Chapter 19: The Quiet Shift
Chapter 19: The Quiet Shift
The air inside the changing room felt... different.
Not tense. Not angry. Just quiet. The kind of quiet that comes after something big has changed, but no one knows exactly what to do about it yet. It's a calmness, but there's an underlying unease—like the air before a storm. Things aren't outwardly heated, but the shift is noticeable, and everyone feels it.
Niels stood by the door, arms crossed, watching as the players drifted in one by one. A few gave him polite nods. Some offered quiet "Coach" greetings. Most kept their heads down, focused on tying their laces or scrolling on their phones.
There was no tension, no disrespect—but something was missing.
When Milan was around, there had always been this steady hum in the background.
He wasn't always loud, but he had a presence—strong, steady, reliable.
He was the one who kept things connected, who made people feel safe even when results were shaky.
He held the team together, like glue.
Now, that steady presence was gone.
Niels let out a quiet breath and stepped forward.