Chapter Text
“Ego” Anri called.
He made no movement to indicate whether or not he had heard her calling him.
“I need help”
Anri was obviously exhausted. Bags under her eyes, a perpetual slouch, and she can’t seem to go anywhere without a cup of coffee or an energy drink. He was sure they’re losing years off their life.
“Weren’t you the one saying that we don’t have funds? We can’t hire anyone.”
Anri let out a sigh and in the most defeated voice Ego has ever heard from her.
“Please,”
Ego slurped loudly on noodles.
“I know someone who might be willing to work for free.”
He clicked a few buttons on a monitor away from the other 16 monitors that the pair had lovingly coined ‘the surveillance system”. If the Blue Lock boys would ever find out about how much they're being tracked, they would have dethroned Ego and put a proxy leader on his cup-noodle throne.
“Oh that’s wonderful! Thanks so much Ego!” Anri had her pep in her step back, now picking up Ego’s trash with renewed vigor. She swiped them all into an opaque bag.
“I said might!”
“That’s your version of a yes!”
When Ego set his mind to something, he wasn’t one to be stopped easily.
____
She was sad to see her long hair go, but the weight off her shoulders was freeing. Her black hair had only been trimmed since she broke up with him. In some younger-version of her she believed she could symbolise him coming back and apologizing. Somehow, things would change but not too much as to show that the time will have undone the damage. She was stupid. It was starting to get annoying playing soccer and she should really be over it given that it was a year now. Her shoulder length hair had draped down to the middle of her back and she wasn’t a fan of a ponytail given her sensitive scalp. She couldn’t let it run loose either as she couldn’t see the entire field.
She had hoped that maybe there was still a chance, but the doubt and anger held her heart in thorn and chain. So, she had decided enough was enough and she was going to put her best foot forward! Watch out boys, Isagi Yoichi is ready to come out swinging better, more confident, and hotter than ever. (That is if the hairdresser didn’t keep chopping up her hair at the speed he was currently going at.)
A text lit up her phone, her uncle interrupting her riveting video on Instagram of a cat. She ignored the barrage of texts until she saw his name.
“WHAT?” She screamed, scaring the so-called professional behind her. He had nearly lopped off an ear at the movement. Isagi wished he had. She looked from her phone, the mirror, to her phone, to him. She didn’t know what was worse and she didn’t know who to strangle.
“Ma’am.. Would you like a pixie cut?’
____
Rin would like it to be known that he was not a responsible person when it came to emotions. Especially any emotion other than soccer. Soccer was an emotion and he will fight you on that.
He was exhausted from the whirlwind that was Aryu, Tokimitsu, Bachira, Karuso, and Otoya. He wished he knew which one of these fools were the worst but they all continued to surprise him in outcompeting each other every minute.
They were nuisances at worst and nuisances he wanted to kill at worser.
He cursed his ability to be better than everyone around him. Maybe if he had fallen back to where the normal characters are, then he wouldn’t have to deal with such an eccentric group. But nooo, he had to be the first to finish second selection, and the first to be teaching English to people who have unfortunately elected him as the designated tutor.
At least the match against GenXI had some intrigue, even if he only managed to score a single goal against those monsters.
Rin turned around when he heard a soft snicker the moment a sharp-airplane like paper object hit his head. He took a deep breath, contemplating if it was really worth beating Sae for being the best out of their old trio.
“Bachira!” He leapt up and chased the boy around. He was nearly choking him, Bachira stuck out his tongue.
“Bleghh!”
Rin dropped the boy. This was ridiculous.
“Lets just focus” He grumbled, burying his face in the book so the others couldn’t see his murder face.
He would like to note that this behavior of rambunctiousness was the reasoning for his worsening mood, and the cause of his crescendoing madness that led him to his next outburst. Obviously. He was a nice guy (sometimes, he promises).
A quick rap at the door had the four boys immediately touch their finger to their noses and four eyes pointed to Rin as he was explaining to Karuso the difference between have, had, and has. Rin got up and glared at Karuso, promising that if they continued to be this lukewarm he would personally make sure they were, was, and dead. Er.. he means done and gone.. Oh he meant were. Really. He did.
Rin opened his mouth as soon as he slammed open the door, expecting some Blue Lock player so when he growled out “What”. He wasn’t prepared for who greeted him.
