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“Where’d this kid come from…?”
Isagi looked at the messy-haired child who seemed to be around 10 years old. He bent down to the child’s level, softening his tone.
“Hey, you okay? You lost?” No response. It was extremely strange for any child of his age to be at Blue Lock. This was certainly a first. Maybe it was one of the staff’s kids?
The blond child stares back at him, brows furrowed in distrust.
Now that Isagi got a better look at him, he noticed the kid’s choppy hair and pretty cat eyes so similar to a certain German striker. His younger brother maybe? Feels like a quiet kid. Maybe he should try to coax out some information, so he can help the kid find his guardian.
Isagi hums in thought before addressing the little one again. “Do you like soccer?” Isagi smiles, taking out a soccer ball from the mesh bag he was carrying. He watched as the child’s eyes lit up. Looks like solo practice will have to wait.
“I’m Isagi Yoichi. What’s your name?”
A moment of silence passes before the kid mutters out, “Michael.”
The striker’s eyes widened a bit in surprise. Was he wrong about this being Kaiser’s younger brother? Did Germany have some family tradition of naming siblings the same name? He decides he’ll figure it out later.
“Okay, Michael. Why don’t we play some soccer?” Isagi offers his hand to the younger one. The hesitant child reaches forward, a bit surprised when Isagi grasps him firmly but comfortingly.
The older boy leads him out to a large field. He gasps as he takes in the green pitch, a world he had never stepped foot in before.
Isagi sets the ball down and beckons Michael to kick it into the goal as Isagi plays goalie. When he makes the goal, Isagi jogs over and ruffles his hair proudly.
“Hey, Michael, that was awesome! Great job, kiddo!”
Michael’s eyes glimmer. No one has ever praised him like that. Much less ruffled his hair in such a friendly manner. It felt good. He lets out his first genuine laugh in a long while when Isagi lifts him up onto his shoulders for a victory lap.
“Let’s hear it for Michael!!” Isagi plays up the theatrics, pretending as if there was a big crowd watching.
Upon hearing his first name being yelled out across the stadium, Kaiser walks to the field in curiosity.
“Screaming my name so soon, Yoichi? What the hell are you yelling about?”
Isagi freezes as he turns to Kaiser with Michael still on his shoulders. “Ah. Uhm.”
Kaiser’s eyes travel up to the little one. Immediately his expression changes to one of appalled horror. He knows this kid. Well, of course, he does. It’s HIMSELF. What the fuck was going on in Blue Lock?
He grabs the other striker’s upper arms. “Yoichi, who the fuck is this? Where did he come from?”
Isagi, understandably confused, responds. “Hmm? What’s wrong? He said his name was Michael. Looked so much like you, I thought he was your younger brother. Is he not?”
“No, he’s NOT. Michael my ass. What’s your real name, kid?” Kaiser’s harsh tone makes the boy flinch and hide behind Isagi’s head.
Isagi lifts Michael off his shoulders and crouches down to protect him with his arms. “What is wrong with you, Kaiser? Don’t talk to him like that! He’s just a child! Why would he lie about his name anyway?”
Kaiser stares at the child wrapped in Yoichi’s arms. How nice it was to be protected like that. Something he never had. He knows better than anyone why the kid was stunned in fear. He grits his teeth at the resurgence of bad memories and lets out a heavy sigh.
“I’m… sorry.” The German striker kneels down to the two huddled in front of him.
“I didn’t mean to yell at you. I was just-“ His eyes stray to the side and back at his younger self. “Reminded of some unpleasant memories. Can we start over?” In opposition to regular Kaiser fashion, the man gently reaches out a hand. A tinge of pain crosses his blue eyes for a single moment, seeing how anxious the kid looked. God, he never thought he’d have to face his younger self like this.
Isagi turns to Michael, rubbing his shoulder to calm him. “It’s okay even if you don’t accept, Michael. Kaiser’s a real pain to deal with y’know. But…” The raven-haired man glances at Kaiser’s expression. It was so unlike that egotistical asshole to make such a worried look. So anxious. So genuine. So… hurt. “But Kaiser’s one of the best guys I’ve played soccer with. He’s crazy talented. I think he really does regret scaring you.”
Kaiser’s brows raise in shock at Isagi’s praise.
Hearing Isagi’s effort to get them to reconcile, Michael takes Kaiser’s hand. “I’m… Michael. What’s your name?”
Kaiser scrunched his nose in thought for a second before internally groaning at what he was about to say. “I’m… Mihya.”
The egoist in front of him suppresses a laugh but doubles over when Kaiser shoots him a glare. “Whahahaha?! Mi- Mihya?! I thought you hated being called that? You’re that upset about sharing a name with a CHILD? BAHAHAHA!”
“You don’t get it yet, stupid Yoichi.”
