Love

Mimi adjusted the hem of her pleated black miniskirt, ensuring it sat at just the right height to accentuate the length of her legs. She checked her reflection in the glass doors of the Blue Lock facility, smoothing down her long, straight black hair. She looked undeniably cute, a vision of youthful energy and calculated allure, but her heart felt like a lead weight in her chest.

For as long as she could remember, Michael Kaiser had been her entire world. They had grown up together in the harsh streets of Germany, two jagged pieces of glass trying not to get crushed by the world. While Michael had used his spite and talent to become the "Crown Prince" of football, Mimi had been his shadow, his only confidante, and the only person allowed to see the cracks in his blue-rose-tinted armor.

She had tried everything. She had been the supportive friend, the clingy admirer, and lately, the blatant seductress. She wore the shortest shorts and the tightest tops whenever they were together, draping herself over his lean, muscular frame at every opportunity. She would whisper jokes in his ear and press her chest against his arm, waiting for a blush, a stutter, or any sign that he saw her as a woman.

But Kaiser was a king, and kings were notoriously self-absorbed. He would pat her head like a pet or smirk at her antics, treating her flirtations as nothing more than the background noise of his glorious life.

"If he won't look at me," Mimi whispered to herself, "then I’ll make him look at someone else looking at me."

She pulled out her phone and sent a quick text. A few minutes later, a towering figure with messy white hair and sleepy eyes shuffled toward the entrance. Seishiro Nagi looked like he had just been woken up from a hundred-year nap, his oversized jersey hanging off his broad shoulders.

"Mimi," Nagi said, his voice a low, monotonous drone. "Reo said I should come because you have the new limited edition monster-catching game on your phone."

Mimi beamed, looping her arm through Nagi’s. He was warm, tall, and utterly indifferent to the social politics of the facility, which made him the perfect pawn. "I do! And I’ll let you play it all afternoon if you walk with me to the cafeteria. I heard they have the best lemon tea there."

"Okay," Nagi sighed, leaning his head slightly toward her. "Walking is a pain, but games are good."

At that exact moment, the automatic doors slid open. Michael Kaiser stepped out, flanked by the ever-loyal Ness. Kaiser was mid-sentence, his expression one of bored superiority, until his blue eyes landed on the pair standing in the courtyard.

He stopped dead. His gaze flicked from Mimi’s bright smile to her arm wrapped tightly around Nagi’s bicep.

"Mimi," Kaiser said, his voice dropping an octave. It wasn't a greeting; it was a demand for an explanation.

"Oh! Michael!" Mimi chirped, giving Nagi’s arm an extra squeeze. She looked up at the white-haired boy with a gaze so sweet it could cause cavities. "You remember Nagi, right? We’re going on a little date. Isn't that right, Nagi-kun?"

Nagi didn't even look up from his own phone. "Yeah. Date. Games. Whatever."

Kaiser’s eyes narrowed into slits. The blue rose tattoo on his neck seemed to darken against his pale skin. He stepped forward, his presence suddenly suffocating. Ness, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, took a cautious step back.

"A date?" Kaiser repeated the word as if it were a foreign concept he found distasteful. "With this lazy treasure? Mimi, don't be ridiculous. You’re supposed to wait for me to finish my video analysis."

Mimi pouted, a playful, sexy little expression she had practiced in the mirror. "Well, you’re always so busy being a king, Michael. A girl gets lonely. Nagi-kun is very attentive. He even let me pick out his outfit today."

That was a lie—Nagi was wearing the same tracksuit he always wore—but Kaiser didn't need to know that.

"He’s a sloth," Kaiser spat, his gaze burning a hole into Nagi’s skull. "He doesn't have the drive to keep up with you. Go home, Mimi. I’ll deal with you later."

"I’m not a dog you can just dismiss, Michael," Mimi said, her voice dropping its playful edge for a moment. She turned back to Nagi, her skirt fluttering as she moved. "Let’s go, Seis-chan. I think I saw a rare monster near the fountain."

