Chapter Text
CHAPTER 2: II. Itoshi
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Isagi and Team Z’s first intra-stratum match inside the Blue Lock facility was against Team X. Every single member of Team X was ranked significantly higher than their dead-last Team Z.
And it turned out exactly as Isagi had feared... their first match was a complete and utter disaster! There was absolutely zero teamwork! Everyone was just selfishly fighting to be the striker, desperately trying to score their own goals to the point where it gave Isagi a massive headache.
However, Team X had one particularly terrifying player.
Barou Shouei.
An Alpha who exuded the rich, potent scent of coffee... an intoxicating blend of sweet and bitter.
On the field, Barou truly reigned like a king. His technique and physical abilities were overwhelmingly superior to everyone else's. The match dragged on until Team X was leading 5 - 0. No matter how you looked at it, the situation was hopelessly unwinnable.
But at the very least, Team Z managed to end the match with a single point on the scoreboard, courtesy of Kunigami's goal... scored from a pass that Isagi had provided. Yet, before they could leave the pitch, Barou ruthlessly insulted Isagi, declaring that he lacked the talent to be a striker. Those harsh words had been echoing in Isagi's mind ever since.
Is it true...? Do I really lack what it takes to be a true striker?
"Don't let it get to you, Isagi," a bright, cheerful voice chimed in. The soft, sweet scent of vanilla that followed immediately told Isagi exactly who it was. "You okay?"
"I'm not letting it get to me," Isagi replied, turning to look at him. His cheeks felt a little warm at being read so easily. Bachira let out a bright laugh, his eyes crinkling into crescents as he patted Isagi's shoulder.
Bachira didn't quite understand why, but he had sensed Isagi's deep anxiety, practically compelling him to walk over and comfort the boy.
It felt... as if there was some invisible string connecting them.
Hmm... My little teammate is seriously strange and incredibly interesting.
"But thanks a lot, Bachira." Isagi flashed him a wide, genuine smile. Bachira completely froze for a second. Suddenly, his own cheeks felt burning hot. He slapped one hand over his face to hide it, while his other hand reached out to pinch Isagi's cheek affectionately, ignoring Isagi's muffled protests.
This is bad, this is bad! How did I just end up thinking Isagi was as cute as a little cat for a second there?!
Dangerous. Highly dangerous.
Isagi Yoichi is a truly dangerous existence!
"I'm... gonna head out first! Don't overthink things, Isagi! Go eat and get some rest. Byeeeee!" Bachira practically bolted, fleeing before he lost the battle against his own urges to pull Isagi into a tight hug. He had wanted nothing more than to drown the other boy in his vanilla scent. Especially when Isagi looked at him with those big, confused, innocent eyes...
Retreat for now!
Isagi blinked owlishly at the spot where the Alpha had just been standing, scratching his cheek in utter confusion. I wonder what that was all about. But his stomach let out a loud rumble, effectively halting any further deep thoughts about his 'striker weapon'. Isagi walked over to grab his designated meal... which, of course, was still just natto. He sat down and ate, trying his best to brainstorm what his unique talent could be. He had to figure it out, so that the next time they met, that coffee-scented Alpha wouldn't be able to look down on him again!
"Rough match out there, Isagi. Mind if I sit next to you?" a deep, resonant voice asked from behind. The warm, comforting pheromone scent of sunlight tickled Isagi's nose. Even though it was nighttime, the scent brought a refreshing feeling of a bright, sunny day.
Kunigami Rensuke.
The tall Alpha glanced at Isagi's tray before raising an eyebrow. "Is your side dish seriously just natto every single time?"
Isagi's already so small. Won't he get malnourished eating only this kind of stuff?
I'll share some of the good stuff with him later.
"Thanks," Kunigami said, raising a hand in greeting, a soft smile on his face as he looked at the smaller boy. "For passing the ball to me."
As they chatted, Isagi quickly realized that Kunigami was a genuinely amazing person... radiant, powerful, and intensely warm, just like the sunlight he smelled of. Just like he had proclaimed.
A total superhero.
"That's so cool... You're really awesome, you know?" Isagi said.
Kunigami is seriously so cool.
