Chapter Fourteen

In the arrival hall of London Airport, Yukimura, dressed in a comfortable red tracksuit, stood tall and straight among the crowd.

His gaze cut through the flow of people and landed precisely on the beautiful figure he had been longing for for so long. A tenderness instantly welled up in his eyes—his wife had been having so much fun in Germany that she had forgotten when she would return, which only made his longing for her overflow.

As soon as Yuzuru pushed his luggage out, he saw that familiar figure. A bright smile immediately appeared on his lips, and he let go of his luggage and ran towards him.

The moment her warm body nestled into his arms, Yukimura tightened his embrace, holding her tightly. The familiar fragrance emanating from her body filled his nostrils, and the emptiness he had felt for days was finally filled by this tangible touch.

As night deepened, the bedroom light shone softly and gently. The tenderness of separation, like newlyweds, quietly spread between them.

Two figures intertwined tightly, lips and teeth touching, skin pressed together, as if trying to make up for the separation of the past few days and to completely integrate the other into their very bones.

Yuzuru, who usually begs for mercy first, went to great lengths to please this time, tracing Yuzuru's outline with his fingertips, his breath mingling with each other, expressing his deep longing for Yukimura with the most ardent actions.

After a long while, their clothes came undone, their breathing gradually calmed, and the night was deep. Yukimura lowered his head and placed a gentle kiss on his wife's sweaty forehead, his voice hoarse but full of affection: "I love you, Yu."

Yuzuru beneath her could no longer withstand such intense tenderness. His eyelids closed heavily, and he drifted off to sleep with even breathing, the corners of his eyes still flushed.

After a brief period of respite, more intensive training followed, and the intense competition schedule officially began.

In the heated French Open, under the dazzling spotlight, the name "Yukimura Seiichi" began to emerge on the world tennis stage and gradually became more prominent in the public eye.

In each intense match and each exciting rallied, his agile footwork, precise placement, and highly entertaining skills, coupled with his impeccably handsome face, drew cheers from the fans in the arena with every swing of his racket, a high-pitched and enthusiastic roar.

Yuzuru had already finished all his work day and night, and followed Yukimura closely, watching every single one of his matches without missing a single one.

From initially admiring his style on the court and marveling at his near-perfect performance, to feeling heartache seeing him persevere with injuries and his jersey soaked in sweat, it all eventually turned into wholehearted support and encouragement—that focused and unwavering gaze from the sidelines has always been his strongest backing.

"This is Yukimura Seiichi," Yuzuru thought to himself as he gazed at the man shining brightly on the field. "His brilliance is undeniable, like a natural star destined to shine in the sky and be known throughout the world."

Although Yukimura unfortunately stopped at the round of 16, this did not overshadow the brilliance of this rising tennis star.

The name "Yukimura Seiichi" continues to appear in major sports columns and news reports, making him a rising star in the tennis world.

Time flies, and the start of the school year is fast approaching. At that time, Yukimura's competition schedule was still ongoing, and she was unable to accompany him back home in person. Her manager had already helped her complete the procedures for taking a leave of absence from school.

At the airport, when they parted, Yukimura held her hand tightly, his eyes filled with reluctance, and gently stroked the back of her hand with his fingertips: "Take care of yourself. I'll come to see you as soon as the competition is over."

Yuzuru tiptoed and planted a light kiss on his lips, nodding with a smile: "You too, be careful, I'll wait for you."

Turning around and boarding the plane back, Yuzuru gazed at the shrinking city of London outside the window, his heart filled with longing and anticipation.

In early autumn at the University of Tokyo, the plane tree leaves are just turning pale yellow, and the air is filled with the faint fragrance of osmanthus.

After completing his enrollment procedures, Yukimura Hanyu strolled leisurely along the campus's stone-paved paths, clutching his brand-new student ID.

The century-old red brick buildings are scattered in an orderly fashion, and sunlight filters through the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows. Students sit in twos and threes on the lawn reading and chatting, creating a tranquil yet vibrant atmosphere.

She raised her phone and took pictures of the school building's spire, the ivy-covered walls, and the unnamed little yellow flowers by the roadside, sending them one by one to Yukimura, who was competing overseas, with the caption: "Oichi, this is our new campus! We'll show you around when you come back~"

As the sun began to set, Yuzuru put away his phone and headed towards Momozawa's house.

