69novels Chapter 399 - 5: The Morning After
Chapter 399 - 5: The Morning After
Tuesday, August 15, 2023 — Demien’s Temporary Apartment, Manchester — 8:30 AM BST**
Demien woke the morning after his Premier League debut while the apartment stayed quiet around him, yet his phone refused to match that quiet because notifications had piled up overnight from his mother, Sophia, Marco, Luca, former Atalanta teammates, United staff, Adidas contacts, plus social media that wouldn’t stop buzzing.
He didn’t open everything at once because that would overwhelm him before he’d fully processed what happened, so he sat on the edge of the bed for a moment while the previous night settled into something he could understand properly.
His first official Manchester United match ended with a win after he came on from the bench, and he’d assisted the second goal before creating the move that led to the third while Old Trafford reacted to him in a way that still felt strange.
Ten Hag had told him he changed the match though he also reminded him to do it again.
That line stayed with him more than any praise because it carried expectation rather than celebration.
He opened a few messages while leaning back against the headboard. Isabella had sent several heart emojis followed by a short voice note saying she’d watched the match twice already with her voice breaking slightly when she mentioned how proud his father would have been.
Sophia’s message was simpler because she teased him for acting calm after "bending the match open like it was nothing."
Marco’s message stayed practical the way Marco always did. *Good debut, good press. But one match doesn’t change the plan. Recovery today, then Tottenham prep starts.*
Demien checked the sports headlines briefly because Marco had mentioned the press reaction.
The media talked about his impact with his assist with whether Ten Hag should start him against Tottenham, and some praised him heavily while others argued Wolves tired before he came on, then a few credited United’s improvement to the midfield control he’d provided.
He locked the phone before the noise became too much because reading endless opinions wouldn’t help him prepare for the next match.
He was pleased though not drunk on attention since the result mattered yet his place wasn’t secure, and one good twenty-five minute cameo didn’t guarantee anything beyond a single afternoon’s headlines.
He stood to get ready for Carrington recovery while the morning light filled the apartment that still didn’t feel like home.
---
**Tuesday, August 15, 2023 — Carrington Training Centre — 10:00 AM BST**
The atmosphere at Carrington was lighter than before the Wolves match though not careless, because United had won yet everyone understood the performance wasn’t perfect despite the three goals.
Starters who’d played heavy minutes were sent into recovery work—bikes, stretching, massage tables, physio checks, ice baths that made grown men wince when they lowered themselves in—while players who’d featured less were placed in a mixed group combining recovery with light conditioning.
Demien fell into that second group since he’d only played twenty-five minutes.
The system activated before the session began.
「MISSION: RECOVERY + CONDITIONING」
「Post-Match Protocol」
«Complete recovery work»
«Conditioning without fatigue drop»
«Maintain technical sharpness»
«+8 TP»
«+5 MP if optimal recovery status»
Demien moved through the session professionally because the Wolves assist wasn’t permission to relax, so he completed the bike work, mobility drills, light sprint resets, then a short possession rondo that kept his touch sharp.
During the rondo Bruno couldn’t resist another joke. "You waited until Wolves were tired before deciding to play like a highlight reel."
Demien didn’t take the bait while playing a one-touch pass into Eriksen. "Worked though, didn’t it?"
Bruno laughed because the response showed Demien wouldn’t be needled into defending himself.
Casemiro’s comment came quieter while they reset for the next rondo. "The assist was good. But the important part was you stopped the midfield from breaking apart."
That comment mattered more than Bruno’s joke because it confirmed the senior players noticed the control rather than just the flashy moments.
The system completed after the session ended.
「RECOVERY COMPLETE」
«Recovery protocol: Done»
«Conditioning: Done»
«Technical sharpness: Maintained»
«Fatigue drop: None»
«+8 TP»
«+5 MP (optimal status)»
«Balance: 553 TP | 336 SP | 773 MP»
Demien let the panel fade before following the others toward the locker room because the work had already moved on from yesterday’s result.
---
**Tuesday, August 15, 2023 — Carrington Analysis Room — 11:30 AM BST**
The squad gathered for video analysis later that morning while Ten Hag refused to let the comfortable scoreline hide the problems from the Wolves match.
The first clips weren’t Demien’s assist—they showed United’s first-half issues instead.
Ten Hag paused moments where Bruno and Mount pressed at different times leaving Casemiro exposed, then showed Wolves finding gaps after central turnovers, before highlighting how United’s defensive line dealt with too many running situations because the midfield spacing was poor.
The room stayed quiet because the points were clear and undeniable.
"This is how we nearly lost control," Ten Hag said while pausing on a frame where Casemiro stood alone against three Wolves players. "One holding midfielder cannot cover this much space. The press must be connected."
Only after dissecting the problems did Ten Hag show Demien’s entrance.
He paused Demien’s first touch under pressure where the Press Resistant trait had helped him escape the trap, though Ten Hag obviously didn’t mention any system. "The decision was correct because he didn’t try to impress with his first action. He secured possession first."
Then he showed the line-breaking pass, the dribble sequence, the chance created for Bruno, the assist for the second goal, plus the pre-assist action for the third.
Ten Hag’s praise stayed controlled. "He changed the rhythm because his decisions matched the situation. This is what we needed."
But then he showed one correction.
Late in the game after United went 3-0 up, Demien had stepped toward the ball too early instead of screening the inside lane first, and Ten Hag froze the frame at that exact moment.
"It didn’t hurt us because Wolves were tired," Ten Hag said while pointing at the gap. "Against a sharper opponent this space costs a goal. Screen first, then press."
