The first defeat, for anyone, is bitter.

But for a group of boys who didn't see it coming—especially when you're up two-nil—it's an unimaginable feeling.

The water from the shower hit the tiles hard, muffling the sounds of murmurs and heavy sighs. Some players sat in silence, others with towels over their faces, avoiding eye contact. The Sanu jersey, still soaked, weighed on their shoulders like lead.

Rafael stood up. He was the coach now. And even if he wasn't sure what to say, he knew his role wasn't just to teach, but to lead.

"Hey…", he said, raising his voice. "listen up, all of you".

Some lifted their eyes. Others didn't even move.

"I know it hurts. And I know it's hard to understand what just happened… but no one here is a loser".

Silence answered.

"Look at me, guys!", he insisted, "we played well. Fought until the very last minute. Did you see what Kazana did? What Kelvin did in the first half? What each one of you gave out there?"

Kelvin, with a towel on his lap, glanced sideways.

"We lost to a strong team. But we lost on our feet. Fighting to the end. This is not the end, you hear me? We literally played against the national champions and nearly won".

Ian shook his head in silence. Rodrigo still seemed in shock.

That's when Kazana, sitting on the bench nearby, stood up.

He slowly looked around at all his teammates. His body still panting, face worn out… but his eyes? His eyes were burning.

"I felt awful about the result", he began, voice hoarse. "but more than that… I felt angry".

Everyone turned toward him.

"Angry at myself, for thinking it'd be easy. For thinking strength, speed, and will would be enough. Today… we saw there's a higher level. One we haven't reached yet".

He paused. Ran a hand through his soaked hair.

"But I also saw that we've got the potential. We scored three goals on them. We made them worry. And if it weren't for that guy… that Erick guy…"

Kelvin lowered his head.

Kazana noticed, and took two steps toward him.

"Kelvin", he called, serious.

Kelvin lifted his gaze.

"You took the first step today. And no one can take that from you. Don't let this defeat erase what you did"

Kelvin clenched his fists.

Kazana looked at everyone again.

"We'll face them again. Sooner or later. And when that happens… I want to see every one of you ready. Because next time… the win is ours"

Dante, sitting farther back, nodded silently. João Vitor, who hadn't said a word until then, muttered:

"I wanted that damn win so bad"

The number 9 smiled faintly.

"Win for this crest right here", he said, pointing to his chest.

Kelvin stood up. Looked around. All the familiar faces. Teammates from practice, from laughter, from falls and triumphs.

"I don't want to lose like this ever again.", he said, voice firm. "Not like this"

The others looked at him. No one laughed. No one doubted.

Because in Kelvin's eyes… there was truth.

Rafael and Kazana's words still echoed in the locker room as the boys, silently, began to get up.

The defeat still weighed heavy, like each of them carried an invisible backpack filled with frustration, regret, and helplessness.

They dressed, grabbed their belongings slowly, like urgency had vanished with the final whistle.

They left the stadium in a quiet line, walking through the same hallway they'd marched through hours earlier with smiles and headphones. Now, only the muffled sound of footsteps remained.

On the way back to the dorms, no one spoke. Each lost in their own thoughts, replaying plays, mistakes, near-goals, decisions. It was like watching the same nightmare on loop.

As they entered the dorm, the air felt colder than usual. The place, once full of sweat and youthful energy, now seemed drenched in melancholy.

Kelvin threw his bag onto the bed and sat down, his gaze distant.

"My stuff's still all over", said João Vitor, trying to sound casual, but his voice cracked.

Rodrigo opened the locker, grabbed a forgotten sock, and sighed.

"Let's go, the bus won't wait", said Dante, always the most direct, though even he sounded drained.

Kazana opened his locker, took out the captain's armband, and stared at it for a few seconds before carefully putting it away. It was as if that piece of cloth held the weight of everything he had felt on the field.

"We'll be back", he said, as if speaking to his own soul.

Rafael appeared at the dorm's doorway.

"Everyone ready in ten minutes. Bus is at the meeting point. We leave on time".

One by one, the boys closed their lockers, picked up their backpacks, put on their sneakers, and left the dorm.

As they got on the bus, no one said a word. They sat in the same spots as before, but there were no jokes, no headphones playing music. Some stared out the window, others shut their eyes, trying to rest.

Kelvin looked at his own hands, the fingers still remembering the feel of the ball from the goal.

Rodrigo murmured:

"I'll never forget this match".

Kazana, sitting beside him, added:

"Good. Because next time… we'll make it different".

The bus engine roared.

And through the window, the city slowly faded away.

The road stretched out ahead like an endless gray ribbon, quiet and steady. The sky had begun to darken, painted in shades of orange that reflected on the bus windows.

Inside, the air conditioner hummed low, and the seats creaked softly with each turn. Kelvin leaned his head against the cold glass and watched the streetlights pass by too fast to count. His mind was far… still in that second half, that shot that didn't go in, that counterattack that cost everything.

"Hey.", murmured Felipe, sitting beside him. "you played great today".

Kelvin didn't respond. But those words lingered in the air between them.

Further ahead, Kazana adjusted his backpack on his knees and closed his eyes. He wasn't sleeping. He just needed a moment of peace.

Dante flipped through an old notebook. Tactical notes, drawings of plays, random sketches. Rodrigo, on the other side of the aisle, typed something on his phone—maybe a message to his dad, maybe a vent in his notes app.

Time passed slowly.

Until, on the horizon, familiar buildings of the city began to appear.

"We're almost there", said Rafael, standing in the aisle. "once you get off, head straight home. Don't forget we have class tomorrow, alright?"

No one replied out loud, but many nodded.

[Mission: Defeat Erick]

[Status: Failed]

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