Chapter 29: The Modrić Who Wants to Change

After a full day of training, Suke felt fulfilled. After all, this was a team from the Bosnian Premier League—playing here was completely different from playing with the Mostar Wanderers. Whether it was discipline or passing coordination, everything felt much more cohesive. Off-the-ball movement was frequent, and when Suke received the ball, he had plenty of passing options. That significantly reduced the pressure on him when distributing the ball. But what Suke was most grateful for that day was how smoothly he managed to integrate into the team. He didn't become "the new guy." Well, technically he was, but under Kosović's protection, no one dared to bully him. Otherwise, the treatment Boame received today might have been his instead. Suke took this in stride. Not getting bullied was fortunate—getting bullied was just something to endure. This wasn't like childhood. In a professional environment, no one would babysit you. Van Stoyack brought Suke in, but that didn't mean integrating Suke into the team was his responsibility. This was the adult world—he had to face it himself. Just getting Suke into the team was already a big favor. How well he survived and thrived in the group depended entirely on his own ability. Fortunately, Suke was good at socializing. If he had been more of a loner, he would've had a tough time. Like how he greeted Kosović when he first arrived and quickly bonded with him. That was why Kosović stood up for him later. Otherwise, he wouldn't have cared whether Suke got picked on. Over the day, Suke got a decent understanding of the team. First of all, the locker room was split into two factions. There were two vice-captains: Kosović and Oliveira. Oliveira led the local faction—most of the substitutes, along with Boban and Biljal, were close to him. He was good at forming cliques and excluding outsiders. Bullying was one of the ways they asserted dominance. Kosović, on the other hand, was more laid-back. He believed in mutual support, and most of his circle were Croatian. And Kosović wanted to use Suke to bring Modrić into his circle. Everyone had something to gain, so it was a mutually beneficial relationship. Suke turned over in bed and saw Modrić under the desk lamp, writing furiously. "What are you doing?" Suke asked. "Writing a letter," Modrić replied. "To who?" "My teacher in Zagreb." Suke nodded. He knew Modrić wasn't the talkative type. Modrić paused, then put down his pen and turned to Suke. His lips moved slightly before he finally asked, "How did you do it?" "Do what?" Suke was confused. "You got along with Kosović and the others in just one day." Suke raised an eyebrow. "It's simple. I talk to them." "I'm not good at talking to people," Modrić admitted quietly. Suke looked at the downcast Modrić. At this point in his life, Modrić was going through a rough patch. Being loaned to a Bosnian team by Dinamo Zagreb was a huge blow. His beloved coach had been dismissed, and now he was on the chopping block too—another heavy hit. With a double blow, his naturally introverted personality became even more closed off. Suke sighed, sat up, leaned against the wall, and looked at Modrić. "Honestly, connecting with people isn't that hard. It's just 'I help you, you help me,' and eventually, you build a relationship." "Have you ever turned down someone's invitation because it felt like a hassle?" Modrić quickly nodded. Kosović had invited him multiple times, but he always declined, thinking it was too much trouble. "There's your problem. You keep rejecting people's goodwill, so your relationships never move forward." "You feel it's a hassle now, right? Isn't that because you're not close yet?" "If I invited you, would it feel like a hassle?" Modrić thought for a second, then shook his head. "Not at all. I'd be happy." Clap! Suke clapped his hands. "Exactly! At first, it might feel like a bother or awkward. But after a few times, once you're close, it doesn't feel that way anymore—it actually makes you happy." "It's like when we play together. At first, it's awkward, no chemistry. But try a few more times, and the coordination comes. Socializing is just like that." Modrić hesitated. "Oliveira invited me, too." Suke frowned. "What do you think of him?" "I don't like him," Modrić replied after a moment. "And Kosović?" Another pause. "He's... not that bad." Suke grinned. "There you go. You already have your answer." Modrić considered it carefully, then slowly nodded. "I think I get it now." "Take your time. No rush," Suke waved his hand and yawned. "Social anxiety isn't something you fix overnight." "What anxiety?" Inhale... exhale... Suke's breathing grew slow and steady. He'd already fallen asleep. Modrić blinked and whispered, "He falls asleep so fast." Then he resumed writing the end of his letter. "Today, I had a good day. My good friend Suke is now my teammate. He did very well in his first training session, and I'm happy for him." "Suke has many qualities I admire. For instance, he managed to make friends quickly. Yes, that's very important in football. Maybe... I should try opening up too." He sealed the letter and looked at the sleeping Suke with a faint smile. Even if he felt lonely in Bosnia, he still had a good friend. The next morning, Kosović walked into the locker room. "Good morning, boss!" Suke raised his hand casually from the bench. Kosović chuckled and nodded. Just then, a quiet voice came from next to Suke. "Good morning, Kosović." Kosović turned his head and saw Modrić timidly raising a hand. The moment their eyes met, Modrić quickly dropped his arm and turned away. Kosović: "!!!" It was the first time Modrić had ever greeted him. "Good morning, Luka!" Kosović burst into laughter. When the other players walked in, Kosović grinned and announced, "Luka greeted me this morning—he initiated it!" Hačić: "!!!" Mašović: "!!!" Kolpić: "!!!" All three turned to look. Modrić let out a breath and slowly raised his hand. "Good morning." The three raised their hands too. "Good morning, Luka!" Suke sat nearby, unable to contain his smile. That day's training focused on close-range passing and coordinated high pressing. Van Stoyack had been working on a total football system, and was helping Suke integrate into the squad as fast as possible. Suke's performance was impressive—he actively engaged with teammates and attempted passing combinations. But what stood out was the chemistry between Suke and Modrić. Suke's presence gave Modrić more room to push forward offensively. Before, Modrić mainly stayed in midfield to organize. Now, he had the freedom to advance. Sometimes they'd even switch roles mid-run, with Suke temporarily taking over organizing duties. With two playmakers up front, Zrinjski Mostar's attacking game became more fluid and threatening. While they weren't yet fully in sync, they were starting to form a new tactical identity. When Kosović, the big center forward, couldn't break through, the team now had alternative ways to crack defenses. That's what had Van Stoyack most excited. After a year of coaching Zrinjski, he finally saw the emergence of a total football system. But training was one thing—everything would be tested in a match. That made August 7th a crucial day. It would be the first test of Suke and Zrinjski's new tactical setup. "Come to my place tonight," Kosović suggested. "Let's celebrate Suke joining." Suke readily agreed, and others nodded too. Then everyone looked at Modrić. Kosović turned to him. "Are you coming?" Modrić still felt a bit hesitant—but he remembered Suke's words and felt reassured knowing he'd be there too. He nodded. Kosović beamed. That evening, the players packed up and left together. Suke spotted Oliveira's group revving an old Jeep, kicking up dust as they roared away. "Pfft!" Hačić spat out dirt and cursed. "Those guys are off to Neum Port again." "Neum Port?" Suke blinked. He knew that place. "They going to work?" he asked, realizing it sounded dumb. Hačić sneered. "They're 'working' alright—on top of women's bellies." Suke suddenly understood. Being a port town, Neum was known not just for fish trading, but for its red-light district. After months at sea, sailors would come ashore eager to "unwind," and the industry had boomed there. "Forget them. We're not like them. No booze tonight—just grilled meat." Suke's eyes lit up. "Grilled meat? I love it!" Hačić threw an arm around him and laughed. "Let's go, little striker. Tonight, you eat your fill!"