Demien accepted the correction without defending himself because the manager was right, and the gap was obvious once shown on screen.
Ten Hag ended the session addressing the whole group. "The result was good. The standard has to be higher."
The message was clear because Demien had made an impact yet he hadn’t earned comfort.
---
**Tuesday, August 15, 2023 — Carrington / Phone — 12:45 PM BST**
After analysis Demien received a message from Chiara about the approved Adidas post from his Premier League debut.
The image was clean—United kit with Adidas boots visible, his body balanced just after striking the assist to Varane, the photographer having caught the exact moment his foot followed through.
The caption stayed simple and professional, something about a Premier League debut assist plus first steps in red.
Demien approved it without overthinking because the image was good and the caption didn’t oversell anything.
United’s media team also requested a short internal clip later in the week if Ten Hag allowed it, though nothing was forced today since the squad was already moving toward Tottenham preparation.
Marco called briefly while Demien walked to his car.
"Commercial reaction’s good," Marco said. "Adidas is happy, United’s media team is happy. But don’t start chasing posts or clips or headlines."
"I’m not."
"I believe you," Marco said, though his tone carried the warning anyway. "But after a good debut, brands and media try to attach meaning to everything. The only thing that protects you is performance. Remember that."
"I will."
The call ended quickly because Marco never wasted words, and the message was simple enough that it didn’t need repeating.
---
**Tuesday Night, August 15, 2023 — Manchester Restaurant — 7:30 PM BST**
A few United players invited Demien to dinner that evening at an Italian restaurant in the city center, and the group stayed small enough to feel natural—Bruno, Rashford, Sancho, Garnacho, with Casemiro joining briefly before leaving early because he had family commitments.
The mood was relaxed rather than wild since this wasn’t a nightclub scene, just players eating and joking while letting Demien feel part of the group after his debut.
Bruno teased him again once they’d ordered. "So you come on, you see we’re struggling, and you decide the match is too easy. That’s the energy?"
Demien shrugged while breaking bread. "You looked like you needed help."
The table laughed because the comeback landed properly.
Rashford asked the question that mattered to him as the player who’d benefited from Demien’s passing. "The ball for Varane’s goal—did you see his run early or just trust the space?"
"Saw the movement before the defender turned," Demien said. "Varane started his run when Bruno dragged the marker. The gap was always going to open."
Bruno shook his head. "That sounds too calm. Nobody sees it that early."
"I did," Demien said simply.
Garnacho leaned forward with the curiosity of a younger player. "Is Italy really as annoying as people say? Serie A defenders?"
"They’re patient," Demien said. "Disciplined. They don’t dive into challenges. But the Premier League gives you less time to breathe—everything’s faster, more physical."
Sancho grinned while reaching for water. "You looked like you had plenty of time against Wolves anyway."
"Different when you come on fresh," Demien replied. "The starters do the hard work first."
The dinner showed chemistry forming—not instant brotherhood but the beginning of acceptance, because they were still feeling him out while he learned how they joked and tested each other.
Demien didn’t talk too much. He listened, responded when needed, let the conversation move naturally rather than forcing himself into every exchange.
At some point the topic turned to the next match when Bruno’s tone shifted slightly. "Wolves is done now. Tottenham won’t give us those spaces if they watch the tape properly. Postecoglu’s teams press differently."
That brought the football pressure back without killing the mood.
The dinner ended with Demien feeling more connected to the squad, though he understood the team moved fast because one good night became old news quickly.
---
**Tuesday Night, August 15, 2023 — Temporary Apartment — 10:15 PM BST**
Demien returned to his apartment after dinner before calling Sophia, though she called him first when she finally got free.
"How was dinner?" she asked.
"Good. The boys are different outside training."
"Are you making friends?"
"Maybe," Demien said carefully because teammates weren’t automatically friends. "Too early to call it that."
"How’s the company?" he asked.
"Difficult day," Sophia admitted. "But I handled it. Had to make a decision and everyone kept waiting for me to second-guess myself."
"Sounds familiar."
They both understood the connection without saying too much because he was trying to earn trust at United while she was trying to command trust in her company, and the parallel didn’t need spelling out.
"Did you?" Demien asked. "Second-guess yourself?"
"No," Sophia said. "Made the call and stood by it."
"Good."
There was a pause before Sophia spoke again with something softer in her voice. "I’m proud of you. Not because of the assist. Because you sounded like yourself again on the phone last week."
Demien didn’t know how to answer immediately because the comment landed somewhere he hadn’t expected.
"I’m trying," he said finally.
"I know," Sophia replied. "Get some sleep. You’ve got Tottenham prep tomorrow."
The call ended softly while the apartment felt less empty than it had that morning.
---
**Wednesday, August 16, 2023 — Carrington Training Centre — 9:00 AM BST**
The Wolves match was finished while the recovery day was done, so the headlines were already becoming background noise as the squad’s attention shifted forward.
Now the next opponent sat on the board.
Ten Hag’s staff had posted the early preparation groups for the Tottenham match, and Demien checked the board while other players filtered past reading their own assignments.
He noticed the change immediately.
He wasn’t fully locked into the starting eleven, yet he was no longer only with the second unit either.
His name was listed in a mixed tactical group beside Casemiro and Bruno for one of the main midfield exercises.
That was the hook—not a guarantee but a test.
Demien stared at the board while understanding the message clearly.
Wolves had earned him attention.
The next week would decide whether that attention became trust.