Mkhize, despite being respected and well-paid by Kaizer Chiefs, knows he's not just a scout he's a man with his own dreams, struggles, and private battles.
At home, his younger brother constantly asks him when he'll take him to Chiefs Village, and Mkhize feels the pressure of being a role model. His mother is proud, but she also warns him not to let money and fame blind him. He buys her groceries, pays the bills, and even helps his cousin with school fees. That money he's making is "serious money" but it comes with responsibility.
But there's another side of him…
The girl he met in Soweto the one coaching her own popular team keeps popping up in his thoughts. He'll be at a trial, watching young talent, and suddenly her voice echoes in his head, reminding him of how passionate she is about the game. They start chatting on WhatsApp, sometimes late at night. At first, it's about football. Then it shifts life, dreams, family, even fears.
For the first time in a while, Mkhize feels like someone sees him not just as "the Chiefs scout," but as a man.
Still, the pressure doesn't go away. Coaches are on his neck, reminding him:
"We can't waste time with average players."
"You must find the next superstar."
"Don't lose focus, Mkhize."
But he's tired. The late nights, the WhatsApp messages from unknown boys begging to be scouted, the group chats filled with pressure, and now his feelings for this girl it's a lot.
One evening, after a long day of scouting at GDL matches, he sits alone in his car, dressed in his Chiefs gear, staring at the empty stadium lights. For the first time, he admits to himself:
"I'm human. I can't carry it all. But I'll try."
And the next day, he wakes up, puts on his Kappa Chiefs tracksuit, and continues the grind scouting Thabo, Sipho, and many others, but also slowly opening his heart to the girl who might change his life forever.