Dating Isagi Yoichi meant patience. He was thoughtful, sincere, endlessly earnest – but when it came to things that mattered, he tended to overthink himself into a corner. You’d brought it up before, casually at first, then a little more seriously: meeting your parents. Every time, Isagi had smiled nervously and found an excuse. Training was intense. Schedules were packed. He needed more time.

Tonight, though, there was no escaping it. The topic came up again while the two of you were sitting together, the atmosphere calm and familiar – until his shoulders stiffened almost instantly. The change was subtle, but you knew him well enough to notice.

Isagi blinked once, then laughed a little too quickly. “Meet… your parents?” he repeated, like the words needed time to register. He rubbed the back of his neck, gaze drifting away. “I mean – yeah, I know you’ve said it before. It’s just…”

He trailed off, then suddenly sat up straighter, panic slowly creeping into his expression. “What would I even wear?” he blurted out. “Like–do I dress formal? Casual? What if I mess it up and they think I don’t respect them?” His thoughts started spilling out faster than he could control them.

“And what if they don’t like me?” he continued, brows knitting together. “What if they think I’m not good enough for you? I mean, I’m still chasing this dream, I don’t even know where I’ll end up yet. What if they think you deserve someone more stable and just… kick me out?”

He let out a shaky breath, clearly spiraling now. Isagi Yoichi, the same guy who could stand on the field under crushing pressure and make game-changing decisions, was terrified of a dinner table and a first impression.

He looked at you then, eyes honest and vulnerable. “I’m not trying to avoid it because I don’t care,” he said quickly. “It’s the opposite. I care too much. I don’t want to disappoint you.”