October 3rd,2017.
Two days after the dramatic Roma win.
Milan sat on the rooftop terrace of his apartment, the faint hum of Milan city life below barely catching his attention. A crisp breeze ran through his locs, the kind of wind that cleared your head after a storm. His body still ached from the extra-time battle against Roma, but his mind was awake — clearer than ever.
He had seven goals and five assists in the league so far. Top three in both the Serie A Golden Boot and Playmaker rankings. His name was finally appearing next to players he had grown up watching: Dybala, Higuaín, Mertens. His phone buzzed every few seconds — texts, mentions, interviews. One fan tweet had gone viral:
> "Milan Martinez Villa isn't just a future star. He's the now. Boy Wonder turned Phantom King. 🇯🇲🇧🇷 #ACMilan"
He chuckled softly at that. He still hated the "Phantom" name. It was catchy, sure, but it felt like the fans were trying to fit him into something supernatural. Maybe they were right. Sometimes, not even he understood how he saw the spaces he did on the pitch.
But off the pitch? That was the harder terrain.
Milan didn't have many close friends in Milan yet. Football consumed nearly every hour of his day. Training, film study, matches, recovery. And while he was grateful, the grind made him… restless. Lately, he'd been trying to understand more about himself — what he wanted beyond goals and glory.
He'd started sketching again in private. Listening to different kinds of music. Journaling his thoughts — sometimes in Portuguese, sometimes in Patois, sometimes in Italian. He'd even taken to visiting quiet corners of the city, incognito, just to feel like a normal 17-year-old. The fame was growing fast, but he wanted to stay grounded.
That's when a message lit up his phone.
@wherearetheavocados followed you.
Billie Eilish: "U kinda cold at football. 👀"
Milan blinked. No way.
He tapped her profile. 510k followers. Bio read "just making music in my brother's bedroom." A pin link to her SoundCloud. He remembered her song — Ocean Eyes — one of the trainers had played it during cooldowns.
Milan smirked, then replied:
> "U kinda cold at music. 👀 Respect."
Five minutes later, his phone buzzed.
Billie Eilish DMed you:
> "I'm in Milan for a shoot. Wanna show me how y'all play real football?"
---
Later That Afternoon
A cozy café tucked away from the tourist traps.
Billie rocked a pair of giant shades, oversized pants, and a t-shirt that read "Don't smile at me." Milan wore a hoodie with the AC Milan badge subtly stitched over his heart.
They sat in a corner booth sipping Italian sodas. A paparazzo lurked across the street behind a trash bin, clicking away quietly.
"You don't look like a footballer," Billie said, sizing him up between bites of her tiramisu.
"You don't look like someone who makes sad music," Milan quipped.
She laughed — a genuine, snort-laced sound.
"You got jokes, okay. But no lie, I saw your last goal. That nutmeg pass and then the low shot? Disrespectful."
Milan grinned. "You watch football?"
"I watch genius. You just happen to be one with cleats."
He blushed slightly and covered it by sipping his drink. "So what about you? You're blowing up now, right?"
She shrugged. "We're working on this album. Kinda hoping it pops. But I don't know… sometimes I feel like I'm chasing something invisible."
Milan nodded. "Same. It's like we're both on this train that's moving too fast to jump off."
"Exactly!" she exclaimed, pointing her spoon at him. "You get it."
They paused. Then Milan grinned and said, "So if your music flops, you joining AC Milan?"
She leaned in. "Only if I can play left wing."
They both burst into laughter.
Just then, a waiter approached nervously. "Scusa, signore… uh… someone is taking photos. Do you want us to stop them?"
Milan glanced out the window. Paparazzi. Of course.
Billie looked at him, half amused, half concerned.
"You cool with it?" she asked.
"Only if we make it look good," he said, throwing on his hood and doing a mock serious pose.
She joined him, flashing a peace sign. Flashbulbs clicked outside.
---
One Hour Later
Instagram exploded.
> @calciomercato: "AC Milan's Boy Wonder spotted out with rising music star @billieeilish 🇯🇲🇧🇷🎤👟"
> Top Comment: "Bro even assists in his love life 😭🔥 #PhantomLinkUp"
> Another: "From free kicks to TikToks. This guy winning on all fronts."
Milan scrolled through the reactions on the ride back home, trying not to grin too wide. Maybe this city wasn't so lonely after all.
---