Chapter 12

Before my biological clock woke me up, Kona was my alarm clock again today. It's probably because the winter here is so cold, or maybe I'm still having trouble sleeping in my new bed. These past few mornings, Tezuka has usually already taken Kona for a walk around the edge of the woods before he brings the dog upstairs to my room.

The weight of an adult Alaskan Malamute is not to be underestimated, while Tezuka just stood in front of the door, watching Kona unceremoniously lie on me, her fluffy head rubbing against my face.

I opened my eyes and struggled to get up, rubbing Cona while yawning. I looked up at Tezuka, who was still expressionless, but I knew he was gloating.

"Sanae-neechan, wake up!" Dean suddenly appeared in the doorway. "We're going skiing today!"

Seeing his excited expression, I remembered that Bass had mentioned during dinner yesterday that this place was very close to the ski resort.

"Okay, I'll be right there." I immediately patted Cona to let her go.

The drive was less than half an hour, and all I could see when I looked up was a blanket of white snow, which left me somewhat stunned. After getting out of the car and walking a few steps, Tezuka took the hat I had left in the car and put it on me. His hands were very warm, and when he accidentally touched my ear, the obvious temperature difference made me shrink my neck.

"It's cold up in the mountains," he explained.

I rubbed my ears with both hands, smiled at him, and my cheeks turned red in the cold wind.

Seeing so much snow was exciting, but as someone who has lived by the sea for sixteen years, skiing is really not my forte. I tried carefully a few times and could only barely maintain my balance. I could easily fall if I wasn't careful. Tezuka, on the other hand, was able to ski past me with ease, with the competitive Dean following behind him.

Fortunately, Bass was a mature middle-aged man, and he took care of me to prevent me from falling headfirst into the snow.

He leaped into the air on the steep slope, and the people around him cheered. He looked radiant in the sunlight. Even I rarely see Tezuka look so carefree and relaxed.

He came back here after going around in circles. Tezuka was wearing ski goggles, which covered half of his face. The brown lenses also covered his eyes. The gray woolen hat on his head was the one I gave him two years ago before he and his uncle went mountain climbing in Switzerland for the New Year. It was knitted by my grandmother. The one she gave me was exactly the same. I felt that the light pink color was not suitable for me, so I really didn't want to wear it.

"Wait...wait a minute," the veteran player Tezuka pulled me back to continue skating before I had even stopped, "You'll fall like that, hey."

"Aren't you afraid of falling?" He turned to look at me, the golden light falling on his shoulders. "Sanae, you can do it."

I was about to ask Bass for help, but I found that he and his son had already gone to skate elsewhere, so I could only shake my head again. "Kuoguang, don't make this newbie suffer."

He raised his hand and pressed it against my forehead; the snow on his glove was a little cold. Then he said, "Just this once, I'm here with you."

Swaying as I tried to regain my balance, my brow, which had just been smoothed out, furrowed again. There was a slope right ahead, and I was sure I was going to fall. I pretended to complain and said, "I think Guoguang is really looking forward to seeing me make a fool of myself."

"No," he quickly denied, "it's just that it's rare to see you act clumsy."

"Brother, just say you're making fun of me." I gasped, almost falling over. Just before I was about to fall, I managed to steady myself and slide down smoothly. Tezuka, who was behind me, only caught up with me after I had slid halfway down the slope.

Finally getting the hang of it, I excitedly shouted with a smile, "Guoguang, look!" As I turned around, he happened to be right next to me. The reflection from his ski goggles flashed in my eyes, and I instinctively flinched. But that dodge was all it took; I, who had just been wobbling but hadn't fallen, suddenly tilted to one side and rolled twice on the snow.

"It's all your fault!" I sat on the ground, rolled up a snowball and threw it at him, hitting him right in the face. I didn't expect him to be able to throw it so accurately. We both froze on the spot.

Two seconds later I started laughing uncontrollably.

"Sanae." He reluctantly took off his hat and ski goggles, shook off the snow, and wiped his face.

"Now you can blame me." I took off my skis, got up, and tilted my head, resting my face in my hands.

Tezuka then sighed.

After spending another day in the mountains, we finally returned to the city. Dean really liked Cona and was a little reluctant to leave before going home. The two of them played ball downstairs for a while before Bass finally had to pull his son into the car. But I also had to go back to Japan the next day. Looking back on this holiday experience, it all feels a bit surreal—

On Christmas Eve, we were playing chess. The fireplace in the living room was warm, and the sky was full of stars. On New Year's Eve, we were at the ski resort. There were twinkling lights everywhere, and people were celebrating. I took Bass's place in the hall and played bridge with a group of Germans I didn't know. Tezuka stood quietly behind me, and I won two cups of hot cocoa for us.

I called my master to wish him a Happy New Year. Tezuka, who was just walking in, didn't take the phone I handed him. He made a gesture of waiting for me outside the door and then closed the door.

The master on the other end of the line asked about his grandson indirectly, while the man on this end awkwardly declined to inquire. Caught in the middle, I had no choice but to say to the master, "Guoguang is doing very well. He wishes you a Happy New Year."