The Alpha froze at the sudden, genuine praise. A strange feeling fluttered in his chest before he quickly turned to his own food tray and pushed it toward Isagi. "Isagi... wanna share?"
Isagi's eyes practically bulged out of his head when he saw the steak. He was on the verge of drooling. His eyes sparkled so brightly that Kunigami couldn't help but let out a low chuckle, thoroughly endeared.
He couldn't help but feel... that Isagi was as adorable as a kitten.
Especially those beautiful, deep blue eyes... they were mesmerizingly captivating.
"Half the credit for that goal goes to you. So, I'll split the meat with you half-and-half." In truth, Kunigami wanted to give him the whole thing, but he figured the boy in front of him would probably refuse such a generous offer.
He seems like the type to feel guilty easily.
"Are you sure?" Isagi's mouth asked politely, but his sparkling eyes were already screaming how much he wanted to eat it.
"Eat up before it gets cold." Kunigami cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. Isagi happily stuffed his cheeks, chewing so enthusiastically that his cheeks puffed out. The sunlight-scented Alpha rested his chin on his hand, simply watching him eat with a sense of pure enjoyment.
"Thanks, Kunigami! I feel a lot better now. You're a really good guy!"
Kunigami halted once again at the compliment, especially since it was paired with that incredibly sweet, eye-crinkling smile... He felt something deep within him tremble. His heartbeat suddenly picked up a rhythm it had never played before.
"Shut up, you're being too loud," the tall boy muttered, turning his face away to hide his sudden flush.
Isagi's smile is way too pretty... He really is like a cat.
Kunigami had to use every ounce of his willpower to stop his hand from reaching out to ruffle that soft-looking black hair.
Truly dangerous. Isagi Yoichi.
"Are you absolutely sure you're a Beta?"
"Cough!" Isagi violently choked on his food. Kunigami quickly handed him a glass of water, which the smaller boy gulped down in a panic. "W-What... What kind of crazy question is that?!"
"Nothing, nothing. Just asking."
Because you definitely don't feel like just an ordinary Beta.
"Anyway, don't worry about the loss... We absolutely have to win the next match!" Kunigami held out his fist. Isagi stared at the large hand for a moment before a wide, bright smile stretched across his face, and he gently bumped his own fist against it.
"Yeah!"
Thanks, Kunigami...
You really are my superhero... my sunlight-scented Alpha!
........
"Itoshi-chan... are you absolutely sure you don't want me to come inside with you?" The personal manager looked nervously at Itoshi Sae, who was currently strolling into the Blue Lock facility with an arrogant stride, completely ignoring everyone and everything around him. Normally, Sae never abused his power or status. But this time, it seemed he had a very compelling reason to use his VIP privileges to waltz right into this restricted camp.
And when the genius midfielder, Itoshi Sae, demanded something... who would dare stop him?
Even the President of the Football Union had personally arranged for him to be a special VIP guest.
"It's fine. I'll just be a minute. Once my business is done, I'll leave. Might even bring someone back with me," Itoshi Sae replied, his hands shoved casually into his pockets as he walked into Blue Lock without a single trace of hesitation.
The handsome young man with reddish-brown hair and breathtaking sea-green eyes exuded a freezing, oppressive aura... truly fitting for the man who stood at the absolute pinnacle of Japanese football.
Sae headed straight for the man in charge, Ego, first. The sight of the familiar, towering figure caused the players who weren't currently in a match to stop in their tracks, staring in stunned disbelief.
Itoshi Sae... What the hell is he doing here?!
A tall boy who had just finished his match raised an eyebrow as well. He possessed a handsome face, a tall, well-built physique, and an oppressive aura that mirrored Sae's almost perfectly. Even their facial features were strikingly similar... differing only in the color of their hair.
Itoshi Rin.
Itoshi Sae's younger brother.
Sae merely gave his younger brother a fleeting, dismissive glance, showing zero interest, before continuing his walk toward his actual destination. When he reached the monitor room, Sae pushed the door open without bothering to knock or ask for permission. Inside, dozens of screens displayed almost every single corner of the facility. Ego cast a sideways glance at the VIP guest he never expected to see here. Ego had been smirking at one particular screen.
