You'll never walk alone

By ArokuRaita

Disclaimer: Blue Lock belongs to Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Yusuke Nomura and this fanfic was written nonprofit.

9. Someone important

When Kunigami arrived at the second stage of the Second Selection, Chigiri was already there. The orange haired striker felt happy to see a familiar face and looked around for Isagi almost by reflex.

"I asked the folks around and it seems they already went. Isagi, Bachira and Nagi…"

Rensuke sighed. Of course they would go first.

"Leaving me behind, huh? Those 3 get on my nerves"

"Yeah, I thought the same"

Chigiri did everything in his power to finish the first stage quickly —or, at least, quicker than Kunigami. He sensed that Isagi and his hero teammate would have tried to be together and he wanted to prevent it. Now is my chance!

"So, I have one suggestion…"

"Yeah, Chigiri, I probably just had the same idea"

Teaming up was the best course for both of them.

"So, what should we do now?"

"I don't know about you, Chigiri, but I just want to rest a bit" Kunigami said while sitting in a corner. His face was glistening with sweat and his eyes were closed. The red haired guy smiled and sat by his side.

"Yeah, that's a good idea"

Even though Chigiri was at a prudent distance, he could feel Kunigami's heat radiating from his body, and even his sweat's smell —which was incredibly nice. He couldn't avoid some dirty and powerful thoughts. This wasn't his first time thinking sexually about a man —he had embraced his bisexuality years ago and his family accepted him, but it was never this wild.

Maybe, knowing Kunigami better wasn't a good idea after all.

Isagi, Bachira and Nagi found out that their rival would be Rin, a guy whose football existed only to crush his older brother. That wasn't egoism, but plain obsession. Isagi felt uncomfortable in front of him, but wanted him at the same time.

"You're fine with whoever, right?"

Geez, that sounds so slutty, Isagi thought. Rin looked at him as if he had read his mind.

"What?"

Itoshi scanned him from head to toes and shrugged.

"Yeah, anyone is fine"

The 6 players entered the third stage. Bachira and Nagi were fine with playing against the 3 top Blue Lock players, and Isagi himself was confident about his and his team level. And they scored a goal almost immediately.

"I just got your level. It's so lukewarm I feel like dying… Do you think this is just a sport? This is a battlefield"

"I think he's crazier than me" Bachira whispered. Nagi nodded, but Isagi didn't react.

So that's how he sees the world. Now I get why I was uncomfortable, this guy's obsession is beyond help… Yoichi felt shivers down his spine.

When Rin scored a goal by attacking in the kick off, Isagi's shivers intensified.

"Let's end this already. This is seriously just a waste of time"

But then, Isagi snapped.

"Hey! I play soccer for the sake of my dream, like you!"

When Rin looked at him, his teal eyes were as glassy as a corpse's.

"Dream? I'm not talking about a lukewarm thing like that. Losing in soccer is the same as losing one's reason to exist. So these matches are death matches".

And well… Even though Rin's teammates didn't share his mindset, the match transformed into a battlefield, where Isagi's dreams were crushed to pieces in minutes because of Aryu and Tokimitsu goals.

Sitting on the synthetic grass, the striker began to despair.

Could it be that we'll lose…?!

I have a déjà vu, Nagi thought when he saw Isagi on his knees after the third goal by Team Red. It seemed that looking at despairing friends motivated him to take action. He took the ball and walked towards Isagi.

"Amazing, so there are players like them —Soccer is really interesting"

"Nagi…"

Why do Bachira and Nagi feel so happy with monster-like rivals? Isagi thought.

"It's thanks to you that I can see it that way, Isagi"

Yoichi was dumbfounded. Was he really that important to this genius?

Seishirou wanted to delve deeper into those giant cobalt blue wells. Which secrets could they hide from the world? What kind of monster lurked in his pupils? I feel like the protagonist of a first-person horror game. He better have to win this match to start to play the match he was really looking forward to.

"Next, I'll make this more interesting"

Bachira and Isagi were amazed when he explained his plan. And it worked well, until Isagi's movements were sealed by Rin —that's when the plan worked out better, with Nagi & Bachira's chemical reaction.

I wonder what kind of chemical reaction I will have with Isagi. I hope it works outside soccer, too... Then, the white haired striker tried to focus again in the current match.

Rin was annoyed by those happy-go-lucky kids, so he kicked the ball to score another goal. However, Isagi sensed the danger and stopped it.

"You thought I couldn't see the same scenery as you at my level, Rin? That was lukewarm"

The N°1 striker in Blue Lock glared coldly at him. This brat is turning my battlefield into a children's park. Annoying.

And his vengeance came like a sudden storm. Isagi felt cold water running slowly through his back when he found out he was just following what Rin wanted him to see.

Far away, Bachira and Nagi tried to stop their rival, without a chance. Itoshi left them behind as if it was nothing and kicked the ball. It was obvious that that shot would never fail.

Even so, why —In spite of the fact that we're going to lose… My eyes… My heart… I'm completely smitten by the beauty of the parable that his kick drew…

It was over.

Nagi and Bachira looked frustrated but the heaviest blow was for Isagi, for being completely manipulated by Rin. And now, he would lose someone important to him.

"So, Tokimitsu, Rin… Who do we steal?"

Rin turned over and shrugged.

"Whoever is fine. It doesn't matter"

Another blow for Isagi, this time to his pride. So he couldn't even leave a faint afterimage in Rin!

The third and final blow was that Bachira was stolen by Team Red. His dribble and excellent passes would make another player shine and going against him would be really hard. But the worst was… Bachira was his best friend.

"Ah, well… I wanted to stay with Isagi to the very end"

"Bachira…"

"I'm going, since those are the rules, but Isagi… I won't be waiting. If you want me, come and steal me. I'll follow the will of my inner monster"

Bachira always did that, but this time his words sounded definitive.