Against All Odds: Legacy Of A Football King
Chapter 83: A Dose Of Benjamin’s Morning Routine

Chapter 83: A Dose Of Benjamin’s Morning Routine

Thump-thump-thump...!

The sound of trainers hitting the hard surface of Alkmaar’s streets, reverberated in the surroundings.

The cool air of dawn embraced them as they observed their morning exercise. Benjamin had been quite surprised by Adam’s sudden decision to join him in his early routine.

He had always been the lazy type—unwilling to train except during training sessions. He’d idle around all day, watching TV or busy scrolling through his phone.

"Hey, keep up!" Benjamin called out to Adam who was lagging behind by a few dozen steps.

"I..I think we’ve ran enough. We should probably be heading back now.." He said while huffing and puffing in exhaustion. His body was drenched in sweat which had accumulated over time.

Coming to a stop, Benjamin turned to face him with a mocking smirk on his face. "You’re a midfielder for crying out loud, don’t you even feel a little bit of shame?" He paused and then teasingly continued, "And by the way, some of your low-key fans might be observing from somewhere hidden... You wouldn’t want to disappoint them, right?"

As if injected with a super serum, Adam quickly rose from his stooping posture and hastily looked around. Upon seeing no one looking suspicious, he heaved a sigh of relief and then glared at Benjamin.

"You’re a bully and you know that right?"

Benjamin shrugged at his words, neither denying nor affirming. "I’m just helping you out, that’s all." He replied and then glanced at his watch before jogging towards the direction they were coming from.

"Try to keep up this time around" He said as he passed by the exhausted Adam who groaned reluctantly before following behind.

He had only decided to go jogging because of his late introduction to the game last night. He arrived at the conclusion that Coach Verbeek had taken note of his laid back manner during a few training drills and was quite upset, bringing about his exclusion from the starting lineup.

About forty minutes later, the familiar sight of the AFAS housing complex came into view.

The faint glow of the streetlights reflected off the windows of the apartments, and the comforting quiet of the early morning hung in the air.

Benjamin, who was still bursting with energy despite the intense exercise, slowed down his pace slightly as a mischievous idea crossed his mind.

"Alright, Adam," he said while glancing sideways with a grin. "Let’s make this interesting. First one to the apartment door wins."

Adam groaned dismissively at the idea, his shoulders slumping as he dragged his feet. Beads of thick sweat dripped down his temples, and his breaths came in shallow gasps. "Seriously? You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m running on fumes, Ben. I’m barely alive here."

"Come on, don’t be such a baby," Benjamin chuckled as he teased, already picking up his pace. "You call yourself a midfielder? Let’s see if you can actually run like one. Don’t tell me you’re scared of a little challenge."

Adam muttered something unintelligible but he soon straightened his posture, his competitive spirit flickering to life despite his exhaustion. "Fine. But if I collapse halfway, it’s on you. And if I somehow manage to win, you’re making breakfast."

Benjamin barked a laugh. "Deal. Not that it’ll matter anyway—you don’t stand a chance at all."

Before Adam could reply or finish adjusting his breathing and posture, Benjamin was off, darting toward the building with quick and powerful strides.

Adam cursed under his breath and gave chase, his heavy steps echoing through the quiet street as his legs protested against every step.

The cool morning air whipped against their faces as the two raced across the complex grounds with Benjamin pulling ahead with ease. Fueled by the sheer joy of competition, he glanced over his shoulder to see Adam struggling to keep up.

Adam, though desperate to catch up, felt every muscle in his body screaming in protest. He gritted his teeth and pushed harder.

"You’re too slow!" Benjamin called out, his laughter cutting through the stillness.

"Shut up!" Adam huffed, pushing himself harder despite the burning in his legs.

As they neared the entrance, Adam saw Benjamin effortlessly pull ahead, his movements were smooth and controlled.

Feeling determined, Adam gave one final burst of energy, but it wasn’t enough. Benjamin reached the apartment door first, slapping his palm against it triumphantly

"Too easy," Benjamin said, turning around with a smug smile.

Adam stumbled to a stop beside him, bending over to rest his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. "You... you’re insufferable," he managed between gasps.

"And you’re too slow, and out of shape," Benjamin shot back with a smirk on his face as he unlocked the door. "But hey, at least you tried."

Adam groaned as he shuffled inside, "I’m never running with you again," he mumbled, collapsing onto the couch while groaning dramatically.

Benjamin laughed, already heading to his room. "We’ll see about that."

Inside his room, Benjamin kicked off his trainers and let out a satisfied sigh.

His body buzzed with the familiar post-run energy, and he knew he wasn’t ready to fully wind down just yet. He unrolled a mat in the corner, pausing for a moment before sinking into a series of stretches.

The room was silent except for the sound of his steady breathing as he moved through a few yoga poses.

He reached forward with his fingertips brushing his toes, before transitioning into a plank. Each movement was smooth and his muscles relaxed with every stretch.

After a few minutes, he stood up, feeling much lighter and more centered. He rolled up the mat and grabbed a towel before heading to the bathroom.

The sound of the shower turning on echoed through the apartment, and soon the faint scent of soap drifted into the living room.

Adam peeked out from under the arm he’d spread over his face. "He’s insane," he muttered, shaking his head.

By the time Benjamin returned, his hair was damp and a towel slung over his shoulders, Adam had barely moved from his position on the couch.

Benjamin grabbed a bottle of lemon water from the kitchen and plopped down next to him on the couch.

"Feel better now?" Adam asked without looking up.

"Always," Benjamin replied while twisting the cap off the bottle. "You should give it a try. Might do you some good."

Adam snorted. "Yeah, I’ll get right on that. Right after I figure out how to move again."

Benjamin grinned, taking a long sip of water. "Same time tomorrow, then?"

Adam groaned, already regretting every decision that had led him to this moment.