A screen showing Isagi Yoichi, celebrating his victory after crushing his opponents.
A rapidly growing ego.
"What business brings you here, Mr. Genius Midfielder?" Ego asked, slightly annoyed by the Union President's direct order to allow this 'special guest' a tour.
He sure loves throwing his privileges around.
"Miss your little brother, do you?"
Sae stared intently at the screen Ego had been watching... The image of a certain someone made the Alpha freeze. That expression... those deep blue eyes, shining as brilliantly as a starry night sky...
It seems you're quite happy playing around in this little camp of yours.
"I want to see someone... I just need a short conversation." Despite his arrogant demeanor, Sae knew the rules, and he didn't particularly want to cause unnecessary trouble for anyone.
"Your brother? ...You don't exactly strike me as the doting older sibling type."
The older Itoshi completely ignored the jab. Instead, he pointed a firm finger at the monitor, making his demand crystal clear regarding who he was here to see. "Him."
Ego stared at the boy Sae was pointing at... He had to admit, he was slightly surprised. No, he was very surprised. He had assumed someone like Itoshi Sae would only come here because of his brother, Itoshi Rin, regardless of how cold their relationship appeared.
He never expected him... to come looking for someone else entirely.
"Even with the Union President breathing down my neck, I can only give you thirty minutes," Ego stated.
"Thirty minutes is plenty."
Ego glanced back at the boy Sae requested. His team was currently celebrating their win by pooling their food together... Are they really that ecstatic over a single piece of steak, these idiots?
"Isagi Yoichi, you have a visitor. Report to Practice Room 4."
Sae gave a curt nod of thanks. He turned and walked out without even needing to ask where Practice Room 4 was. A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he recalled the stunned, wide-eyed look on a certain someone's face through the monitor.
Looks like I interrupted his dinner.
But who cares!
Ego watched Sae's retreating back with intense interest... He was incredibly curious to know why someone like Itoshi Sae would take a personal interest in Isagi Yoichi. Did they know each other from before?
Isagi Yoichi.
It seems I need to do a much deeper dive into your background.
......
Isagi had been in the middle of enjoying the steak he had rightfully earned. His deciding goal had secured Team Z's victory. But before he could even properly savor the delicious food, an announcement echoed through the room, calling for him. The others immediately began whispering, wondering who on earth could be visiting their little teammate. Weren't visitors strictly forbidden in this "Blue Prison"?
Just how much pull did Isagi have?!
Just who exactly is our teammate?!
"Isagi, want me to go with you?" Bachira offered. He noticed Isagi's bewildered expression, clearly having no idea who was waiting for him. Bachira laughed, his eyes crinkling, as he reached out a thumb to wipe a smudge of sauce from the corner of Isagi's mouth. Then, he casually licked it off his own thumb.
"This steak is pretty good."
Isagi's face flushed a deep red. "What the hell are you doing, Bachira?!"
To think this vanilla-scented Alpha was trying to act all cool and sexy to seduce him!
"You sure you can go alone?" Kunigami double-checked. "Go on, I'll save your portion for you." Kunigami knew perfectly well how protective his little teammate was of his food.
"Yeah, thanks Kunigami." Isagi flashed him a wide smile before heading toward Practice Room 4, a room he frequented often. ...But the absolute second he stepped inside, the overwhelming scent of freesia permeating the air stopped him dead in his tracks.
Freesia... a flower with a scent reminiscent of mint mixed with honey. It was known as the flower of beautiful melodies, a scent that was uniquely and intoxicatingly sweet yet refreshingly sharp.
There was only one Alpha who possessed this scent...
The Alpha who had sent Isagi into heat!
Grab!
Isagi, who was hesitating at the doorway, was suddenly yanked forward by a strong hand and pulled directly into a firm embrace. The other hand swiftly locked the door behind him. The tall Alpha looked down at the smaller boy, who seemed entirely paralyzed by shock, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly.
"Isagi Yoichi."
"Y-You..." Isagi was speechless, frozen stiff in Sae's arms. The freesia scent grew even more intense.
Why is Itoshi Sae here?!
Isn't he supposed to be in Spain?!
"What are you doing here?"
