same smile appeared.
Strange. But… intriguing.
Then one day, he fell.
Injured.
A broken leg.
I figured that was the end of my little observation project.
But just before he went into surgery, he called out to me.
"Brother Raphael…"
"…Yeah?"
"Can you… play football in my place? Just until I get better."
I blinked.
"…You noticed I was watching you?"
"Isn't that obvious?" he grinned.
"…Thanks for noticing."
Something strange stirred in me then. I didn't like people. I didn't like crowds. But… I said yes.
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A few weeks later, I enrolled in Reff's school.
A regular school. Filled with regular people.
It felt like walking into a zoo.
First day, I sat in class, surrounded by noise.
Then during lunch, I followed Reff's instructions — headed to the football field.
That's when I met the most annoying human on Earth.
"Yo, yo, new kid!"
A tall, buff guy came up with a smug smile.
"What's a nerd like you doing here? You here to be the referee or what?"
I raised an eyebrow. "I'm Raphael. Reff's brother."
He froze.
"Huh? Reff's… brother?"
"Yeah."
"No way. Reff's, like, super cool. And you… you're just… a nerd."
I shrugged. "Genetics aren't always fair."
"Ugh… your reactions are so annoying," he groaned.
"Oh. Noted."
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To be continued...
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