Chapter Text
Rin was at the height of his career in France. He became a household name in all of France and even surpassed his former master, Loki. The younger Itoshi knew he was a wanted striker, many countries fought over him to have him sign onto their team.
But even the mighty fall
It happened all so quickly. A little boy chasing after his ball, a drunk driver at the wheel, and Rin..
Just happened to be there
He quickly pushed the boy away, having the car ramming into him, he could recall people surrounding him. EMT put him on the stretcher and quickly drove to the nearest hospital. A couple of days later he came about and the doctor’s face was grim. Rin didn’t need the report read to him, he’s seen those serious expressions plenty of times on his former teammates.
Fractured left fibula
A couple of broken ribs
A broken right arm
Rin knew that he wouldn’t be able to play the same again, even after intensive surgery. He had prepared himself for his day of reckoning, but he wished it didn’t happen too soon.
Twenty-five was still too young
*****
“And that’s it for today’s lesson,” Rin spoke in perfect English.
He was currently teaching an introduction to English to a class of junior high students. A librarian that Rin was associated with, approached him one day if he could teach a small group of kids that wanted to be tutored in English. The former football player had no problem agreeing as he didn’t have much to do. The librarian informed him that the previous tutor was on a two month trip to Malaysia and was having problems trying to find a fill in. His tutoring group were very attentive and had no problems when Rin would challenge their English.
Rin sighed as he sat down by his desk, he looked at the window and saw a group of kids kicking around a soccer ball. It had been at most two years since the incident. Those two years had been hell for him. Rin remembered how much he struggled in his physical therapy.
How low he sunk
Rin remembered how much he drank every night. He could remember how good it felt when he took those painkillers his physician prescribed him.
And then he took too much
His physical trainer had realized that Rin was late to their appointment and took it upon himself to head over to Rin's place. He had to break into the house and found the injured player passed out.
Overdose
Rin was taken into the hospital and under heavy watch. He was suggested to go to therapy and was given a list of psychiatrists. At first he refused but then the nightmares flooded his sleep. He randomly chose one. At first he didn't speak at all. It was normal his therapist had told him. It went on like that for a few weeks until Rin broke down. It felt good to release all the emotional baggage he was feeling. Like an entire weight was lifted from his chest. His sessions decreased but was welcome to come by any time.
*****
While he was feeling better thanks to his psychiatrist, sometimes envy can make a person relapse. He recalled how envious he was when he saw his teammates and even his former Blue Lock associates, go further onto their career. Some of them retired but they ended up coaching for little leagues of their old high school teams. Though there was one name that continued to stand out.
Isagi Yoichi
He was currently playing in Spain alongside his older brother and Shidou. The trio making a terrifying combination. Rin could recall how envious he was when he watched the games on TV. He could remember how angry he was and how much his throat hurt after he shouted. The shards of glass littering the floor of his home. It was scary how much he had relapsed that day. He drank so much that day and found himself walking over to the medicine cabinet. He could feel a voice whispering into his ears.
Take it, take a handful, it'll help numb the pain
Thankfully Rin was too drunk to make it to the bathroom.
Rin found himself going to his therapist a couple of days later. Told him about his episode and how he was about to overdose again, but was too drunk and ended up passing out.
“How did it make you feel?”
“Like the shittiest person alive.” Rin found himself looking at the paintings in his therapist's office. The one that brought a calm into his storm was a picture of a house surrounded by fields of tall grass and sunflowers. That's when he decided to move out of the city and into the countryside.
His therapist gave him a gentle smile, “I think a change of scenery would do you some good.”
And it did, moving had brought peace back into his life, and when he felt himself relapsing, he would take a walk outside or tend to his garden. He could feel the storm finally passing and his thoughts were like the soft gentle waves of the ocean.
*****
“I’m not going,” Rin crossed his arms over his chest, his teal eyes looking across the table.
Loki just sighed, “It’ll be good for you, to see everyone.”
“I’m not interested,” he took a sip of his tea, “how’d you even find me?”
The dark skinned player grinned, “I have my ways. Don’t you want to see your old friends again.”
“Please,” Rin scoffed, “we were anything but friends.”
“Okay, teammates, associates or whatever.” Loki decided to pull out his final card. “Isagi will be there.”
Rin was silent for a bit before speaking up, “What makes you think I want to see him?”
“Well, you two were pretty close back in Blue Lock, and didn’t you keep in contact when you moved to France?”
Rin scoffed again, “Kept in contact? If anything, Isagi was the one who kept annoying me with texts. It got to the point where I blocked him and got a new phone and number.”
“And how did that work for you?”
“That idiot still found my new number and scolded me for blocking him.”
Loki chuckled, “So you two are close .”
“I still won’t go.”
Loki sighed, “It was worth a shot, but,” he slipped an envelope over to Rin, “if you’re interested, arrangements could be made to pick you up. And you’ll stay at a hotel for free.”
“That’s not very tempting,” he took another sip of his tea.
“I tried,” the dark skin player shrugged and then stood up, “it was good seeing you again. You should come by the club someday, I have some fresh meat that would love to meet you.”
The two former teammates waved goodbye and Rin was left to his own devices. He looked at the envelope and picked it up. Opening it, he read the contents of the letter. He pulled his phone out and called the number on the letter.
‘Hello?’
“Anri-san, it’s me, Itoshi Rin.”
‘Oh Rin-kun! I was worried that you wouldn’t get the letter.’
“I’m going.”
‘Oh wonderful! Let me give you the details.’
*****
Rin sighed as he finished packing, the event was only going to be for one night, but he knew that the Japanese Football Association would hold major events while their star players all gathered together. His phone buzzed, letting him know that his Uber was on the way. He waited outside of his house until his driver pulled up. They greeted each other and the driver helped put Rin’s suitcase away in his trunk. It was a quiet drive leaving the countryside. All of a sudden it started to downpour as they were on the highway. The last thing Rin could remember was the sound of a truck blaring its horn. Bright lights were the last thing Rin saw.
Before everything turned black