Chapter 6

Room 301 of Jinjing Hospital, Yukimura's ward.

"How are you feeling lately, Yukimura?" Yanagi Renji greeted him as usual, but he actually knew that Yukimura's condition was getting worse day by day.

Yukimura, wearing a white and blue striped hospital gown, looked a bit sickly, but his smile remained the same. "Not bad. We'll discuss the treatment plan after the test results are confirmed. After all, this disease is very serious for someone who still wants to exercise."

"That's something you really need to think about carefully. This is the content of the recent school curriculum. If you have any questions, I will answer them next time you come. The activities of the Kaihara Festival have been partially reduced, and the purchased parts will be in place by the end of the year. Practice matches will be held by invitation as usual, and Sanada will temporarily take over the singles position. Yukimura, after your sick leave, the tennis club has been a bit chaotic, and we are planning to start the main qualifying round in advance. Also, others have been wanting to come to the hospital to see you..." Yanagi Renji summarized the recent events of the tennis club and the school and briefly told Yukimura about them.

Yukimura didn't want to worry his friends, so he managed his emotions well most of the time. In reality, this illness was much more serious than it had been when he first discovered it. The combination of the complications from the initial illness, along with the recovery and recurrence rates, made it difficult for Yukimura to decide whether to undergo surgery. "Hmm~ Sure. Tomorrow? But we can't make too much noise in the hospital. The tennis club needs more supervision, Sanada, and we can't let down our guard."

"I won't let my guard down, and I hope you get well soon. Hana has moved to the tennis club, and the regular players are taking turns to take care of her." Sanada also didn't want to talk about the illness. Yukimura hadn't made up his mind yet, and he couldn't repeat the past.

Sanada's hat covered half of his face. When he arrived at the hospital, besides quietly listening to Yanagi Renji and Yukimura discussing the future plans of the tennis club and organizing Yukimura's class notes, what he did most was waiting, waiting for Yukimura to make his own decision.

Although Yukimura hesitated at first, he had actually made his choice in his heart. Sanada could never change Yukimura's decision, especially since it was a decision that concerned his future life.

Sanada just couldn't understand why Yukimura was still hesitating when he had already made his choice.

At that time, Sanada had not yet intuitively felt the weight of life.

"Yukimura, take good care of yourself and don't go out so often." Yanagi Renji said with a hint of meaning.

Yukimura put a finger to his lips. "I understand, Renji. I won't do that next time."

"Then we'll come back tomorrow." Sanada pretended not to understand and said goodbye to Yukimura.

Yukimura was inexplicably unused to hospitals, sometimes preferring to take his time to recover and take medicine at home rather than go to the hospital. Sanada knew Yukimura's habits just as Yukimura knew his own, but it was a tacit understanding between them. Yukimura's gesture clearly indicated that something secret had occurred that only Yanagi Renji knew.

At the entrance of Kanei Hospital, Yanagi Renji ticked off his itinerary in his notebook. "Sanada, since we're in Tokyo, I'll spend the rest of my time gathering information about the Kanto region. What about you?"

"Well, I'll go get the inspection form for the discipline committee for the Umihara Festival. It might have been put in the book for Yukimura." Before Sanada and Yanagi Renji gathered at the hospital, they were making work arrangements for the Umihara Festival. The discipline committee members had to determine the scope and time of the inspection. In addition to the discipline committee's work, the tennis club's activities also had to be adjusted.

At that time, Yukimura planned a play and a simulation store, using the tennis club's playground as a flea market to facilitate the members of the tennis club to sell their unused items, as well as their own handmade products, etc.

The framework of the simulation store has been set up, and many students who heard about the situation have come to ask for space to place their unused items for consignment.

Since everything from props to scripts had to be prepared by hand, and now that the main player Yukimura was ill, the plan was aborted. Sanada planned to make the tennis club's theme a simulated store and give up the drama part.

At the door of Room 301, Sanada stopped as he was about to knock on the door.

The sound of the book falling to the ground was particularly clear. From the side of the small window of the ward door, Sanada could see the book in Yukimura's hand falling from the bed to the ground.

Yukimura took a look and let the book fall to the ground. This was not the first time this had happened.

After being transferred to Kanai Hospital, Yukimura went from being indifferent at first to panic, nervousness... and despair after numbness, which he has now become accustomed to.

At first I just felt dizzy, and it lasted for a short time, so it didn't have any impact.

Until one day, Yukimura, who didn't like the hospital environment, fainted in the hospital's walking garden and woke up in a hospital bed.

Yukimura felt that his heart was already warning him at that time, and his love for tennis made him face reality.

Tennis is himself, and playing tennis is an indispensable part of Yukimura's life. When the impact was not too great, even if Yukimura did not like the hospital, he did not want to retreat in tennis.

When the racket slipped from his hand during a practice, Yukimura realized clearly that this disease requires him to make a choice: to live a safe but powerless future in peace, or to face challenges full of unknowns and thorns.

Before today, Yukimura felt powerless from time to time more and more frequently. The sudden drop of a water cup or other handheld objects reminded Yukimura that you don't have much time to hesitate.

