───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

IT was Match Day

You stood in front of the mirror, adjusting your blazer for the third time, already regretting your decision to attend the match.

Emilia, of course, was excited. She was wearing her Bastard München jersey, complete with 'I love Bastard München' sunglasses.

❝You ready yet?❞ she called, slightly impatiently.

You sighed, grabbing your phone and glancing at the tickets Kaiser had given Emilia. Front-row seats. The thought made your stomach feel weird.

You hated being in the spotlight, and the idea of sitting that close to the field—with cameras everywhere—felt like the perfect recipe for disaster. 

❝I'm ready, but I'm not happy about it,❞ you muttered, stepping out of your room. 

Emilia gasped dramatically as she saw you. ❝Y/N, you look so cute! Very VIP chic. Kaiser will definitely notice you again.❞ 

❝That's exactly what I'm trying to avoid,❞ you replied flatly as you brushed past her. 

Emilia snickered and grabbed her bag, practically dragging you out the door. ❝Too late for that. Let's go! We can't be late to the match of the season.❞

══════════════════════════════
✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　
══════════════════════════════
✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ .

The stadium was packed to the brim by the time you arrived. Crowds of fans dressed in Bastard München's signature colors, were crowded the entrance, chanting and waving flags.

The noise was deafening, and you already felt a headache creeping in as you followed Emilia through the VIP entrance. Massive banners hung from the stands, Kaiser's name in bold letters, alongside others like 'GRIM,' 'NOA,' and 'NESS.'

And yet—despite all the excitement—you couldn't care less.

As you took your seat, Emilia immediately started chatting with the fans around her, all of whom seemed equally obsessed with Michael Kaiser. You tuned out their excited chatter and busied yourself with your phone.

❝This is actual hell..❞ you muttered under your breath, adjusting your blazer as you sank further into the seat.

❝Y/N, we're in the best seats possible! Do you know how rare this is?! We're literally right next to the players' tunnel!❞

You groaned. ❝Remind me why I agreed to this again?❞

❝Because you love me,❞ She winked, barely paying attention to you. She was too busy soaking into the stadium atmosphere, eyes darting around, trying to take in everything at once.

You sighed, adjusting your headphones to block out the noise. If you were lucky, maybe no one would even notice you. You just had to sit through 90 minutes of this and then you were out.

Or at least, that was the plan.

The moment the Bastard München players jogged onto the field for their warm-ups, you realised your luck had already run out.

Because Michael Kaiser spotted you immediately.

Even from a distance, you could feel his gaze, that familiar smirk creeping onto his lips as his eyes locked onto yours. He barely paid attention to the screaming fans, waving lazily in their direction before turning back to his teammates, whispering something to Alexis Ness, who immediately glanced toward your section afterwards.

❛ Great. Now he has a sidekick. ❜

❝Oh my god,❞ Emilia whispered beside you, gripping your arm. ❝He's looking at you again.❞

❝Ignore him,❞ you muttered, opening your phone.

Emilia scoffed. ❝Y/N, he is literally one of the most famous footballers in the world, and he's staring at you like you just personally offended him.❞

❝Good. Maybe he'll leave me alone.❞

Emilia shook her head, but before she could say anything else, the pre-match announcements began, signaling the start of the game. Everyone in the stadium began to cheer.

The match was about to begin.

══════════════════════════════
✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　
══════════════════════════════
✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ .

The game started at a quick pace.

Bastard München was controlling possession and Kaiser was at the center of it all. Every time he touched the ball, the crowd screamed his name.

And yet—he wasn't scoring.

Not because he couldn't, but because he didn't.

Instead of taking the obvious shots, he'd glance toward the VIP section, toward you, hesitate, and then pass the ball instead.

Even the commentators started to pick up on it.

❝Michael Kaiser seems... uncharacteristically generous today,❞ one of them noted. ❝He's already had two clear chances but chose to pass instead. Very unlike him.❞

Emilia snorted. ❝Oh, he's totally doing this on purpose.❞

You frowned. He wouldn't actually let his team suffer just to prove a point... right?

Wrong.

Because at the 47th minute, the ball landed perfectly at his feet. He had a wide-open shot, nothing between him and the goal.

And yet—he turned toward you.

You blinked. ❝What the—❞

He winked.

Instead of taking the shot—he flicked the ball up, juggling it mid-air before passing it off to Grim, who completely missed the chance.

The crowd groaned. The commentators lost their minds. The opposing team counterattacked instantly.

And all you could do was stare in disbelief.

