emma⸆⸉

— Itoshi Sae

✦ (I promise I didn’t look at your username when choosing your match.)

✦ (Seriously, I didn’t check.)

✦ I won’t lie, I was wondering when I’d finally match this little guy with someone!

✦ Actually, my first choice was a completely different person, but as always, when a bio makes me think for a long time, something wasn’t convincing me 100%—even 200%.

✦ I need that moment of clarity, you know, the "Yes, that’s it!"

✦ So gradually, reading between the lines, a magenta-haired character came to mind…

✦ There are a lot of small things in your bio that led me to Sae, but not directly, and I think that represents the nature of your ship well: all about subtlety.

✦ I find that you have many little passions and details that would appeal to Sae’s very ambitious mindset. Or at least, in which he would find himself.

✦ I’ve always believed that it’s easier to open up to someone who shares common interests.

✦ First off, there’s the fact that you’ve been immersed in sports for a long time—especially soccer, which you seem to have a particular attachment to.

✦ Sae also started playing soccer at a very young age. To quote the egoist bible:

Starts playing football: At age 1. “Before I knew it, I was playing soccer.”

✦ … The more I do these matchups, the more I tend to believe that people are drawn to characters who resemble them.

✦ In the fun little details that I always like to point out: "I’m a Sagittarius sun" Sae is a Libra, and you know, when you check online, it’s a great match. In fact, the air element of Libra stimulates the fire of Sagittarius. Basically, it’s a constantly challenging relationship, and that’s what contributes to the strength of your bond, no matter the distance. Sagittarius is also the ultimate traveler, and I think that’s significant with someone like Sae, who frequently moves from one place to another in the world.

✦ "I’m really into cars and it’s been a massive part of my life, especially the motorsport aspect" This is the kind of uncommon hobby that makes me think Sae would find it interesting.

✦ He’s very focused on the real world, on his goals, and always achieving more. Remember? 100 million yen wasn’t enough for him.

✦ One could criticize him for being too materialistic and arrogant, but I think it also reflects someone who is never satisfied with himself, who always needs to do better, to do more. Moreover, this ultra-competitive temperament is also what excites him: finding someone who is more talented than he is.

✦ Let me quote again because we can never get enough:

What makes him happy: “A play beyond my imagination.”

✦ We already see it when he recognizes Isagi’s talent as a striker. He acknowledges it.

✦ "I’ve been considered an academically gifted student since before I attended primary school" Sae will only consider someone at least as talented as he is. That’s the bare minimum if you want to keep him interested.

✦ "I have two very different sets of friends, but I love them all so much" In Sae’s case, I don’t think he has many friends, but I can see him compartmentalizing all his relationships very strictly. In other words, different people might know different aspects of him. Like Rin, who knew him as closer and more human, while everyone else sees Sae as an arrogant and overly confident guy.

✦ But this gives you a common point in that you both identify groups within your own relationships. It’s as if you’re always mindful of how you present yourself and to whom.

✦ It’s a bit of social strategy, really.

✦ Speaking of which, I’ve come to think that Sae’s love languages are probably what you’d least expect from him, like acts of service and giving gifts. I don’t think he’s very good at listening to others talk about their problems (let’s be clear, he doesn’t care, it doesn’t serve his interests). But for someone important to him, I can easily imagine him pulling out his wallet to offer all sorts of things. To me, he’s not someone comfortable with words; he prefers a more material expression of affection, as we see with Rin when, as children, he always gave him ice cream. It’s not overly demonstrative, but to me, it’s a sincere sign of interest in Rin. When Rin wasn’t feeling well, Sae always offered him ice cream.

✦ "I grew up watching it with my brother" Why do I keep seeing the Rin-Sae dynamic aaaaah

✦ "I can speak English and Irish fluently" This detail, along with the one about your school in Dublin, made me think that your encounter happened there. Probably at the soccer club, a match between Real Madrid and the Irish national team, after Sae had left Japan.

✦ A girl playing in the middle of a boys’ team is something that stands out.

✦ But there’s another thing, too.

✦ "I also love playing the sport too, I’ve played for my local team as a midfielder since I was a child" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

✦ "MIDFIELDER"

✦ ??????????????

✦ HELLO

✦ ARE YOU THE REASON WHY SAE LEFT HIS DREAM TO BECOME THE BEST STRIKER IN THE WORLD?

✦ Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeez

✦ But I really want to see this movie!!!!

✦ (Rin might not be so thrilled though)

✦ But…

✦ Damn, you did this on purpose, didn’t you? You knew Sae would come eventually?

✦ The worst part is that it’s not over, you nailed it even more with the quote that comes right after:

✦ "It’s my ultimate dream to attend a Grand Prix decked out in Fernando Alonso, Max Verstappen, or McLaren gear." Gooooosh! That’s it!! That’s also why it clicked so well between you two!!! Someone who aims for the Grand Prix, the top spot! I can’t see Sae with anyone else.

✦ In fact, he likes that you specialize in several areas. I can’t help but imagine conversations in the stadium stands, very relaxed, where he simply asks you what your ambitions are. Why are you here, what are you going to do later? And once you’ve snatched that first prize? What will your new goal be?

✦ It’s only through goals and skills that you can have long conversations with Sae.

✦ He’s not a guy who likes to dream, in my opinion, he wants something concrete, something solid.

✦ "I would also love to become a strategist in Formula 1, devising how to win the race and being able to make quick and urgent decisions in seconds." Why did I imagine you becoming his manager?

✦ "The ones I prefer to be on the receiving end of are words of affirmation and quality time." I’m starting to realize that listening to someone talk and asking questions is not at all in Sae’s usual attitude. Which makes me think that if he starts doing that, it’s clearly a sign of interest—and so… You know where I’m going with this. Something’s definitely happening there!

✦ For me, there’s a trope that works really well with Sae, and it’s anything that involves rivalry. He’ll watch you thrive throughout your career, always reminding you, "We’ll meet at the top of the podium." Because in the end, what Sae will want is to win against you. I think that would eventually become his goal.

✦ It will be an ascent together, even if it has to be done from a distance—especially if it has to be done from a distance. Sae travels a lot, all the time for his career, so there will be times when he’s not around. Moments when he won’t respond to messages. But that doesn’t mean he’s lost interest. I think he prefers to address the other person directly on the field, simply put.

✦ "I’m very insecure about my large thighs I’ve got from football." Okay, let me end on a high note with one last quote:

Fixation: Buttocks. “You’ll know an athlete’s ability by the shape of their buttocks.”

A word about your match: As I said, I initially thought of someone else, and it was Barou. I think the fact that you started sports very early could have been a major connection with him, but I think he would have been too intense, taking up too much space in the relationship. There’s a sense of independence in you that I read through your descriptions, which suits Sae much better.