Also, both Sanada and Renji are gentle people at heart. Yukimura usually takes the feelings of those around him into consideration, and gives people the impression of being a warm and gentle person.

Even when he was sick, the young prodigy could be willful at times.

Sanada hid his body very well, without even making any extra noise, but the shadow reflected in the mirror betrayed the fact that Sanada had been at the door.

Sanada started wearing a hat in elementary school for unknown reasons, and Yukimura thoughtfully gave him one as a birthday gift. This angle is unmistakably Sanada. When he's unsure about how to handle something, he pulls his hat down and puts on a serious front. He also does the same thing when he's shy. The angle of the shadow is incredibly familiar.

Sanada hesitated for a moment, but decided to leave space for Yukimura. The Son of God never wanted others to see his powerless side, and Sanada agreed with this.

Through the door, this was the first time that Sanada saw Yukimura's vulnerability. Yukimura lying on the hospital bed was like thin paper, with light shining through him.

Sanada saw that Yukimura must choose the answer, but ignored the process. When he visited Yukimura before, Sanada never returned, and all he saw were the Son of God, so Sanada was sure that Yukimura could.

Whether it was during the rehabilitation period or when visiting him in the ward, Yukimura was always in perfect condition. Apart from his complexion, you couldn't tell that he was sick.

Sanada paused silently for a moment, then turned and walked away. He could draw a patrol map from memory. There was no need to disturb Yukimura at this moment. He didn't want others to see this feeling of powerlessness. The Son of God always appeared unstoppable in front of others.

Yukimura indulged his thoughts and adjusted his mood in a short while.

In the eyes of many, Yukimura, facing this situation without collapsing, was considered a patient with a good mentality. He also comforted his family and advised the students who visited him not to worry too much, to continue to pay attention to the status of the tennis club, and to make time to catch up on the missed courses...

Sanada's shadow was stretched long by the setting sun as he walked home alone. Looking at the past experience from different angles, the process was different, but Sanada believed the outcome was the same. The longing hidden deep in Yukimura's eyes remained unchanged. "Don't rush him this time. Support and trust Yukimura, just as you trust Yukimura's strength."

The regular players of the tennis club all left early after finishing their activities today. Sanada and Yanagi Renji went to the hospital to report the situation to Yukimura in advance.

The others had their own purposes. Marui Bunta searched for recipes and found something suitable for visiting patients. He made it himself, then went home and occupied the kitchen to cook, tasted the food, and selected the best-tasting one to pack.

Jackal Kuwabara went to the flower shop and bought Yukimura's favorite plants.

Niou Masaharu holds the amulet he had prayed for in advance.

Yanagisawa joined the tennis club a little later than Roshi, and had a good impression of the club's captain. He was quite familiar with Yukimura's hobbies, and after asking Yanagisawa Renji, he bought a collection of paintings based on Yukimura's preferences.

On Sunday, the starting players visited Yukimura with gifts they had prepared.

"Minister Yukimura, we're here." Marui Bunta was the first to enter and put the small cake he brought on the table.

Niou Masaharu waved his hand. "Puh-huh~ How's your recovery, Buchou?"

"Get well soon, Minister." Jackal Kuwabara placed the green plants on the windowsill.

Yagyu Hiroshi put the gifts he brought aside. "Keep these picture books for when you're bored. If you're interested in mystery novels, Yukimura, I'll bring them to you next time."

"Thank you all for coming to see me. I haven't been able to practice tennis with you all for quite some time, but I will keep an eye on the situation of the tennis club from time to time. Don't be lazy~" Yukimura thanked everyone one by one and expressed his gratitude.

Niou Masaharu agreed readily. "Of course not."

"We'll wait for you to come back, Minister Yukimura," said Marui Bunta.

Sanada continued, "Rikkai University's third consecutive championship, Yukimura."

"Of course, there is no doubt that we will win three consecutive championships." Yukimura was very proud when talking about this.

Yanagi Renji smiled as he watched Yukimura, whose energy and energy were rekindled when he talked about tennis and the promise of a three-peat. "Having more people around does have its advantages."

Niou Masaharu was still irritating Sanada. "Minister Yukimura, you need to get better soon. Vice Minister Sanada has been punishing us quite a bit lately."

"Really? I heard that you were distracted during training." Yukimura glanced at Sanada.

Sanada turned his head away without saying anything. The extra training was real, there was no corporal punishment, and the amount of training was reasonable.

Yanagi Renji recalled in his mind the number of times Sanada had given him extra training. 'It was quite a lot indeed.'

With Yukimura's illness, Yanagi Renji wasn't surprised that Sanada was a bit irritable. In fact, compared to training, Yanagi Renji felt that Sanada was much more stable emotionally. Although Sanada was scary when he was serious, in junior high school, Sanada's passion for certain things was similar to that of Kirihara Akari, plunging into things without thinking about anything else.

When Sanada learned about Yukimura's condition, he didn't rush Yukimura to receive treatment. In Yanagi Renji's mind, he was already fine. Yukimura's condition was treated with two different concepts: conservative treatment and surgical treatment.

It was a lively half-day until the hospital nurse came to the ward, and the collective visit of Rikkai University to Yukimura officially ended.