Sypnosis: Sae falls head over heels for f!reader only to find out she's a gold digger...
Genre: fluff to angst, no comfort.
Warning: cursing, f!reader has a rough backstory, mentions of sex and one night stands, suggestive, some spelling mistakes.
Sae never liked anything more than soccer. He always prioritized soccer. He rarely even contacts his family. Because he's too busy playing soccer around the world. Only his mother reaches out to him nowadays but she js getting tired. He never visits Japan unless his visa expires. That's how devoted he is to soccer.
Japanese soccer is mid anyway.
He thought he'd spend all his life like this. Like a soccer-robot. He didn't want a lover or a family. Hell, he even ended his precious brotherhood with his little brother, and he still doesn't care.
Until he met you. A university student and a part-time manager for soccer teams. Usually for very small and unknown teams. But it got you living. And when Sae arrived at Japan after deciding he'd stay in Tokyo for a year to look at Japanese soccer. Just a year, and then he'd go back to Madrid.
You were assigned to become his manager for the year. You've heard a lot about his attitude back then. You'll handle it.
You spoke too soon, this guy seriously got some nerves. Arriving late at meetings, interviews, and fan-meetups. Being late is one thing, and being rude is another thing. He couldn't even care less. He has the audacity to show up to soccer practices the earliest and not show up to important interviews that would kill his social image.
You've spent months stressing over how to not get him canceled since the Japanese media is sensitive. And somehow, he didn't get canceled. All thanks to you. You're no better to him either. He'd just stand there while you complained and scolded him like a karen. And you come up with the most creative and batshit insane insults that even the Sae Itoshi is shocked to hear. I mean, no one else dared to talk to him like that, not even his real manager back in Madrid that's enjoying life without his attitude right now.
Until one day, you found yourself in his bed. His arms around you and clothes NOWHERE to be found. Did you have... sex with this guy?
From that day on, the "relationship" started. You could say that. You didn't really love him, actually. But he loved you and you stayed with him.
Because you're a broke university student who has tons of debts to pay that were left by your poor excuse of a father. He killed himself one night, and all the debt went to your name. You have a tuition to pay and needs to live. And Sae is a fucking world-class athlete. Millions of money in his bank account.
"Come on, Sae. I told you not to buy me fancy nonsense like this." You said as you looked at another ridiculously expensive purse he bought you.
Sae hummed in response as he buried his face in your neck, arms resting on your knee before sliding it up to your thigh.
You scoffed, "This is unnecessary, really."
Sae took the purse from your hands, "It's fine."
"No it's not. I feel like a gold digger."
Sae frowned, "No, you are not. I know you love me."
Gosh, you felt so guilty. You are here because of his money... isn't that what makes you a gold digger?
"Whatever, just forget it." You turned off the bedside lamp, placing the purse on the floor before curling into his chest like a cat.
But when time passed, you started liking him, too. You made bento before he left for practice every morning. You kissed his cheek before going to sleep every night. And then it all hit you, you really love him. You eventually stopped selling whatever the expensive stuff he gave you to pay off your debt secretly. You kept and cherished them. You started wearing the things he gave you. You stopped hiding yourself in public whenever you two went out. You wanted to live with him forever as his lover.
Then he found out. By your "friend" who was jealous of you dating him. You told her that you didn't like him and were just there to survive at the start of the relationship. He did deserve to know. Just not like that.
"Y/n, say something. Anything."
But you couldn't. All the words were piled up in your throat, ready to escape at any moment. You wanted to apologize and kiss his face that looked sad for once before it hardened again.
Because it is partly true. You dated him because of money in the start... now you really love him. But you still stayed quiet. And you swore you saw his eyes glint with unshed tears before they went back to normal.
Seeing you finally shut up for once actually broke him. "Pack your things and leave by tomorrow morning." was the last sentence you ever heard from him.
He didn't look back when he boarded the plane. It has been more than a year since he came to Tokyo, now his reason to be there anymore disappeared.
You stood inside the airport as you watched the plane take off. Sae didn't look back once. He wanted to forget you. He wanted to hate you so bad. But he didn't. He couldn't.
Sae tried new relationships back in Madrid. He met beautiful women. Models, actresses, influencers and even celebrities. They were beautiful. But none of them compared to you.
Sae pretends all of them are you. He tricks his brain into thinking they have your hair color, your eyes, your face and your personality.
When he has sex just to release his sexual frustration, he pretends it is you beneath him whispering his name. But no matter how much Sae tries to convince himself, they still aren't you. They are too short or they don't arch their backs right.
Sae feels like a pathetic teen who can't move on from his first relationship that lasted 2 weeks. Maybe he is.
"Sae Itoshi scores another amazing goal against PSG yesterday! Wow, mi amor is so amazing!" The girl infront of him, appearently the most gorgeous woman in Spain according to the newest Vogue magazine squeals before kissing the corner of his mouth. Sae doesn't react.
He looks at her... and for a moment he sees you. Then all the illusion fades like a smoke, the face of the rea girl sitting beside him appears. Sae reaches out for the illusion like a delusional idiot in denial... nothing.
He stays quiet for a moment before speaking, "Y/n, no Elena, let's break up."
Elena's smile disappears. She looks like shes about to cry before babbling about, "What! Why?? I cancelled my interview just for you today!" Blah blah blah. Multiple people stared.
Sae stood up, leaving enough cash for the crying girl to pay for their drinks. He steps outside the cafe and walks to his car...
He is going back. Going back to the soccer-robot lifestyle. And... maybe, just maybe if his pride and ego didn't devour him like this, he would have went back to Tokyo, finding himself back in your arms, paying for everything, your tuition, your debt even if you don't love him.
That sounds better than whatever the fuck he is going through right now. But he never would. And that's what shapes him as a person.
I was thinking about a happy ending but Sae deserves to suffer (i still love him tho)
Yearner Sae is canon in my heart.
Credits to @cursed-carmine for the lace boarders.