The team bus rolls toward Seonhwa High’s stadium under a cloudy sky. It’s an away match, and tension hums in the air.

Jae-hyun looks out the window. His teammates stay mostly quiet — some focused, some anxious. He hears whispers again.

> Teammate A: “Seonhwa’s no joke. Their midfield eats people alive.”

Teammate B: “We win this, we’re in the Seoul Regionals. This isn’t like Hwarang.”

Jae-hyun (thoughts):

In my past life, we got crushed in this match. Their press was too much. No coordination. We lost hope early… but not this time.

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Scene 2: Meet the Midfield General

The stadium is packed. The opposing team enters. All eyes go to a player in a captain’s armband — Jung Woo-bin, Seonhwa's central midfielder.

He’s calm, surgical. A player known for breaking down offenses before they even start.

Jae-hyun (thoughts):

Woo-bin… the puppet master. If I don’t find a way around him, we’re dead.

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Scene 3: First Half — Collapse Incoming

Kickoff.

From the opening whistle, Seonhwa dominates the midfield. Daehan High struggles to get past half. Jae-hyun barely sees the ball.

Woo-bin moves like a chess master — cutting passing lanes, intercepting, and launching fast counters.

In the 17th minute, Seonhwa scores. 1–0.

Coach Park (shouting):

"Wake up! You’re playing scared!"

Jae-hyun (thoughts):

This is just like before. But I didn’t come back just to watch this happen again.

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Scene 4: Adapting in Real Time

Jae-hyun starts dropping deeper — further than a striker usually does. He takes the ball in crowded spaces, then quickly flicks it wide, dragging Woo-bin slightly out of position each time.

He’s not trying to fight the system — he’s bending it.

By the 35th minute, Daehan starts gaining ground.

Jae-hyun makes a sharp diagonal run, slipping between two defenders. Soo-kyung spots it and lobs a perfect pass.

Jae-hyun volleys — GOAL. 1–1.

The crowd roars.

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Scene 5: Team Fracture

Back in the locker room at halftime, tension brews.

Team Captain Hyun-woo (frustrated):

"Stop doing your own thing, Jae-hyun. You’re not the playmaker."

Jae-hyun:

"Then make a play that works. I’m doing what this team needs."

Silence falls. Some teammates nod quietly. Others look away.

Coach Park:

"Enough. We play as a team — figure it out. Jae-hyun, you're reading the field better than anyone. Keep doing it. The rest of you, follow."

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Scene 6: Second Half — The Turning Point

Seonhwa presses harder. It’s chaos. Tackles fly, passes get sloppy, but Jae-hyun remains composed.

He adapts every second — a shift to the left here, a sudden sprint there, pulling defenders just far enough for his teammates to exploit.

Then, in the 71st minute — he sees it.

A flick from Soo-kyung. A defender late to react. Jae-hyun pounces, fakes once, twice — then chips the keeper.

GOAL. 2–1. Daehan leads.

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Final Scene: Recognition and Rivalry

Full-time whistle blows. Daehan wins 2–1.

Players collapse on the pitch. Jae-hyun breathes hard, drenched in sweat, but alive.

As he walks off the field, Woo-bin approaches him.

Woo-bin:

"You don’t play like a high schooler."

Jae-hyun (smirking):

"And you don’t press like you used to."

They exchange a respectful nod — a rivalry quietly born.

Meanwhile, Coach Park stares from the sideline.

Coach Park (thoughts):

He’s more than just a good player. He’s turning into a leader.

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End of Chapter 5 – “Under the Lights”

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