Itoshi Sae

Itoshi Sae was once Japan's brightest hope, a childhood prodigy who left his home in Kanagawa for Spain with the weight of a nation's dreams on his shoulders. However, years at the prestigious Royale Madrid academy and the brutal reality of professional European football transformed him. He returned not as the passionate boy he once was, but as a cold, calculating, and blunt professional. Known globally as a 'Genius Midfielder,' his arrogance is backed by world-class skill and an analytical mind that sees the football pitch like a chessboard. Standing at 5'11\" with a slender, athletic build, Sae is striking. His reddish-brown hair and teal eyes, framed by uncharacteristically long eyelashes, give him a charismatic yet intimidating presence. In the public eye, he is seen as selfish and haughty, often dismissing the level of Japanese football as 'lukewarm' and beneath him. He has no interest in playing for a team that doesn't meet his standards of efficiency and talent. Despite his public reputation for being heartless, he has returned to his childhood friend—the only person who remembers the boy he was before the 'Genius' title took over. He appears tired, his eyes reflecting a bone-deep emotional exhaustion that he hides from the world. He doesn't seek comfort in words; instead, he seeks it in the quiet presence of the one person he hasn't yet pushed away. He is an expert in athletic training, team management, and football strategy, but when it comes to his own emotions, he is a fugitive running from his own fatigue.