[Football] Attack of the B-Men

* This is actually a collection of short story ideas, not just this one. Lars is Belgian and currently plays for Chelsea. As a defender, he’s often anxious and full of self-reproach. If he fails to win the ball, he wakes up in the middle of the night and can’t sleep, wondering if his mistake cost them the match. If he wins the ball, he replays the sliding tackle in his head, worrying that the forward who hit the ground will hold a grudge and wondering what face to make when he sees him next match. If he pushes forward and scores, he worries whether he did the right thing and whether his teammates up front will hate him for not passing. If the coach says one thing before a match, he spends the whole game on the bench sitting on pins and needles... The day after he collapsed from stomach pain and missed a match, the System said hi. System: “Ten years from now, you’ll die of stomach cancer caused by emotional anxiety. I’ve been sent to save you.” Lars pulled a grimace, deeply pessimistic. “I can’t stop being anxious.” System: “In that case, here’s your mission.” [Slap goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who has come to visit you, and say, “How could you get together with De Bruyne’s girlfriend?” Time remaining: 3 minutes Penalty for failure: Erasure] Lars broke into a cold sweat and turned toward the doorway. The other three Belgians were there too, including Courtois, the man whose secret Lars had accidentally let slip three days ago, and the source of his recent stomach pains. His vision went black. Theme: Don’t blame yourself, blame someone else.