Chapter 5-A Hidden Menu

That night, Thijs lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Moonlight spilled over his blanket, tracing pale lines across the room. Shadows stretched long across the walls, making his small bedroom feel bigger than it was.

He couldn't stop thinking about the chime he'd heard that afternoon.

I know I wasn't imagining it.

He licked his lips, his heart thudding. He hesitated, then whispered:

"System… open?"

Nothing happened. He frowned, glancing around the empty room as if expecting something to pop out of the darkness.

"Uh… show menu?"

This time, a soft blue glow shimmered into life in front of his eyes. Letters formed slowly, glowing like tiny stars suspended in mid-air.

[Welcome, Thijs.][Access Level: Basic.][Player Template: ???]

[Current Tasks:]Practice dribbling for 10 minutes.Work on balance exercises.Stretch every morning.

Thijs blinked rapidly, his mouth going dry.

It's real. I wasn't crazy.

He scrolled further with a cautious flick of his fingers, afraid it might all vanish if he moved too quickly. More lines appeared:

[Tip: Keep your knees slightly bent when controlling the ball.][Tip: Always look up when dribbling.]

He stared at the words, grinning despite himself.

I used to hear my coach yell that every day. "Head up, Thijs!"

A faint memory floated up — the shrill blast of a whistle, the bright glare of floodlights over a green field, his coach's voice barking instructions, sharp and clear.

I'll get there again. Even if it takes years.

He swung his legs out of bed, his feet touching the cold floor. For a moment he shivered, glancing at the closed door of his room. The whole house was silent except for the soft ticking of the clock on his nightstand.

Quietly, he grabbed his small plastic ball from the corner. He hugged it to his chest, feeling its familiar, smooth surface under his fingers.

Let's try it.

He tiptoed into the hallway, his footsteps muffled on the rug. The darkness seemed deeper here, shadows swallowing the edges of the walls. He held his breath as he crept past his parents' bedroom, afraid of making any noise.

When he reached a small open space at the end of the hall, he gently set the ball on the floor.

He gave it a tentative tap forward, keeping his knees bent the way the system advised. The ball wobbled away, bumping into the wall with a hollow thunk.

"Oops."

He chased it down, catching it with quick hands. His cheeks burned with embarrassment, even though no one was watching.

Come on. Focus.

He tried again, tapping the ball softer this time, keeping it closer.

The system popped up a tiny message in front of his eyes:

[Nice try. Keep your foot lower.]

Thijs frowned, sticking out his tongue in concentration. He took a deep breath and tapped the ball again, softer and smoother.

[Good job. Progress +1%]

A grin spread across his face. His chest filled with a small but fierce sense of triumph.

Even one percent… it's still progress.

Just then, a low, sleepy voice echoed from further down the hall:

"Thijs? What are you doing?"

Thijs froze. He spun around, nearly losing his balance. He tried to hide the ball behind his back as his father appeared in the doorway, hair sticking up in every direction.

"Uh… nothing! Just stretching!"

His father squinted, rubbing his eyes.

"At midnight?"

Thijs forced a big, dramatic yawn.

"I couldn't sleep."

His father let out a weary sigh, then shuffled closer and ruffled Thijs's hair.

"Go back to bed, champ. You can play football in the morning."

Thijs nodded, cheeks warm with embarrassment.

"Okay, Dad."

His father gave him a small smile before disappearing back into his room.

Thijs gathered up the ball and crept back to his bedroom. He crawled under the covers, pulling the blanket up to his chin.

He stared at the ceiling again, the glow from the system still faint in the corners of his vision.

This time… I have help. And I'm not giving up.

Morning sunlight spilled across Thijs's bedroom floor, turning the walls pale gold. Dust motes danced in the beam of light as he sat up, his hair sticking out in every direction.

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, feeling the cool morning breeze coming through the cracked window. His gaze fell immediately on the ball leaning against the dresser.

No way I'm staying inside.

He swung his legs out of bed and padded down the hallway, careful not to make too much noise. The house still smelled faintly of coffee and toast from the day before.

He slipped out the back door and into the small yard. The grass was cool and damp beneath his bare feet, sending a little shiver up his legs.

He dropped the ball to the ground, rolling it under his foot.

"System… open."

A soft blue glow flickered into his vision once more, invisible to anyone else.

[Welcome back, Thijs.][Current Progress: Dribbling 4%.][Player Template: ???][New Mission Available: Keep the ball close for 30 seconds without losing control.]

Thijs stared at the glowing words floating in front of him.

[Mission Complete: 10 minutes Dribbles.][Progress +5% in Dribbling Skills.]

Another line blinked into existence:

[Stats: ???][Player Template: ??? – Locked until future milestone.]

Thijs frowned, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

Stats…? What kind of stats?

He reached out instinctively, fingers brushing through the holographic letters. But they faded before he could touch them.

A small grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.

I'll unlock it. One day.

He set the ball rolling gently with the inside of his foot, then the outside, moving side to side. Each touch felt a little more precise than the last.

The grass felt soft beneath his toes. He moved in a slow circle, trying to keep the ball close, just as the system instructed.

[10 seconds…]

Thijs breathed in deeply, chest expanding with calm focus.

[20 seconds…]

A bead of sweat slid down his temple. He blinked it away, determined not to lose his rhythm.

Almost there.

[25 seconds…]

He risked a glance up, just like the system said. The houses loomed high around him, the fences towering like castle walls. But instead of feeling small, he felt strong — like he belonged here.

[30 seconds. Mission Complete.][Reward: +2% Dribbling Progress.]

A soft chime echoed in his ears. Thijs grinned, his chest swelling with pride until it almost hurt.

"Yes!" he whispered under his breath.

Another message blinked in front of his eyes:

[Tip: Balance your weight on the balls of your feet.][Tip: Don't forget to rest and stretch.]

Thijs rested the ball under his foot, breathing hard, a smile lingering on his lips.

It's real. All of it. And this time… I'm going all the way.

Suddenly, his mother's voice floated out from the back door, gentle and teasing.

"Thijs! Breakfast!"

He blinked, snapping out of his trance.

"Coming!" he called back, scooping up the ball.

As he jogged toward the house, he felt the sun warm against his face, a fresh breeze lifting his hair.

He hugged the ball close to his chest, a fierce determination burning inside him.

No one else needs to know. For now… this is my secret.

He stepped inside, ready for whatever the day would bring.