Blue lock: Reborn Egoist

For the first time in what felt like forever, there was no training scheduled. No drills, no analysis, no Ego yelling at him to evolve. Today was an actual off day.

Eito wasn't sure how to feel about it.

He had spent so much time pushing his body and mind to the limit that the idea of not doing something football-related felt… strange. But at the same time, he knew he needed the break. His muscles ached, his mind was overworked, and even a machine needed time to recharge.

That's when his phone buzzed.

A message from Sayuri.

Sayuri: Meet me at the café near the station. Be there in 20 minutes.

Eito stared at the message for a moment. He wasn't sure why, but his pulse quickened slightly. Sayuri wasn't the type to invite people out for casual meetups. If she wanted to talk, it was usually about something important.

Still, he had nothing else to do, so he grabbed a hoodie, threw on some jeans, and headed out.

The café was tucked away in a quiet street, a little different from the fast-paced city life surrounding it. As Eito stepped inside, he immediately spotted Sayuri sitting near the window, stirring a cup of coffee.

She looked… different.

She wasn't in her usual professional-looking attire. Instead, she wore a casual sweater with a light scarf draped around her neck. Her usually sharp, observant expression was softer, more relaxed.

"You're late," she said without looking up.

Eito smirked. "I'm exactly on time."

Sayuri took a sip of her coffee. "You should've been here earlier."

Eito rolled his eyes and slid into the seat across from her. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to test my patience."

She smirked slightly. "Maybe."

The air between them was different from usual. It wasn't the same calculated tension from their usual conversations. This time, it felt… normal.

"Why'd you invite me here?" Eito asked, leaning back in his chair.

Sayuri tapped her fingers against her cup. "Because you needed a break. And because I was curious."

"Curious about what?"

She tilted her head slightly. "What you're like when you're not obsessing over football."

Eito blinked. That was unexpected. "What kind of question is that?"

Sayuri leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on her hand. "Think about it. Every conversation we've had has been about training, strategy, or how to improve your game. But is that really all you are? Just football?"

Eito hesitated. He had never really thought about it before.

"Football is what I do," he said finally. "It's what I am."

Sayuri sighed. "See, that's the problem."

Eito frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She stirred her coffee absentmindedly. "If you think that way, you'll burn out. Even the greatest players in the world know how to live outside the game. You're human, Eito. Not a machine."

Eito scoffed. "You sound like my mom."

Sayuri raised an eyebrow. "Maybe your mom's right."

He didn't know why, but hearing her say that annoyed him. Not because she was wrong, but because… maybe she had a point.

For the first time in a long while, Eito let himself not think about training, about Blue Lock, about becoming the best. Instead, he just focused on the moment.

The conversation drifted to random topics—favorite foods, places they'd traveled, childhood memories. Sayuri, as composed as she always seemed, actually had a pretty sarcastic sense of humor, and it caught Eito off guard more than once.

At some point, Sayuri leaned back in her chair, watching him with an unreadable expression. "You're different when you're not thinking about football."

Eito raised an eyebrow. "Different how?"

She smirked. "Less intense. More… tolerable."

Eito snorted. "Gee, thanks."

Sayuri glanced out the window, her expression softening. "It's nice, though. Seeing this side of you."

Eito wasn't sure how to respond to that. But for some reason, his chest felt a little warmer than usual.

After finishing their drinks, they left the café and wandered through the city. It was a rare moment of peace, walking without a destination, just talking.

Sayuri stopped at a small street vendor and bought two teriyaki, handing one to Eito. "Here."

He took it, eyeing her suspiciously. "What's this for?"

She rolled her eyes. "Just eat it, idiot."

He took a bite and, to his surprise, it was good. "Huh."

Sayuri raised an eyebrow. "You're not used to normal food, are you?"

"I eat plenty of normal food," Eito argued. "Just… usually part of a training diet."

She shook her head, clearly amused. "You're hopeless."

Eito smirked. "And yet, you're still here."

Sayuri paused at that. For a brief moment, she seemed to consider something. Then, she turned away slightly. "Yeah, I guess I am."

The rest of their walk was quiet, but not uncomfortable. There was something nice about just existing without the usual pressure hanging over them.

As they reached the station where they'd go their separate ways, Sayuri glanced at him. "You should do this more often."

"What, eat teriyaki?"

She sighed. "No, idiot. Take breaks. Let yourself be a person outside of football."

Eito didn't answer immediately. But eventually, he nodded. "Maybe."

Sayuri smirked. "Good."

As she turned to leave, Eito found himself speaking without thinking.

"Hey."

She stopped, looking back at him.

He scratched the back of his head, suddenly feeling awkward. "This was… fun."

Sayuri smiled slightly. "Yeah. It was."

Then, without another word, she walked off.

Eito stood there for a moment, watching her disappear into the crowd.

For the first time in a long while, he didn't feel the weight of football crushing him.

And maybe, just maybe, he didn't mind taking a break once in a while.