Chapter Text
“The love was there. It didn’t change anything. But it still matters that the love was there.”
Five years and eleven months ago,
“Why do you even care?”
Isagi looks at him, sending him a glare that was all too familiar. “They’re talking about me, of course I care.” He sets his phone down on the dining table, sliding it away from him. It’s opened up on an article about him, picking apart every single fault of his during Bastard’s last game. Talking about how the Bluelock model of egoism isn’t working anymore, about him only getting passes because of his relations with the team captain, about how Isagi is only on the team because of his fame during Bluelock.
Kaiser continues measuring coffee grounds. “So? They’re some shitty sports mag talking about shit they don’t know. No one even reads them, love.” Kaiser does. He’s had a subscription since 2017.
“You’re established, Micha. You don’t get it. I was nothing before Bluelock, and all they fucking do is talk about it.” Kaiser tamps the grounds. Isagi scowls. “Can you at least act like you give a shit? They’re talking about you too, you know?”
Kaiser raises an eyebrow. “You’ve been talking about this for weeks, Isagi. They shouldn’t dictate your soccer. You’re the only person who does that. Every reporter you’ve ever met has gushed about you, the commentators love you, everyone loves you. What else are you asking for?” So fucking what if some asshole with a minor in Sports Journalism talked shit? “You’re an asshole on the field and you swear like a sailor and you get away with anything you want and they still love you. Some of us don’t have that luxury. You get three hate-articles in two weeks and you lose your shit. Get it together.”
Isagi’s glare melts into something unfamiliar. “What, you wish they liked you more? It doesn’t even matter for you. You’ve been on the world stage for years, nothing they say could get you off it. My career’s been on the rocks ever since—” Isagi cuts himself off.
Kaiser laughs, and it sounds cold to his own ears. “Since what? Say it.”
“Since you wanted to publicly come out!”
“Since I wanted to? That was a decision we made together and you know it. Sorry, if I wanted to hold my boyfriend’s fucking hand on the street every once in a while.”
“We came into this knowing we wanted to put our careers first.” Isagi’s voice is quiet. “I’m putting my career first.”
Kaiser lowers his voice as well. They fight a lot. They’re just like that. Kaiser has never felt threatened, or worried, but right now he is so fucking scared. “What do you mean?”
“I think we should break up.”
Kaiser looks at him, looks at the boy he’s loved since he was 18, and says, “Okay.”
“Are you serious? Just like that?”
"What? What do you want me to say?” Kaiser sneers, his face contorting into something ugly. “I’m not gonna fucking beg for you to stay with me.”
“You’re just gonna let us go?”
“What do you want, Yoichi?”
Isagi slams the table, standing up. “I want you to give a shit. I want you to fucking care. You never care. You don’t care what they say about us, you don’t care what they say about my career, you don’t care about anything, do you Michael?”
“And if I said I didn’t want that, would that change anything?”
Isagi doesn’t answer. His hands fall limply beside him.
Kaiser lets out a sigh, and it feels like shards of glass grow within his lungs, puncturing with every inhale and exhale. “Sit down.”
Isagi does.
“Do you really want this?” He doesn't think they ever had a shot in the world.
“I think it’s for the best.”
“Sweetheart, that’s not what I asked.”
“No,” Isagi answers. “But I think it’s for the best.”
“Okay.” Kaiser lays a hand across the table. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Isagi says, taking it, and he knows it doesn't change anything.
Kaiser strokes a thumb across Isagi’s knuckles. It’s a feeling he’s memorized long ago, but he wonders when he’ll forget it: forget the warmth of Isagi’s hand, forget where the lines on his palm intersect, forget how the veins cross over one another.
He lays his head down, on the wooden table that’s just a little too low to do so comfortably. But he doesn't move. He can’t move, not if he tried.
Kaiser falls asleep, eventually. When he wakes up, Isagi’s hand is no longer in his.
