Sae Itoshi doesn’t love anything more than football
…right?
Sae Itoshi was on his knees.
Thee Sae Itoshi. Was on his knees. In front of you. His teal eyes were looking up at you, tracking each of your every moves as carefully as he did back on the soccer field. He was scanning each feature, as if he could psychoanalyze what the best response for him would be. His maroon hair was perfectly messy, free for once instead of slathered in his game day gel.
He looked beautiful, which didn’t make this any easier. You loved him, yes. But you loved yourself too, and knew you deserved better than this.
You couldn’t keep up with it anymore. He was constantly abroad for games, constantly training. You saw him maybe once or twice a month. Sure you could tag along on the plane to some other country, but you had a life back at home. Let alone the fact that when you actually did see him, he barely seemed happy about it at all. You guys just weren’t compatible, not with that cold, unbothered demeanor of his. And he didn’t care about anything besides football.
So…. Yes.
You were standing here breaking up with your boyfriend of three years.
You tried to sound firm, even though your voice was trembling. He was unnaturally still. It was like watching a panther, wondering if they were about to pounce. The air around you guys was awfully heavy, and your stomach was starting to churn a bit. “Sae… I.. I don’t know what to say. I just-“
“I’ll quit football.”
“………………what?”
“I’ll quit football.” He said again. He hadn’t blinked once, his stare piercing.
You almost laughed but you were just too shocked. Was he serious? You didn’t know what to say. “What? No, you can’t do that. Are you crazy?”
“I’d be crazy if I let myself lose you.”
“Sae. You can’t quit football. You’re the best player in Japan. I don’t want you to quit.” You threw your hands to the side.
“I won’t quit if you stay with me.”
“Oh my god. This is ridiculous. First you will quit if I stay, now that’s the only way you won’t quit?” Your voice was going up a few pitches as you began feeling exasperated.
He finally blinked.
“I just don’t want to lose you. Please. Can we just work something out, please?” His fingers were lightly circling your ankle, shooting shivers all the way up your spine. You closed your eyes briefly. “Sae, stop trying to distract me. And stand up, I can’t think straight if you’re like this.”
“So you’re not breaking up with me?” He said, voice becoming less serious and more teasing by the second.
“What? I didn’t say that. We still have to talk things out.” You started backing away as he stood to his full height, approaching you with an amused look on his face.
Suddenly, he swept you off your feet, throwing you over his shoulder. Your legs dangled over his front, and you had a view of nothing but his back and the floor. You started to flail your feet. “Sae! Let me down! I said we have to talk it out!” You squealed as he continued his way toward the bedroom.
“Yeah. We’ll talk it out. We’ll talk it out real good.”














