Final Chapter
December in Melbourne is the height of summer.
"Hmm...you're back?"
In her drowsy state, Kazusa felt the book being taken from her hands and her body being lifted up, but the familiar scent of cedar made her feel safe to lean on the other person's shoulder and continue to doze off with her eyes closed.
"Yes, I'm back." Hearing her still slightly hoarse voice, Tezuka frowned. After gently placing the person in his arms on the bed, he slid his hand down her shoulder to her waist, pressing gently, and asked in a slightly apologetic voice, "Are you feeling unwell?"
Sensing his self-reproach, He Zou opened his eyes and said lazily, "No, I fell asleep because the sun was so comfortable, and I didn't expect to sleep until now."
As she spoke, she wrapped her arms around Tezuka's neck. Before she could exert any force, he took off his glasses and casually placed them on the bedside table, then bent down and leaned closer to her.
Seeing his proactive and self-assured manner, He Zou couldn't help but have a mischievous thought. She lowered her eyes to hide the smile playing on them and said in a drawn-out voice, "Good morning—"
Before she could finish speaking, a look of helplessness appeared on his handsome face, and he took the initiative to speak, saying, "It's my fault."
Her helplessness was tinged with shyness.
A divine product.
so cute.
How can he be so cute!
Kazusa's heart was churning with rage, but her face showed a different kind of distress. "I've been sleeping for so long, my voice seems a little hoarse."
Tezuka's eyes trembled slightly as he touched her cheek and asked, "Does it hurt?" He frowned and awkwardly reached for the water glass on the bedside table, only to find that the water was already cold. "I'll go get a warm glass of water."
He Zou didn't loosen her arms around his neck; instead, she pulled him even closer, pressing her lips against his forehead and telling him, "Kunimitsu, I'm not in pain."
Although she wanted to see more adorable expressions on his face, she didn't want him to blame himself anymore.
"And it wasn't Guoguang's fault, it was mine." Heshou said, unable to suppress a smile. "I like seeing you lose control for me, please forgive my little quirk."
She liked to try some positions that challenged his rationality.
The main reason is that Guoguang has a very strong service mentality. His satisfaction largely depends on her pleasant feedback, so he always puts her experience first and observes her preferences and reactions.
That would be good, but it might also seem a bit too calm.
This made her happy but also somewhat distressed, so she would occasionally do something outrageous to provoke him into becoming so engrossed that he had no time for anything else.
When she woke up this morning and saw him sleeping peacefully beside her, her mischievous side kicked in again.
Guoguang indulged her to the point of having no principles, letting her do whatever she liked.
But he went too far today. Tezuka stroked the corner of her lips, his eyes calm as he reflected on himself: "I didn't do a good job and hurt you."
In fact, every time he was led in lovemaking by Melodia, he experienced the ultimate pleasure. She seemed to understand his body better than he did himself and always found ways to make him lose control.
Abandoning restraint and indulging in the pleasure she creates, watching her possessiveness as she controls him—this is Tezuka's unique pleasure, and he enjoys it very much.
But the premise is that she cannot be hurt.
“Oh, my dear, I’m so glad you’re so good at self-reflection. But…” Kazusa couldn’t help but break into a big smile, “This has nothing to do with technique, it’s an objective factor, and there’s no need for self-reflection.”
Tezuka reacted for a moment. Then, the hand that was still touching her lips froze, and his ears instantly burned.
"Ha ha ha ha--"
He Zou pulled his stiff body down, buried his face in his shoulder, and laughed loudly.
When she finished laughing, she found him lying silently on top of her, his breath on her ear heavy.
He Zou blinked. Was the stimulation too much?
"Guoguang." He nodded on the shoulder.
"..."
"Baby~" (rubs ears).
"..."
"Husband?" she whispered in his ear.
This time, I really couldn't hold back anymore.
Tezuka wrapped his arms around Kanade and rolled over, placing her on top of him. Feeling the reassuring weight against his chest, he let out a soft "Mmm" of pleasure, then planted a kiss on Kanade's forehead.
"Melodia, happy marriage."
Two simple wedding rings on intertwined fingers made a soft, crisp sound.
——
With Christmas approaching, Christmas carols were playing in the restaurant.
The Crowne Plaza Hotel is the preferred hotel for top players participating in the Australian Open, so it's not surprising to run into Yukimura there.
"Happy wedding." Yukimura pushed an exquisitely wrapped gift box in front of Kazusa. "It's the first time I've given a wedding gift to someone my age. It feels quite... novel."
"Thank you." Kazuna accepted the gift solemnly, but the solemnity only lasted a few seconds. She had already shed her polite demeanor and said to her former classmate with the earnestness of someone who had been through it all, "We are adults now, Yukimura-kun."
"But I'm still a little surprised." Yukimura felt that he was already quite accepting. Thinking of the others, he said with an amused look, "Last week, Tezuka posted your marriage certificate in the group, and no one in that group has said anything since."
He Zou knew about the group he was talking about; it was usually quite noisy. Sometimes when Guoguang didn't want to talk to anyone, he would mute the group messages and skillfully ignore them.
According to Gan, a group of people now hold the certificate in great awe and have not even dared to write a blessing on it, for fear of disturbing its sacredness.
It's just a pity about Guoguang's private messages; they haven't stopped all week. He's so talkative that I can't possibly block them all.
Just thinking about how he would lecture her about time zone differences at night, then turn off his phone with a cold face and sulk on her shoulder made Kazusa's lips curl into a smile.
She loves Guoguang's increasingly vibrant personality.
Yukimura looked at the bright and relaxed smile on her face, and a faint look of surprise appeared in his eyes, but it only lasted for a moment.
