25 Pre-match Counseling

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The U-20 match is fast approaching, and the official roster has been announced. The Blue Lock sentinels are undergoing their final preparations under Ego Jinpachi’s grueling training regimen.

As a Guide, you have found yourself with some unexpected free time. You’ve been busy with your studies over the past few days, rarely leaving your room except for essential tasks.

Tomorrow, you are scheduled to visit the stadium for pre-match stabilization. After your shower, you take out your small bag and pack the essentials: two work badges, your ID, pen and paper, tissues, and a portable charger...

Your phone vibrates. The screen displays a string of unfamiliar numbers with a small notification indicating a call from Germany.

...Well, although you didn’t save the number last time, you already know who it is.

You pull open a drawer, put on the translation headset provided by the staff, and answer the call.

The person on the other end calls your name with great delight.

It is indeed Michael Kaiser.

He seems quite satisfied with how quickly you answered. His syrupy tone is so vivid that you can practically visualize his expression and the faint, reddish hue at the corners of his eyes.

"Have you registered the account yet?" He pauses, then adds, "As we agreed."

"Not yet." You pinch the bridge of your nose. "Can’t we just communicate via text?"

"Texting is inconvenient."

"…………"

Under his relentless pestering, you agree with the weary resignation of someone humoring a child. Kaiser finally hangs up, reminding you that he will call again in half an hour to check on your progress.

Oh well, it’s not that much of a hassle. It might come in handy later... Besides, as long as you don’t post anything, it should be fine.

You log out of your personal "venting" account and register a new one.

You pick a random username completely unrelated to your actual name and leave the avatar as the default. You immediately follow Kaiser and send him a screenshot of the confirmation via text.

Kaiser replies quickly, sends you a cybernetic blue rose, and stops calling to check up on you.

That’s a relief.

Switching back to your venting account, you drift into a pleasant sleep, preparing to wake up early for work the next day.

*

The Sentinel-Guide Association car arrives early in the morning.

After reporting to Anri, you get in and head out. You are scheduled to stabilize Itoshi Sae in the morning. Feeling calm, you put on your headphones and fall asleep on the way.

You arrive at the stadium at 9:20 and, after a series of security checks, enter Room 1.

The stabilization room here is completely different from the one in Blue Lock. It features bright floor-to-ceiling windows, a minimalist design with light wood accents, and is fully equipped with a sofa and even a tea bar.

There is a surveillance camera in the upper corner. A table and chairs are set up in the center for face-to-face sessions, but the person you are here to stabilize is not sitting there.

Itoshi Sae stands before the floor-to-ceiling window, his back to you, swiping and tapping on his phone.

He only puts his phone away and walks toward you once you have closed the door and moved closer.

"Let’s begin."

Sae sits across from you without a word of small talk.

The lack of extra conversation catches you slightly off guard.

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You tilt your head slightly and stare at him for three seconds. He remains expressionless, as always, and you cannot tell if he is angry or not.

Itoshi Sae’s emerald eyes look back at you, his voice cold: "Aren't we starting?"

His coldness leaves you feeling a bit unsettled.

You purse your lips slightly and take his hand, maintaining a strictly professional demeanor.

Unlike his indifferent and calm expression, his mental pathways are the complete opposite; they are even more fragile than they were during your last session.

"All done."

You let go of his hand, glance at the surveillance camera, and prepare to stand up and leave.

The entire process is very brief, and it is only just past 10:00 AM when you finish.

Your work as a Guide ends here, while the Sentinel must remain for further medical check-ups and data recording.

"You—"

The subtle, dull pain and annoyance he felt have finally been relieved by your stabilization, and Itoshi Sae cannot help but call out to you.

The cool-headed midfielder maintains a perfect facade of casual inquiry, yet a hint of unease lingers in his tone.

"Are you seeing Kaiser?"

"…?"

You think you misheard him. "What did you say?"

"Are you and that German dating?"

Your mind goes blank. "No?"

"Then what is with that account and the photo?"

"Account..."

...Could he mean the account you registered last night?

Ignoring the "jealous boyfriend" tone in his voice, you quickly pull out your phone and switch to the secondary account you made to deal with Kaiser.

Despite not having posted a single thing, your follower count has already soared by tens of thousands, and the number of notifications in your inbox startles you.

You open the follower list.

The first follower is Kaiser, with his seven-figure following. Since you followed each other back, he has already sent several "lovely greetings" to your DMs.

You open your profile and see the issue.

In the middle of the night, Kaiser had posted an update tagging you, even using bilingual text: *My chosen Guide.*

"…………"

You silently exit his profile.

The second follower is a guy named Alexis Ness, who also has quite a following.

You check his profile and see that he, too, has sent you several "lovely greetings." Because you haven't followed him back, he couldn't send you DMs and had resorted to tagging you in several posts on his own page out of frustration.

"…………"

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You fall silent again, exiting the page with a splitting headache.

"I had absolutely no idea about any of this."

You swear to Itoshi Sae, then ask, "By the way, what photo were you talking about?"

"…It’s nothing."

Itoshi Sae’s tone softens significantly.

Just as he thought, that damn German is deceiving you.

In that photo, you were clearly asleep with your eyes closed; he must have broken into your residence in the middle of the night to snap it.

Relying on a mere two-point difference in compatibility, he is now trying to claim you publicly on social media...

It is already difficult enough to explain why you are stabilizing two different Sentinels; Kaiser has now pushed you into the spotlight. Your future stabilization work here might be affected.

The German did this on purpose.

Thinking of this, Itoshi Sae’s eyes turn cold once more.

"Are you stabilizing Itoshi Rin this afternoon?"

He abruptly changes the subject to his brother.

"Ah... yes."

You respond awkwardly, tearing your eyes away from the app.

He nods slightly, surprisingly having nothing else to say, and offers a word of comfort:

"Then go get some rest."

"…………"

It doesn't quite feel like the real Itoshi Sae.

Such a stable mental state, such a gentle tone—has your stabilization really become that effective?

"Don't post anything until the match, and forget about this account."

Before you part ways, Itoshi Sae gives you one final reminder. "Otherwise, it will cause trouble."

"Oh... okay."

You watch the cool guy, Itoshi Sae, walk away, but your hand, poised to click "Follow" on his profile, freezes.

Just pretend to forget this account...

So, does that mean you shouldn't follow him back either?

In your follower list, Itoshi Sae’s account is already displayed there, plain as day.