CHAPTER 39: INTEREST

"Dad! You were gonna send her home hungry? What happened to all those talks about being a gentleman?"

Of course Javi and Anne’s initial plan was to sneak Anne out of the apartment, then Javi would meet her outside and they’d have breakfast together, but there was no need for all that anymore.

Lukas helped Javi as they set the table for breakfast.

"Just sit down Anne, don’t worry about anything," Javi insisted when Anne tried to help. Without realizing it, he was starting to hope that she would be the one.

DING*

A notification on Lukas’s phone drew his attention. He reached into his pockets and pulled it out.

Joanna: "Congratulations on your debut, Luke. I’m so proud of you"

"Joanna knows I debuted yesterday? Maybe João told her. Do I just say ’thank you’? It might seem like I’m trying to blow her off, though."

[*Who over thinks something as simple as a reply to "congratulations"?*]

"What would you know about this?"

[*More than you, apparently, who has lived both his lives without being in a relationship.*]

"Well, that was uncalled for."

Lukas: "Thanks Jo, would you like to see me play? I could get you a ticket whenever you’re free. No pressure, though"

[*Ewww.. what was that? Just tell her you love her.*]

"Don’t ever give dating advice again, TT, you’ll land me in jail."

[*Sir, yes, sir.*]

"Ahem.. at ease, soldier."

Joanna: "Really? You can’t back out of this promise, I have a screenshot"

Lukas: "Now why would I do that? Just let me know whenever you wanna come, I’ll get you tickets, they’re free for me"

Because Regionalliga matches had low attendance rates, the club gave players free tickets for family and friends on request. So Lukas had no problems giving a ticket to Joanna.

In fact, he was praying she’d agree to come see a game so he could get her a ticket.

Joanna: "Alright then. I’ll definitely be there for as much matches as possible"

SNAP*

Lukas: "Well now it’s my turn to tell you that I’ve taken a screenshot of your message"

Joanna: "I wasn’t planning on taking it back anyway"

Lukas: "Good. I have to go have breakfast now. You have a great day Jo"

Joanna: "Alright. You have a great day too Luke. And enjoy your breakfast"

Luke reacted to her last message, stared at his phone for a minute, and put it back in his pocket.

He turned back around towards the table to find Anne and Javi sitting at the dining table and staring at him.

"What has got my son smiling like this?" Javi asked teasingly, his lips curved in a smile.

"It’s nothing, Dad. Don’t worry about it," he responded, trying to suppress his smile.

"C’mon, it’s not nothing. Tell me," Javi pressed.

"Leave the kid alone, Javi. He will tell you when he’s comfortable," Anne interrupted, lightly smacking Javi’s hand which was resting on the table.

She then turned to Lukas, "Don’t mind your father. You keep your secrets, as long as you’re happy."

Lukas didn’t respond, he just smiled as he walked over to join them at the dining table where a hearty breakfast had been set.

They had light chats as they enjoyed their breakfast. With the warm sun piercing through the curtains, and the chatter and laughter filling the room, Lukas was satisfied to see his father happy.

"This is what life is about," he thought as he drank his glass of apple juice.

* * *

Four months later.

November 1st, 2024.

At the Hahn Air Sportpark stadium in Dreieich, a crowd of about 800 fans were packed in the few stands of the field.

The substitution board went up.

#36 out, # 14 in.

Lukas walked out of the pitch, his white kit now completely stained brown. Drizzle from the rain was dripping down his hair, onto is eyebrows, and into his deep green eyes.

The match had been anything but simple.

But his team had come out overwhelmingly on top.

Lukas raised his eyes to look at the scoreboard.

86’

Eintracht Frankfurt II 7 - 0 Bahlinger SC

It was a complete demolition job by his team.

As he tapped the back of his replacement, he walked towards his coach, who had a big smile on his face.

"Good job, once again, Luke." Coach Dennis said as he hugged Lukas tightly before releasing him.