“Rin-chan, do you talk to everyone like that?”
A girl that was perfectly average in height, with blue eyes and long eyelashes stared up at him with her mouth pressed into a disappointed frown.
“Yo--Yochan no! No I-”
He heard snickers as the people behind him whispered ‘I’ve never seen him so uncomposed’, ‘Rinchan? So cute’. Murder was illegal in Japan, but he might need to double check that.
He scowled again, if it weren’t for the girl in front of him to give him a tap on his head with her clip board.
“Rin-chan, please”
“Yeah Rin-chan, please step aside, heellloooo”
Otaya nearly shouldered Rin as he looked down at the girl before him. He looked her up and down, slowly.
“Who are you?” Otoya continued flirtatiously.
Rin felt a certain type of disgust. He never saw Yochan as a potential love interest because he was always like a little sister to him. She had grown up from the girl that used to date his brother, having matured in the face and lost some baby fat. Though her cheeks were still round. Her eyes the same blue, her hands still delicate, her glare still giving him (and Otoya if his prolonged pause was anything to go by) chills.
Though they still kept in contact, it was typically through Yochan sending him updates about where she was during vacations. She never sent a photo, but it wasn’t like much could change in a few years. The only thing that was different was her beautiful hair not curled up at the ear instead of the shoulders like they used to. Her bangs were cut to curl across her forehead in a way that felt like she stepped out of a movie. Accidentally beautiful. They dropped down her face softly, yet he still saw that stupid sprout on her head. Looks like her barber missed that. She was wearing a sweatshirt and a pair of sweatpants, similarly designed to the ones they were wearing. On the side, it said “MNGR” instead of a number like the one across Rin’s shoulder.
Yochan smiled. It reached her eyes, but her eyes didn’t smile.
“I’m your assistant manager”. She dropped the facade and tapped her pen on the clipboard. She gave a softer smile.
“I’m here to escort you to the final test of Section Two, so if you’ll follow me”
“Oh I’ll follow you-”
Otoya started, likely ignoring her professional tone.
Rin knew that Yochan wasn’t the type to back down so it was his turn to smirk gleefully when she said,
“The teams are uneven, would you like to take a test to see if we can even out the teams?” Some things simply didn’t change for some people. He was proud of her. After being tormented by Those 4 for so long, he was glad there was someone here to stop her. The double-edged sword being that she now can also torment him.
“..oh”
Aryu, Tokimistu, and Bachira followed Rin ahead as Otoya dropped back. Karuso patted Otoya on the back. Rin swore he heard Karuso say something about ninja moves were still great! She just didn’t understand!! For all it’s worth Otoya didn’t drag his feet as he followed the group.
With the combined menacing looks of both Isagi and Rin, they managed to stop any questions from being asked. Rin wanted to get this over with, and Yochan wasn’t interested in anything but business. Even Bachira’s usual happy demeanor was dampened by the way their smiles were clearly… not smiles… It was almost eerie how close they look. What came first? Rin’s glare, or their new managers?
The short walk stopped as Isagi made it to a previously locked room that they had thought was the broom closet into an even bigger and whiter room. The budget really seemed endless to them. (Little did they know Isagi was working for next to nothing).
“I have to go get the rest of those who passed the 2nd selection, please wait here”
Rin had the compulsion to scream WAIT YOU CAN’T LEAVE ME HERE WITH THEM. He didn’t even meditate during his yoga yesterday to prepare him for this!
Instead of yelling (with great restraint), he kept his composure best as possible and said:
“I’ll see you soon”.
Her gaze lingered on Rin and her smile was softer than the rest of the ones she had given today.
“So Rin-chan,” Of course Bachira was the first to break the silence. “Who’s she?”
As expected, with him alone, he couldn’t stop the onslaught of questions. He couldn’t even teach them the difference between Friday and Fly-day! How was he going to teach them to mind their own business. She smiled as she bounded away. Smiled. She was evil. Less evil than his brother but still evil.
Rin bit his lip as he jerked his head to the side. The options were A. tell them who she was and face more questions or B. be stuck in here indefinitely with the four of them pestering him until he opened up. It seems that he kept running into the problem that no matter what he was going to be bothered. He stared up to the white ceiling. Maybe if he’s blunt about it they’ll shut up, he theorized (prayed).
“She’s my childhood friend.”
