Chapter Text
“ yo-chan, I'm going to be the number one striker when i grow up, so you got to become the number one midfielder so you can support me forever!”
“Hm”
He didn't want to say yes. Or any kind of affirmation in fact. he, too, wanted to be a striker. A striker like Noel Noa. But neither did he want to say no to the red head.
A month ago, they met in Saitama, Japan, at a football field. Itoshi sae was playing football by himself when the ball hit the poll and went flying away. The ball landed in the hand of the blue-eyed youth. The children stared at each other, as if they were mesmerised by each other. The older itoshi spoke first, "would you like to play football with me?”.
As if fated by destiny, Isagi Yoichi and itoshi sae became good friends immediately after the first time they played with each other. Although both were strangers, they bonded as if they have been old friend of tens of years.
Month after month, year after year, the two would meet each other every day to play football. Sae would talk to isagi about everything and anything, things like his younger brother itoshi Rin, all the tea from school, and the thing the spoke of most, becoming the number one striker. And the other would listen to every word the older said, remembering every detail as if his life depended on it. he, too, wanted to become the number one striker. But he could not find the heart to tell that to sae. Afterall, sae was his only friend, and he did not want to ruin their friendship.
but no matter how cautious isagi Yoichi was when around the itoshi, the teal eyed teen still left.7 years of friendship they had felt like it was all for nothing. Isagi did everything he could to accompany the older itoshi no matter what. Even if it meant pushing his body beyond its limits to keep up with sae’s play, even if it meant begging his parents to let him go to the same school as Sae, even if it meant that he need to train every second of the day when he is not doing anything despite sickness or injury, the only thing in isagi’s mind was to be by sae’s side.
That’s why his heart broke into a million pieces when sae had told him that he was leaving. With the only explanation being that he wanted to be the best.
Isagi let him leave. He knew that he would hold sae back if he were to persuade sae to stay with him. He hated it.he truly did but he then again, when it came to itoshi Sae, he just couldn't say no.
The next four years were painful for isagi.at the beginning, he would often cry himself to sleep as he thought of the fact that sae had left him to pursue his dream. He hated it. he hated being left behind, hated having to train by himself, hated being alone. Despite all this though, isagi continued to work hard in the hopes of being recruited by real Madrid and being with sae again. But that day never came.so instead, he dedicated his life to his football trainings, sometimes even staying up till the next day until he passes out from exhaustion. Ever since sae left, isagi would think to himself ‘why couldn't i have worked harder? When will sae come back? Will he forget about me?”
He would try to cheer himself up, but his joyful mood would never last for more than a month. Isagi watches all of sae’s matches and interviews and it would always end with isagi hating himself even more. why? Because the older of the two would find every chance he gets to discriminate against the Japanese footballers that believe that they can win while under the Japanese football association.
It irritates isagi to no end. What happened to sae telling him that if it was isagi, then Japan will no doubt have a chance of winning the world cup?
Four years did not pass easily for the young midfielder, not only because of sae’s departure, but also because he hated playing midfield. He wanted to become a striker like Noel Noa, to score goals, not to assist. sure, midfielders can score too but being the striker is so much more satisfying for him
Because of this, after two years of keeping track on what sae was doing, he gave up. He no longer watched sae’s matches nor interviews to keep himself from being reminded of his original dream. Isagi soon became one of the best midfielders in the entire of Saitama Prefecture, no one was able to beat him. And isagi thought he was one step closer to be with the teal eyed teen again. But he was wrong. Four years passed and there standing in the middle of the field, was the Japanese striker that had left for real Madrid.
“Sae! You're back? Why didn't you tell me sae? i became the best midfielder in saitama prefecture, I'm one step closer to being able to assist you again! "The blue-eyed youth rambled on and on, too elated to be able to see sae again. But something was wrong, Isagi could feel it. “Sae?”
“I no longer want to be a striker, Yoichi…and you no longer need to force yourself in becoming a midfielder for my sake.”
“Huh…?”
Shock was an understatement to what isagi was feeling right now. isagi Yoichi until this point had been doing everything for the sake of itoshi Sae, living for the sake of him.
“But we had a dream together! You said that we’ll be the top with me being the best midfielder and you being the best striker, have you forgotten everything?”
Sae was conflicted at the moment, and hurt. Rin’s reaction was similar as well…why couldn't the two people he loved most understand why he’s doing this? Faced with no other choice, Sae turned his back and left, without saying anything to isagi.as he walked away, he could hear a string of curses that were directed at him. He knew they were from isagi, and that’s what makes it worse.
Sae loved isagi Yoichi, perhaps more than just best friends and football buddies. A part of him felt empty during his time in Spain, without isagi’s encouragement when he messes up, without isagi’s smile that could brighten even his worse days, without isagi…
He thought isagi felt the same way too. He thought that isagi loved him to the point where he would support sae in whatever he did. But he was wrong. The moment sae had isagi of his change of heart, he could see the hatred in the younger’s eyes. Sae couldn't understand why, but decided that isagi just simply hated him, and sae would respect that. From now on, itoshi sae and isagi Yoichi were nothing but football enemies, players of the opposing team, nothing more, nothing less.