One year, seven months, and 16 days ago.
#1 ∙ Football ∙ Trending
Truth or Drink
Trending with Isagi, Kaiser
#3 ∙ Football ∙ Trending
WHO WAS IT
Trending with Rin Itoshi, Isagi, Bachira
#9 ∙ Football ∙ Trending
break up
#27 ∙ Football ∙ Trending
WHAT IS HE DOING HERE
Trending with Barou Shoei
Cut.com @cut ∙ 1d
Bastard Munchen’s @KAISER10 and Paris X Gen’s @isagiyoichi play Truth or Drink, four years after their breakup! Watch the full video now: https://youtu.be/XjsgoXvnStY
💬 392 ⇅ 3,493 ❤️ 202.3k
Spet @TheSpet ∙ 14h
the way they can’t decide on how long ago they actually broke up is PRECIOUS
💬 3 ⇅ 2 ❤️ 304
Pistatsia @realPistatsia ∙ 23h
wait i'm new to football, why did they break up?? they seem so in love i don't get it
💬 125 ⇅ 13 ❤️ 10.1k
misty_just @just_misty ∙ 23h
i don't think ive ever seen isagi glare this much in my life
💬 41 ⇅ 58 ❤️ 7,348
Ryubotchan @officialRyubotchan ∙ 23h
ik this like isnt the vibe but KAISER LOOKED SO HOT CHUGGING THE VODKA HOLY SHIT
💬 29 ⇅ 102 ❤️ 6,012
Ylexarshen @BLLKYlexarshen ∙ 14h
Why Isagi Yoichi and Michael Kaiser’s breakup is actually a four year long publicity stunt: a thread, [pt 1/37]
💬 56 ⇅ 1,493 ❤️ 1,003
Paulina @kiis_stan ∙ 1d
i wish to live in as much delusion as you do
💬 2 ⇅ 8 ❤️ 503
rinko66 @rnisforever ∙ 21h
We’re all in agreement that it was DEFINITELY rin, right?
💬 392 ⇅ 3,493 ❤️ 20.1k
ObsidianAbyss @bachiras_monster ∙ 21h
absolutely not, it’s gotta be bachira
💬 20 ⇅ 79 ❤️ 2,183
NQueenOfHearts @w0nderland ∙ 21h
Based on the timeline, we can assume it was within 1-2 months post breakup, so out of the bllkers Isagi was spotted with at that point it HAS to be Nagi Seishiro
💬 3 ⇅ 96 ❤️ 1,004
hllwn @king-of-villains ∙ 20h
but you’re forgetting that they likely didn’t tell the public until a little later, so the only person isagi saw during that timeframe was actually barou @realBarouShoei @realBarouShoei @realBarouShoei
💬 68 ⇅ 36 ❤️ 11.1k
The Villain ✓ @realBarouShoei ∙ 20h
What the Fuck.
💬 506 ⇅ 6,479 ❤️ 48.2k
hllwn @king-of-villains ∙ 20h
oh my god why is he here
💬 16 ⇅ 21 ❤️ 19.6k
getawaycar13 @rep_era ∙ 9h
oh my god did anyone notice how isagi like fixed kaisers hair for hiim when he got bakc like i'm hmfhkdjsh
💬 19 ⇅ 26 ❤️ 3,294
MadKirie17 @FURIOUSkirie71 ∙ 6h
kaiser taking a shot for “how long did it take for you to get over me”,,,,,,i'm sobbing let them be happy pls
💬 14 ⇅ 24 ❤️ 1,395
lem @lem000 ∙ 1h
“i wouldn’t erase any of it” WHEN IS IT MY TURN GOD
💬 2 ⇅ 5 ❤️ 93
ShroomTheHermit @shrooms ∙ 11h
Kaiser calling Isagi Yoichi “love” for three minutes straight [all clips from interviews and livestreams] https://youtu.be/NT0EmAgP-_k
💬 438 ⇅ 1,293 ❤️ 9,203
ilovegetosuguru @satosugu ∙ 11h
the last four minutes of the video gave me whiplash i didn't think it would be this sad 😭
💬 25 ⇅ 104 ❤️ 8,383
One year, eight months, and 6 days ago,
Isagi flips over the card. It reads “Do you still love me?”
