The hallway leading to the players’ quarters was dim, echoing only with hurried footsteps and the distant roar of the crowd. The reporter stood reviewing her notes before the scheduled interview when the famous player suddenly appeared before her, disguised in a black cap and a long coat.

In a low voice, he said, —“You shouldn’t be here alone.”

She lifted an eyebrow with forced confidence. —“I’m just doing my job. I don’t need a guard.”

He gave her a smile she knew all too well. —“What you need… is someone to keep you out of danger.”

She didn’t understand what he meant, but he took half a step back suddenly, as if sensing something behind her. He whispered quickly, —“Don’t turn around.”

She froze in place, and before she could ask, the sharp click of a camera echoed from behind the pillars. The player grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a dark corner between the metal walls, while the photographer searched the corridor.

In a barely audible voice, she murmured, —“Did… someone discover us?”

He answered while watching the shifting shadows, —“If they even suspect it… this is a disaster.”