"Uh... I'm here for the training camp," Isagi replied, trying to push himself out of the embrace. But he was no match for Sae's strength. Those deep blue eyes glared up at the owner of the arms trapping him, silently demanding to be released. But Sae seemed entirely unfazed by the glare. He furrowed his brows.
"You..." Sae let out a heavy sigh before his voice dropped into a harsh scolding tone, his freesia scent spiking aggressively. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
"What's so crazy about it? I want to improve myself and become a better player! And why are you here anyway? And why did you call for me?" Isagi protested, highly offended at being scolded like a misbehaving child.
Why is he glaring at me like that? I didn't even do anything wrong!
"An Omega like you, living in a facility completely packed with Alphas and Betas? Do you have a death wish?!" And he still has the nerve to look at me with that stubborn, defiant face!
"Why can't I be here? Stop discriminating! So what if I'm an Omega? I'm going to become the best striker in the world, just watch me!"
Unbelievably stubborn!
Sae's eyebrows furrowed so deeply they practically formed a knot. His pheromones thickened considerably, fueled by his immense irritation at the small boy in front of him. But no matter how frustrated the freesia-scented Alpha got, he refused to direct his anger at Isagi. Surprisingly, the tone he used remained remarkably compromising.
"I'm not discriminating. I know you have talent."
"Then let me go."
"That's a completely different issue."
"Itoshi-san!"
Why is this guy so difficult to understand?! And so incredibly bossy!
Dictator!
"Call me Sae-nii," Sae ordered, his arm tightening around Isagi's waist even further. Putting the Blue Lock issue on hold for a moment, Sae brought up a new charge against him. "Why didn't you even think to call me for advice?"
He had given the boy his contact number, but it seemed this little Omega had never even bothered to reach out. Even though Sae admitted to himself that he hadn't reached out either.
"Ah... I forgot," Isagi admitted, scratching his cheek. In reality, he just hadn't dared to. The guy seemed like he was constantly busy. And honestly, Isagi had been a little intimidated... the genius midfielder of the Real Madrid youth team was busier than anyone. When would he ever have the time to answer Isagi's calls? "Besides, aren't we around the same age?"
Why is he forcing me to call him 'older brother'?
Itoshi Sae... the freesia-scented Alpha Isagi had bumped into completely by chance. On that fateful day, Isagi, an Omega who had never experienced a heat before in his life, suddenly went into a full-blown heat right in the middle of a crowd. Isagi's pheromones had a direct and immediate effect on Sae. Yet, strangely enough, they didn't seem to affect anyone else. The Alpha had dragged Isagi into a secluded room to hide. While they were in there, they hadn't done anything beyond holding each other in a loose embrace, using their pheromones to soothe and calm each other down until the heat subsided.
Thank God his first heat hadn't been incredibly severe, and that his pheromones were mostly scentless. Otherwise, Isagi was certain Sae would have bitten his neck right then and there.
And thank God Sae hadn't gone into a rut... he had only almost gone into a rut.
Otherwise, it would have been a colossal disaster.
But precisely because of that incident, Sae strongly suspected... that Isagi might be his soulmate.
Yet the boy himself seemed completely oblivious, showing zero concern for his own safety and constantly throwing himself into dangerous situations!
"Sae."
"Sae-nii."
Isagi rolled his eyes but eventually yielded to the older boy's stubbornness. "Fine, fine! Sae-nii... I'm staying in this camp. Don't worry about it, I'm always prepared. Nobody knows, and nobody is going to find out that I'm an Omega."
"You're an idiot."
"Sae-nii!"
"It's too dangerous." Blue Lock was teeming with a massive pack of Alphas and another massive pack of Betas. And this little guy was the absolute only Omega in the entire facility. If anything were to happen...
"I know how to take care of myself."
Sae was still incredibly displeased at the thought of leaving the person who might be his soulmate in the middle of a den of untrustworthy wolves. He knew Isagi was special... even though they hadn't known each other for long, Sae knew this small boy possessed a natural, magnetic charm that drew people in.
His personality, his presence, those eyes.
No matter how strong a Beta or an Alpha was... if they spent enough time around Isagi... there was no way they would be able to resist him.
