Chapter Text
~๑•🧩✧~
“Socha tha ki bade hoke kisi ladki ko pata ke zindagi set rakhenge lekin…..phir tu aya, jaise tujhe kuch pata nhi ki tu mere dimag aur dil ke sath khelta hai.”
(I always thought I’d grow up, charm some girl, and have my life all figured out… but then you came along, like you have no idea how you mess with my head and heart.)
The hot summer of India is not for the weak.
Sweaty mornings even after a good bath, the humidity sticking to skin.
Yoichi Isagi, a normal teenager who has to battle the heat just to play football in that dusty field.
It was a Sunday morning, for which Isagi was waiting eagerly.
He woke up early at 8 in the morning.
The football academy is starting, and what is better than sports during summer vacation?
He can sacrifice extra sleep for football because what is the harm??
He is having fun either way.
Isagi rumaged through his grand closet to find his cleats.
Exams squeezed every bit of football out of him.
Now that it’s finally over, he is ready to get his love back.
Where the hell did I keep them?!
Isagi grumbled as he sank into the endless pit of random things, from forgotten old notebooks to tangled up wired headphones, and who knows what else is there.
Finally, he gave up and shouted for his mother.
“MAAA, FOOTBALL WALLE JUTTE KIDAR HAIN???”
(MOM! WHERE ARE MY FOOTBALL SHOES???)
“UDAR UPAR RAKHA HAI!” she yelled back.
(I KEPT IT UP THERE!)
“UP WHERE?!”
“JUST SEARCH FOR IT THERE”
Typical of her, Isagi sighed, not even surprised.
He pulled the chair near and got up in it.
Balancing the wobbly chair and searching for his cleats— Isagi Yoichi was a wonderful multitasker.
He put his hand into the abyss of cardboard boxes, pulling out every possible shoebox.
His father’s leather shoes popped out, even his mother’s sandal, but not his cleats.
Eventually, his hand landed on the box of his cleats.
He sat down on the floor to examine the cleats.
Please be in good condition he muttered to himself.
Isagi’s face lit up as the cleats were, in fact, in good condition.
No lose laces and torn soles. He was indeed blessed today.
Without wasting any time, he went to his room to pack up his things– necessary items like his wired earphones, towels, and SNACKS.
He was now ready to go. Truly ready.
As he was zipping his bag up, his mother entered the room
“Beta, kuch khake jao” (son, eat something before you go) said his mother with her arms folded across her chest.
“Two rotis and I am out”, he said, dusting off the dust from the bag.
“No three.”
“But I got a match!”
“Exactly, you need the energy!”
“Maa, I don’t want to throw up on the first day”, he explained.
“Still eat it and drink the milk”, she didn’t budge from her decision.
“Gahhhh Finee”, he accepted his defeat.
Now he was tying his shoelaces, getting prepared for the day ahead.
He took his keys and made his way to his beloved cycle.
Summer Vacation is going to be fun, and he just knows it.
He went to get Bachira first.
They loved football a lot and would yap forever about it.
And a bonus point, they are classmates in school, which makes their bond thousands of times better than any other bond.
“OOOYYEEEE BACHIRAAAA”
He shouted for his attention.
Bachira immediately came to his balcony.
“OH HAIIIIII” he waved.
“CHAL BHAI ACADEMY” (let’s go bro, to the academy)
“YEAHHH COMING”
And in a few minutes, Bachira was downstairs.
“BHHAAAAIIIIII”(BROOOO), he opened his arms and pulled him into a hug.
“Hai bhaii”(Yes, bro), Isagi chuckled.
“I am so excited to play, finally”, Bachria shook his shoulders.
“I know, right!, So are you cycling or me?” he asked
“Me duh, get behind”
“Okaay”
They both hopped on the cycle.
“Don’t drop me, okay?” Isagi grinned.
“Bet” Bachira’s eyes glinted with mischief.
Bachira started speeding up the cycle.
“ABBE SAHI ME NHI KARNA THA”(YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO IT LITERALLY) Isagi held on the bicycle’s seat like his life depended on it, like literally.
“HEHEHHE” Bachira chortled.
“My bad, bro. I will go normally now”
“You better, or else I am the one cycling” Isagi grumbled.
“Thik hai bhaii” (Ok bro)
They somehow managed to reach the academy.
They have enrolled on the summer course of this academy.
Well, you know, School..heh.
Isagi would have enrolled on the all-year course, but he doesn’t want to disappoint his parents.
His parents are rare and precious. But disappointment is something that he loathes more.
Bachira and he are in different batches; sadly, they had to part ways.
Isagi entered his batch’s locker room.
There were new players this time.
Maybe some newbies joined, or it’s just those all-year ones.
He saw the players who were with him the previous summer.
“Heyy Hiori!” He slung his hand over a cyan-haired boy.
Hiori, who was busy reading on his phone, looked up and smiled, “Yo, Isagi bhout dino baad” (Yo Isagi long time no see)
“Indeed, how was your school year?” Isagi sat down next to him.
“Shit ass bro, I aced the finals, but the school is damn boring”, he sighed. “What about yours?”
“It was fun. The finals went okay.” Isagi hummed in response.
“Yeah, at least we are not board students”, Hiroi snickered.
“Don’t jinx it! We will be board students next year”
“You just had to remind me, uh” Hiori sighed.
“I mean, you started, you know what’s better, FOOTBALL” Isagi spread his arms like he is a free soul.
“Of course you would say that, Nerd”, Hiori nudged his elbow at him.
“Call me what you want, I am finally free” He grinned.
“Whatever, Nerd”
They both chuckled together.
“Where is Kurona?” Isagi asked.
“At his hometown, a Family function,” Hiori answered as he tied his cleats.
“Aww man.. I will miss that guy,” He tapped his foot on the ground.
“He will return soon, though,” Hiori smirked, “Now, let’s go, Football boi”
“That’s the nickname you came up with??” Isagi raised an eyebrow.
“Kyu, accha nhi laga?? Football-paglu bulau kya?” (Why, you didn’t like it?? Should I call you a Football lover?) Hiori lightly nudged Isagi.
“So not original” Isagi chuckled.
“Excuse you, it’s totally original”
“Heh, sure”
They both walked through the locker room.
Then he saw the disaster.
He saw him.
Michael Kaiser.
A nightmare for the conservatives.
Tattoos running through his hand.
Roses blooming at his neck and the crown weighing his hand.
His blond and blue hair clashed like the waves on the beach.
Bold red eyeliner.
It was a first for Isagi to see a man wear makeup casually.
He didn’t even bother to hide it.
Wearing a tank top and shorts, as if he had just come from a shower.
His long hair glistens.
His eyes on Yoichi.
Woh….kitna..shi lag rha hai…
(He….looks…damn fine…)
Isagi immediately turned his face away.
Hands hiding his blush.
Eyes saying, “Hey, that ground looks so interesting today!”
Hiori squinted his eyes towards Isagi, like he was figuring out what happened.
“You good, bro?”
“Y-Yeah, let’s get going”
“Mujhe kya pata tha ki, ye phali mulakat meri zindagi jhand kardegi.
Tu ek ladka hai, aur me bhi.
Lekin, meri ankhe srif tereko dekhti hai.
Ye sahi nhi hai…Bilkul bhi nhi..”
(I didn’t know that, this first meeting will mess up my life
You are a boy, and I am also.
But, my eyes only look at you
This is not right…not at all…)