“Do you have friends?” snarked Karuso. “I don’t believe you, there’s no way Mr. “Soccer is a battle field to the death” has a friend”
“He’s right, soccer is your only friend and you’re not even that friendly with it!” He will assume Bachira meant that as a compliment or so to help him Ego will be doing a lot of paperwork that day.
“That’s because we met through my brother!” He scowled. “We’re just friends.”
“So.. she’s not your girlfriend?”
Rin wrinkled his nose. He grew flustered at that. There was no world where he wanted to date the girl that was Isagi Yoichi.
“One, her taste in men is terrible. And two, I don’t like the idea of dating someone my brother’s already dated.
The four of them slowly digested the words one by one, but altogether they all miraculously exclaimed:
“Ehhhhh??”
Ah. Rin was so used to the constant of his brother pining after her and her reciprocating (until The Incident) that he forgot those outside of his inner circle (the circle being the two people in question) didn’t know. Yochan and his brother were private people, so when Sae got famous they never announced it. It didn’t stop people from prying.
“So she’s the ex that Sae referred to in his interview with Spanish media?”
“How do you remember that?? And why are you consuming Spanish media, Aryu?”
“Glam!” was his only response.
Now, the questions were now a downpour of torrential rain of Rin’s already polluted mood.
This was simply awful. Having to listen to them pester him. He enacted a temporary vow of silence, staring off into space and thinking of things that make him happy. Like imagining Sae’s despair. (He promises he doesn’t have issues)
As people filtered in, Rin’s iron clad wall of silence became harder and harder to maintain. Thankfully he had the patience to wear down Aryu’s glam comments. Tokimitsu was too much of a coward to ask anything, eventually getting uncomfortable and left. Karuso left when he realized Rin wasn’t talking and decided instead to converse with a boy with sky-blue hair (of the colour of sky that wishes it were).
Otoya left when Isagi had shut him down another 2 times when she had returned. She was getting good at that. Then there was one. Left with Bachira, who went suspiciously quiet when there was no one else to egg on Rin with.
“My monster says that she’s a monster too”
For once, Rin knew exactly what Bachira was talking about. He eyed the bright-eyed boy as he would stare at the girl, his eyes fixated on her. But he wasn’t the only one, so Rin chose to bite his tongue and his aggression. Karuso spilled the gossip to his friend, which caused word to travel. Despite the loud room, when Yochan entered, there would always be a hush in the room. Immediately after she would leave, it would start again and more of the groups would know.
Yochan clearly knew something was up because as she glanced around the room, eyes would shift away. Once the final group had entered, she stayed and walked up to the podium in the back of the room. Shuffling her papers; she gave some time to the boys.
People were reuniting. Consoling others for their friends that didn’t make it, and cheering for those who did. Bachira now was speaking to presumably two of his friends who were chastising him for going on earlier without him. Together they made red, orange, and yellow, Rin noted. Rin met Yochan's eyes. Rin stood there alone. No one looked up to see the sweet girl’s face turn stone cold and her frown turn as her hand did into a thumbs down.
So she definitely knew.
Yochan had one pet peeve and that was being known as Sae Itoshi's ex.
The only thing that could make this worse was if God struck him down.
“Hello you unpolished diamonds in the rough”
Ego’s voice declared itself through the speakers.
The room silenced itself like a spell. Ego explained the basics of the 2nd selection and a U20 match that electrified the room. The big leagues were so close, they were coveting a spot. When he heard his name first, Rin smiled. It was obvious, Rin was the best. He tuned out the rest of the pairings. He usually didn't listen to what Ego had to say- he just does what he does.
“..But that's not all, Itoshi Sae has agreed to participate as a member of the Japanese U20 team”
Ego flourished his hand, holding out an image of his brother. Rin was paying attention now.
So that was the final puzzle piece. The reason Isagi Yochi was here.
“Ill leave the rest to your new assistant manager, Isagi Yochi, give her a warm welcome”
The room thought two things in tandem with each other.
Pretty lady, thought those deprived of social connection outside of hormonal, competitive boys.
Isn't that a boy's name? Thought those that were too tired to register that there was contact outside of this prison.
Rin, of course being the exception, thought “OH no.”
He already saw the way Yochan postured herself, making her bigger despite being one of the shortest in the room. She stood, challenging the rambunctious group and her blue eyes were cold.
