Izan rolled his eyes, but before he could reply, Ethan Nwaneri—who had joined the first-team training for this session—darted over.
Without missing a beat, Nwaneri grabbed Izan's bag like it was some kind of treasure chest, cradling it as if it were the most valuable item in the room.
"Yo, what do you think you're doing?" Izan shot a look of mock horror at the player.
"Just protecting your stuff," Nwaneri replied, his grin wide, before spinning around dramatically.
"You never know who's gonna try to steal it. I'm doing you a favor."
The group burst into laughter, the energy light and carefree as they teased Izan like he'd been away for years rather than just a few days.
Izan couldn't help but smile, his usual quiet confidence turning to a good-natured chuckle as he ruffled Nwaneri's hair, causing a few of the players to question who the younger one was, but it still made for a good, extra laugh.
