Chapter 38 Unimportant Nonsense [VIP]

Chapter summary: and some spoilers for other timelines.

I envisioned a few scenarios where Tezuka, Yagyu, Sanada, and Sanae's souls swapped, but it was too complicated to implement, so I put it on hold for now. Then I thought, "What if Okada Sanae never met them?" That would turn into a very boring daily life of a model student, so I abandoned that too. Next was a life conversation between Sanae and Niou. I think they're actually quite compatible in some ways, and Niou is sometimes quite doting on Sanae (just kidding). [Purely a friendship story]

I won't go into the other random details. I even thought about writing a few stories about the old men when they were young, but I felt that it had nothing to do with the main text and was really unnecessary.

Oh right, people often ask about Sanae's appearance. She has a very sturdy build, and is about 1.66 meters tall. Her hair is always short and choppy, with slightly messy layers, because it's always cut by her mother or herself. Her hair color is similar to Tezuka's, which is brown, but a little lighter.

Enough with the preamble. (bows)

Below is an incomplete scene from the "True Sweet IF" storyline, depicting a gathering of everyone.

~Tokyo Ball Team (7)~

Bible: Has Tezuka-kun returned to Japan?

Fuji: They said they just arrived last night. Shall we celebrate Tezuka's first Grand Slam?

SurvivorY: I vote in favor. It's been a long time since we've all seen each other. After all, Tezuka and Shiraishi weren't there at Atobe's wedding, and Genichiro left halfway through.

Don't want to work shifts: There's no time like the present, let's do it tonight, friends. I just finished a 36-hour shift, and the supervisor gave me a day off tomorrow. Let's get me drunk and have a good sleep.

Keigo: Please don't lower the level of the chat group with your unglamorous, hostile attitude. I'm free tonight.

Fuji: Then I'll close early. The gallery is pretty quiet anyway.

The Bible: I could too, but what about the main character?

SurvivorY: What about Genichiro? Immovable as a mountain.

TK: I'm fine tonight.

Immovable as a mountain: I just finished my search and can go home soon.

Keigo: See you at the usual place then.

Not long ago, on the day of Atobe's wedding, Shiraishi happened to be attending a seminar in Taiwan with his professor and couldn't make it back. He had said then that everyone should definitely get together sometime, so Sanada wasn't surprised at all by the messages in the chat group on his phone. However, thinking about what happened last night, he couldn't help feeling a little awkward. After tidying up the documents on his desk, it was almost time to leave work. He glanced at Okada's desk across from him; she hadn't returned from outside yet.

Just then, Yoshimura walked in, humming a song. He probably hadn't expected anyone to be in the office, and immediately noticed his gaze. He straightened up and asked nervously, "Inspector Sanada, are you getting ready to leave work?"

"Yes." Sanada replied expressionlessly, then saw Yoshimura flip through the files to check his sidearm, seemingly still preparing to go out for the search. "Are you going to act alone?"

“Of course not! Inspector Okada had already pinpointed the location during the fieldwork this afternoon. I asked the security guards downstairs and found out that the tenant of that room always comes back late at night,” Yoshimura continued, clenching his fist. “She told me to come back and wait for orders, and also to report to the boss, no, to Section Chief Kawaguchi, and submit a bus usage application. We’ll meet up again tonight.”

"Thank you for your hard work. Be careful." Sanada reached out and opened the office door before leaving.

The setting sun climbed over the window at the end of the corridor, launching a new assault on the smooth tiled floor. It cast dappled light on the navy blue suit, leaving a sharp silhouette against the wall. Sanada knew he never hesitated in his actions, which was why he found it strange that he kept thinking about his middle school days lately, like a coward weaving a sentimental drama with his memories.

Then he suddenly realized that Sanae Okada had been a part of all his memories. They had been classmates since elementary school, and then spent six years together in middle and high school. When he was on the disciplinary committee, she was in the student council, and when he joined the student council in high school and was running for president, she became his opponent. Perhaps compared to his often intimidating self, the enthusiastic and earnest Sanae Okada seemed more suitable for the position. In addition, she had a capable running mate like Yagyu. In the end, it was predictable that Okada was elected with a high number of votes, and Yagyu naturally became the vice president.

Upon closer reflection, everyone has countless competitors, whether in academics, clubs, or other aspects. No one can be the best in everything. Being strict with oneself is certainly a good thing, but why is he so focused on someone like Sanae Okada?

Perhaps it was because Okada always seemed determined to outdo her in everything, or perhaps it was because her grandfather often reminded her not to lose to Tezuka Kuniichi's apprentice, or perhaps it was simply because it was Okada Sanae.

Standing in the dojo in her white uniform, she was eighteen years old. Her brown hair was shorter than it is now, her ears were showing, and her profile, with a slight upturn at the corner of her mouth, was quite dashing. Every pose she struck during a duel was like a frozen painting. In the fall of their third year of high school, Sanada, as the leader, brought his junior high school classmates to observe the club. Amidst the exclamations of the junior high students, his own eyes seemed to light up for a moment.