He still loves him. He still loves Michael Kaiser.
Of course, he still loves him. He’s loved him all this time. He’s loved him when they broke up, when he kissed Sae, throughout the two shitty boyfriends he’s had in the past four years.
He can’t even call them shitty. They were fine. They just weren’t Kaiser.
Isagi stands up, not bothering with saying anything — providing any sort of explanation to the cast and crew standing in front of him — and heads straight for the door across the set, still swinging closed from where Kaiser disappeared.
The door opens into a small hallway, and he catches sight of blue hair fluttering past the exit as it slams shut. “Kaiser!” Isagi curses, pushing faster and opening the next door, leading to the parking lot. “Micha, fucking talk to me!”
Kaiser whirls on him. He looks…unfamiliar. Nothing like the cocky personality he had on display just minutes ago. His eyes shine with vulnerability, and he’s biting the inside of his mouth harshly. He looks more natural, real. A sight Isagi hasn’t seen in four years and two months.. He’s missed it.
“Dammit, just leave it alone. It’s fine, you really don’t need to say anything.” He begins to turn back, but Isagi grabs him by the arm.
“Kaiser, please, just two minutes—”
“I don’t need this right now!” Kaiser’s eyes are wide, like he’s not really sure what he’s saying. “Shit, Isagi, things are going good right now. Really , really good. I’m playing alongside people I never thought I would, I’m coming off of my first World Cup win, and my sisters are finally talking to me again, and I can’t do this .” He wrenches his hand out of Isagi’s grip, and starts backing up, and Isagi can do nothing but watch. I really thought I could, but I fucking can’t. I’m sorry.”
He turns back, walking away, and fuck, Isagi can’t lose him. Not again.
“The answer was yes,” He says, and Kaiser falters in his steps. “I still love you.”
Kaiser turns back, and the vulnerability present in his face is gone, as if his last words were never spoken, a mistake, a glitch. “No you don’t.” His voice is quiet but carries over the meters between them.
“I—”
“No you don’t. It’s been four years.”
Isagi laughs, the sound coming out scratchy and wet with unshed tears. “I know. Pathetic, isn’t it?” He’s sure he looks like a mess right now, sweaty from the studio lights and face blotchy, and probably a little insane from how he can’t stop smiling. “I love you. I don’t think I ever stopped.”
Kaiser looks almost dazed, blinking a few times. He spares a glance to their surroundings. There isn’t much, just a few cars parking in the lot and a few more people passing, none of whom have recognized them. Kaiser swallows. “There’s a lot of people here…we should move somewhere—”
Isagi cuts him off. “Do you still love me?”
“Of course.” His voice is quiet. “Of course, I love you.”
Isagi smiles, and shit, he’s crying, isn’t he? He stumbles into Kaiser’s arms, pressing his face to his chest. Kaiser doesn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around him, burying his face into Isagi’s hair.
Familiar, he thinks. This is familiar.
They’ll be alright.
Today,
“You almost done?”
“Yeah,” Isagi replies, typing up the last email addresses for the invites. He reads the last one on the list and grins, leaning back in his desk chair for a moment.
Kaiser throws his arms around him from behind, dramatically and annoyingly.
“ Kaiser, ” he scolds. But the man in question begins peppering kisses down his neck, so he really can’t be complaining.
“C’mon, love,” he pauses for a kiss, “we’re gonna,” another pause, “miss our reservation.”
Isagi huffs, referencing the list to make sure he has the right email. “It’s the last one , I’ll be done in a second.” He hits the submit button, sending the final wedding invite to Celine Moreau.