Chapter 84: Next Stop

May 28th, Round 33 of the Bosnian Premier League: Neumtar vs. Zrinjski Mostar. This was the final match of the season, and Zrinjski Mostar had already secured the championship with one round to spare. Even though Zrinjski could have fielded a team of substitutes for this match, they chose to go with their full starting lineup. Neumtar, already relegated as the bottom team of the season, was completely overwhelmed on the field. Things had been bad enough for Neumtar, but getting humiliated one last time only made it worse. Suker played this match with exceptional intensity, constantly directing his teammates: "Pass! Get it to the captain—let him score!" "Can't you pass properly?" "Move! Drag defenders out of position and create space for the captain!" Suker shouted non-stop from the front lines. His objective was clear: to help Kosovic win the Golden Boot. Currently, both Kosovic and Suker Mazic had 24 goals. One more goal from Kosopech would secure the award. To win that Golden Boot, Kosopech was also running tirelessly on the field. "Biljar!" Suker raised his hand to call for the ball. Seeing Suker pulling wide, Biljar immediately launched a long pass. Suker controlled the ball with the top of his foot and, just as the opposing fullback stepped forward, burst forward with explosive acceleration. He instantly created separation and charged toward the goal from the flank. His sudden surge threw Neumtar's defense into chaos, with all eyes focused on stopping him. Drawing two defenders, Suker kept adjusting the ball, and just before being taken down, he poked it forward with the tip of his toe. The ball rolled out of the crowd and arrived perfectly at Kosovic's feet. Kosovic didn't hesitate. Bracing against the center-back, he unleashed a powerful shot. Swoosh!! The ball hit the back of the net. "Beautiful!!" Suker got up and high-fived Kosovic in celebration. "Not enough!" Suker shouted to Kosovic, "Let's get more goals— Captain!" Kosovic looked at him strangely. He wasn't as eager for the Golden Boot as Suker was. But Suker was determined to fulfill a promise. Anyone could win the Golden Boot—except Suker Mazic. That was why Suker was so driven! In the 33rd minute, Suker once again dribbled into the box, danced past two players, and just as he faked a shot, he was violently tackled by Neumtar's center-back. A reckless challenge—Neumtar conceded a penalty. Suker scrambled up, grabbed the ball, and shoved it into Kosopech's hands. "Captain! Let's go!" Kosovic grinned. This game was basically Suker feeding him the entire time. Kosovic didn't disappoint—he converted the penalty and completed a brace. That brought his season tally to 26 goals. "One more! Go for the hat trick!" Suker shouted energetically, though the Neumtar players were starting to look at him with growing irritation. Whistle! A substitution was called—Zrinjski Mostar brought on No. 21, Boame, for No. 99, Suk. Suker looked confused as he walked off. "Why are you pulling me?" he pouted. "You wanna get your leg broken?" Coach Van Stoyak snapped. "If you keep playing like this, their tackles won't be going for the ball—they'll be going for your legs." Suker froze. He had been so focused on setting up Kosovic that he'd forgotten Neumtar's desperate situation. Yeah... he was rubbing salt in the wound. Now subbed off, Suker could only sit quietly on the bench. As he left the field, the 1,000 traveling Zrinjski fans gave him a standing ovation. Their faces were a mix of pride and sadness. Winning the championship was thrilling—but farewells were always painful. After the previous game, Zrinjski officially announced that Modric would return to Dinamo Zagreb at the end of his loan spell. They also confirmed that Suker would be transferring to Dinamo as well. The dual announcement left the Zrinjski fans heartbroken. They knew these two wouldn't stay long—with their talent, they were destined for bigger stages. Still, it all happened so fast. That's why they came to Neumport in person—to see off the twin stars of Mostar. Only 1,000 fans made it into the stadium, but nearly 5,000 more were outside. After being subbed off, Suker clapped and waved to the away fans in appreciation. Though he'd only spent one season at Zrinjski, it had been the true launchpad of his professional career—and that meant something special to him. But Suker didn't dwell on it for long. He'd already prepared himself for this day when he first arrived in