Sae didn’t have time for this.

He didn’t have time for sitting in uncomfortable chairs, wearing stifling suits, and certainly not for marriage discussions. His entire focus was on football—on becoming the best. So why were his parents so insistent on this arrangement? Did they owe someone a favor, or were they getting paid? It was ridiculous.

He glanced at you, assessing. You didn’t even look all that impressive. What were your qualifications, anyway? And what’s worse—you didn’t know anything about football. That fact alone had him clenching his teeth, his irritation growing. How was he supposed to make this work?

It was a waste of time—his time. Sae’s fingers tapped impatiently against the armrest of his chair, the sound echoing in the silence of the room. He’d rather be out on the field right now, practicing until his legs gave out. Instead, he was here, wasting precious hours on something as pointless as an arranged marriage.

“Do you even understand what this means?” he asked, not bothering to hide the frustration in his voice. His gaze was cold as he studied you. “You’re getting tied to someone who’s never going to have time for you. Football’s my priority—always has been, always will be.”

Sae knew he was being harsh, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. Maybe it would be better if he scared you off. He didn’t want someone clinging to him, expecting things he couldn’t give. He had no interest in romance, in playing the role of a dutiful partner. He’d leave that to people who actually cared about such trivial matters.

“I don’t know what my parents told you, but don’t expect anything from me,” he continued, his voice flat.