"Take care Elsa, take care!" Mrs. Daichi hugged her daughter.
"And write me!" cried Gregor between them. Elsa cast a wistful look at her family. How would you miss them all. Conny and Viktor had also come to say goodbye. Elsa hugged her too.
"I will miss you terribly ..." Elsa had to fight back tears. Conny didn't even hide how sad she was that her friend was going away. She howled uncontrollably in her arms. Viktor put his hand on his sister's shoulder.
"Conny, I think Elsa will miss her flight ..." he said gently but firmly. Conny reluctantly let go of Elsa.
"We're writing to each other?" she asked tearfully. Elsa nodded.
“Sure, Conny.” Her gaze wandered over the crowds in the airport hall. A woman was dragging her whining child behind her and had to bring two travel bags under control. Someone rushed to the flight counter to catch the flight.The security guards searched a young, dingy-looking man with their metal detectors (I don't know if those are XD well, those things stop the beeps) while their dog was sniffing around at the luggage. But Elsa couldn't make out a green cap anywhere. Elsa sadly picked up her hand luggage and turned to go.
“I'll get in touch when I've arrived. See you soon!” She waved briefly to her family and friends and then went to the gangway of her flight.
“Elsa!” A voice called her name. She turned her head slightly to locate the source. A boy in a green cap made his way to her. Elsa smiled. So he had made it after all.
"I'm sorry I didn't make it earlier ..." he said apologetically when he stood in front of her.
"You came, the gesture counts!" Elsa smiled. "My flight is about to go, I have to go ..." she added apologetically. Mario handed her a small package.
"This is for you."He blushed slightly and pulled his cap down, embarrassed. Elsa stared at the package and blushed too.
"Thank you ..." she managed to say when suddenly the announcement rang out that flight 797 would take off in a few minutes. So she had to hurry.
"I have to go then ..." she said apologetically, turned around and left the scene almost in a hurry. Mario looked after her for a long time, even when she could no longer be seen. He would have stood there longer if Gregor hadn't tapped it.
"You Mario, she's gone ..." he said softly. Mario looked down, he knew why.
"Hey Mario are you okay?" asked Gregor when the captain of the Kickers didn't react. Something was dripping on the floor, he only noticed it now. Was Mario crying? He had never really admitted that he was in love with Elsa, but it must have hit him harder. Mario swallowed.
"Yes Gregor, everything's okay ... go ahead." He just said, but still kept his eyes down.~ * ~

The plane had broken through the cloud cover and was gliding almost weightlessly. Elsa sat by the window and stared at the endless masses of clouds with a pounding heart. It was a strange feeling to make this long journey now and not be back for a year. Her eyes fell on the small package that Mario had given her. She actually intended to open it when she was alone and undisturbed, but now curiosity won out. Very carefully, as if it might break, she took the present in her hands and untied the ribbon. When she had freed it from the paper, a small black box came out (I know what you're thinking now, but THAT would be stupid, wouldn't it? XD). With a pounding heart, she opened the box. It was filled to the top with cotton wool ... is that supposed to be a joke? Elsa frowned. No, there was sure to be something under the cotton wool ... With two fingers she carefully lifted the cotton wool and a leather strap with a charm came to light.A small piece of paper had got stuck on the cotton wool. With one hand Elsa held the letter and cotton wool and with the other she fished out the chain. The pendant was shaped like a turquoise eye. When she moved it, it looked like the pupil was moving with it and looking at her. In the other hand she was still holding paper and cotton wool. She fluffed the note out of the cotton wool, which then fell into her lap and read:

"This is a talisman for you.
He should protect you and watch over you.
I hope you do not forget me. With love, Mario. "

Elsa caught her breath, her cheeks turned red. She had to read again. He actually wrote "in love"! Elsa's heart made a joy hop. So he really loved her! Elsa pressed her hand to her mouth. She tried convulsively to swallow the rising tears. Why was he only telling her that now? Now that she was driving away? One hand held out a handkerchief.Elsa looked at it somewhat startled. Was she crying? She ran one hand to her tear-soaked cheek, then looked up. An elderly lady sat next to her and smiled good-naturedly at her. Elsa took the handkerchief and wiped her tears.
"Thanks ..." she muttered.
"Do you have a long journey ahead of you?" asked the lady.
"I'm flying to Germany for an exchange year."
"Oh, this is really far from home isn't it?" she nodded in the direction of the box that was still in Elsa's lap. “From her boyfriend?” Elsa blushed slightly.
"No ... he's not my friend ..." He could have been long ago ... A lump formed again in Elsa's throat.
“But he means a lot to you, doesn't he?” Elsa just nodded.

