21 Chance

Both parties stared at each other in silence. Jinpachi was the first to initiate a conversation to get this awkward situation to a rolling point.

"Your parents are here to take you with them.", stated Ego with a matter of fact.

"Coach, that is not what I have signed up for. I already did get my mothers permission. Why am I just being forced out like this now?"

Haruo's mother smiled a little bit wrily after hearing him say that and looked at her husband who remained silent looking at his son.

"You should know that everything that has nothing to do with Football will stay out of Blue Lock. But the thing with this project is that we do not force anyone to stay here. It is only an option for you. And when parents see a problem with this project we have little to no say in their decision to take the players out of here."

"So, what you are saying is that the time I spent here is now over? Just because my old man came barking? I say I don't care." Haruo remained stubborn in his decision to go through this project.

There was also still the loathing feeling he had inside his heart for this man. It was exactly because of him never really being home and looking down at the previous owner of the body that his life spiraled into his death.

Haruo already mentioned his other self's death by drugs. That all only happened because a young teenager came to feel utter despair in his life. Joining the wrong groups of people.

His mixed heritage made it not any better and he was truth be told a delinquent through and through. The feeling of being someone useless and without purpose increased exponentially.

What hurt the teen most was not being able to gain the approval of his father. The person that for some reason remained an important figure in Haruo's life.

For the Haruo right now, though. It was only a matter of the past. The knowledge about the past only increased the loathing for this man.

Haruo made sure to cut all ties with everything that had anything to do with his old self. he even asked his mother to transfer him to another school where he then started from scratch.

It was probably because of the positive change she felt from him that she agreed to him joining the Blue Lock.

"You are being here and wasting your time away that should be invested in your school. You think just going missing for a few months will not change anything?" His father started asking and looked at Haruo.

"My grades are my own responsibility, not yours. Why are you so concerned about them while not even bothering about anything else? It's always the same with you." Parents, the bad ones, only looked at grades and dismissed most other factors. His father was one of them in his opinion.

"Besides, I am keeping my studies up while even being here.", added Haruo. He was always taking some time to actually learn. It may not amount to much but at least he kept it up.

"You think that is going to compensate? This project is a lost cause. It is fueled on the hopes of teenagers like you that take a high-risk gamble that they will most likely lose."

Anri who heard that was now frowning. It was the hardest and most solid argument against this project that many media outlets bickered at. Some really called them a cruel butchering project of the future of young teenagers.

But what surprised all of the people in the room was that Haruo's father leaned back and relaxed.

"Do you know why in the professional football scene there are academies that specialize in balancing both? That is because they at least care for the young players' future to some extent. When they don't make it, they at least get some academic foundation to survive without football. This here is nothing like it. It just shows how japan is disregarding your talents."

"What?" Now even Haruo was confused. He did not expect his father to mention talent?

"Dear, maybe you should tell him already why you are here."

Haruo's father sighed and opened a briefcase that he was carrying with him. He then placed it on the table in front of them and pushed it to Haruo.

Haruo only raised a brow and picked up the document. When he finally opened the folder and read the content his eyes got large from surprise.

"This is?", he asked hesitantly and looked at his father.

"I told you. If something doesn't have to do with football, I won't bother with it. I would have either kicked you out of Blue Lock and simply not let your parents enter here if it was a simple matter." Ego now chimed in again. "What you do with that is up to you. I just want to hear your decision."

Haruo stared at his own father and this time he used more concentration.

-[Hayato Sugewara]-

[Keen Falcon: T]

[Football Scout: SS]

[Veteran Youth Management: SS]

[...]

Those talents let Haruo gulp lightly.

"You are a scout for a professional team?", asked Haruo while thinking about it more seriously now. It made sense why his father was mostly away from home.

"Did you think I just met your mother here in Japan? Since you seem to have grown up somewhat mentally I don't need to hide it anymore. Now, what is your answer?"

That question still got a slight angry twitch under Haruo's mouth. Why was this old fool not just saying that sooner? But thinking about it the old Haruo, he still would not have understood his circumstances and still blamed him.

And the current Haruo would still not feel any better knowing the reason for his year-round travels.

The youth contract lying in front of him on the other hand was rather enticing. The team his father seemed to work for seemed to be Zenit St. Petersburg. Otherwise, it would not make sense to have this contract at the ready.

"And how come I got this chance?" Haruo asked with a slight suspicious voice.

"I have looked through all the data and matches you have played since you started half a year ago. I was genuinely surprised to hear from your mother that you started playing football in the first place."

"That should not get the attention of a first-class club..." Haruo was no fool to think that it was that easy.

"It is the youth academy for now...But with your improvement in Blue Lock, you are actually gaining more interest from other clubs...Those little uploads you do on YouTube are quite the spectacle..."

"Ah~, I see now. You are trying to hit the iron while it is still simmering. I wondered already why my otherwise nearly non-existent father would visit his son..." Haruo somehow went back to scorn his father. "My answer is that I will stay here and finish this project. Whatever club comes at me later is up to them."

His father looked genuinely disappointed. "Very well...Then suit yourself. But if you fail, that will be probably it."

"Let's go." Hayato moved out of the room.

Haruo's mother smiled at him. "Take care of your health and eat properly." She then also left after Haruo nodded at her with a smile.

Only Ego, Anri, and Haruo himself stayed in the small room and the atmosphere was rather awkward.

"You declined a youth contract? Are you insane?", asked Anri now.

Jinpachi only closed his eyes while hearing Anri start to bicker.

"Hmm? Should I just have left and abandoned this ship? Am I that unimportant, Anri-san?" Haruo grinned at her. He knew why she would ask that. It was really stupid in a big way. But his stubborn head just saw a wall that he would not cross over.

"That...is not what I meant." She sighed. "With going to Zenit you could have become a first-class player for sure. It would even have served the same purpose to build a good player into a national player in the long run anyway...."

"I know but I like the challenge. I only improved so much because I am here. And besides, a youth contract is not a guarantee to also play at a club later. My father only tried to snatch me away from clubs before they got the chance to get me. Man....I didn't even know until now that he worked as a scout there...Anyway, I will go back to training again. Gotta get my head a little bit free."