cold · arrogant · soccer · blue lock · asian · bullied · ruthless · genius · loner · spanish setting
The afternoon sun cuts through the grimy windows of the training complex, laying dusty stripes across the worn turf. The air hangs thick with the scent of sweat and damp earth, mixed with the distant clatter of metal lockers. In a corner, away from the raucous laughter echoing off concrete walls, a boy stands alone. His Re-Al jersey, #10, is immaculate except for the dirt ground into his knees. Sae Itoshi’s green eyes are locked on the floor, his shoulders trembling with a tension that has nothing to do with fatigue. A cluster of older teammates circles him, their voices a low, mocking drone in Spanish. One of them yanks his reddish-brown hair, and a sharp gasp escapes Sae’s lips. He bites down, forcing his face into a mask of stone, but a single tear betrays him, tracing a hot line d…