Nagi blinked, finally looking at Kaiser. He saw the murderous glint in the German’s eyes and felt the waves of hostility radiating off him. Most people would have flinched. Nagi just tilted his head.

"You’re being loud, Blue Rose," Nagi said simply. "Mimi is nice. She’s quiet. You’re noisy."

The silence that followed was deafening. Ness looked like he was about to faint from the sheer audacity of someone speaking to Kaiser that way. Kaiser himself looked like he was vibrating with a repressed urge to kick a ball through Nagi’s face.

"What did you say, you unpolished stone?" Kaiser hissed.

"Let’s go, Nagi-kun!" Mimi laughed, pulling the giant toward the garden path. She didn't look back, but she could feel Kaiser’s eyes on her. It was the most attention he had paid her in weeks.

As they walked away, Mimi felt a thrill of victory, but it was hollow. She didn't want Nagi; she wanted the man currently burning with rage behind her.

They sat by the fountain for an hour. To Nagi’s credit, he was a peaceful companion. He played his games, occasionally resting his head on Mimi’s shoulder because she was "soft and smelled like strawberries." Mimi, in turn, fed him pieces of a crepe she had bought, making sure to be as loud and affectionate as possible whenever she spotted a flash of blonde and blue hair in the distance.

Kaiser wasn't even pretending to train anymore. He was standing on the balcony of the second floor, his grip on the railing so tight his knuckles were white.

"He’s still watching," Mimi whispered.

"The rose guy?" Nagi asked, not looking up from his screen. "He’s been there for forty-two minutes. He’s really persistent. Is he a boss battle?"

Mimi giggled, poking Nagi’s cheek. "Something like that. Are you bored?"

"A little. But the crepe was good." Nagi paused, his thumb hovering over the screen. "You like him, don't you? The loud guy."

Mimi’s smile faded into something more genuine and sad. "Is it that obvious?"

"You keep looking at the balcony. And your heart is beating really fast against my arm," Nagi said. "It’s a lot of effort. Loving someone seems like a hassle."

"It is," Mimi sighed, leaning back. "But when he looks at me... really looks at me... it feels like I’m the only person in the world. I just wish he’d do it without me having to use you as bait."

"I don't mind being bait," Nagi said. "But I think he’s coming down here now. He looks like he’s going to break something."

Mimi looked up. Kaiser was no longer on the balcony. Seconds later, the heavy doors leading to the garden slammed open. Kaiser marched across the grass, his stride purposeful and predatory. He didn't stop until he was standing directly in front of them, casting a long shadow over Mimi and Nagi.

"Date’s over," Kaiser announced.

Mimi looked up at him, fluttering her eyelashes. "Oh? We were just getting to the best part. Nagi-kun was going to show me his... special move."

Kaiser’s expression twisted. He reached down, grabbed Mimi’s wrist, and pulled her to her feet with a firm but careful tug. "I said, it’s over. Ness is waiting with the car. We’re leaving."

"Hey," Nagi said, looking up from the bench. "We weren't finished with the level."

Kaiser glared at Nagi, his voice dripping with venom. "If you ever touch what belongs to me again, I’ll ensure your career ends before you even reach the world stage. Do you understand, you pathetic creature?"

Nagi blinked, unfazed. "She’s not a ball, Michael. You can’t just claim possession."

Kaiser’s ego flared. He stepped into Nagi’s personal space, his height nearly matching the Japanese prodigy’s. "In my world, I claim whatever I desire. And Mimi has been mine since before you knew how to lace your boots."

Mimi’s heart did a frantic little dance in her ribs. *Mine?* Did he just say *mine*?

"Michael, stop it!" Mimi cried, though she couldn't hide the sparkle in her eyes. She stepped between them, her small frame a stark contrast to the two giants. She pressed her hands against Kaiser’s chest, feeling the frantic thrum of his heart. "You’re being a bully. Nagi-kun was just being a gentleman."