"Sanada-senpai, this senior is amazing! What's her name?" a junior asked.

"Sanae Okada is the student council president of the high school." He vaguely remembered that his tone was full of pride and admiration, as if he were naturally saying that he had a very capable friend.

During his school years, his classmates would call him "Genichiro." After elementary school, besides Yukimura who occasionally did so, only Yanagi Renji did. So when Okada, now an adult, started calling him by his name without permission, Sanada would just cough twice, turn her head away, and pretend not to hear until she had to respond to him before asking him why.

The straightforward Okada patted him on the shoulder and then said jokingly, "Haven't you heard the saying, 'Closer to your friends, closer to your enemies'? Calling him by his name sounds very friendly."

What a lame excuse.

That's what he thought at the time, but over time he got carried away and started calling her "Sanae" too. The first time he heard Okada call her that, she turned to look at him and gave him a smile that he could never forget. How to put it, maybe it was because she was sitting in the sunlight, but Sanada felt as if time had stood still.

The gathering took place at the same venue as in previous years, a bar called Yui in Roppongi with a simple and understated decor.

When he arrived, not everyone had arrived yet; there were only four people including him. Shinobu Masatane, who looked like he had just finished his shift, was fast asleep in the corner of the private room, hugging a cushion. Yukimura seemed to be discussing the upcoming art exhibition with Fuji. The sound of the door closing attracted their attention. Shinobu stretched and mumbled a greeting to Sanada while touching his glasses on the coffee table. Yukimura also turned his head, wearing a smile that made Sanada inexplicably uneasy. After all, they were old friends for many years, and he always felt that Yukimura was thinking about something unpleasant again.

"You're not nearsighted, but the way you look for your glasses, Oshitari, really makes you look like someone who is nearsighted," Fuji Syusuke remarked nonchalantly.

“I’m so sorry, these are new glasses I got this year. I’ve been diagnosed with 300 degrees of myopia and 100 degrees of astigmatism,” Renzu tapped the frame of his glasses on the bridge of his nose with his index finger. “Studying medicine is harmful.”

"My apologies," Fuji replied.

“Speaking of which, you guys have been coming to the university hospital way too often lately,” Oshitari sat up straight and looked at Sanada. “Is the security situation in Tokyo really that bad?”

“You could say that,” Sanada said, casually unbuttoning his shirt sleeve and sitting down. “Some of my colleagues are still working overtime.”

“Colleague,” Yukimura chuckled again upon hearing the word “colleague,” “How’s Okada been lately?”

“Yesterday, Yagyu called me and asked me to keep an eye on Okada’s father’s hospitalization,” Shinobu interjected first. “It’s not a serious problem, but since it’s a heart condition, she must be quite worried.”

Completely unaware of this, Sanada only realized after hearing Oshitari's words that Yoshimura's earlier statement about having somewhere to go was because of her father's situation. In fact, she could have simply told Sanada to go with Yoshimura to monitor the suspect, without having to rush over at night. However, he quickly thought that if he could so easily seek help from others, it wouldn't be something Okada would do.

A few minutes later, Atobe and Shiraishi arrived one after the other. As soon as they entered, Atobe glanced at the people in the private room and raised an eyebrow, saying, "Looks like Tezuka is going to be the last one to arrive again?" At the same time, he waved for someone to bring over the drinks that had been prepared in advance.

“Tezuka said he’ll be there soon,” Fuji said, waving his phone. “He just messaged me.”

"The main character always arrives last, right?" Shiraishi put down the laptop bag he was carrying and bent down to examine the bottles of wine on the coffee table.

Just half a second before the appointed time, the door to the private room finally opened again, and Tezuka Kunimitsu, whom everyone had been eagerly anticipating, appeared right on time. Such precision truly made one exclaim, "As expected of him!"

He sat down on the other side of the sofa. Sanada looked over and saw a completely different man from the one who had landed on a plane last night, looking somewhat travel-worn. The man in front of them had the air of a world-renowned tennis player. With his detective eyes, Sanada could clearly sense that beneath the simple light-colored shirt was a body that had been strictly managed by an athlete. In a way, could it be said that the reason he looked relaxed last night was simply because the person he was with was Okada?

What am I thinking?

"Then, congratulations to Tezuka on winning his first Grand Slam!"

Atobe was the first to raise his glass, followed by the clinking of glasses among the others.

"How does it feel to defeat such a strong junior?" Shiraishi picked up a cherry tomato with a fork and put it in his mouth. "I watched the live broadcast of the match at the hotel that day, especially the game that turned the tide. It was very exciting."

“Actually, I had a feeling I might lose,” Tezuka put down his glass. “Echizen grew very quickly after he turned twenty and became a very tough opponent.”

“That kid has continued using the techniques he used when he was a kid,” Atobe seemed to know Echizen Ryoma quite well now, “and on top of that, it’s clay court, so of course you’ll find it tricky.”

“However, I heard from a journalist friend that Echizen’s next stop is probably not the UK,” said Yukimura, who has the widest network of connections in the art world. “It seems he has disappeared in France, and his agent has not been able to find him.”