Lukas got to the bench and shook hands with the staff and other substitutes, before he was handed a jacket by a staff member.

It was another Lukas masterpiece in the 4th tier of German football.

2 goals and 3 assists in a 7 - 0 victory.

This brought his tally in the league to 17 goals and 24 assists in 15 games for Eintracht II — he was having a wonderful campaign in the Regionalliga

With 10 wins, 3 draws, and 2 losses, Eintracht Frankfurt II was second in the Regionalliga Sudwest which they competed in.

With the only 2 losses being against Hoffenheim II and Offenbach, which were currently first and third respectively, the team was in a great position and this statement helped them inch above Offenbach in goal difference and only two points behind them.

"If we keep playing like this, promotion to 3. Liga isn’t impossible," Dennis thought as he looked at the scoreboard. He then turned around to where Lukas was rehydrating, "I hope they let me keep him, at least until the end of the season."

His face contorted a little as he thought about his team without Lukas.

Up in the stands, a man with a grey coloured raincoat sat down, expression neutral as he watched Lukas walk off the pitch.

He reached for his pants pocket from under the raincoat — quite a bad decision due to how awkward it looked — and pulled out his phone.

"We should make our move as soon as possible, he’s the real deal."

He typed out this message to a contact, closed the phone, and put it back in his pockets the same way he took them out.

After a few minutes, the referee blew the final whistle to end the match.

Another win for Eintracht II, another man-of-the-match performance by their youngster.

Even though an official award wasn’t given at the end of the match, there was no doubt who it would have gone to.

As Lukas walked down the tunnel, "LUKE!" He heard a loud voice scream his name from the stands.

The coarseness of the voice caused him to halt in his steps and look towards the direction the scream came from — it was instinctive.

He looked over to see Javi and Anne sitting side by side waving signs. Beside them, were João, and Joanna. They had attended as much of Lukas’s games as they could.

After the U19 Bundesliga resumed in August, Lukas had been attending João’s matches when he was free too. Although it got harder after school resumed, they still made time to come support each other.

THAT’S MY SON! #36! LUKAS BRANDT!

The signs Javi and Anne were waving proudly made Lukas chuckle as he continued his walk after giving the group a wave.

* * *

Next day, in a 30 meter squared office located on the first floor of a three-storey building. The walls were painted white with stylish designs gracing each corner of the office.

On the glass desk, where several files piled on top each other, was a very recognizable crest — a yellow circle with a black inner ring, and five bold characters at the center.

Sat behind the desk, was a brown-haired, blue-eyed middle aged man. In his hand, was an iPad pro the young lady standing in front of desk had handed to him a few minutes prior.

"Eintracht II’s Talisman Puts in 2 and Creates 3 in a 7 - 0 Demolition Win Against Bahlinger."

Without a word, he read the article from Frankfurter Rundschau, a major local Frankfurt-based news agency that covers local news including football from clubs in the area.

"17 goals and 24 assists in 15 games in the Regionalliga? I know it’s the Regionalliga, but still. For a 15 year old? We have to bring him over," the man thought as he finished reading the article.

He reached for his phone on the desk, opened his messaging app, and opened a message that had come in the previous night.

Marx: "We should make our move as soon as possible, he’s the real deal."

He stared at the message for a second, before calling the sender.

"Hello, Marx. Are you still in Frankfurt?" He asked immediately the call connected.

"Hey Seb, yes I still am. I decided to spend last night here, I should be back before the day ends."

"Stay there for now. You’ll be initiating contact with the kid."

"Have you decided to sign him?"

"For someone to go from a dropout at Darmstadt academy in June, to the highest goalscorer in the Regionalliga in November, is not simple. Bringing him over won’t hurt us. At worst, we gain depth. At best... a star."

A/N: Chapter for July 18, 2025

Guys! My graduation ceremony is tomorrow!!!

It’s gonna be a wonderful day.

You all stay blessed.

Love y’all.

-Writ.