Chapter 18: To the Best Stage
Lotus Club, located in downtown São Paulo, was one of the city's most exclusive nightlife venues, famous for its Latin-style atmosphere, extravagant décor, and celebrity clientele. Neon lights glowed across the building's exterior, and luxury cars lined the entrance like a miniature motor show.
It was Ken's first time here—his first time in any nightclub, in fact.
The Ferrari rolled smoothly to a stop near the entrance. Neymar casually tossed the keys to a waiting attendant, then slung an arm around Ken's shoulders as if guiding a younger brother.
"You've never been to a nightclub before, have you?" Neymar asked with a grin, noticing Ken's slightly stiff posture. "Relax. Tonight it's just friends—people you basically know already."
Ken gave a faint smile but said nothing. The truth was obvious: places like this were completely outside his usual routine of training grounds, recovery rooms, and dormitories.
"The only reason I stayed in São Paulo tonight was to see you," Neymar continued. "Otherwise, if I had more time, I'd even invite your idol Ronaldinho. That guy is a real nightclub veteran."
Ken shook his head, half amused, half helpless. "I think I'll meet him on the pitch instead."
---
The moment they stepped inside, a wall of music crashed over them—heavy bass vibrating through the floor, lights flashing in shifting colors that made the entire hall seem alive. The crowd swayed rhythmically, voices blending into a constant roar.
Neymar leaned close to Ken's ear to be heard. "Follow me, our booth is upstairs!"
They pushed through the packed dance floor, climbed a staircase, and finally entered a spacious private area overlooking the main hall. The booth was elegantly furnished—leather sofas, a polished marble table, and a massive floor-to-ceiling one-way glass window that provided a perfect view of the dance floor below.
"Hey! Ken, long time no see!" A young man stepped forward and embraced him warmly.
It was Araujo, one of Neymar's childhood friends and now a member of his management team. Several others followed, greeting Ken enthusiastically—old acquaintances from earlier years and a few new faces introduced as Neymar's close circle.
"Ken, this is Wagner," Neymar said, gesturing toward a middle-aged man in a white shirt with a loosened tie. "He's my agent."
Wagner Ribeiro smiled politely and shook Ken's hand. "Nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about your performances recently."
Ken nodded respectfully. "It's a pleasure."
Before their conversation could continue, the music inside the booth suddenly intensified—Neymar had already turned the gathering into a celebration, laughing loudly as he began dancing with friends.
Wagner leaned closer and spoke quietly. "I'll be in São Paulo tomorrow. Would you have time for coffee? We can talk more then."
Ken understood immediately. He did not yet have formal representation, and Wagner's reputation, combined with his connection to Neymar, made the proposal worth considering.
"Sure," Ken replied. "Let's meet tomorrow."
---
A few minutes later, the door opened again and several elegantly dressed women entered, greeting the group with cheerful smiles. The atmosphere grew even livelier, but Ken remained composed, sitting near the edge of the sofa and watching the scene unfold with mild curiosity rather than excitement.
One of the women approached him with a friendly smile. "You must be Ken, right? São Paulo's new rising star."
Ken nodded politely. "Yes. Nice to meet you."
"I'm Laura," she said, sitting nearby but keeping a respectful distance. "You're different from most footballers who come here. They usually dive straight into the party."
Ken laughed softly. "Everyone has different hobbies."
"What's yours?" she asked.
"Training," he answered honestly. "And playing football."
Laura chuckled. "That explains the recent performances."
Although Ken gradually relaxed as the evening progressed, he still felt more comfortable observing conversations than actively participating in the wild dancing around him. For Neymar, nights like this were a form of celebration; for Ken, they were simply social obligations shared with friends.
Noticing Ken's reserved attitude—and mindful that he had national team duties the next day—Neymar ended the gathering earlier than usual. By around ten o'clock, the two were already back in the car heading toward the training base.
"So," Neymar asked with a mischievous grin while driving, "how did things go with Laura?"
Ken shrugged. "We weren't exactly on the same wavelength."
Neymar burst into laughter so loudly he had to steady the steering wheel. "You really haven't changed."
---
The next day, Ken met Wagner at a quiet café. With Vizzoli present as a witness, the two discussed career planning, sponsorship structure, and long-term transfer strategies. After careful consideration, Ken officially signed a representation agreement, making Wagner his agent as well.
From that moment on, both Neymar and Ken—the once-famous "São Paulo twin stars"—were represented by the same management team.
---
Three days later, São Paulo traveled to Porto Alegre to face Grêmio in another league fixture. The historic club, one of Brazil's traditional giants, played in a stadium filled with passionate supporters who created an intimidating atmosphere even before kickoff.
For the first time since joining the first team, Ken was named in the starting lineup.
Standing in the tunnel before the match, he felt an unusual calm. Months earlier, he had been struggling just to secure training opportunities; now he was preparing to start against one of the country's strongest clubs. The journey had been fast, but he knew it was only the beginning.
On the pitch, the match unfolded intensely. Grêmio pressed aggressively, forcing São Paulo to defend deep in the opening stages. Ken adapted by dropping slightly into midfield to help link play, distributing quick passes and keeping possession under pressure.
In the 32nd minute, he made his mark—receiving the ball between the lines, turning smoothly, and threading a precise through pass that allowed the striker to score the opening goal.
Later in the second half, Ken himself found the net with a composed finish after arriving late into the penalty area. By the time he was substituted in the 65th minute, São Paulo already held a decisive advantage.
The match ended 2–1, securing the team's fifth consecutive league victory.
---
After that round, the Brazilian league paused for nearly three weeks to accommodate the upcoming Confederations Cup hosted in Brazil. Many players traveled for national team duty, while others used the period for rest.
Ken chose a different path.
Instead of leaving the training base, he remained in São Paulo, following a strict daily routine—morning conditioning, afternoon technical work, and evening recovery sessions. To outsiders it might have seemed excessive, but in Ken's mind the reason was simple:
If he wanted to stand alongside the best players in the world—if he wanted to reach Europe, compete in the World Cup, and truly step onto football's greatest stage—every single day mattered.
Standing alone on the quiet training pitch one evening, watching the sun dip below the horizon, he whispered to himself:
"One step closer… to the best stage."