“As strikers, I expect you all to do one thing and one thing only.” She took a deep breath, eyes gone crazed and continued
“SCORE THE MOST GOALS AT THE COST OF YOUR EGOS!”
Truly, oh, no.
The fire that lit the players hearts could only be described as Yochhan's righteous (vengeful) fury. They whispered among themselves, discussing how to best prepare to take down the original U20 team.
oh no.
Well at least…
Not for Rin.
Mostly.
---
The deal was to play with the top 6 players on a team to prove their worth and become a part of the starting line up for the match against the U20 team. Isagi had combed through hours upon hours of gameplay to understand how each of the 35 remaining players played.
She knew them well. Not just playstyle but personality too. So she knew that when she announced she was going to be substituting herself in for the other player with an injury, she knew there'd be objections. Afterall, they wanted to play and Bachira was already playing for two teams. They all wanted Japan's eyes on them, even if it was only for a second. Ego really did manage to make something out of them, and she couldn't wait to break them again. Although she wasn't the most intimidating figure, nor did she have the physique of an athlete. She was one thing though, an egoist to the max.
“I know you have loyalty to the program and your peers but I promise you, you will get better training with me.”
Her earnest expression was enough to quiet them down. Isagi didn't know how she would have survived here if this was the chaotic energy Blue Lock brings.
Anri came out with phones that she'd confiscated and asked the players to pick up their goody bag as their names were called. Afterwards, they were allowed to scan the QR code on the screen Ego was on to choose their teams. As the last phone was passed out, Anri left Isagi to bring the top 6 players into the special rooms. They didn't get their phones back, so they had been patiently waiting. Anri would be escorting the boys back to the 2nd selection dorms where they could sleep themselves.
The two would reconvene in the morning to take their phones again. For now though, it was just Isagi and the promised individuals.
The boys looked at the little sprout on Isagi’s head, bouncing up and down with each step.
“If you have something do say it” She said, not missing a beat at their lagged footsteps.
“So pretty lady like you dated underlash’s brother. Was he good at…”
The pause that Shidou had allowed the 5 boys to prepare for the worst that may come out of his mouth. Shidou only licked his lips and said
“Soccer?”
“We were pretty even. I'm sure I would win though”
Shidou's smile stretched across his face, an eyebrow rose while the other lowered. Some might call it perverse, but he called it sexy.
“Play with me, Isagi!” Shidou dropped to a knee dramatically, as if proposing to her. “Electrify me!”
“We’ll see how the divisions of players allow for that.”
“Leave her alone”
Rin and Isagi said at the same time.
Isagi smiled,
“Rin-chan, if I play with Shidou, I’d also be playing with you”
Rin gaped. Closing his mouth was a line. He let out a groan.
“You’re so annoying,”
“I’m the right amount of annoying to deal with you. And besides, I can’t wait to show your friends your baby photos!”
Rin’s cheeks heated up as eyes swiveled to meet his face.
“You did make friends right?” She looked at the eyes of the other players. Each one looked away at her imploring eyes.
The silence was deafening. Isagi couldn’t believe it. Her pseudo-brother was still only friends with his brother’s ex. She stopped in her path, turned on one foot sweetly. She looked up at Rin and said “You’re worse than your brother”. Rin's face dropped. That seemed to be happening a lot with him lately. Isagi turned right back around and started humming.
Wow this hallway long… thought the boys in a moment of solidarity. Except Shidou. He didn't, instead he laughed and slammed Rin’s back repeatedly.
“She's amazing! Pretty and can play soccer, just my type!”
“Don’t touch me,” warned Rin. Effectively, the rest were all shut down. It wasn’t like they were desperate to know about the one and only partner the legendary midfielder had. It was more about knowing the unknown. Sure they were curious, but more than that they wanted to see what change she would bring. Especially if Sae was anything like Rin, they simply couldn’t imagine either of the Itoshi boys to be entangled romantically.
So they kept their silence until they were presented with three rooms.
“Decide amongst yourself who’re you’re bunking with, I’m going to prepare for tomorrow”
She left with graceful steps and waved goodbye to the boys. Her clipboard held close to her chest. She smiled to herself when she heard they all pointed to Rin when they declared who they wanted to share the room with the least.
