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The neon pulse of Shibuya was a weird kind of normal after the sterile, hyper-focused worlqd of Blue Lock. Isagi Yoichi, hands shoved in his jacket pockets, navigated the crowd on autopilot. His brain, hardwired now for spatial analysis, mapped the flow of people unconsciously. Gap between the tourists. Slow-moving group ahead. Adjust trajectory.
Then, he saw it. A splash of color that broke his calculation.
There, looking hopelessly lost in front of a towering multi-story arcade, was Aiko Hanami. Her long, pink-and-green hair, tied up with those familiar white ribbons, was a beacon in the sea of monochrome fashion. She was staring at a complex-looking prize crane machine, her head tilted, a pout on her lips that could probably disarm a nation.
Isagi felt a weird jolt. It was her. Again. The girl from Ichinan whose kindness was so intense it was almost a physical force. He'd run into her once already since getting back, and it had been… jarring. Like a warm blanket thrown over his sharp, competitive edges.
Before he could overthink it, his feet were carrying him toward her.
"Stuck?" he asked, his voice coming out a bit rougher than he intended.
Aiko spun around, her giant emerald eyes widening. "Yoichi-kun! Hi!" Her whole face lit up with a smile so bright it made the neon signs look dim. "It's this super cute Rilakkuma, but the claw is… it's a traitor." She gestured dramatically at the machine, her usual bubbly energy undimmed by her failure.
He gave the machine a quick, analytical glance. "The grip is weak. You'd have to hit the perfect balance point. It's designed to fail most of the time."
"Eh? So mean!" she pouted, but then she just laughed, a sound like wind chimes. "You're so smart, Yoichi-kun. Always figuring things out."
They stood there for a second, the chaotic energy of Shibuya swirling around them. Isagi shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. The question that had been bouncing around his head since their last meeting finally pushed its way out.
"Hey, Hanami-san. Can I ask you something?"
"Of course!" she chirped, giving him her full, unnervingly attentive focus.
"You're like this with everyone, right? Super nice. Bringing people snacks, remembering their birthdays, all that." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "But… why me? I mean, I just disappeared for months to that crazy place. I came back… different. And you just… smile at me. Like nothing's changed."
Aiko blinked, processing his words. Her head tilted again. "Why wouldn't I be nice to you?"
"That's not an answer," he countered, a small, wry smile touching his lips. It felt weirdly easy to be direct with her. There was no game here, no strategy. "You're just… relentlessly kind. Even to a guy who came back from a place literally called 'Blue Lock' probably smelling like ego and desperation."
She giggled, a light blush dusting her cheeks. "You don't smell like ego, Yoichi-kun. You smell like… Shibuya." She looked down at her shoes, then back up at him, her expression softening into something more genuine, less bubbly. "I'm nice to everyone because it makes me happy to see people smile. But with you…" She trailed off, playing with the end of one of her ribbons. "I see how hard you work. I see that fire in your eyes, even if it's a little scarier now. It's amazing. And when I see someone chasing a dream that big… I just want to support them. I want to be a little part of the good things in their life, you know?"
Isagi just stared at her. In Blue Lock, every action had a motive, a hidden angle to gain an advantage. This… this was just pure, unfiltered goodness. It was disarming. It was… cool.
He took a breath. Direct play. No feints.
"Alright. Cool," he said, nodding slowly. "So, since you're so set on being a 'part of the good things,' how about you be a part of my day off? There's a new crepe place over there that doesn't look like it's trying to scam people. We could… check it out. If you want."
It wasn't the smoothest invite. It was blunt, a little awkward, totally Isagi.
Aiko's eyes went wide. The blush on her cheeks deepened to a brilliant rose pink. Her hands flew to her mouth. "Eh?! Y-Yoichi-kun… are you… is this…?"
"Yeah," he said, meeting her gaze squarely, a new kind of confidence settling over him. This wasn't a battlefield. This was different. "It's a date. If you're down."
For a second, she looked like she might actually explode from happiness. Then, she beamed, that signature, world-illuminating smile. "I'm down!" she exclaimed, her voice full of joy. "I'd love to! But first…" She turned back to the crane machine, a new, fierce determination in her eyes. "We have to liberate that Rilakkuma. It's a matter of pride now! You're the strategist, Yoichi-kun! Tell me where to aim!"
Isagi couldn't help it. He laughed. A real, genuine laugh. The sharp edges of the predator from Blue Lock softened, just for a moment. "Okay, okay. Stand here. The angle is everything." As he guided her, pointing at the glass, he realized that unlocking Aiko Hanami's heart didn't require a predator's ego. It just required being honest. And maybe, just maybe, winning her a stuffed bear.