After climbing over the wall from the training base and making his way back, Kai still had to take a bus and then transfer to the subway. By the time he finally reached the entrance of his residential compound, a full hour had passed.
He didn't go in.
The entrance was still completely blocked—media, fans, cameras, voices all layered together.
With no real alternative, Kai once again resorted to using a VPN to slip around unnoticed.
He went around to the back of the compound, where a stone brick wall stood. It wasn't particularly high—high enough to be a nuisance, but low enough that you could reach the top with a short run-up.
Kai stopped at the base of the wall, judged the height, then took a few steps back.
Run.
Jump.
Hands hooked over the edge.
Arms pressed down, body lifted.
One foot found purchase, and he swung himself over.
The movement was smooth and practiced.
He landed lightly on the other side and clapped his hands together, finally letting out a quiet breath.
Still, he didn't relax. He stayed alert as he approached the building, eyes scanning his surroundings.
After confirming no one else was nearby, Kai raised his arm to enter the password—
—and felt a sudden tug on the back of his shirt.
"Kai! I knew it was you!"
The voice was young. Very young.
Kai stiffened and turned around.
A little boy—five or six at most—stood behind him. He was wearing a children's outfit with a cartoon tiger on it, a small pink pig-shaped bag slung across his shoulder. His tiny hands were gripping Kai's shirt with surprising strength.
Kai froze.
The boy showed no intention of letting go.
They stared at each other for a brief, awkward moment before hurried footsteps approached.
"John!"
A middle-aged man in a blue shirt jogged over. When he saw the boy safely holding onto Kai, he visibly relaxed and slowed down.
"I'm so sorry," the man said immediately, bowing his head slightly.
He reached down to pick up the boy, but the child struggled fiercely, clinging even tighter.
For a moment, the situation became painfully awkward.
"Well…" Kai said helplessly, not quite sure what to do.
The man sighed. "John, you're bothering someone."
John's face tightened, lips pressed together. He looked up at Kai with wide eyes and asked, "Kai… you won't leave us, right?"
Before Kai could respond, the man spoke again, clearly embarrassed but sincere.
"Sir, if possible, I hope you can give him a moment. John is a big fan of yours. He's supported Arsenal since last year, but more than that, he's a personal fan of you. You mean a great deal to him. If it's not too much trouble…"
It was hard to refuse a request like that.
Besides, the man was wearing slippers—clearly a neighbor. There was no need to turn this into something tense.
Kai took off his hat, crouched slightly to meet John's eye level, and smiled faintly.
"Alright," he said. "What do you want to tell me?"
The moment John saw his face clearly, his eyes lit up. He raised his right fist and shouted, "Invincible!"
Kai paused, momentarily caught off guard.
That word—invincible—had once described Arsenal's legendary unbeaten run. He never expected to hear it shouted at him by a child.
Still holding onto Kai's shirt, John said earnestly, "I'm your fan. Last season, you were the best. You made people understand defensive midfielders again. You're brave, smart, tough—and invincible!"
Anyone would feel warm hearing that, especially from a child speaking with such sincerity.
Kai smiled, but there was still a hint of embarrassment.
John's lips trembled slightly, as if he were holding back tears. "I fought with my best friend yesterday. He said bad things about you."
The man quickly added, "His expressions aren't very complete yet. His friend—Barry—said you would leave Arsenal, just like the captains before you. John argued with him, and it got heated."
John suddenly rolled up his sleeve, revealing a long scratch on his arm.
"I won!" he said proudly. "I chased him away!"
He straightened up and said seriously, "I don't agree with him. You're not like the others. You won't leave Arsenal."
Trying to sound even more grown-up, John continued, "People say the club pays you too little, so you'll leave. I heard some adults say they want to raise money for you, just so you stay."
As he spoke, John took off his pink pig-shaped bag and held it out to Kai.
"This is my savings," he said firmly. "I'll pay you too. Please don't go."
Kai's expression softened as he looked up at the man.
The man sighed quietly. "There's been a lot of negative talk about you lately. John's been very worried. To him, you and Arsenal are the most important things in his life. He sees you—the captain—as his idol, his role model."
He paused, then added softly, "I know this money doesn't really mean anything. But I hope you'll consider staying. That's what John wants more than anything."
After a brief silence, Kai finally spoke.
"Why does everyone think I'm going to leave Arsenal?"
Hearing that, the middle-aged man was momentarily taken aback.
Why did he feel that way?
In truth, it was almost instinctive.
Arsenal had lost too many captains over the years. That pattern lingered in people's minds, even if no one wanted to say it out loud.
He smiled awkwardly instead.
Kai smiled back, fully aware of what the man was thinking.
Taking a quiet breath, Kai slowly squatted down until he was eye level with little John.
Their gazes met.
"Look at me," Kai said gently but firmly.
John tried his best to widen his eyes, straining his face as if afraid to miss a single word.
"Thank you for supporting me, John," Kai said earnestly. "I'll work hard to be someone you can be proud of. And I won't leave Arsenal."
Kai smiled and extended his fist.
John hesitated for half a second, then stretched out his small fist as well.
Their knuckles met softly.
"I promise you."
Kai chuckled, then added, "Listen, little guy. I'm Arsenal's captain. You might not fully understand what makes a captain different from other players—but you're right about one thing."
"I'm not the same as the captains before me. I won't leave. I'll protect Arsenal, and I'll protect the red and white you carry in your heart."
He reached out and ruffled John's hair, lowering his voice.
"Come On You Gunners."
John's eyes lit up instantly.
"Gunners!" he shouted, triumphant.
"Good," Kai said with a smile. "Hold on to that feeling. We're Gunners. Don't let anyone look down on us. We're going to have a great future—and I'll be there for it."
He pointed at John, his tone suddenly serious.
"You're part of it too."
Back in his room at last, Kai felt completely drained. Yet beneath the exhaustion, something unfamiliar stirred inside him.
John had given him a strange feeling.
Joy?
Pride?
He couldn't quite put it into words.
But it felt… good.
At the same time, Kai cursed that shameless reporter inwardly. If not for that revelation, none of this chaos would have happened.
Because of it, he had spent the entire day dodging media, avoiding fans, and even climbing over two walls like a thief.
Once things settled down, he decided, he would definitely take legal action against Le Monde—and make that bastard understand the cost of irresponsible reporting.
For now, though, there was something more pressing.
. . .
As the tension lingered, the third round of the league quietly arrived.
Arsenal were set to host newly promoted Leicester City.
This Leicester side was not yet the Foxes of miracle fame, but many of the core players who would later define that title-winning team were already coming together.
Whether the absence of Kanté would prevent another fairytale remained uncertain.
Still, two crucial names—Mahrez and Vardy—were already in the squad.
Under the floodlights, Arsenal welcomed Leicester to the Emirates.
The match drew exceptional attention from Arsenal supporters.
Perhaps it was the club's silence that had unsettled them.
Perhaps it was fear.
Whatever the reason, the stands were full. The fans had come with one clear hope—
They wanted an answer from Kai.
. . .
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