It's not surprising, really. If they weren't so in love that they couldn't bear to be apart, these two people who would never have even considered dating before wouldn't be so eager to get married.
Now he finally feels the reality of the two getting married.
So this is a honeymoon?
"Right?"
Yukimura felt that his two friends were a perfect match in every sense of the word. "Putting a honeymoon and a competition together is such an unromantic arrangement, but it's something you two would do."
"It's winter break," Kazusa said dismissively, yawning.
Yukimura pointed out, "You didn't even show up at Wimbledon during the summer."
Under the questioning gaze of former alumni, He Zou's eyes drifted to the flowers and plants in the courtyard, and he chuckled twice: "That Christmas bell plant is blooming quite well."
In reality, Professor Antberg kicked her out because he was afraid she would die suddenly in his lab.
Looking at the bruises under her eyes that hadn't yet healed, and combined with her terrifying focus, Yukimura guessed pretty much why she was there.
Hiroshi used to always struggle with how to get his sister out of her study; as far as he knew, none of the strategies Hiroshi and their tennis club had ever succeeded.
That's why it's Tezuka.
After sighing, Yukimura reminded her, "It's time for you to show your face. Your girlfriend never appears in his stands, and the media has started speculating whether you've broken up. They've even come to me with questions."
"Oh? So what was Yukimura-kun's answer?"
"Me? Of course I don't know anything."
"Oh."
Thanks to Yukimura's ambiguous answer, rumors of their breakup intensified.
On the day the Australian Open began, as soon as Tezuka appeared, reporters noticed that the necklace pendant he had worn for many years had been replaced with a ring.
The contestants usually wear their expensive wedding rings like this during the competition.
At the pre-match press conference, the atmosphere was subtly different from before, with everyone wearing knowing smiles.
As soon as Tezuka appeared, the sound of camera shutters clicking rang out, and everyone burst into laughter.
Tezuka was initially surprised, but then revealed a gentle expression.
He appeared unchanged, yet his aura seemed different.
If it previously gave the impression of a solitary peak, cold and precipitous, it now looks more like a mountain range, gentle and continuous.
As Kyodo News reporter Yamazaki looked at Tezuka on stage, he was suddenly filled with emotion. Over the past five years, he had watched Tezuka grow from a pillar of Seigaku to the pride of the nation, taking steady and firm steps. He had thought that Tezuka Kunimitsu was already perfect enough, until he saw him today.
Before asking his question, Yamazaki, who had the right to ask questions to his own country's players first, held the microphone and looked at Tezuka, who was quietly waiting for his question. His eyes inexplicably reddened, and his voice was choked with emotion when he spoke.
Tezuka showed no impatience, and even gave the reporter, who had always been very kind to him, a reassuring smile: "Mr. Yamazaki, thank you for your hard work."
The surrounding reporters didn't laugh at his loss of composure; they all waited for him to speak with understanding smiles.
"No, it's not hard at all." Yamazaki was a little embarrassed. He took a deep breath and composed himself professionally: "Tezuka, congratulations on being just one step away from a Grand Slam. Your defeat here last year obviously affected your training for a while afterward. So, standing here in Melbourne Park again, will you still have any reservations about last year's defeat?"
When asked about last year's setbacks and anxieties, Tezuka remained calm and replied, "No."
The two-word answer was as insightful and decisive as ever.
Just when Yamazaki thought the question would be answered so simply, Tezuka continued, "In fact, I am very grateful for that experience."
When he said this, his eyes and tone were filled with a rare warmth.
Yamazaki keenly noticed this, and he reacted very quickly by asking a personal question he would never have asked before: "We've all noticed the ring you're always wearing. May I ask if it's your wedding ring?"
Tezuka's clear and open eyes held a smile: "Yes, I'm married."
The decision was final.
There was a moment of silence, followed by sounds of congratulations.
Having heard the rumors of his breakup, Yamazaki asked in a daze, "Is it that Ms. Yagyu?"
He immediately realized he had asked a really stupid question.
Tezuka didn't care. He placed his hands on the table with his fingers interlaced, sat upright, looked directly at the countless cameras, and calmly said, "She is the only answer."
"Confessing your feelings in front of the camera is definitely not going to happen."
As Kazusa sat in the player box belonging to Tezuka, staring at the tall, upright figure on the bench by the sidelines, he suddenly remembered something he had said a few months ago.
Perhaps her gaze was too intense, for the person in front of her who was carefully adjusting their grip on the racket turned to look at her.
This is the first time Melodia has appeared in that location.
Although she didn't say it, Tezuka knew that until she left the house, she was worried that her presence in the stands would affect his performance.
He now has to admit that it does have an impact on him.
He hadn't thought it was unusual when his parents and friends were sitting there before, but now it was his Melodia sitting there.
Just thinking about it made him want to turn around and let her gaze fall upon him.
He was standing on the court, yet he developed a dependence on her on the sidelines.
It is said that tennis is a lonely sport. Tezuka never felt that way before, but now he suddenly understands that loneliness because of Melodia's appearance, but he will never have the chance to experience it again.
From then on, whether she was sitting there watching him or not, he would find peace whenever he thought of her.
When he picked up the Norman Brox Challenge Cup, his gaze did not fall on the trophy that symbolized his Grand Slam.
"Guoguang".
She silently called his name from the stands.
Looking at her moist eyes and bright smile, Tezuka's heart stirred, and he got up and walked towards her.
I want to kiss her.
As he walked toward her, he wondered where to place his kiss.
If he could, he would want to look into those eyes that reflected his image.
It was the kiss we shared when we first met Saint-Antoine around this time last year.
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