She'll make it a personal goal to make sure he opens up more. Rin-chan was a nice person! (She promises)
That left Isagi walking the hallways of Blue Lock alone and went to every door to pop her room in and check. It was getting quite late and she wondered if it was better to try and head back and ask Ego where the monitor rooms were later. She decided to try one more bleak hallway.
Now, I'll have to put more signs up in this place. Ah! Here it is. She had finally found the monitor room. She hadn’t caught up with the most recent matches with the top 5 players around the world and she was excited to analyze it. She took off her sweatshirt and laid it down, and grabbed a bench from the clipboard. She scribbled notes furiously. Focused on different angles, shots, and the way the team synergized. Eventually she put down the clipboard to just watch. She wasn't absorbing anymore information by that point.
Isagi was sitting with her hands in her sleeves, only hearing the door slide open due to a yawn that she cut off.
“You can come in, you know” She smiled at Reo. “What’s wrong?”
“I uh.. came here to be alone.”
“Figures, I could barely find this place.”
“It's a secret for those who know, know”
She let out a soft huff in amusement.
“So, Reo Mikage- what’s wrong”
Reo, knowing he wouldn't escape a conversation this time, shrugged. How could he explian… Nagi.
“You wouldn’t understand”
“Maybe, but you aren’t the only one struggling to decide a team”
Reo glared at the girl.
“I didn't ask for your help”
“It's my job, as assistant manager, to predict what my players may need.” She swung her finger around as she said that. She landed on Reo's face. The room was glowing as a kick happened, right into the net. He focused on her finger. He gulped, feeling like a defenseless fish in the jaws of a shark.
“Or, maybe you should be honest with yourself. It’s not about the team, it’s about your friendship.”
Isagi cut Reo off before he could question her. “Ego has documented nearly everything about you here, don’t be surprised”. Isagi patted the ground. Isagi waited for Reo to meander next to her. He dropped down and continued to watch the goals on screen. Isgai did not inquire further, so they sat in silence. The silence was suffocating, neither knowing if they should be the one to break it or not.
“Here watch this.” Isagi fast-forwarded the recording to Nagi's game. Despite them being utterly crushed, Nagi didn't seem upset. Mostly forlorn, absent. Like something was missing.
“He's not going to get better without a push”
Reo let out a dry laugh.
“Thats Nagi for you”
Isagi smiled and she paused. Reo looked at her inquisitively.
“What's wrong?”
“I can relate to being left behind.”
Isagi didn’t know why she felt compelled to speak about her past with Sae, but as she pinched what’s left of her bangs in between her index and thumb she absentmindedly played with it.
“I’m sure you already know I was in a relationship with Sae.” She pursed her lips. Continuing her story, “He left me, and sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I had tried harder. Would he chase me or would I have to chase him? Would he still stay, or will our love have changed?”
She looked at Reo, and his eyes slowly locked with hers.
“Bachira beat you at soccer, not the bond that you have with Nagi.”
She clenched her fist.
Isagi, not sensing Reo’s discomfort at the personal information she knew, continued.
“I never regretted breaking up with him, I’m not that kind of person.” Her eyes grew cold, and her smile turned into a frigid iceland that promised to put her ex into utter despair. Reo felt chills go down his spine and it wasn't even directed at him.
“But I’ll make that half-baked excuse for a midfielder begging for MERCY once I'm done with Blue Lock. I'll embarrass him”
She turned to face Reo, her face scary with veins pulsing from her forehead. Reo can only hope she meant her next words reassuringly,
“No matter who you choose, I will build a team that will win the match. The people who play are up to those that are willing to grow”
“.. I’ll think about it”. So much for relaxing he thought, leaving the monitor room with his tail between his legs.
“OH yeah, Reo!”
Reo turned, face white and hands trembling. I'm not in trouble, am I?
“Please tell people Sae didn't break up with me!”
Reo nodded quickly and nearly sprinted away.
Isagi shrugged at the boy's odd behavior. She decided it was time for her to leave too. She clicked off the lights and shrugged on her sweater to go to her dorm that was provided for her.
Before Reo went to bed that night, he prayed to his wealth that he would be safe from the wrath that was one Isagi Yoichi.
Meanwhile, Isagi slept quite soundly, counting little pink haired sheep jumping over a fence and into a ditch.
She really was over him. Promise. (As if Rin and Her didn’t have a competition over how much dirt they can dig up on Sae)
---