The cafeteria was lively that morning.
Candidates filled the long tables, voices overlapping as conversations about strategies, rankings, and Matchday 5 echoed through the hall.
Daniel and his roommates walked in together.
Tunde stretched as they grabbed their trays.
"Man… I'm starving."
Ayo smirked.
"You're always starving."
Chinedu adjusted his glasses.
"Let's find a seat."
As they scanned the room, Daniel spotted a familiar figure.
"Adisa."
She was sitting alone.
"Let's join her," Tunde said immediately.
The others nodded.
But as they approached the table…
They noticed something was off.
Adisa's expression wasn't her usual calm self.
It was… disgust.
Daniel's eyes shifted slightly.
Then he saw him.
Okoye.
Sitting across from her.
Talking.
They reached the table.
"Yo," Tunde said, pulling out a chair.
Then he looked directly at Okoye.
"What do you want from her?"
Okoye leaned back casually.
"Relax."
"I just wanted to be close to her… maybe be friends."
Adisa immediately spoke.
"I'm good."
"I already have friends."
She glanced at Daniel and the others.
Okoye's expression froze.
Then slowly…
It changed.
His eyes moved toward Daniel.
"So… you're the guy everyone's talking about."
Daniel raised an eyebrow.
Okoye suddenly stood up.
"This isn't fair!"
He pointed dramatically.
"Why do girls like you?!"
Then—
He dropped to the floor.
Rolling.
"It's not fair!"
"I wanted to become a coach so girls would admire me!"
"I wanted to coach a female team and have them all looking at me like I'm special!"
The cafeteria went silent.
Then whispers started.
Tunde leaned toward Daniel.
"…Is he okay?"
Chinedu added calmly,
"Or is this performance art?"
Adisa looked completely done.
Ayo suddenly nodded seriously.
"Bro… I understand you."
Everyone turned to him.
Ayo continued.
"I've felt that pain too."
Okoye stopped rolling.
Slowly… he looked up.
"Who is this single guy talking to me?"
Ayo froze.
"…Single?"
His face turned red instantly.
Tunde grabbed him quickly.
"Relax!"
"You don't fight mentally unstable people!"
But Okoye wasn't done.
He got up again, still ranting.
"This isn't fair!"
"I deserve attention too!"
Chinedu sighed.
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
"I really have to play against this guy…"
Then—
Knock.
Okoye froze.
He slowly turned.
"…You hit me?"
A calm voice responded.
"Yes."
Fiona stood there.
Cold.
Unbothered.
Okoye frowned.
"Just because you're older doesn't mean—"
SMACK.
The second hit dropped him instantly.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Fiona bent down, grabbed him effortlessly, and lifted him onto her shoulder.
Like it was nothing.
Daniel blinked.
"…You know him?"
Fiona sighed.
"Yeah."
"He's my younger cousin."
"WHAT?!" Tunde, Ayo, and Adisa shouted together.
Chinedu chuckled softly.
"Life really is unpredictable."
Fiona turned slightly.
"Sorry about him."
Then she looked at Daniel.
Her eyes sharpened.
"Don't underestimate him."
"Especially in midfield control."
Daniel's expression changed slightly.
Then—
She turned to Ayo.
"And you…"
Ayo straightened immediately.
"I hope you're ready."
"Because I won't go easy on you."
Ayo gulped.
"…Damn."
As she walked away with Okoye still on her shoulder—
Tunde whispered,
"She's strong…"
Chinedu sighed.
"And that's all you have to say?"
Ayo shrugged.
"What else do you want me to say?"
Daniel shook his head slightly.
"Let's just eat before the food gets cold."
Adisa nodded.
"I'm already done, but I'll stay."
Tunde grinned.
"Good. You're part of the squad now."
They settled down and started eating.
Ayo suddenly spoke.
"You're facing Ibrahim Sule, right?"
Adisa nodded.
"Yeah…"
"He was Daniel's first opponent, right?"
Daniel nodded.
"He's solid."
Adisa sighed.
"I hope I win."
Daniel looked at her.
"You will."
She blinked.
"Just trust your system."
"Trust your work."
Tunde grinned.
"Take it from the comeback king."
"And self-proclaimed main character."
Daniel laughed.
"Shut up, bro."
The table burst into laughter.
Suddenly—
The system voice echoed through the cafeteria.
"Attention candidates."
"Farouk isolation punishment has ended."
"He is now free to rejoin the competition."
At another table—
Mendes and a few others exchanged glances.
A faint smile appeared on Mendes' face.
"Almost forgot about him…"
The cafeteria doors opened.
All eyes turned.
Farouk walked in.
But something was different.
His posture.
His aura.
His eyes.
Cold.
Empty.
Tunde whispered,
"…What happened to him?"
Chinedu answered quietly.
"Isolation."
"It broke something."
Farouk's gaze moved slowly across the room.
Then—
It stopped on Daniel.
A cold smile formed on his face.
Not anger.
Not rage.
Something worse.
Then he turned away.
And walked toward the food counter.
Daniel watched him silently.
Something had changed.
And whatever it was…
It wasn't over.