As they go back and forth with Isagi roaring in laughter harder, Michael’s stomach growls.
The two strikers turn their attention to the youngest.
“Hungry, Michael? Blue Lock has lots of yummy food like steak and dumplings! It’s all free, too! Why don’t we go grab a meal?” Isagi pats the boy’s head affectionately.
Kaiser watches as his 10-year-old self nods in excitement, easily taken by Yoichi’s words. He breathes out a defeated sigh. As expected, no matter the age, he’s easily charmed by Yoichi. Damn.
As they get settled in the cafeteria, Isagi decides to go ahead and order anything and everything Michael wants to try. They end up at the table with multiple trays as Michael starts scarfing down with his bare hands.
“So… he’s not your younger brother but looks just like you. He shares your name, and you find that unnerving enough to tell him you’re Mihya instead. And… That constant expression that clouds your eyes when you look at him tells me that, well, this is about to sound crazy, but he’s you. Like a younger version of you?”
Kaiser makes a sound confirming Isagi’s theory. “How the fuck did he get here though? Didn’t think that Ego man was secretly building a time machine.”
Isagi shrugs. “How are we gonna get him back home? You think it’s like fulfilling a ghost’s regret?”
Kaiser brushes his bangs back. “There’s nowhere for him to return to anyways. He’s better off here. He’s not missing out on anything.”
At the German man’s dismissive attitude on helping Michael home, Isagi tilts his head with concern. “What… was your childhood like?”
Kaiser winces at that. He knew this would come up sooner or later, but he’d had hoped for later. It’s not like he had anything to hide, but… it might change Yoichi’s perception of him. Usually, he never cared for the opinions of others. Background masses. He would decide his own identity. Never bending to the will of anyone else anymore. Now, however, he felt strangely vulnerable as he sat across from Yoichi.
Noticing his hesitation, Isagi eased him, letting him know that he didn’t have to share if he didn’t want to.
Kaiser shakes his head. With another glimpse at Michael happily stuffing himself, he faces Isagi, eyes bleak. “My father used to beat me.”
Isagi instantly stills. Not knowing what else to do, he knocks his knuckles against Kaiser’s, watching as Kaiser’s own turned white from his grip.
Kaiser scoffs. “Just another typical, shitty story about a shitty family. My mother abandoned us. Who knows where she went. Who cares why. Don’t know if you noticed, but there’s bruising around Michael’s neck. My dad used to choke me half to death if I couldn’t steal whatever he wanted me to get for him. Sat his whole weight on me and verbally nailed in how I was trash. Subhuman…”
Kaiser trails off, grinding his teeth, not willing to speak the derogatory slur he was called.
“Every day was a constant hell. I was secretly stashing cash with hopes to escape that life. Stuff happened, I got arrested, but it got me away from him. Some big-shot geezer from the football association came to cut a deal with me. I got my ticket out and now I’m here.”
Isagi breathes in, taking a moment to digest his story. He inches his palm over Kaiser’s balled fists.
When Kaiser met eyes with Isagi, color returned to his cheeks. Nothing needed to be said. He could tell by Isagi’s expression alone. Unhinged fury masking hurt. In fact, the egoist was seething so much that the corners of his eyes pricked with tears.
Kaiser almost chuckles at how personally Yoichi was taking this. “Don’t pity me, Yoichi. I don’t want you to. It’s old news now anyway.”
“I wasn’t planning on it. I’m still gonna kick your ass in soccer, but then I’ll kill your old man. You don’t mind, right?”
The German man blinks at Isagi before bursting out in laughter at the absurdity of his words. “No… No, I don’t mind at all. But that scum isn’t worth your attention, Yoichi.”
Kaiser waves his hand as if pushing the thought aside.
“I’d rather you focus all of that energy on wrestling with me on our way to the top of the soccer world,” Kaiser smirks, any inner instability stabilized by Yoichi’s outward anger at his mistreatment.
“Isn’t that obvious? I’m overthrowing your rule, damn tyrant.”
He’s glad. Why did he ever doubt that Yoichi would view him any differently?
It wasn’t until Michael let out a satisfied burp did they remember what sort of weird situation they were in.
He scrambles closer to the two older boys, no longer shy about voicing his wants. “Can we play soccer now?”
Michael’s gaze travels down. “Why are you guys holding hands? Gross.”
Isagi removes his hand as if electrified. His ears dusting pink.
Kaiser quirks his brow up playfully. “I wonder why? Care to share with the class, Yoichi?”
Isagi gives a disgusted sneer before goading in return. “I don’t know. What do you think, Mihya?”
Kaiser, or Mihya, as he was currently called, jolted from the way his nickname rolled off Yoichi’s tongue. That’s bad. He’d definitely get addicted to this.
They were snapped out of their banter when Michael steadily grabbed the Japanese egoist’s hand in his.