❝He's.. ridiculous..❞ you muttered.

❝He's INSANE,❞ Emilia corrected.

And you both knew it was your fault.

══════════════════════════════
✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　
══════════════════════════════

During halftime, the fans were clearly frustrated as fans were debating Kaiser's performance. Meanwhile, you were about to strangle Emilia for dragging you into this mess.

❝This is so stupid.❞ You groaned.

❝Okay, yeah, maybe he's being a little dramatic, but—❞

You never got to hear the rest of that sentence.

Because Kaiser was heading straight toward you.

With his jersey slightly damp with sweat, his signature smirk in place, and that obnoxious confidence, he didn't even glance at the other fans.

He walked right up to your section, leaned against the railing, and—with an infuriating amount of smugness—said:

❝Not impressed yet?❞

..

❝You're literally throwing the game.❞ You deadpanned.

Kaiser chuckled, looking genuinely entertained. ❝Am I?❞

❝Yes. And it's pathetic.❞

That made him laugh—a real, full-bodied laugh. ❝God, you're fun.❞

❝I'm really not.❞

He ignored you, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a signed Bastard München jersey. He dangled it in front of you like a prize. ❝Here. A gift. Maybe now you'll finally acknowledge me.❞

You stared at the jersey. ❝Not happening.❞

❝Come on. Not even if I sign it again? 'To my biggest fan—Y/N Klose'?❞

❝I'll set it on fire.❞

Kaiser grinned. ❝I'd love to see that.❞

Before you could snap back, the stadium security cleared their throats loudly. Kaiser glanced at them, sighing dramatically before tossing the jersey into Emilia's lap.

❝Fine. Keep ignoring me, Klose,❞ he muttered under his breath, walking back toward the tunnel.

❛ What just.. happened? ❜

❝WHAT JUST HAPPENED!?❞ Emilia exclaimed, staring right at the jersey in her lap, almost shaking.

You pinched the bridge of your nose and groaned before getting up. This was quite embarrassing. So much for your 'lowkey' lifestyle.

❝I'm gonna go to the bathroom,❞ You muttered, already needing a break from the disasters around you.

Emilia barely registered your words, still staring at the jersey in shock. ❝Yeah, sure. Go. But if you don't come back, just know I'm keeping this forever.❞

You rolled your eyes but didn't bother responding as you slipped past the other VIP guests and into the private corridor leading to the restrooms.

The moment you stepped away from the chaos of the stadium, the noise stopped, replaced by the quiet hum of the private section. You exhaled slowly, leaning against a wall for a second.

What was happening?

Michael Kaiser was actively making you part of his game—dragging you into the spotlight with no regard for your very clear disinterest. And now, with the cameras catching every interaction, social media was probably exploding again.

You groaned. This was exactly what you were trying to avoid for your entire life. Just as you were debating whether or not to just leave entirely, a voice interrupted your thoughts.

❝Fancy seeing you here, Klose.❞

Your eyes snapped open. Lukas Müller.

The Borussia Dortmund midfielder was leaning against the opposite wall with his arms crossed. He was dressed in a casual tracksuit, clearly not playing today, but his presence was still enough to make you tense.

Because if there was one thing the internet loved more than Michael Kaiser's ego, it was their constant speculation that you and Lukas Müller were somehow involved.

❝Don't start,❞ you muttered, pushing off the wall and heading toward the women's bathroom.

❝Start what?❞ Lukas asked. ❝I was just saying hi.❞

You paused and exhale. ❝Have you.. not seen the posts? If the internet sees us talking, it'll just add fuel to the fire.❞

Lukas chuckled. ❝Oh, definitely. The posts are going to be insane.❞

You groaned, rubbing your temples. ❝Why are you even here? Dortmund's not playing today.❞

❝Scouting,❞ he replied simply, tilting his head. ❝And... maybe I just wanted to see how long it would take for Kaiser to lose his mind. Turns out, not very long.❞

Your brows furrowed. What?

Lukas nodded toward the VIP section. ❝The guy is obsessed with getting your attention. You've been here for what—two matches? And he's already changing the way he plays because of you. That's funny.❞

You turned back towards the door. ❝I don't care about him.❞

❝That's the best part,❞ Lukas mused. ❝And it's probably why he's so fixated. I think guys like Kaiser don't like to be ignored. He's used to being the center of attention. But you? You don't even flinch.❞

He was right.

Kaiser was nothing if not persistent—a person who thrived on admiration. The fact that you weren't giving him what he wanted? It was probably driving him insane.

