red quinn 赤 | blue lock

chapter fifteen

❪𝐁𝐋𝐔𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐊❫
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It's another day in Blue Lock without matches, and you grab your breakfast as usual, albeit a bit late. You wouldn't be surprised if Ego Jinpanchi were to talk to you about creating your own routine because you're not strictly following the Blue Lock schedule.

As you walk towards the meal room, you swiftly get your food. About to sit at the nearest table, when your attention is drawn to a familiar face in the corner of the room.

You walk towards him, placing your plate on the table and taking a seat across from the one and only Rin Itoshi.

"You're late too?" you inquire as you begin digging into your food.

"Those bastards are so damn noisy, couldn't get a decent sleep," he growls in frustration.

"Well, I can't disagree," you nod in understanding.

As both of you continue your breakfast, a palpable silence settles between you. The only sound in the air is the clinking of cutlery against plates as you both choose to enjoy the meal in quiet companionship, acknowledging each other's presence without the need for words.

The quiet breakfast for the two of you is suddenly interrupted when a plate is placed beside yours, and another person joins both of you. As you look up, you see Kenyu Yukimiya grinning at you.

"Hello," he smiles.

Rin Itoshi, sitting across from you, glances at the newcomer with a raised eyebrow, his usual stoic expression not giving away much.

"Hi?" you reply, unsure of how to respond.

"Oh, come on, don't be like that. I want to thank you for last night, Kei, right?" Kenyu continues grinning. You glance at Rin, who remains silent, observing the exchange with an unreadable expression.

"Right," you nod.

"And this," Kenyu pushes a plate containing delicious food toward you. "You can have this."

"Eh?"

"Yes," he smiles. "You know, you're quite stylish. Do you wanna be a model?" The unexpected compliment leaves you slightly taken aback.

"Did I just hear something about being stylish?" You snap your head at the voice, finding Aryu, who has just finished bathing and looks fresh, unlike yesterday night. As usual, Tokimitsu is behind him.

"H-hello, good morning!" Tokimitsu greets, making his way beside Rin, who's surprisingly quiet the whole time.

After Aryu sits just beside Kenyu, he instantly asks about this modeling thing, to which Kenyu genuinely responds. The two continue talking until someone grabs your arm and yanks you towards somewhere. You see Rin literally dragging you with him.

You're more than surprised because the others at your table didn't seem to notice.

Rin suddenly opens one of the practice room doors and pushes you inside before closing it firmly, leaving the two of you alone in the training room. The click of the closing door echoes, and Rin turns to face you, his intense gaze meeting yours. The atmosphere in the confined space feels charged with a mix of curiosity and determination, an unknown tension lingering in the air.

As Rin stares into your eyes, you can feel his scrutinizing gaze scanning your beautiful red orbs. His silence amplifies the intrigue, and for a moment, it seems like the room is tight for your own comfort zone. The energy between you is palpable, a blend of tension and the uncharted territory of a conversation yet to unfold.

Here we go again with his weird actions...you thought.

You were about to say something when he suddenly grabbed a ball, put it on the ground, and kicked it directly toward you. Panic surged through your body as you kicked it back, eyes wide.

"What was that for?!" you shriek, looking at him.

"I'm just figuring something out," he replied, grabbing another ball and kicking it your way.

Internally panicked, you position yourself in defense as he kicks another ball. Dribbling it wisely, you kick it towards his form, only for him to skillfully dodge it.

What the hell is he trying to figure out?

The moment he moves the ball again, you immediately prepare yourself for an upcoming kick.

...

You're huffing, trying to find some air to breathe, as your exhausted body lies on the ground.

"The hell is wrong with you?" you manage to speak, looking at Rin, who's all sweaty beside you. Unlike you, looking like you just ran a marathon, he appears as if he just finished a casual jog.

"It's just as I expected," he speaks, looking down at you.

"What?"

"You're not training, are you?"

"...What?" you question in disbelief. "You did this for that?"

"Your stamina sucks like a tepid cockroach, but how do you manage to score a goal each time we are at the match?"

I stare at him in disbelief, not truly wanting to answer him. And cockroach?

"You damn weirdo," you mumble.

It's mid-afternoon, and you find yourself strolling down the silent hallway, lost in thought. Your mind drifts to the outcome of the Blue Lock project, contemplating the possibility of surviving and making it to the top five. Success would secure your registration for the U-20 World Cup and potentially grant you the opportunity to represent Japan in soccer. Yet, beneath the surface, you can't shake the feeling that this path aligns perfectly with your father's plan.

You sighed heavily, your breath catching in the still air of the hallway, as your father's stern yet distant visage materialized in your thoughts. His expectations weighed on your shoulders like an invisible burden, adding a layer of complexity to your already tumultuous emotions.

You came to a sudden halt, the unfamiliar surroundings jolting you out of your reverie. As you glanced around, a sense of disorientation washed over you. It dawned on you that you must have wandered far from your usual path, realizing with a start that the building you stood in was entirely unfamiliar.

Facing a door labeled "Practice Room," you hesitated for a moment before pushing it open. A faint sound reached your ears, piquing your curiosity. As the door creaked open, a soccer ball hurtled towards you with unexpected speed. Reacting on instinct, you tilted your head just in time, causing the ball to ricochet off your temple and rebound towards the wall behind you with a resounding thud.

A guy with a bob-cut, black hair cascading to his chin, adorned with golden under-lights, swiveled his head towards you, his bright yellow eyes alight with amazement as they met your plain red ones.

"Wow, that's so cool!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with awe as he stepped closer. "Hey, would you like to train with me?~" he asked eagerly, a hint of excitement coloring his words.

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jj: everyone! thank u so much for supporting this story!