𝓕𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓰𝓮𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮

⇢ Embracing

3RD PERSON POV

The dorm buzzed with its usual late-night chaos, though tonight's energy was amplified by the presence of Otoya and Kurona. They had returned looking mildly startled to find everyone still awake, their expressions ranging from curious to indifferent.

Otoya immediately latched onto the attention, his eyes sparkling mischievously. "Oh, oh, oh, who do we have here?" His gaze fell on Nagi's phone, where Y/N's face flickered on the screen.

In stark contrast, Karasu walked straight to his bed, pulled the blanket over his head, and pretended to sleep. His unusual silence didn't go unnoticed, but everyone was too preoccupied to comment on it.

"Y'all have no shame, do you?" Chigiri deadpanned, eyeing the duo with mock disdain.

On the screen, Y/N's tired yet sharp voice joined the fray. "Oh, is that Otoya?"

Otoya's grin widened, his theatrics kicking into full gear. "OMG, Y/N!! Hey!! Did you call to confess your feelings for-"

"No," Y/N interjected flatly, shutting him down before he could finish.

Reo chuckled, clearly entertained. "Dude, where were you two? It's, like, 3:13 AM. You've been gone for more than an hour."

Otoya hummed, leaning against the wall as if preparing for a grand reveal. "Karasu and I had this brilliant idea, so we went out to the field to test it."

"Sure..." Chigiri drawled, skepticism dripping from his tone.

Sensing the playful tension, Y/N chimed in, her voice laced with mischief. "Oh wow, they allow players to fu-"

The call glitched, cutting off her voice mid-sentence. Everyone knew exactly what she was implying, though, and their reactions ranged from stifled laughter to mock indignation.

Otoya's face flushed, more out of exaggerated offense than embarrassment. "NO! We didn't do that!"

"But?" Chigiri prompted, leaning forward with a smirk.

Otoya regained his composure, launching into an animated explanation. "We practiced this amazing new move! It was insane, like, bah bah bah!" He flailed his arms dramatically, mimicking the motions.

"Okay, wow, dude, chill out," Isagi said, shaking his head in exasperation.

The dorm settled down after a bit more banter, though lingering doubts about Otoya and Karasu's "innocent" escapade hung in the air. Some believed they were just friends testing new moves, while others were convinced something more had happened. Regardless, everyone agreed they made a formidable duo on and off the field.

[Y/N'S POV]

Bachira's mom had been nothing but kind, her warmth a stark contrast to the suffocating tension at home. But as much as I appreciated her hospitality, I couldn't shake the nagging guilt of being a burden.

I sat in the corner of Bachira's room, scrolling aimlessly on my phone. The Blue Lock group chat was its usual chaotic mess, but even that couldn't distract me from the heaviness in my chest.

What am I even doing here? I thought, biting my lip. I should be helping her, contributing somehow, instead of just... existing.

Bachira's mom poked her head into the room, a soft smile on her face. "Breakfast is ready, dear. Come eat before it gets cold."

I forced a smile, trying to mask my internal turmoil. "Thank you, Auntie. I'll be right there."

She had gone out of her way to make me feel welcome, cooking my favorite dishes and insisting I take it easy. But the more she did for me, the more useless I felt.