Fear, hesitation, confusion

One cannot survive in a solitary world. Although I have endured so much suffering alone for so many years, I still cannot convince myself of my own harshness. Whenever I am with a team, I always feel happy while also suffering from those shortcomings, and after Zaiyu leaves, I will savor those bittersweet memories.

On my way home today, I saw the lights on at the football field next door, and two teams were playing a match. Stepping onto the green grass, my weaknesses were laid bare. It felt as if I were running on the field myself, with my teammates all around me, persevering together towards a common goal.

We just won the championship in the first half of the year, and everything went by so fast. In March, I shamelessly returned to the team. I knew what leaving for a year meant, and I knew the team wasn't very united, and my arrival would only complicate things further. Football and championships were my only reasons for coming back.
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This was an unprecedentedly strong team, formed by the merger of two championship teams. As the match approached, the inevitable conflicts arose. With only 11 key players, infighting naturally emerged. The problems escalated as the match progressed. However, their shared love of football brought them together, and the plans for division and a strike ultimately failed.

Although we possess formidable strength, the competition did not proceed smoothly. Each match strengthened our unity, and the slogan "We are the champions!" resurfaced. In the quarterfinals, I achieved my first hat-trick to date, scoring 13, 14, and 15 goals in official matches. The semifinals saw us narrowly escape defeat in a penalty shootout, and everyone eagerly awaited the final the following day.

What I saw was everyone's unprecedented hunger for the championship. Woody's face was badly scraped and swollen, and his injured teammates were stubbornly persevering. It was a brutal competition, and for the first time, I truly felt the pain that injuries inflict on athletes. Without these injuries, everything would have been perfect!

Missing a one-on-one chance, a sprained ankle, a strained thigh—I was completely out of form. When I missed that penalty, I felt like I was seeing those seven runner-up finishes again. The difference this time was that perhaps it was only because of myself. My teammates entrusted me with the first penalty taker role, and I let them down. From 2001 to 2012, for 11 years I hovered between winning the championship and suffering defeat. Would this last chance also slip away?

God is fair; those who persevere in despair are blessed, while those who give up eventually fall. A free kick from midfield, a backward header from 10 yards out—it not only changed the ball's trajectory but also changed my history. 17 goals; the memory ends here.

Tao Jing (176061585) 23:32:26 All we need to do is not concede a goal! I'll take responsibility for any goals scored.
Lu Ting (847002627) 23:33:05 We only need to score goals; I'll take responsibility for any goals we concede.

The promise made before the final was both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

I don't know why these memories suddenly came back to me. Maybe it was my loneliness and weakness. Just like at the victory celebration, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. That time it was because of the bitterness of seven runner-up finishes. Why this time?

Do you doubt your initial dream? Are you still on the right path?