Mostar. On the field, even without Suker, Modric stepped up to take responsibility for distribution and assists. In the 78th minute, Modric delivered a long cross into the box, and Kosovic finished with a powerful header. Hat trick complete. Kosovic ended the season with 27 goals. Suk could finally breathe easy. With that goal, the match concluded. Game over, but the awards ceremony remained. While most players headed back to the locker room, Suker, Kosovic, and Modric stayed behind. They were about to receive individual awards. Kosopech, with 27 goals, won the Golden Boot. Suker Mazic, with 26 goals, once again took home the Silver Boot. Seeing the result, Suker let out a sigh of relief. That was close—almost had to share the award! Then came Suker's turn. In his first season with Zrinjski, Suk had been outstanding—and won Best Newcomer. Modric was nominated for both Best Foreign Player and Best Overall Player. With 12 goals and 13 assists, Modric was the best-performing player in the Bosnian league that season. During his post-match interview, Modric looked more confident than ever: "First of all, I'm grateful I got the chance to play in Bosnia. I've grown so much here. For any player—if you can survive in the Bosnian Premier League, you can handle any league in the world." "Secondly, I want to thank my teammates. Together, we created a brilliant season. That day will be forever etched in my memory!" Then he turned to look at Suker. "I've got nothing else to say!" Suker grinned and turned to the camera:"When I first joined the Bosnian league, people questioned me. Said I was too short. Said I shouldn't even be playing. But as you can see—I've won it all! And I even grew taller!" He laughed happily. Modric couldn't help but chuckle beside him. "I've met a lot of great players here and learned so much from them." Seeing Coach Van Stoyak standing nearby, Suker suddenly changed tone: "But the person I'm most thankful for is our coach—Van Stoyak and Oripe. I was an unrecognized kid. They were the first coaches who believed in me and brought me to Zrinjski. They saw something in me, and guided me." Van Stoyak was stunned—he hadn't expected Suk to mention him. Soon, his eyes glistened with emotion. He had faced heavy criticism for signing Suker in the first place. "This trophy and the player I've become—that's all thanks to him. And now, I owe him a hug!" Suker turned around and spread his arms. Van Stoyak laughed, walked up, and lifted him into a big hug. Tightly embracing him, he whispered, voice choked: "You'll always be my pride." Suker smiled. That really was his heartfelt thanks. But deep down, he had another, more honest gratitude: Thank you... for letting me go. Finally, Suker and Modric walked toward the fans, holding up their medals. It was time to say goodbye. In a few days, they would leave Mostar. They would say farewell to the Zrinjski Stadium, to the fans, and to this small but beloved town. They waved to the stands. The crowd responded with thunderous applause. "I'll be watching you!" "You're the best—I look forward to your future!" "Go chase the big stage! You were born for it!" "Go, Suker! Go, Modric! Show the world your talent!" "Goodbye, Suker!" "Goodbye, Modric!" "Goodbye, our twin stars!" In the golden glow of dusk, the silhouettes of the two boys waving at the stands were forever captured by the camera. October, 2018 A young blogger stood holding an old, yellowed photo, speaking into the camera: "The story of Mostar has ended. That season, they achieved something truly remarkable." "This photo was a gift from an old lady. She told me, 'This was the last moment before they left.'" "In the past month, we've traced their journey through Mostar, Neumport, Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Tuzla... following their footsteps." "And now, it's time to move on." "Next stop: Zagreb. This is where the next chapter begins. Suker, Jarni, Stimac, Mandzukic, Vukojevic... familiar yet unfamiliar names will begin to appear." "In 2003, the rest of Croatia had no idea what kind of opponent they were about to face. But from the Balkans, a storm began to brew that would one day sweep across Europe." The young blogger rubbed his hands in anticipation and smiled: "I can't wait. Let's keep following their journey—to Zagreb. I'm calling the next chapter... 'The Calm Before the Storm.'" *TL note Alright Mass release end here the Schedule are now gonna be 5 chapters daily now at 11pm GMT+7