Chapter 795: Time Skip - Progress & Good News from the League

Time passed quickly, and honestly, Higo didn’t expect that rehabilitation would go quite smoothly.

It seemed that Sakura was right. After a few days, the pain started to subside. That, or his body gradually got used to the pain itself. Nonetheless, it was still a welcome surprise, as Higo could let out a relieved sigh for a moment.

The first few days were quite difficult, as for the first time ever, the boy felt quite vulnerable with himself. His dependence on both girls grew, and while he had already passed the embarrassed stage, the boy still felt guilty that those two had to take care of him like he was some sort of an old man who couldn’t do anything.

Fortunately, those two didn’t mind it, so the guilt was eased a little bit. Even if Higo knew the reason why they were doing this, the boy was still grateful for their effort, inwardly starting to think about what to do when he was finally back and healthier than ever.

’Well, maybe I should ask Fujita-san for two or three tickets to a big game once the supporters are allowed to go back to the stadium. That is probably a good idea for two girls who are football fanatics.’ Higo thought to himself.

Then came the second week, and that was when things started to get better. His rehabilitation plan also started to get more intense, with him being allowed to move his shoulder even if it was within a restricted range. Still, it was way better than putting it in a sling. At least, his arm could move a little bit more, not completely freely but still better than before.

The pain itself was still there. Hell, at some points, it seemed that he was too eager to do his rehabilitation plan, and in the end, it only left his shoulder swollen. Daniel Guzman had to come to his house personally, scolding the boy for putting himself in danger.

"What the fuck are you doing here?! Your task is just to follow the arrangement, for fuck’s sake! How difficult it is for you, dunderhead?!"

Higo himself just chuckled as he received the treatment from the Filipino doctor. Behind him, Kumiko and Sakura looked at each other guiltily, finding themselves to be responsible for this. The only reason they didn’t get scolded was probably that they were girls, and Daniel Guzman was too much of a gentleman to shout straight in their face.

Nevertheless, they blamed themselves for not supervising Higo carefully, and the stare they shared here was basically a big tell that every activity that Higo would do in the future would be under strict observation.

Still, this didn’t bother Higo that much, not when the swelling itself disappeared just in two days. Besides that, the boy’s effort in his rehabilitation program started to bear fruit, as all the little wrist and finger practice that he had done finally allowed him to move his whole hand without feeling any numbness in it.

Hell, the best part was the fact that he felt his shoulder was stronger than ever. If not for the two girls watching him like two hawks on their prey, Higo would’ve taken off the sling already, starting to rotate his stiff shoulder like a madman.

"Don’t be too reckless, Ryukkun! Things might seem okay, but your shoulder could still be fragile, you know? It is better to go to the hospital and get another MRI scan first before deciding on what to do next with your shoulder."

At least, that was what Kumiko advised him, and even if Higo dreaded going to the hospital again, the boy still called Daniel Guzman for that. Coincidentally enough, it was also his schedule for another checkup, so the Filipino doctor just accompanied him to Marienhospital, the one that took care of all of Schalke players’ injuries.

Fortunately, after waiting for about three hours for the result of the MRI scan, Higo found that indeed, his shoulder was getting better. Even the doctor there praised him for his diligence in following the rehabilitation plan.

"Besides the swollen part, everything is back in place, and the muscles in your shoulder also start to recover to your strength before the injury. If you still follow the plan, you will have a chance to gain a bigger shoulder in the future, which will help you in all the jumping and diving that you have to do in the middle of the game."

Higo just smiled politely at the praise, inwardly assessing the suggestion from the doctor.

’Indeed, a bigger shoulder will make falling safer, but that will also affect my mobility. Once I am back later, I have to ask Waldoch-sensei for a suggestion there.’ He thought inwardly, taking note in the back of his mind.

Meanwhile, when Higo was busy with his rehabilitation plan, the league still continued, and while Schalke’s games became so fragile without Higo and Morita on the pitch, they still showed why they were one of the biggest teams in the country. They showed a big heart in the next four games, getting 2 wins and 2 draws in the process.

This allowed the team to get out of the relegation zone completely, as their points were too far from Werder Bremen, who were in 15th place, to catch up.

The moment it was determined that they would stay in the league next year, the group chat exploded. Everyone was celebrating, with some even taking a video of them drinking beer like a lunatic. From a team that started the league with five defeats in a row, this result sure was nothing but a miracle.

Honestly, Higo felt a little bit envious here. After all, even though he joined the celebration, the boy still didn’t feel like he belonged there. No, he wasn’t with the team for so long, and the boy felt like he didn’t deserve to celebrate it with the players since he wasn’t there until the end of the season.

’Still... Next year... I have to be there from start till the end... I cannot get injured like this again in the future!’ He clenched his fist tightly, his spirit flaring brighter than ever.