Momozawa's family home in Tokyo is not far from the University of Tokyo, only a 20-minute walk away. The environment is quiet and more comfortable than the dormitory, so she did not choose to live on campus and decided to go home every day.

Yukimura did rent an apartment near the school, saying it would be convenient for her to stay there occasionally, but since he wasn't around, Yuzuru felt lonely looking at the empty room, so she never went there. The key was still quietly lying in her bag.

The days slipped by quietly in the midst of his busy schedule. Yuzuru had to adapt to his major courses in Chinese literature while also taking care of his part-time job, keeping him as busy as a spinning top every day.

That noon, she had just come out of the teaching building and was heading to the cafeteria for lunch when she suddenly heard a familiar voice behind her. Turning around, she was instantly overjoyed: "Li Zhi? You've come to Dongda University too!"

The boy turned around, a surprised smile on his face: "Long time no see, Yuzuru, what a coincidence!"

The two hadn't been in contact much, and they never expected to meet again at Tokyo University. Li Zhi, dressed in a simple white T-shirt and jeans, looked more mature than before: "Tokyo University's computer science department is very strong, so I came here specifically to pursue further studies. What about you? What are you studying?"

“I studied Chinese and minored in communication,” Yuzuru replied with a smile, walking side by side with him towards the cafeteria. “I never expected to run into you here, what a coincidence.”

The two chatted about their recent lives, reminisced for a while, exchanged contact information, and then went to different windows in the cafeteria, promising to keep in touch.

Several months passed in the blink of an eye, and Yuzuru gradually adapted to the pace of Tokyo University and even joined the Broadcasting Research Club that he had longed for.

The training in the club was very solid. The basic vocalization and news broadcasting exercises in the broadcasting department made her broadcasting skills improve rapidly.

After finishing her club activities that day, she went straight to the library with her backpack—the professor had assigned a survey report on the current state of Chinese language dissemination, which required consulting a large amount of materials and data, and the task was urgent and demanding.

The library was quiet, with only the scratching of pens on paper and the occasional turning of pages.

Yuzuru sat by the window, a thick stack of documents spread out in front of him, his fingers rapidly typing on the keyboard, carefully recording key data.

Suddenly, a shadow loomed over her. She looked up and saw it was Li Zhi.

"Still busy?" Li Zhi greeted her with a smile, and sat down in the seat next to her. "I just happened to come to borrow a book, and I didn't expect to run into you."

"I'm working on a research report assigned by my professor," Yuzuru said, pointing to the screen. "It's about the spread of Chinese culture, and I'm having a headache because I don't have enough data."

Li Zhi leaned over and looked at her document, then offered, "I've heard my classmates talk about this topic before; maybe it can give you some ideas."

Based on his knowledge, he shared many unique insights on new media communication and the current state of overseas Chinese education. He also said, "I have a classmate who is doing research in this area and has a lot of the latest data. If you don't mind, I can ask around and see if I can share it with you."

Yuzuru's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he quickly thanked him, "Really? Thank you so much! This data is so important to me."

"You're welcome. It's only right for classmates to help each other." Li Zhi waved his hand, took out his own book, and quietly studied with her.

A few days later, Yuzuru indeed received an email from Li Zhi, which included several detailed data reports and research papers, all of which were the materials she urgently needed.

After carefully studying the report, she revised it and submitted it to the professor, whereupon it received high praise: "Yukimura-kun, the data in this report is detailed and the analysis is thorough. It's clear that you put in a lot of effort. It's excellent!"

Yuzuru felt warm inside after receiving the professor's praise, and was even more grateful for Li Zhi's help.

She specially invited Li Zhi to dinner at a well-regarded izakaya near the school. During the meal, the two chatted amiably, from their majors to their lives, in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.

After a busy period, Yuzuru walked out of the school gate. The evening breeze was refreshing, carrying the coolness of an autumn night. Since she didn't have to go to class or work overtime tomorrow, she decided to treat herself—to eat at that omakase sushi restaurant she'd been craving.

This shop is a hidden gem that I stumbled upon while shopping in Mina. It's tucked away in a quiet alley, with a small storefront but a very cozy atmosphere.

The owner is a kind uncle with superb skills. Most importantly, the fish on the sushi is exceptionally generous, with a huge piece covering the vinegared rice. The portion is surprisingly large.

