God Of football

Chapter 910: Japan Tour.

The next morning, Arteta walked Carlos out toward the front entrance as staff members hovered at a distance, waiting for their own cue to start loading luggage, but the space around the two coaches felt almost private.

Arteta adjusted the cuffs of his shirt and let out a quiet breath.

”I should be telling you to enjoy the break instead of letting you go.”

Carlos smiled.

”I don’t think you ever planned to let me rest anyway.”

Arteta chuckled, sticking his hand out as the two shook hands.

”I never thought about letting you rest,” he said, causing Carlos to chuckle.

”Good luck,” Arteta said. ”Truly.”

Carlos nodded once, then glanced past him to Albert, who stood with a folded itinerary in hand.

”Take care of this for now,” he told him. ”You know what matters.”

Albert held his gaze and nodded.

”I’ll keep things steady.”

Carlos slung his small bag over his shoulder, also pulling another one behind him, gave them one last look, then started toward the exit.

The automatic doors parted for him, and the sunlight outside framed him as he stepped out.

Arteta watched until Carlos disappeared behind a passing taxi before a soft laugh escaped him.

”I miss him already.”

Albert shook his head but smiled.

”We need to get moving. The flight won’t wait for us.”

”Right. Let’s get everything sorted.”.

They turned back into the hotel, both falling into the rhythm of preparation without another word.

By early afternoon, the players were settled inside the team bus, bags stacked in the compartments and staff ticking through final checklists.

Conversation filled the bus in scattered pockets: some talking about Japan, others about the meals awaiting them on the plane, and a few dealing with their daily doses of Social Media.

Saka leaned over his seat and looked toward Izan two rows back.

”Japan is your yard, right? You’ll have to show us around. No hiding.”

Izan looked up from the message he was typing.

”I lived in London more than I have lived in Japan, as I’ve only stayed here for one month at the longest, and that was a few years ago. In fact, with all of Nwaneri’s Anime fever, he might know more about Japan than I.”

”Fake bredda,” Saka said, clicking his tongue, before grinning and turning toward the window.

The bus slowed as they approached the airport, and Saka stood slightly in the aisle to get a better look outside.

Fans were already gathered behind the barriers, waving flags, scarves, shirts, whatever they could fit above the crowd.

The cheering hit them as soon as the doors opened.

The heat.

The sound.

The mix of excitement and gratitude that had followed them throughout their stay in Singapore.

The players stepped off one by one, meeting fans who had stuck their hands out in high fives.

Saka, as usual, was swallowed into pictures within seconds, fans pushing forward just enough for him to reach over the barrier.

”Thanks for coming out,” one of the players said. ”We appreciate you.”

”You were brilliant yesterday,” someone shouted. ”Come back next year!”

Izan took a few steps and immediately had shirts and notebooks reach out toward him.

He took his time with each one.

A quick smile.

A picture with a mother and her young son.

A signature on a poster with his celebration printed across it.

Despite the rush around him, he stayed calm, moving with a steady pace that avoided drawing too much attention but still made space for the fans nearest to him.

Arteta kept a respectful distance, hands behind his back, scanning the group while talking quietly to Albert.

”They deserve more time,” Arteta said. ”If we weren’t on schedule, I’d let them stay out here another half hour.”

Albert checked his watch. ”We’re tight, though.”

”I know. Let’s move them inside.”

As the players began drifting toward the sliding doors, Saka wandered back toward Izan, who had paused beside the entrance.

”What are you reading now?” Saka asked, peeking over his shoulder.

”A thank you message,” Izan said. ”Just something for the fans. I’ll post it in a minute.”

Saka nodded, then lost interest as quickly as he gained it.

”Alright. I’m going inside before the queue forms.”

He walked off, leaving Izan to finish proofreading the message.

Once done, he slid his phone into his pocket and followed the rest of the squad.

Inside the airport, it was the usual, with security checks and guards who were more excited about who stood in front of them than their jobs, while boarding passes were distributed in neat stacks.

After that was done, the staff guided them through private lanes while fans watched from the barriers behind the glass walls, still waving.

The team moved through without trouble and soon found themselves walking along the glass walls of the jetway while the hum of the engines grew louder.

The plane waited for them with open doors, their charter already prepared for the long trip ahead.

Inside, the seats were arranged in comfortable clusters, with space for them to stretch their legs.

A few players swapped seats to sit near their friends, and others immediately put on headphones.

Izan took a window seat this time, resting his head against the side for a moment before buckling in.

Across from him, Saka sat down, pulling out his Nintendo Switch while grinning at Nwaneri, who also pulled his after Saka coerced him into buying one.

The aircraft began its slow taxi across the runway as engines settled into a steady roar, and a few players leaned back and closed their eyes.

Soon enough, the lift came.

The ground fell away beneath them, the Singapore skyline shrinking as clouds swallowed the view.

...

The landing in Tokyo came with that quiet hum of relief that always follows a long haul.

The players filed through the private exit and were collected by a spotless premium bus waiting outside.

As they pulled away from the airport, the windows filled with towering electronic billboards, each one flashing a welcome message for Arsenal.

A few of the boys pointed their phones at the screens, laughing under their breath.

Odegaard watched one of the billboards roll past and spoke without taking his eyes off it.

”Must be nice to play somewhere that loves football this much.”

Izan nodded. ”Yeah. Must be.”

Arteta stood at the front of the bus, reminding them that their schedule and updates would be in the group chat.

Once they reached the hotel, Albert Stuivenberg was already waiting in the lobby with envelopes of key cards.

The players thanked him as they passed through, each one drifting off toward their rooms.

Izan headed up alone after taking his key.

He had requested a single after a few of Saka’s antics had disrupted his sleep, back in Singapore, and the staff had made it happen.

He set his bag down, walked straight to the balcony, and let the night air wash over him.

”Feels good to be back,” he muttered to himself before stepping back inside.

As he did so, his phone buzzed.

Olivia had texted to ask if they had landed.

He replied, but before he could type anything else, a video call came through.

His grandparents’ faces filled the screen, arguing over whether the connection was working, to which Izan’s laugh gave them their answer, and both of them perked up.

They greeted him warmly, asking how he was.

His grandmother mentioned that Komi had told them he would be back in Japan for pre-season.

Izan confirmed it and told them they had just arrived.

His grandfather nodded and leaned closer to the screen.

”We’ve become celebrities, you know. Everyone here found out you’re our grandson.”

He proudly lifted his phone to show his own Instagram page, now sitting at sixty-seven thousand followers.

His wife scolded him immediately, pushing his hand down while he shuffled out of frame, still trying to defend himself.

Izan couldn’t keep his laughter in.

His grandmother returned to the camera. ”Make time to visit if you can. Even a short one.”

”I will,” he said, and ended the call after saying goodbye.

A/N: Okay guys, this I have to put here so most of you don’t skip it. Sorry for the irregular updates.

As I have said before, we were being ripped off with our electricity bills since the metre wasn’t running and had to change it but after changing it, it’s been a lot of hassle getting them to turn it on and as of now, they still haven’t done so.

Sorry for any inconviniences to you who enjoy this novel and I will immediately get back on schedule when we get the power back.

This is the last of the previous day, and I will try and see you again with the first of today. Have fun reading and Bye for now.