Zephyr {Sae Itoshi x Reader}

No Call

It's been seven days since Sae asked me to come to his soccer banquet.

And it's been seven days since we last talked.

No text, no call, no visit, no cafe, I was worried. The only other time we'd been out of contact like this was when the article came out about Sae fighting Ito, and afterwards wasn't a pretty clean up.

At first I wondered if he was just preparing for the banquet. I didn't know what to expect; maybe he had to speak or present something? But why the total absence? I'd reached out several times in the past week, only to see the blank space where his replies should have come.

But today was the day of the banquet. And Lord knew I had no idea what I should do. Did I go and risk Sae not wanting me there? Did I skip and accidentally abandon Sae? There were so many questions, and the one person who I needed was ghosting me.

I picked up the phone to call him again. It sounded like Sae would pick me up and we'd go together, but at this point, I had no idea what would happen.

Maybe he was kidnapped?

That made my dignity go up a bit. Not being ghosted.

No answer. This is ridiculous, I pouted. I got an invite, so I'm going to go. If Sae doesn't want me there, he should've told me that himself.

I sprinted to my room and whipped through my closet. I had two hours to get ready, so I wasn't short on time. The only formal clothes I had all looked to be clothes Ito got me. Which meant they were way too slutty to ever wear. I made a mental note to burn it.

That bastard.

But behind everything Ito gave me was something good. Really good, actually. I'd forgotten how much it complimented my skin tone and figure without being too slutty. I suppose Ito wasn't into it if he couldn't see skin so he hid it.

Once again: that bastard.

I knew it was a formal event, but I didn't exactly know how far to go. I did my makeup a bit nicer than usual and put my hair in a flattering manner that wasn't too flashy. After all, this was Sae's day. I wasn't even sure if I was supposed to attend. But damn, I still looked pretty good.

I gave myself a good, long glance in the mirror. The last time I did that I was covered in scratches and bruises, just coming home from the hospital. That night I looked like a mess, but now? Now I saw myself. I was pretty. I was in a dress I wanted to wear and making a decision I wanted to do.

It was freeing.

"Y/n!" my mother called. "Aren't you supposed to be leaving soon?"

I looked at my clock. I hadn't realized how quickly the time had slipped away. "I'm coming!"

After securing the directions in my phone, I headed off to the facility. But when I arrived, my hands nearly slipped off the wheel in shock.

The place was absolutely massive. It looked like a modern palace with all of its decoration. I pulled through to the parking lot, only to be stopped by a man in a dark suit.

"If you don't mind, miss, I'll take your car," he smiled. "It's valet parking."

I grimaced. "I'm sorry, sir. I don't have any extra cash on me to pay valet. Is there somewhere else I should park?"

A third voice entered our conversation. "Ah, nonsense. I'll pay for you! There's no need for our very own Sae Itoshi's girlfriend to pay for valet parking. What disrespect! You scoundrel. You absolute fiend!"

The man had a cheery smile and lots of stubble gathered on his chin. He spoke in dramatics, as though he were an entertainer, and I broke into a loud giggle. He had a thick accent, but I couldn't place it well. Spanish, maybe? Italian?

"Of course, sir," the valet nodded, a smile drifting on his face. Who was this man, who could speak in such a manner that everyone around him could laugh. If everyone here was this good-natured, then I clearly had nothing to worry about.

"Put it on mine," a new voice entered.

The man winked at me, and I smiled back at him. "Thank you."

"No problem, sweetheart." The man grabbed my purse off the floor and passed it to me.

I froze. No. This wasn't like that. This couldn't be like that. This man was far too kind and understanding to be like that man. The one from the bar. He was scraggly and drunk, while this man was put together and good-natured.

I was perfectly safe.

I hopped out of my car and tossed the keys to the valet. "Thank you, sir."

"Anytime," the man nodded. He extended his hand for me to shake, which I gladly took. "My name's Coach Nixon, and don't worry, I'm already well acquainted with you."

"Are you now?" I smiled, feeling a bit awkward. "My boyfriend's the celebrity, but I guess a slight bit of fame has been directed on me."

The two of us walked into the building, pleasantly chatting along the way. The banquet hall was black and white, with elegant decorations adorning the room. I felt as if I were in one of those fancy award ceremonies you'd see on TV, although I suppose this could be one of them.

Coach Nixon turned to me. "Speaking of your boyfriend, where is the little devil? I haven't seen him in quite some time."

But in that very moment, a certain boy caught my eye. Gorgeous red hair, striking blue eyes, and a mouth gaped in shock and unbelievable horror.

"Don't you fucking touch her."