Several days had passed since Mateo González officially became a Manchester United player.
Each day at Carrington had chipped away at the unfamiliar—the sharp English air,the heavy rain,the biting intensity of Premier League training,the way teammates moved and spoke.
He was adapting.
Slowly.Silently.Relentlessly.
Another Day… or Not Quite
That morning, Mateo woke up before the alarm.
He sat up in his bed, heart heavy with realization:
Today, I turn 18.
No family breakfast.No teasing from Lukas or Jonas.No Klara pulling a cupcake out of nowhere.
Just an empty apartment and a familiar silence.
He trained.He focused.
But deep down, something ached.
Flashback: The Choice of a Home
Two weeks earlier…
Mateo sat in the passenger seat of his agent's car, looking at property listings on a tablet.
"You've got modern, secure, walking distance from Carrington…or something with history," the agent said.
Mateo raised an eyebrow.
"History?"
The car turned down a quiet street in a wealthy Manchester suburb.The driveway curved toward a sleek yet simple house—tucked between rows of well-kept hedges and ivy-covered fences.
"This one," the agent said, parking."Used to belong to a legend.Chilean. Wore red for Arsenal, and briefly for United.Won two Copa América finals. Against Messi."
Mateo blinked.
"Alexis Sánchez?"
"That's the one. It's not flashy. But the guy used to train here every day on his own. Obsessed. Feral.Didn't conquer Old Trafford, but no one ever forgot him."
Mateo walked through the front door.The echo of the space felt... focused.
"This one," he said.
Present Day – The Surprise
Mateo returned home after training.
His body was tired, his mind cluttered.
He turned the key and walked into the darkened house—
BOOM.
"¡Feliz cumpleaños!""Happy Birthday!"
Lights flicked on.Confetti scattered midair.And standing in front of him—
His mother.His grandparents.Klara.Klara's parents.
They had crossed an ocean.
And brought home with them.
Mateo froze, stunned—then immediately pulled his mother into a hug,his voice cracking:
"¿Cómo…? ¿Cuándo…?"
She smiled, teary-eyed.
"You didn't think we'd miss this, did you?"
An Intimate Celebration
They didn't hire photographers.No expensive guests.No extravagant lights.
Just warmth.Just food.Just family.
Laughter filled the house.Klara showed videos of Mateo's old goals to her father.His grandparents argued with his mother about cooking.His agent even stopped by briefly, grinning.
"I told them this house had magic," he whispered.
Mateo smiled back.
It did now.
The System Listens
Later that night, after the guests had gone to bed,Mateo stood in his room staring out at the rainy Manchester night.
"System," he said softly,"Log this day."
The words appeared in gold:
✅ Life Milestone LoggedAge: 18 — System Progression Stage: Mature Phase Initiated
🎁 Gift Unlocked: Legendary Birthday BonusReward: 1x Rare Skill Choice Box (To be opened on match day)
Mateo grinned.
"Best birthday I could've asked for."