The sun was starting to dip lower, casting long shadows on the ground as he worked through each rep, the sweat had already completely soaked his white shirt, turning it almost invisible.
Huff! Huff!
By the time he hit his twentieth push-up, his arms felt heavy, like they were made of lead.
His muscles burned, and every push felt like a battle, but he gritted his teeth and forced out the final few.
Once done with the push-ups, he took a short break before he moved on to the next task of juggling the ball.
He placed it on the grass in front of him and started to juggle it with his feet.
The more he juggled, the more the ball felt familiar, almost like an extension of his body, and the movements came naturally.
It was like muscle memory kicking in, the expertise of his previous life being a factor.
He flicked the ball up, catching it with his thighs, bouncing it back up with his feet.
'Ten... twenty...' he counted in his head, staying focused as the ball danced between his feet.
His legs started to feel shaky, but he kept going, determined.
When he finally reached one hundred, a smile spread across his face, a small sense of accomplishment, even though he was tired.
Next, it was time for the free kick.
He moved back over a dozen steps from the goalpost, lined up the ball, imagined his opponents forming a wall, and took a deep breath before he started shooting.
The first few kicks felt off, similar to when he started juggling, but with each kick, he started to feel more comfortable.
He focused less on power and more on technique, carefully aiming each shot at the target.
His grin grew wider as his kicks began to find their mark.
With each successful shot, the rhythm of the technique felt more natural.
He took another shot, then another.
The sound of the ball striking the goalpost started to form a steady beat, like music in his ears.
Huff! Huff! Huff!
By the time the sun had almost disappeared behind the horizon, Kai was exhausted.
His body ached in ways he hadn't felt in years, but there was satisfaction in the pain.
-------------------
[Daily Quest]
Run 3km: 3/3km (Complete)
Complete 30 Sit-Ups: 30/30 (Complete)
Complete 25 Push-Ups: 25/25 (Complete)
Complete 100 Juggles: 100/100 (Complete)
Score 25 Free Kicks: 20/25
Score 50 Penalties: 0/50
-------------------
Kai glanced at the screen, the reminder of what he still needed to do.
A small frown appeared on his face. He was almost done, but not quite.
"Tch." he muttered under his breath.
There wasn't much time left, and he still needed to finish the free kicks and penalties.
With the day winding down, he pushed himself up again, forcing his body to move despite the fatigue.
He lined up the remaining shots.
The free kicks went smoother now, the distance and technique starting to come together.
After performing the free kicks, the penalties also felt easier, and before he knew it, he had completed both tasks.
The sky was fully dark by the time he finished.
He grabbed his ball and started walking home, exhaustion weighing on his legs.
The only light came from the faint glow of street lamps as he made his way down the empty streets.
Even the noisy kids at the basketball court were nowhere to be seen.
As Kai walked, he looked up at the sky, which was slowly turning darker.
The stars were starting to appear, but his mind was focused on something else.
Two weeks.
That was all the time he had left to make it to his school's starting eleven.
The thought weighed heavily on him, but it also pushed him forward.
He knew that if he wanted to make it, he had to give everything he had.
He'd realized by now that the tasks given by the system wouldn't be easy, but they were equally rewarding.
Whether they were tough or tiring, he had to do them all.
Each task was a small step toward his bigger goal.
The system might be strange, but it was his best shot at achieving his dream of becoming a professional Football player.
Once he had that thought in his mind, it was like everything clicked into place.
There was no turning back. No more distractions.
He had to work harder than ever, even if it meant pushing through exhaustion.
With his mind set, he started walking faster.
It was already pretty late, and he knew he had to get home soon.
His mom had probably already returned from her job at the diner, waiting for him, and he didn't want to face her worrying or scolding him for being out so late.
She didn't mean to nag, but he knew she'd be concerned.
The last thing he wanted was to deal with that tonight.
He kept walking, his steps quickening as he moved toward home.
There was still so much to do, but for now, getting home and avoiding a lecture was all that mattered.
------⚽------
Kai stood in front of the door, his hand resting on the doorknob.
His legs were sore, his body aching from hours of training.