Yuzuru pushed open the door, greeted the owner familiarly, and chose a seat at the bar.

The fresh tuna belly sushi melts in your mouth, the sweet shrimp sushi is tender and juicy, and there's also her favorite anchovy sushi, which is savory and delicious.

The owner made three mini seafood rice bowls, each filled with salmon, Arctic surf clam, and sea urchin—the ingredients were incredibly generous.

Yuzuru took small bites, squinting his eyes in satisfaction, as if the fatigue of the past few days had been healed by the delicious sushi.

When Yuzuru pushed open the door to Momozawa's house, his fingertips were still damp with the coolness of the milk he bought from the convenience store. In the warm yellow light of the entryway, the figure leaning against the shoe cabinet made him stop in his tracks instantly.

"Ashi? Why are you back? How did the competition go?" Surprise exploded like stars, instantly filling Yuzuru's eyes. He almost rushed over and hugged her tightly.

The familiar scent of cedar mixed with a faint smell of sweat was a unique aroma belonging to Yukimura, which suddenly put his long-held anxiety to rest.

"It went more smoothly than expected. We can rest for two days." Yukimura rested his chin on Yuzuru's neck, his voice slightly hoarse from the journey, and the longing surging in his eyes was almost overflowing. His fingertips gripped Yuzuru's clothes tightly, as if afraid that if he let go, Yuzuru would disappear.

"You must be exhausted. Are you leaving soon?" Yuzuru loosened his grip slightly, his fingertips gently stroking the faint dark circles under Yuzuru's eyes, his tone full of concern.

He knew how many nights Yukimura had stayed up for this match. In the videos, the man always forced himself to be energetic and say that everything was fine. But now that he was so close, he could see the exhaustion hidden beneath his composure.

The Momozawa family home happened to be empty these days—Dad was overseas handling an important investment project, Mom was visiting relatives in Kanagawa, and Yukimura's apartment had been vacant for so long that even ventilation was a struggle. The two tacitly agreed to stay there.

As night deepened, the Milky Way spread out a dazzling ribbon of light outside the window.

Snack wrappers were scattered on the coffee table in the living room. The two sat side by side on the sofa, their heads close together, chatting away.

From the little incidents during the competition to the mundane daily routines of being alone at home, the longing that couldn't be fully expressed through the screen has now transformed into warm whispers, flowing in the quiet night.

The bedding on the bed was crumpled and messy, and Yukimura's palm was pressed against Yuzuru's back, the warm touch spreading all the way to his heart.

Their lips pressed tightly together, lingering and caressing each other, filled with the eagerness and longing of a long-awaited reunion, as if they wanted to meld each other into their very bones.

Yuzuru's hands were tightly wrapped around Yukimura's waist, his knuckles turning white from the force. Their bodies were intertwined, each closeness a confirmation of the other's presence.

"Do you miss me, Yu?" Yukimura's breath brushed against Yu's ear, low and seductive.

"I miss you so much, Oichi..." Yuzuru's voice was choked with sobs. The intense emotions he was experiencing caused tears to well up in his eyes, which slid down his cheeks and dripped onto Yukimura's shoulder, burning his heart.

“Ayu.”

"Um."

“Ayu.”

"I'm here."

“Ayu.”

"I've always been here."

Yukimura called his name over and over again, as if trying to fill the void of their separation.

Each response was calm and firm, gradually soothing the anxiety caused by the long separation, finally putting his anxious heart at ease and making him feel incredibly at ease.

When the sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains the next day, neither of them wanted to get out of bed. The birdsong outside the window and the distant sounds of cars became background noise. Apart from getting up to drink some water and eat something simple, they remained entangled in bed.

Fingertips traced the other's contours, and lips exchanged delicate kisses, as if to make up for all the missed days and nights and the suppressed longing in this ultimate closeness.

In the early hours of the third day, the night was still shrouded in inky blue, with only a faint hint of dawn on the horizon.

Yukimura quietly dressed, bent down and kissed Yuzuru's forehead, his eyes filled with undisguised reluctance.

Yuzuru was awake but didn't open his eyes until he heard the door close in the front door. He then slowly opened his eyes, and tears streamed down his face without warning, soaking the pillowcase.

She leaned against the window, watching that familiar figure gradually disappear into the morning mist. Her fingertips gripped the curtains tightly. Her heart felt empty, yet filled with warm longing because of this brief reunion.