"A gentleman?" Kaiser laughed, a sharp, bitter sound. He looked down at Mimi, his hands coming up to grip her waist. His fingers dug into the soft fabric of her top, pulling her flush against him. "You think this lazy brat knows how to treat you? You think he sees the way you look in that skirt and thinks of anything other than sleep?"

Mimi’s breath hitched. Kaiser had never held her like this—not with this much heat, this much desperation. "And what do you think when you see me, Michael?"

Kaiser’s gaze dropped to her lips, then flicked back to her eyes. For the first time in their lives, the mask of the Crown Prince slipped. He looked jealous. He looked possessive. He looked human.

"I think that you’re a nuisance," he whispered, his voice low and husky, intended only for her. "I think you’re a constant distraction that I’ve tried to ignore because I have a throne to build. But I also think that if I see another man’s hands on you, I might actually burn this entire facility to the ground."

Mimi felt a triumphant heat spread through her chest. She reached up, winding her arms around his neck, her long black hair spilling over his shoulders. She stood on her tiptoes, pressing her body into his, relishing the way his breath hitched.

"Then maybe you should stop ignoring the distraction," she teased, her voice a sultry purr. "Because Nagi-kun isn't the only one asking for my number, Michael. There’s a whole team of strikers in there who would love to take me to dinner."

Kaiser’s grip on her waist tightened to the point of bruising, but Mimi didn't mind. It was the most honest he had ever been with her.

"They wouldn't dare," Kaiser growled. He looked over at Nagi, who was already distracted by a butterfly fluttering past. "Get lost, Treasure. The lady is busy."

Nagi stood up, stretching his long limbs. "Okay. This was getting tiring anyway. Bye, Mimi. Send me the link to that game."

"I will, Seis-chan!" Mimi called out.

Kaiser didn't wait for Nagi to leave. He scooped Mimi up, throwing her over his shoulder like a trophy.

"Michael! Put me down! Everyone is watching!" Mimi shrieked, though she was laughing, her hands drumming against his back. Her miniskirt rode up, exposing the tops of her thighs, and she knew exactly how provocative she looked.

"Let them watch," Kaiser said, his voice restored to its usual arrogant tone, though there was a new edge of hunger in it. "Let them see what happens when they try to touch the King’s property."

He carried her through the halls of Blue Lock, ignoring the stares of the other players. Ness followed at a respectful distance, looking both confused and relieved that the tension had finally broken.

Kaiser didn't stop until they reached his private quarters. He kicked the door shut and set Mimi down on her feet, but he didn't let her go. He pinned her against the door, his arms on either side of her head.

"Don't ever do that again," he commanded, his face inches from hers.

Mimi smirked, reaching up to toy with the ends of his blonde hair. "Do what? Go on a date? Or make you realize that you’re in love with me?"

Kaiser scoffed, though he didn't pull away. "Love is a weakness, Mimi. I don't do weakness."

"Then why are your hands shaking?" she whispered, sliding her palms down his chest to his waist.

Kaiser looked down. She was right. The adrenaline of the jealousy hadn't worn off. He looked at her—really looked at her—and saw the girl who had stayed by his side through the mud and the glory. She was cute, she was funny, and in this light, with her hair messy and her eyes shining with challenge, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"You’re a brat," he muttered.

"And you’re a narcissist," she countered.

Kaiser leaned in, his lips brushing against hers. "I’m a King."

"Then kiss me like one," Mimi challenged.

He didn't need to be told twice. Kaiser crushed his lips against hers, a kiss that was all fire and possessiveness, marking her as his in a way that no words ever could. Mimi melted into him, her fingers tangling in his hair, finally feeling the crown she had been chasing for years.

The date with Nagi had been a success, but the victory belonged entirely to her. She had finally brought the Crown Prince to his knees, not with a ball, but with a smile and a very short skirt.