Chapter Text
“I want to be his, and I want him to be mine…”
But Isagi knows he’s not the type to indulge in that fantasy, they’re both guys… and he’s in love with someone else!
Isagi leaned heavily against the stall door, his hands gripping his throat and restraining himself from screaming.
Especially since he’s in the public bathroom, Isagi doesn’t want anyone coming in thinking he was crazy or something. That would be a bad look for the Japanese ace.
But with the current state Isagi’s in, you might as well assume he's beyond crazy. Sweat beads dripping down from his forehead to his chin, mixed with blood from the pressure of his teeth gnawing at the lip.
Isagi prayed that the annoying blond wouldn’t come in and-
The door swings open, letting out a brief moment for the chatter outside to travel in. It dimmed until the door was closed again, cutting the sound off completely. Isagi could recognize those footsteps from a mile away.
“Hey, Yoichi. You’ve been in there for a while now. Something the matter?”
Damn it..!! What the hell is his problem?!
“It’s pretty rude to leave in the middle of dinner, especially since we’re honored guests here.” The sound of water running can be heard, along with a few splashes.
Isagi’s senses were already overwhelmed, why does he have to deal with Kaiser now?
Seconds felt like minutes as the blond waited for a response, but Isagi dared not say anything and hoped Kaiser would drop it and just go away.
The ground felt like it was crumbling beneath him, his head spiraling and drowning in the inability to redirect his focus on anything.
The metallic taste of blood got stronger, and pretty soon Isagi realized he was shaking. He really wished the floor would consume him whole too.
Unable to take silence for an answer, Kaiser banged on the opposite side of the stall door that knocked Isagi back to consciousness.
“Hey, you hear me? I suggest you come out and join the others again. Don’t ignore me.” His tone carried a hint of irritation, but not a trace of concern. Does this man have any sympathy for his teammates at all?
“Y-you head out first, I’ll be behind you…” Isagi managed to choke out with all his effort, his voice hoarse from the grip of his hands, which were now limp on his side.
Isagi wiped his face with the jersey, staining it with crimson blood. Good thing the Bastard Munchen’s jersey was mostly made of dark colors, otherwise the horrifying stain would be visible and alert any passerbys. Especially his teammates.
Kaiser huffed. “Fine then, if you’re not out by the next 5 minutes, I’ll call Noa to drag you out.” And out the door he goes, not before slamming it hard enough that echoed a loud bang in the bathroom.
The thought of others knowing about this pathetic side of Isagi sent a shudder through his spine.
He gained control over his feet, which took more effort than he would’ve liked, and pushed open the stall door.
Isagi’s vision focused on the reflection in the mirror from across.
The look of a love-sick fool, the look of a crazy man, and the look of melancholy.
Dopamine from playing soccer no longer matters as much as compared to the moments he spent with Bachira on the field.
The excitement from taking Kaiser down from his throne was not enough when contrasted to the exhilaration Isagi gets when Bachira performs a perfect pass.
The life-saving sight of a yellow blur speeding by in the match against Japan’s U-20 team gave him more relief than when Noel Noa joined him on the field during NEL.
Bachira’s buzzing presence was more tolerable than Kaiser’s constant bickering and degrading.
Compared to others, Bachira was like a shining star. Possibly rivaling the sun itself. He was Isagi’s sun.
There was no one else he cherished this much, or yearned for that matter. Isagi missed him more than anything, and he’d easily sprint out of here to Bachira over going back to his seat at the table. If only he didn’t have an image to maintain…
Isagi stumbled over to the sink, propping his hand on either side of the marbled counter. Hanging his head low, more drops of blood fell from his mouth and colored the white sink a delicate rose hue.
Isagi looked in the mirror again, wincing at his disheveled hair and bleeding lip.
Now’s not the time for self-pity, you idiot.. Isagi repeated that phrase in his head like a mantra as he opened the tab and splashed water on his face.
Isagi wiped the excess water off with a nearby towel and fixed his expression with a light smile, but his heart was heavy.
Reluctantly, Isagi opens the door to the large and luxurious dining hall. Delicate chandeliers illuminated the space, like it was trying to imitate the moon outside.
Loud chatter and sounds of dishes being served immediately overwhelmed Isagi again, his head banging at the intense volume of everything around him.
He rubs his temples before adjusting his jersey and putting on an approachable face.
As Isagi confidently strides toward his teammates, he glances at FC Barcha’s table in hopes of spotting the yellow highlights.
But the buzzing bee was nowhere to be seen. Isagi scanned the entire hall, but still not a trace. This was odd.
Otoya was there, flirting with the girls as usual, and Isagi thought to ask him. Just as he was about to turn on his heels, a hand gripped his shoulder.
Every muscle in Isagi’s body tensed and his mind raced for the identity of this person. Was it Kaiser again? Kunigami? Possibly Noa himself?
Isagi turned around slowly… Nope! Just Kurona. Isagi relaxed slightly, but seeing the seriousness in Kurona’s eyes made him put up his guard again.
“Kurona, what is it? Is everything okay?” Isagi asked carefully, watching every micro expression on Kurona’s face.
He kept the soft smile on his face, trying to appear friendly to reassure the intense look in the shark’s eyes.
“I need to talk to you, Isagi.” Kurona said straightforwardly, which alerted the blue head. He had never seen him this serious before, and whatever Kurona wants to talk about must be a big matter too.
Without waiting for another answer, Kurona’s hand moved to grip Isagi’s arm and pulled him away.