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Isagi Iyo has known her child was special. At first, it might have been a mother’s delusion, but as he grew it turned out to be more and more true. He is timid at the best of times, always the peacekeeper and easy-going. In kindergarten, he never fought over toys, in school he would often end up being pushed around but it never affected him as it would other children. Iyo knows, he’s been to a psychologist a few times after it turned out he was being bullied. But can it even be called bullying when the kid ignores you and nods along? That’s what Yoichi always did, he went through life with a smile and no care in the world. Most of the time he never bothered paying attention to other people, it’s selfish, but if he senses you pay attention to him, he will return it. A true introvert, his psychologist said. She and Issei were warned to watch out for other signs of him being on the autism spectrum, and it turned out he was, one of the indicators were heightened senses. His senses were off the charts; they’ve been with him to a neurologist a few times because he would hear or see things others couldn’t. He could smell the rain and feel the change in pressure of the atmosphere when a storm was coming. He could hear your heartbeat standing a foot away from you. They got a confirmation of it pretty soon after he started watching football on the TV.
Iyo remembers, he was around four years old when he ran out of the living room in tears, crying about Noel Noa and football and how great it was. Iyo has never been more scared than in that moment because Yoichi was almost always a calm and rational child, he rarely cried unless he was scared which was when storms were coming, or the environment was really loud.
After that, they put him in a football club. He was meticulous to the point of ridiculousness, he trained every day, he was on the field three times a day: before school, after school and after dinner until the streetlights turned on. His life began to revolve around football and football only. He lived and breathed football.
It became a problem when Ichinan’s football coach changed. Yoichi just shut down. He attended every practice but he stopped his solo training, he didn’t have the fire he used to have. It started to seem like a chore to him. Iyo thought it was puberty, finally getting over the football phase, but the thing that bothered her the most was the fact that he became unhappy. After the games he was bored, he didn’t celebrate a win or mourn a loss. It was all…apathy.
Then he went for an exchange for two weeks in Matsukaze Kokuo High School. He seemed revitalised. He was exhilarated and ecstatic, he could barely contain himself with happiness. It was then that Iyo realised that it wasn’t a passing phase, his team and coach were suppressing him.
Iyo vividly remembers all those discussions she had with Issei. What will they do with him? Send him to a different school? Pay private instructors? Send him to Tokyo so he could have a good team? Find independent clubs?
The came the Blue Lock invitation, like a saving grace from heaven.
Iyo watched her son bloom and grow unlike ever before. He found friends, he stood up for himself, he became a little person, no longer an apathetic child but a young man who can fight for himself. He gives as good as he gets. She is glad he isn’t letting anyone walk all over him. If he aims to become famous, he needs to learn how not to get screwed over by people who wish him ill.
“…The one who scored the final goal is Isagi Yoichi!!!” The commentator’s voice rang out in their living room. “And in that moment Bastard Munchen achieved total victory!!”
Isagi is persistent, he is a man of routine. Once he sees a way, he will pave it until it becomes a highway. He will continue to grow and adapt and Iyo will always cheer him on.
Blue Lock is just another step in his career.