But at this moment the only thing in his mind was his mother's worried face.
He'd been gone for hours, practicing football on the field, and he hadn't told her beforehand how long it'd take.
She probably assumed it would take only a couple hours.
Therefore, His mom would be worried and upset.
He could already imagine the questions, the concerns.
Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and stepped inside.
The familiar smell of dinner filled the air, and he could hear his mom moving around in the kitchen.
And when she saw him, her smile disappeared, replaced by concern.
"Kai, where were you?!" she spoke loudly, but he knew that underneath her reprimand was deep concern.
As she spoke she wiped her hands on a dish towel. Her eyes scanned him, taking in his exhausted face and the sweat-drenched shirt.
"Sorry, Mom..." Kai said, feeling guilty.
"But I told you I would be training." he chuckled, trying to reason his actions.
"What kind of training takes all day?" she asked, her voice worried as she took a step toward him.
Kai scratched his head awkwardly.
"Haha, guess I'm not used to it yet." he replied, hinting at his exhausted state.
His mom looked at him with a mix of sadness and pride.
She was proud that he was working so hard, but it hurt her to see him overwork himself like this.
She stepped closer, her eyes scanning his body, then she noticed how his muscles twitched, how tired he looked.
Her worry deepened.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly, a hint of tears in her eyes.
"I-I'm fine, Mom! No need to worry." Kai said quickly, trying to reassure her, but his chest tightened at the sight of her concern.
Across the room, Kai's little sister, Hana, was sitting quietly on the couch, playing with her toys. She was having a peaceful time, lost in her little world.
Hana was 9 years old, four years younger than Kai.
She was small but full of energy, always moving and talking, her bright eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Her messy brown hair was a stark contrast to Kai's deep black hair, which he inherited from their father.
Hana's round face was undeniably cute, still holding onto the innocence of childhood. Her smile was always warm and full of life, no matter the situation.
She wore a simple bright pink shirt and shorts, but there was something special that always seemed to be with her, a stuffed brown bear that was almost double the size of a football.
It was a gift from their father before he passed away, and Hana held it close to her heart.
No matter where she went or what she did, the bear was always by her side, a symbol of the love and memories she held dear.
But then, she heard her mother's voice, raised in frustration, and saw her arguing with Kai.
At first, Hana was happy to see her brother home.
She had been missing him all day and was eager to finally get his attention.
She wanted to scold him for leaving her alone, but her focus shifted when she saw how exhausted and hurt he looked.
Hana's big green eyes grew wide with concern. She quickly stood up from the couch, abandoning the toy she usually carried around like jewelry.
Ignoring her mother, who she usually feared because of her constant nagging, Hana rushed over to her brother.
As she ran over to her brother, her focus was entirely on him.
She didn't care about their mother's nagging at the moment.
She could sense that something had happened and, without thinking, she reached out to him, her small hand gently grabbing his shirt that had already dried on the way home.
She tugged at it, her small hands pulling at the fabric as she looked up at him with those big, earnest eyes.
"Big brother, what happened?" Hana asked, her voice soft but full of worry.
"You been running too much?"
Kai stopped for a moment, feeling his heart ache.
It had been so long since he'd really seen his little sister, and now here she was, standing in front of him, looking concerned.
Her innocent face, those big green eyes of hers, reminded him of a time when everything was simpler. Back when he hadn't hit the limits of his talent yet and had the pressure to succeed.
He smiled at her, feeling a warmth in his chest.
It felt like it had been forever since he'd talked to his family like this, without worrying about anything else.
He wanted to hold onto this feeling.
He had spent so many years chasing his own goals, not paying enough attention to the people around him.
"I'm okay, Hana." he said with a small laugh, not wanting her to worry.
"I guess I worked a little too hard."
He felt bittersweet emotions as he looked down at his younger sister.
"Just a little tired, that's all." he added, trying to reassure her.
Her lips turned down, and she nodded, still not entirely convinced.
She reached out and grabbed his hand with her small fingers, looking up at him, checking if he was truly alright.
The concern in her eyes made his heart warm.
Before he could say anything else, his mom stepped closer.