"Missing?" Renzu suddenly remembered the national tournament back then. "Speaking of which, back then, Xiao Jing even flew a helicopter to the mountains to pick him up."

When it comes to tennis, everyone sitting here seems to have endless things to say, except for Sanada, who is unusually quiet tonight and not one to talk much.

After just one round of drinks, Shinobu, who was already struggling due to his shift, went to the restroom and then collapsed into a corner of the sofa, clutching his stiff neck and falling into a deep sleep. Then, after the second round, Shiraishi Kuranosuke, who seemed to have an exceptionally high alcohol tolerance, was successfully drunk by Fuji, who appeared to be a lightweight but was actually invincible to alcohol, and ended up dead on the sofa.

As a result, the two obstacles between Sanada and Tezuka suddenly disappeared, making one wonder if this was something Yukimura and Fuji had planned. Seeing Sanada's hesitant expression as he looked at the person next to him, the two of them almost burst out laughing.

However, alcohol emboldens people, and Sanada, who was less tense under the influence of alcohol, casually put his arm around Tezuka's shoulder, turned his head to look directly into his eyes, and frowned deeply. It wasn't until Tezuka frowned and pushed him away that Sanada spoke: "Tezuka Kunimitsu, you are really a lucky man!"

"Did you drink too much?" Tezuka turned to Yukimura, pleading for help with his eyes.

“No, I’m perfectly clear-headed,” Sanada patted Tezuka’s shoulder hard again. “I won’t forget a single thing that I need to remember.”

He really did drink too much.

While confirming his own thoughts in his mind, Tezuka also let Sanada put his arm around his shoulder with a little helplessness.

At this moment, the other three remained remarkably calm, as if they were observing a chaotic scene. Fuji was about to take out his phone to record a video when he realized it was almost out of battery, so Atobe generously handed over his. Yukimura glanced at Sanada on the phone screen, whose face was not visible but whose ears were completely red, and sighed softly, "Genichiro hasn't changed at all."

"Also, Tezuka Kunimitsu, let me remind you!" Sanada continued, "Sanae is someone who will never ask for help no matter what she does. You can't be too lenient with her, or you'll regret it."

Wow, this topic is getting more and more interesting.

Having roughly grasped the situation, Tezuka suddenly asked, "Sanada, you're very concerned about Sanae and me, aren't you?"

“No, I didn’t care at all,” said Genichiro Sanada, who was clearly being sarcastic. “Not at all.”

"I don't know if you remember, but I'll remind you, even if Sanae Okada married a blade of grass by the roadside, she would never even glance at me."

Good heavens, is Tezuka Kunimitsu telling a joke?

That was amazing! Fuji Syusuke thought that if he hadn't been holding his phone, he would have stood up and applauded.

Yukimura, the only one who realized Sanada was faking drunkenness, smiled silently to the side, elegantly sipping his wine and enjoying this imagined scene of rivals meeting. Afterwards, Tezuka specifically asked Atobe for the video from that night, determined to find an "auspicious day" to casually send it to Okada, who was also curious about his childhood friend's reaction.

Wearing a bespoke suit, Keigo Atobe is already the rightful owner of the Atobe Group at his age, and he and his newlywed wife are working together to expand their business empire.

Fuji Syusuke, who runs an art gallery with his older sister and is also a freelance writer, has had his new book reprinted and sold again this spring.

Yukimura Seiichi, who returned from Europe a year ago and joined a famous studio as one of the partners, has maintained a record of selling each of his paintings for a fairly good price. At the age of 23, he was already known as a new generation painter in Japan.

As for Yuushi Oshitari, who ultimately became a medical student due to family pressure, he was in a cross-border relationship with his girlfriend, who was also a medical student in Baltimore, while struggling with his internship.

Like him, there is also Kuranosuke Shiraishi, who is still studying botany. Although no one would think that he is an academic fanatic, you can tell by looking at the papers he has published so far. That's why they say interest is the best teacher.

Then there are professional tennis player Kunimitsu Tezuka and police elite Genichiro Sanada. These people, who were initially somewhat estranged members of various school tennis clubs, are now tennis buddies who can squeeze into a private room to drink and talk about life. It's not that they haven't changed at all; it's precisely because they have changed that they have this opportunity.

Keigo Atobe's new wife is the female protagonist of "The Hedgehog Theory," two years older than him, and is the representative director of Nishiyama Metal Industry. [This book is still in pre-order.]

The famous studio Abyss describes it in "Lighthouse," which is another Echizen fanfic, and Fuji's book is also in that book.

The storyline involves Minami Katakura, the female protagonist of "Rabbit Hole," studying medicine at Johns Hopkins University, the same university where Yuushi Oshitari's older sister, Erina Oshitari, once studied.

By the way, the disappearance of Ryoma Echizen mentioned in this passage was written in "The Lighthouse," but it hasn't been updated for a very, very long time (but it's still available even though it's almost at the end).

Then, if it's a parallel world to the main story, then the guy who won the French Open here proposed to Sanae on the same day, and Sanae was in the audience at the time.