~ * ~

"Where is the rest of you anyway?" Mr. Daichi asked his son.
“They'll be at the clubhouse. We'll have training soon!” Gregor pushed past his father into the house to get his sports gear.Mario, Viktor and Conny had left the family beforehand.
“Hopefully it goes down well.” Ms. Daichi was very worried about her daughter.
"Don't worry, honey. Everything will be fine." Her husband hugged her.
"Hey, you two don't mop up now, I'm still there too!" Gregor came storming down the stairs in his Kickers jersey. Mr. and Mrs. Daichi had to laugh. Actually, he was right ... even if a bit of worry remained - after all, they loved their daughter as much.

~ * ~

The training went normally except for a few minor details. Mario pulled himself together noticeably, the other kickers also knew that and rewarded their captain with particular zeal. After training, the footballers wanted to end the day in the ice cream parlor. Mario soon said goodbye. The Kickers didn't blame him. When the others split up after two hours, Gregor decided to call Mario again.It was only 8 p.m. and his parents would certainly not be asleep yet.
"Hongo." Mario's mother answered the phone.
"Hello, this is Gregor. Can I speak to Mario?"
"Yes, of course, little moment." A melody reached Gregor's ear, then Mario mumbled annoyed into the line.
"Can't you even have some peace here?"
"Hey Mario, I just want to hear how you are and whether everything is okay." Gregor said quite unmoved.
"What's wrong?"
"Well, you must be pretty depressed about Elsa ..."
"It actually works ..." muttered the captain of the Kickers.
"Don't let your head droop. She's coming back and she's not out of the world either."
"It's so easy to say ... she's not out of the world, but still damned far away ..."
"Mmh, but just imagine what a charm letter writing is!"
"Mmmh ..." Mario was taciturn.
"You Mario, tomorrow's training, will it take place?"
"Why shouldn't it take place?""I don't know ... maybe you don't feel like it now or something ..."
"What nonsense! We have to prepare for the national championship!"

~ * ~

do, do, do ... the busy tone rang in Elsa's ear. She had meanwhile reached her pen pal Kitty and had been trying to reach her family for a while.
"Oh man, who are you talking to so late on the phone?" Elsa was slightly annoyed. The flight had been long and exhausting, she was tired now.
"What time is it with you now?" asked Kitty, who came from the kitchen with two glasses of iced tea.
“Just before 9 p.m.” Elsa hung up the phone.
"So, here something cool. Then you can freshen up and rest a bit. It's difficult because of the time difference, isn't it?" Elsa nodded slightly.
"Yes, you can tell for five hours ... Kitty, I'm so glad that I can live with you and, above all, that we get along so well."
"Me too. I would certainly not have been able to endure 1 year with someone I don't get on well with ... But on the other hand, we would have noticed while writing letters, right?""That's right. But it is often very different when you stand across from each other." Elsa sipped briefly from her iced tea and then picked up the phone again.
"I'll try again," she said.
“Sure, don't force yourself.” Kitty threw herself on the sofa.
"Man, finally I can reach you!" Elsa said into the phone. The conversation ended after a few minutes. She didn't want to drive up Kitty's costs unnecessarily.
“Do they miss you already?” Elsa went over to the sofa.
"Definitely my parents! Gregor probably not yet, now he has the room to himself." She giggled.
"Haven't you managed to get that done yet? Didn't you want to expand the attic?"
"It's almost done, too, but only almost! When I come back it will be done for sure."
"Well, I hope so. I don't want to miss my own apartment anymore." Kitty looked around her small apartment.

Although Elsa was so tired when she arrived, she held out for a long time.The two girls had a lot to talk about. When they were getting ready for bed, Kitty noticed the chain around Elsa's neck.
"Hey you have the same trailer as I have!" said Kitty very enthusiastically. "Who did you get it from?"
"I told you about Mario ..." Elsa began, but was immediately interrupted by Kitty.
"Really? Is something going on ??" Elsa pushed around a bit.
"No ... he gave it to me at the airport ... as a farewell, so to speak ..."
“And what did you say?” Elsa took a deep breath as she looked back on this embarrassing moment in her head.
"Just thank you ... and then I ran away ..."
"What? You ran away ??"
"Um ... well ... my flight went ..." Elsa said apologetically.
"Yeah, how ... was he late or what?"
"Yes,