"I've discovered that you're really childish." After hanging up the phone, I walked out the door and prepared to tap him on the head with my five fingers together, but he blocked it before I could touch him.

"You practice judo," Tezuka said.

"You know that too?" I said, and then switched hands, taking him by surprise to strike his forehead.

When it was just me and Bass skiing, he said that he had never seen Tezuka so relaxed in all the time he had known him. It seems that my coming to Munich has really had a big impact on him. I waved my hand and said that Tezuka has always been like this.

Coaches who spend every day with him would give such evaluations, so I naturally know very well what kind of person Tezuka Kunimitsu is in other people's eyes. In middle school, Sanada even regarded him as a lifelong rival, but the Tezuka I know is just someone who drinks tea and watches old movies in his spare time, forgets everything when he is training, and occasionally pretends to be a little slow but is actually incredibly sharp.

He would frankly thank me, but then awkwardly wait for me to see through him before asking, as if he couldn't get away from me without that opportunity.

On the last day, after taking Kona to Professor Heffer's place, we went to the market near the church. I picked out some trinkets to take back as souvenirs. There was a fountain pen that I really liked. Although it was a second-hand item, the pattern on the cap was exquisite, and it felt quite heavy in my hand. Because it was so beautiful, I stood in front of the stall for a long time looking at it.

After putting the wrapped pen into my bag, I turned to Tezuka, who had been translating for me, and said, "Yagyu will definitely be very grateful to me."

He was stunned.

"That guy, he's an old man who likes to collect fountain pens." I put my hands behind my back and walked toward the next shop.

Tezuka hurriedly took the bracelet he had just bought from the shopkeeper and started to catch up, but he missed the chance to give it to me.

I picked out some nice shawls for my mom and grandma, and a beer mug for my dad. Tezuka paid for my master's gift, since I didn't have much pocket money left. I even spent the last bit on Yagyu's fountain pen. I hope he at least prepared a decent Christmas gift for me, so that I, who spent a lot of money to buy two Phantom tickets, can at least feel some comfort.

It's because I didn't receive his call during the New Year's Eve celebrations in China.

Tezuka remained silent on the way to the airport. I told him I didn't need him to see me off, or that he could just stop at the entrance. I haven't experienced many partings in my life, and it would be too embarrassing if I got emotional and cried. That's an exaggeration; I had absolutely no such thoughts.

"Sanae." He finally spoke before entering the pass.

"Alright, alright, I know our Xiao Guang will miss me," I joked, and then took off the scarf that I had been borrowing for so many days from my neck, and wrapped it around him while saying, "I will still nag you, take care of yourself, don't hide your injuries from anyone, remember to contact your family, your master and your uncles and aunts care about you very much."

He responded, then looked down and pulled a box from his pocket. He unfastened the clasp and opened it, revealing a simple metal bracelet inside. I didn't reach for it immediately; I simply looked up at him. Tezuka hesitated for a few seconds before taking a step closer and pulling my left hand into his. A slight coolness spread across my wrist.

"This is for you," he said, straightening my sleeves. "There's a line of Rilke's poetry engraved inside."

He read out the original German text fluently, which I definitely couldn't understand, but I felt unusually embarrassed. I'm the kind of person who's very frank with people who are direct with me, but his stammering made it difficult for me to respond for a moment.

He paused, then repeated the translation to me: "I broke free of myself, finding myself alone in the great storm."

That's so typical of him. I smiled and raised my right hand to beckon him closer. I stood on tiptoe and hooked one arm around his shoulder. Tezuka bent down because of the height difference, and put his other arm around him as well. Our cheeks brushed against each other, and I whispered in his ear, "May you soar high, my dear Kunimitsu."

Just as I was about to let go, the person who had been stiff and motionless placed a hand on the back of my head and gave me a tight hug.

"Thank you," he paused unusually, and I thought he was going to say something, but he only repeated once, "Thank you for coming."

"You're welcome, friend." I winked my left eye at him, then turned around with my bag on my back.

I don't know if he feels the same way I do, but I have a vague feeling that Tezuka seems to need me, his old friend, more than ever before. This makes me feel pretty good to some extent. I like it when people trust me.

I crossed the ocean and returned to the place I knew best. The winter sea breeze carried a chilly feel, and the sky was overcast. As I got out of the taxi, I pulled my suitcase and lifted the curtain. Before I could even say hello, the people sitting inside spoke to me first.

"How's Munich, puri?" Niou said, resting his chin on his hand as he turned to look at me. Yagyu, who was next to me, also greeted me with a welcome back. Marui and Kirihara, who were busy eating noodles, could only raise their hands in a gesture of greeting.

The shop was very busy. Dad came out with a bowl of ramen and placed it in front of the two of them, then hurriedly went back to the kitchen.

I put my suitcase in the corner, snatched the soy sauce ramen from Niou, and said, "Have my dad make another bowl, it's on me."

Then he took Liu Sheng's bowl and said, "Have your uncle make another bowl, it's on her tab."

Niou and I exchanged a glance, then gave each other a high five, while Yagyu could only sigh and stand up.

Very good, it's a new year, and everyone is still the same as before.

*From the last sentence of Rilke's "Premonition," translated by Bei Dao.