𝓕𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓰𝓮𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮

→ • Flash-back

Y/N woke up to the soft hum of her phone's alarm. The warm morning light filtered through her curtains, signaling another day at university. She groaned and stretched, her muscles still aching from volleyball practice the day before. She glanced at the clock-7:15 a.m. It was time to get up and face the day.She dragged herself out of bed, shuffled to the bathroom, and splashed some cold water on her face. As she brushed her teeth, she glanced at the mirror, her thoughts swirling around the roast battle from the night before in the Blue Lock group chat. The chaos between her and Shidou always left her exhausted but somehow amused."Good times," she muttered, rinsing her mouth.After getting dressed in her usual casual attire-ripped jeans, a hoodie, and her favorite pair of sneakers-she grabbed her bag and phone.

University in Germany had been an adventure, and she was grateful to have her best friends Aiko, Ren, and Hana studying alongside her. Despite them being from Japan, they all ended up in the same place, and Y/N couldn't have asked for a better support system. After she was ready, she went to her university.

She made her way to the her class, where Aiko was already seated, reading her novel. Ren, as usual, was running late. "Morning, Y/N!" Aiko chirped, looking way too awake for this early."Morning," Y/N mumbled back, taking her seat. "Ren's still asleep," Aiko said with a roll of her eyes. "We've got like ten minutes before class starts, and he's in la-la land."

"Sounds about right." Y/N smirked. and their day unfolded like any other-lectures, study sessions, and casual banter between the group. Despite the normalcy, Y/N couldn't help but feel a twinge of something missing. It was hard to explain, but part of her still longed for the excitement of soccer, of the thrill she had felt on the field back when she was a rising star. After their classes ended, the group split up for their extracurriculars. While Aiko and Hana headed to their dance practice, Y/N made her way to the volleyball gym. It wasn't soccer, but it kept her active and competitive. The rhythm of the game, the teamwork, and the adrenaline were enough to keep her content-for now.She finished practice, feeling the satisfying burn in her muscles. As she walked back to her house, she couldn't shake the anxiety creeping up on her. Tonight was the night. Her parents had insisted on having "a serious talk" about her future. It was a conversation she had been dreading for weeks.

Y/N stepped into her house and was immediately greeted her parents. She sighed, bracing herself for what was coming."Y/N, we need to talk," her mother's voice echoed through Y/N'S ears. Her parents' expressions serious. "About what?" Y/N asked, though she already knew the answer. "Your future," her father said, his voice stern. "You've been studying abroad for years now, and it's time to think about what comes next. You need to focus on your career. Have you considered applying to medical school? Or maybe engineering?"

Y/N clenched her fists. This conversation was so predictable. It was always about her needing to pursue a "real" profession, something stable. It didn't matter how many times she tried to explain that it wasn't what she wanted. "I don't want to be a doctor or an engineer," Y/N said, trying to keep her voice calm.

"I just want to live a normal, chill life. Why can't that be enough?" Her parents exchanged glances, and her mother frowned. "Normal? What do you mean normal? You were always meant for something bigger, Y/N. With your talent, you could have been anything. You could have been the best."

"I don't want that anymore," Y/N shot back, her voice rising. "I don't want to be pressured into something I don't care about. I don't want to live up to your expectations." "You're wasting your potential!" her father said, his tone harsh. "After all the years you spent playing soccer, you just gave up. And now you don't even have a proper plan for your future."

"That's because I don't want to live a life that's suffocating!" Y/N snapped. "Why can't you understand that?" Her mother sighed deeply. "Y/N, we just want what's best for you. You're capable of so much more than this... 'chill' life you're talking about."