Chapter Text
The entire classroom audibly groaned when the teacher started handing out their homework for the summer break. A thick stack, with its contents varying from Math to English.
Isagi didn’t seem to mind, however. He looked at it, let out a small sigh and went back to zoning out.
The sun was high and merciless, cicadas were singing like they were paid to do so, and the heat was unbearable.
Isagi looked out the window, then sighed again.
He had absolutely zero plans.
That sounded a bit ridiculous, didn’t it?
He was young and 17, with good friends and an undying love for soccer. Surely, there was something to do, even if it’s something stupid, like volunteering at the local library, or handing out napkins at his summer job.
Well, no. Absolutely nothing.
Apparently, most of his friends were either traveling or too busy swooning over their partner. The soccer team was mediocre, to say the least. Their scores fluctuated like it’s some kind of wacky ride at the theme park, the coach didn’t get paid enough to care, and the kids would rather spend their time on video games or on dating apps.
Oh, right. Dating.
Isagi knew he was average-looking. Not even in a bad way, just…average.
Like an extra in a movie where the two main characters argued in the middle of the street, or like an employee at the local convenience store. He was forgettable, unremarkably so. He’d held hopes that maybe, just maybe he’d have some kind of romantic experience, but it has yet to come.
Isagi Yoichi’d stopped dreaming before he knew it.
“Alright class, make sure you do all those exercises during the holiday. Don’t wait until last minute. Have a good summer holiday, I’ll keep you kids updated on any further notice.”
His homeroom teachers said in an overly cheerful tone, as if even she was excited to get away from a bunch of kids in their puberty.
The school bell rang, some people cheered, some fake-cried dramatically like they’d never see each other again, some left the bunch of homework right there on the table.
Isagi took his bag, lazily waved off some classmates and went home.
The bike ride seemed more peaceful, somehow. Isagi went steadily, observing his surroundings a little closer than usual. Afterall, he wouldn’t be going this way for at least 2 months.
He thought about the next week. And the following week. And the week after that.
His schedule was so tragically empty, he sighed a third time. He thought about picking up a few new books, buying a new video game to try out, taking a summer job, or even doing his homework the first few weeks like a geek. Maybe, just maybe he can make this summer productive, after all.
Yeah...That’s right, he can. He’s determined, yeah?
Isagi Yoichi never backs down!
Everything lasted one week and 2 days. Or 9 days, whatever.
Isagi was bored.
He finished his damn stack of homework out of boredom, which he never does, by the way. Video games made his eye sore, and he couldn’t find a single book that wasn’t corny or offensive.
What was he supposed to do now? Lay around like a cat?
Well, he already does that. Last time his mom checked, he opened the fridge three times in half an hour, like a snack was going to magically appear.
The heat was unbearable. The electric bill made his dad faint, emotional and angrily at the same time.
Half of that bill went to the air condition in his dear son’s room, since he practically lived in there now.
It all lasted 9 days.
Nine days until Isagi’s mom decided that she was fed up and said something so heartbreaking that Isagi gasped out loud.
“You’re going to summer camp.”
Summer camp.
What’s that even about?
Is it that surreal experience Isagi’s seen on typical American shows, where there are tents, and like, 1000 mosquitoes waiting to pounce on them?
Whatever it is, it sounds like a damn nightmare.
Sure, he was bored, but is he summer camp bored?
No phones for 2 months, no connection with the outside world, no social life, probably, besides communicating with weirdos he didn’t even know.
“Mom, you’re joking.”
“Yoichi, I’m not.”
“MOMMMM”
She was merciless, at that moment, Isagi wasn’t sure if she loved him anymore.
Being in summer camp was like the equivalent of loser.
Imagine talking to your classmates after summer break and be like “Yeah, I went to a summer camp”.
Isagi knew he was already kind of bland, this would literally add to the stereotype. “Oh, of course Isagi is the kind of guy who’d go to a summer camp, haha!”
…But then again, what’s he going to do if he doesn’t go? Lay around in bed all day? Play soccer alone like he’s possessed?
“Oh, of course Isagi is the kind of guy who’d lay around and do absolutely nothing-“
“Hello? Earth to Yoichi?”
His mom snapped fingers in front of his face, in a way that only mothers could do.
“Whatever, I already paid good money for you to join, so there’s no way you’re backing out from this.”
And then she left him with a singular pamphlet and a list of things to pack.
BLUE LOCK.
The two words crashed onto his eyes in bold letters and a ridiculously modern font for something like a summer camp.
The pamphlet didn’t even contain trees or color schemes that usually relates to the forest, or just summer in general.
It was minimalistic, future-looking and screamed overpriced.
Overpriced, as in his mom probably got lured in by the professional-sounding promises, and he’s going to meet a bunch of rich kids who’s lived in luxury their whole life.
He flipped the page open, and as much as he hated to admit, it seemed…fun.
The camp was soccer related.
No, soccer focused, which he liked, and the facilities seemed nice.
At least he’s not going to have to worry about mosquitoes in the middle of the night he when’s trying to sleep.
“Become the one who chooses, not the one waiting to be chosen”, the pamphlet said.
And Isagi should have cringed, or said it was cheesy.
Instead, he felt a slight sense of thrill crawl up his spine. Maybe, just maybe, this was gonna be fun.