"Should I stay here too?" Having him stay in Blue Lock to keep an eye on this fiercely stubborn little guy seemed like the best option.
"No!" Isagi rejected the idea instantly, without a second's hesitation. He quickly tried to appease the Alpha, lacing his voice with a hint of pleading. "I really can take care of myself. You know I've never gone into heat before that, and the only time I did was in front of you. I take my suppressants religiously. I'm super careful. Besides, don't you have to go back to Spain?"
Don't you have matches to play or something?!
Do you literally have nothing better to do?!
"Not yet." Originally, he had only planned to drop by Japan to renew his passport and head straight back. But it seemed he now had a very important reason to extend his stay. Plus, Sae was genuinely curious to see exactly what kind of strikers this Blue Lock facility would produce.
A camp that Yoichi was willing to risk everything for, completely ignoring the danger.
In truth, Sae could have easily used his influence to forcefully drag Isagi out of there... but if he did that, the boy would definitely be angry... No, he would be absolutely hated. Even if Sae didn't care about anyone else's opinion, he didn't want...
He didn't want the owner of those beautiful deep blue eyes to hate him.
"Call me every single day," Sae offered his compromise.
"They confiscated our phones."
"I'll have a word with Ego."
You really are royalty around here, aren't you!
But Isagi couldn't argue. In the end, he could only nod in defeat... Since his first heat, this was the first time Isagi had been this physically close to an Alpha. It felt as though he was being entirely engulfed by Sae's freesia scent.
"Alright then, we're good. You can go home now, Sae-nii."
There is probably only one person in the world who would dare to shoo Itoshi Sae away like this!
"I'll drop by often." Sae finally released the smaller boy. Besides, Isagi was now completely drenched in his scent. The pheromones of an Alpha King like Sae would act as a powerful deterrent, preventing any other Alphas from daring to lay a hand on him.
Before Isagi could even formulate a protest, Sae completely shut down the conversation by walking over to the door. Just as he was about to step outside, he seemed to remember something and paused. Those sea-green eyes looked back at Isagi, a subtle, almost imperceptible smirk playing on his lips.
"If you're really that much of a glutton, I'll bring you some real food next time."
Did he just call me a glutton?!
Damn him!
"I want steak. And sushi." Did Sae really think Isagi would be too embarrassed to ask? ...For the sake of delicious food that wasn't natto and miso soup, he was more than willing to accept the title of a glutton!
"Hmph." Sae smirked, shoving one hand back into his pocket while raising the other in a lazy wave. He turned and walked out to continue his 'negotiations' with Ego. Isagi was left standing alone in the practice room. He took a deep breath... but it felt like his nose was completely blocked.
The entire room—no, his entire body—was completely saturated with Sae's freesia scent.
Anyway... what was that guy actually doing here?
Did he really come just for me? ...No, that's impossible. Why would someone like Itoshi Sae come all this way for me?
But...
Isagi brought a hand up to rest over his heart...
It's beating so fast.
"Ah..." Isagi gasped slightly as a new, chillingly fragrant scent suddenly hit his nose. It wasn't the minty freshness of freesia, but an icy, mesmerizingly strange scent. The door that had just closed behind Sae was suddenly pushed open again, and then locked shut with a loud click. A tall shadow loomed over him. Isagi's eyes widened.
A tall young man he had never seen before. He had hazel hair and sea-green eyes... eyes that looked exactly like Sae-nii's.
This person...
"Who are you?" a deep, chillingly irritated voice demanded. The tall figure stepped closer and closer to Isagi. The intense feeling of being threatened forced Isagi to step backward... and backward.
Thud!
His back hit the wall. But before he could even attempt to move, a strong arm slammed against the wall beside his head, completely trapping him and cutting off any avenue of escape.
"Why did that guy come here specifically for you? And... this scent..."
This infuriating freesia scent all over this guy...
It's that bastard brother of mine's scent!
"You... You're the one who needs to tell me who you are!" Isagi glared fiercely at the intruder. He watched as a mocking, arrogant smirk spread across the incredibly handsome face. It was a smirk so infuriating it made Isagi want to punch him.
"I am... Itoshi Rin."
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..............
TBC>>