And, unfortunately, it didn't seem like he planned on stopping anytime soon.

Before you could say anything else, the stadium's intercom announced the second half was starting soon.

Lukas stretched. ❝Well, we should get back before people start thinking this is a secret date.❞ He sighed. ❝Unless you want to give the internet something real to talk about?❞

You shoved past him. ❝Goodbye, Müller.❞

══════════════════════════════
✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　
══════════════════════════════
✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ .

❝Where did you go?! You missed it—Kaiser was literally looking for you! He kept glancing over like a lost puppy. It was so funny.❞

You returned to your seat with a sigh. Great. Even better. But before you could respond, the crowd cheered.

And then you realized—he had just scored.

A bicycle kick from outside the box.

The entire stadium was celebrating. The commentators were losing their minds. Emilia screamed and pulled you up with her but you were too amazed by the goal to protest.

You felt a nudge from her, noticing that the cameras immediately panned towards you.

❝Y/N Klose finally looks impressed by Michael Kaiser's wonder goal! What a spectacle!❞

Kaiser dusted off his jersey, holding up two fingers. Two goals. One more to come.

The fans went wild and Emilia was shaking you like a madwoman. And you? You stood frozen, trying to process what had just happened.

The audacity. The drama.

Kaiser turned around to grin at your expression before finally turning back to his teammates, basking in the cheers of the crowd.

And as much as you hated to admit it...

That goal was impressive.

There it was. The reaction he was waiting for. For a split second, Y/N Klose had looked impressed. And for Michael Kaiser, that was a victory in itself.

He jogged back toward the center circle, basking in all the cheers. His teammates clapped him on the back, congratulating him, but his mind was elsewhere—still fixated on the way your expression had shifted.

He had spent the entire match teasing you, trying to break past that indifference, and for the first time, he had gotten something.

A goal like that—perfection execution, perfect technique—of course you'd be impressed. Even if you wouldn't admit it, even if you tried to look unaffected, he knew what he saw.

By the time the match neared its final minutes, Bastard München had full control. His team was playing at their peak, and Kaiser was at the center of it.

But he wasn't done yet. He wanted a hat-trick. So when Ness sent in a perfect through ball, he didn't hesitate.

One touch.

One shot.

One goal.

The stadium cheered.

══════════════════════════════
✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　
══════════════════════════════
✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ .

By the time the final whistle blew, you had never been more relieved in your life. The match ended in Bastard München's victory, and it was all finally over.

After a bit, Emilia checked her phone. ❝Ugh, I have to go. My manager just texted—she needs me to handle some PR stuff. I'll see you later?❞

You nodded absentmindedly, still recovering from the spectacle of the match. ❝Yeah, I'll just call for a driver.❞

Emilia gave you a quick hug and an excited squeal about how you needed to check Twitter later, and then disappeared, leaving you alone in the VIP area as the stadium slowly began to empty.

After your encounter with Lukas, all you could think about was how much worse this situation was about to get. The internet was already spiraling over the Müller thing—now, there'd be rumors about you and Kaiser too.

When you were ready to leave, you reached into your blazer pocket for your phone, ready to call a driver.

...Only to find it missing.

Your heart sank.

You checked your other pocket. Your bag. Even the seat next to you. Nothing.

And then it hit you.

Emilia had borrowed it before she left.

And she had taken it with her.

It took you a moment to register what just happened. Again, your phone. Emilia had it. And now you were stranded in a stadium.

❛ Perfect, just perfect. ❜

You ran a hand down your face, exhaling sharply. Without your phone, you had no way of contacting anyone. No way of calling for a driver. You could ask someone to borrow theirs, but the idea of explaining your situation to a random fan was... not ideal.

You looked around. The VIP section was clearing out, the stadium slowly emptying. The staff was focused on ushering people toward the exits, and security was stationed near the tunnel.

You were now stuck weighing your options. You could:
1. Try to find someone who'd lend you a phone.
2. Hope Emilia realized her mistake and came back.
3. Wander around aimlessly until a solution magically presented itself.

None of those options sounded particularly appealing. Unless..

You could just... walk out and figure it out from there.

Yeah. That was the plan.

You adjusted your blazer and stood up, keeping your head down as you made your way toward the private exit. If you were lucky, you'd find a staff member who could help or at least a quiet place to think.

But luck wasn't exactly on your side today.

Because just as you stepped into the tunnel leading out of the stadium, a familiar voice called out behind you.

❝Well, well. Someone looks lost.❞