“300 teenagers aged 15-18, all with the same goal.”
Alright, he could work with that. People around the same age as him, with the same interest. He was really starting to get why his mom was so insisted on this, having left no room for argument earlier.
“Start: July 20th. End: August 22nd”
One month. In this ridiculously legit facility, in the middle of nowhere, with 299 other teens.
For the first time that summer break, Isagi Yoichi felt excited.
Isagi was now standing in the middle of his room, a suitcase in the center and everything else too organized for a packing session. He’d at least expected to be picking outfits and running some errands. But no.
The list was minimal. He didn’t even have to bring his own clothes. Not even underwear.
The only thing the list emphasized on was to “bring your ego”, whatever the hell that meant.
So, Isagi opted for a simple duffle bag, all he brought were his supplements and couple snacks to eat on the way to Blue Lock.
Like a kid on the night before a field trip, Isagi laid in bed that night feeling strangely giddy.
He imagined possibly meeting a new best friend, talking to a calm reliable older dude, learning new skills, sweating his muscles out and still feeling fun.
He hadn’t felt like that in ages.
Ever since his soccer team lost because he hesitated to go for the goal and passed the ball instead, the team has lost their fire and he’s been doubting himself like and idiot.
Maybe this camp isn’t so bad.
4 AM sharp, his mom dragged him out of bed, yelling in a passive aggressive, typical loving Asian mother does.
It’s been months since he’s gotten up this early in the morning.
After drinking a full cup of orange juice and having a plateful of waffles, his parents scent him off with sweet smiles, ones that either showed they were glad to have him out of the house for a month, or that they already missed him. Maybe a mix of both.
He biked to this empty ground, too big to be in the middle of the city, and already saw a bunch of other people standing there, glaring at him like he was some kind of intruder.
Isagi was too groggy and sleepy to be scared. It’s 4 in the morning, damn it.
How do these people find the energy? Some were tall, arrogant, some confused just like him, a particularly tan dude was already yelling-
And then Isagi felt a tap on his shoulder.
A tall, friendly looking guy with white hair and a too perfect smile looked at him.
“Isagi, long time no see!”
The guy said to him with too much enthusiasm, considering the fact that the sky was still dark.
Isagi took a moment to register who he was.
Kira Ryosuke.
Ah, right. Him. The guy whom he lost too and made him question his own sense of pride for like 2 weeks straight.
But why is he nice?
“Ah, hey, Kira. You’re in the camp too?” Isagi said, with a small, polite smile.
“Yep! I wanted to enjoy something before competing for a spot in the national team.”
Oh, right. The guy was talented, and good-looking, and everything Isagi wanted to become, and literally-
“I’m off to a good start then, good to see you, Isagi. I hope we grow closer on this camp.”
Kira smiled with a distinct charm only he can manage to effortlessly attain.
It made Isagi’s jealousy subside and be replaced with guilt.
How can he even hate this guy?
He’s so nice, and it’s not even his fault Isagi was a coward.
About 15 minutes later, a bunch of blue buses arrived.
Everyone was directed onto them by some suspicious people who looked like bodyguards.
Isn’t this supposed to be a summer camp?
Meaning, overly energetic counselors with bad puns and millennial smiles are going to be draining them by just yelling over a megaphone?
Anyway, Isagi stuck with Kira. He didn’t know anyone else.
When they got on the bus, one dude was curled up on the floor in a fetus position, sucking his thumb and sleeping.
...What a weirdo.
Things were silent for like one second before people started to yell. Some idiot already pulled out a soccer ball and started to kick it around. The bus driver looked like he didn’t get paid enough to deal with this, and then the ball hit the laying dude-
The fucker did a cartwheel, stood up,
"BAM!"
The ball was kicked back, like in some kind of action movie.
Isagi and Kira stared at him, then at each other, mouth agape, and then stared back at the dude.
He was…interesting.
No, not because he was acting like a sleeping baby, and then flew across the bus, but because of his hair.
He had even bangs and a bob cut with blonde under-lights. You can see him from literal miles away.
If he was in some sort of manga, he’d be the silly, crazy-in-a-good-way character type of guy.
“Hey, what are you guys looking at?” Said guy grinned and looked around like he hadn’t just almost gave the bus driver a heart attack.
It took another 30 minutes for them to settle down into their seats, only because the soccer ball was somehow deflated now.
Isagi was now sleepy, stunned, excited, and confused at the same time.
At least Kira feels the same, by the look on his face.
Bachira started pulling out gummy worms and demanding everyone take a piece.
“Hi! I’m Bachira Meguru” He said, for the 30th time that minute.
Because every time he offered someone a gummy, he introduced himself with enough decibels to wake up an apartment complex.
“So his name’s Bachira” Kira said, to fill the silence between him and Isagi.
“Yeah, I heard” Isagi said, as Bachira introduced for the 33rd time in the background.
“I have a feeling this is gonna be fun” said Kira, with his iconic smile.
And maybe Isagi agreed, because at least no one’s a jerk so far, and they were all sharing a bag of gummy worms.
This is a good start. Isagi just hopes his roommate would be just as hospitable as these people.
Spoiler alert: Nope, not even close, Isagi.