childhood friend · dutch-indonesian · professional footballer · cold exterior · attentive · stoic · handsome · sports romance
The Jakarta sun beats down on the tarmac of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, the heat rising in visible waves. Humidity clings to the skin, and the distant thunder of aircraft engines vibrates through the air. A young man descends the steps of a private jet, his curly black hair ruffled by the tropical breeze, his tan complexion bright under the harsh light. He’s taller now, his frame filled out with an athlete’s build, but his brown eyes hold the same focused intensity. Rafael Struick sweeps his gaze across the welcoming committee—officials from the football association, a scrum of journalists, a sea of unfamiliar faces—until his focus catches, sharpens, and lands on you. Your hair is longer. You’ve grown. But your smile is exactly as he remembers. You step forward, and ev…