“Yoichi looks better holding my hand anyway.”
The older blond’s jaw drops. This fucking brat. The audacity. “Nine years too soon, brat. He doesn’t want you.” Kaiser tugs on Isagi’s other hand as they walk out of the cafeteria.
Isagi attempts to slap it away to no avail.
“He doesn’t look like he wants you either.” The kid snickers, completely losing the quiet attitude from before. He raises his smaller hands linked with Yoichi’s, bragging.
That’s it. Kaiser’s ending this little egotistical maniac. Who the fuck does this kid think he is?
As if reading his mind, Isagi chuckles sarcastically. “He’s Michael Kaiser alright.”
The moment they get back to the field, Michael and Kaiser start sprinting off.
Having a longer stride, Kaiser gets to the ball first. “Give it up, brat. You’ve never even played in a full kid’s soccer game.”
The younger one huffs in displeasure. “Doesn’t mean I can’t beat you. Don’t underestimate me!”
Kaiser hums. Seems like just being with Yoichi for a few hours can change him so much. It’s not bad. He grins. “Fine. Try your best and lose, Seedling.”
“What kind of stupid nickname is that?” The 10-year-old snaps back.
Isagi strides back, water bottles at the ready for them later. He joins them on the field.
“I’ll be on Michael’s team.” The striker doesn’t mention how it’d be unfair otherwise, knowing it’d rile Michael up to try to go against that emperor alone. He also knows Kaiser wouldn’t go easy just because Michael’s a child.
Kaiser rolls his eyes at Yoichi’s choice. “Whatever. Not like the result of this match will change with your assists anyway.”
“Who said I’d be assisting?”
The German’s lips curve up in amusement. Looks like Yoichi’s not planning on going easy just because of Michael either.
The first round starts off fast with Kaiser breezing past the other two.
“Fucking watch this, brat. Sear it into your mind. My Kaiser Impact.”
Kaiser’s shot draws a beautiful line straight across the field and into the goal.
Despite Michael’s frustration, he couldn’t help but stare in awe. It was clean, powerful, and gorgeous. No movements wasted. A masterful showcase of speed. “Woaaah…”
He whips his head towards Isagi. “Yoichi! Yoichi! Do you think I’ll be able to do that, too?” His finger points towards the goal.
“Well… Maybe one day-“
He’s cut off as Kaiser approaches the young boy, placing stable hands on his shoulders and facing him head-on.
“Not maybe. You will.”
The boy seemed taken aback by Kaiser’s answer given with such conviction.
“Don’t look so surprised.” Kaiser lifts the boy’s chin and gives him a reassuring push on his back. “Chin up, Michael Kaiser. In this world, you will become The Impossible. I guarantee it, so stand with pride.”
The young Michael stirred with renewed vigor. “Yes!”
Isagi let out a contented huff before getting back to the middle of the field after them.
The striker watched as Kaiser gave pointers to Michael as they competed. Thoughtful and clear instructions on how to get past a stronger opponent. Kaiser willingly left openings here and there for Michael to practice spotting. He guided the younger one’s motions with a tenderness unbecoming of him. Every now and then, Kaiser would reward the little one with a pat on his head or his back and a simple, “good.”
Having forgotten the original objective of the match, the trio took a water break.
The two teen boys settled into the bench as Michael, who took his break quickly, was determined to continue training.
“I thought you wouldn’t go easy on him and here you are mentoring the kid.” Isagi crosses his arm and side-eyes the ace striker mischievously.
“I’m by no means going easy. I’m just starting at a level he can learn at.”
“So, what changed? You were totally determined to beat him.”
“Well, I thought maybe when he gets back he can go smash that bastard's face in early.”
“When he gets back, huh? You’re okay with letting him go now?”
Kaiser takes a moment to look up at the sky and then back down at Michael, working hard.
“Yeah.”
When he says that, Michael comes running back to them, pulling at their arms to get back up and onto the field.
Kaiser pulls Michael into his arms, one hand ruffling his hair and the other safely around his back. “Thank you. You remember what I said?”
Kaiser gazes into his younger self’s hopeful eyes before repeating his words from earlier, almost as if to reaffirm it for the current him as well. “Chin up, Michael Kaiser! In this world, you will become The Impossible! I guarantee it, so stand with pride!”
He watches as 10-year-old him wipes away teary eyes and chokes out an affirmative, “Yes!” before seemingly disappearing into thin air.
Isagi Yoichi draws Michael Kaiser into his arms, rubbing his back in soothing circles as the other man lays his forehead tiredly against Isagi’s shoulder. Isagi lets the silence console Kaiser as tears slip down his cheeks, soaking into Isagi’s t-shirt.
They stay that way for a while before Isagi lifts Kaiser’s tear-stained face upward.
“Chin up, Mihya.”