Early Minutes

Izan returned the gesture without thinking too much of it, then turned and began walking back toward the tunnel with the rest of his squad.

The noise of the crowd faded the moment he stepped beneath the overhang.

That in-between space—neither pitch nor dressing room—felt oddly still.

Just the hum of stadium lights and the thud of boots on concrete.

He was halfway down when he heard footsteps behind him, quicker than the usual stroll.

Then came a voice.

"Izan!"

He turned.

Three figures were approaching in their warmup jackets.

Valencia players—one he hadn't seen in a while, and two he'd played alongside more times than he could count.

"Pietro?" Izan blinked as the midfielder closed the last few steps and pulled him into a quick one-armed hug.

"Dios, look at you," Pietro said with a grin, stepping back.

"Same face, just taller. And probably richer."

Izan laughed.

"You too. Minus the richer."