Spring Scenery
No one can resist the springtime in Heidelberg.
Perhaps because Heidelberg's winters are so dreary, people are always particularly sensitive and delighted by the arrival of spring.
This famous Philosopher's Path has also changed from its winter quiet to bustling with pedestrians and tourists.
Kazusa and Tezuka walked slowly among the crowd.
She tilted her head back and inhaled the air, which was different from the winter air; it was a mixture of freshly cut grass, damp soil, and the aroma of freshly baked bread wafting from the bakery on the street corner.
To the left is the Neckar River.
Many young people sat on the stone steps along the riverbank, holding coffee and with open books on their laps. Few were actually reading; most were chatting and laughing in twos and threes, or watching the swans and boats leisurely swimming on the river.
Occasionally, a bicycle bell would ring crisply past them, and Tezuka would raise his hand to put his arm around Kanade's shoulder, pulling her into his arms and making way for her.
Even though she could have dodged and the other person wouldn't have actually bumped into her, he still instinctively used his body to shield her.
He Zou leaned on his shoulder and looked up to meet his concerned gaze—even when she was by his side, he still worried about her.
But he still said that to Bi Lu.
Guoguang showed her respect, restraint, and unreserved support, but she brought him constant worry.
The thought, like a needle, pierced her heart unexpectedly, causing her to instinctively tighten her grip on his hand.
She had never doubted the path she wanted to take before, but in this instant, she... wavered slightly. She even felt that if it could put his mind at ease, staying by his side might not be so bad.
The wind blew through Hezou's hair, and the stray strands that stung her eyes made her gently close them, also concealing the sudden surge of emotion within them.
Tezuka seemed to sense something. He looked down at her, tightened his grip on her shoulder with the hand that was around Kanade, and brushed a strand of hair from her eyelashes with his other hand, asking softly, "What's wrong?"
The wavering only lasted for a moment.
He Zou opened her eyes, smiled faintly, shook her head, and then raised her hand to adjust the angle of his hat brim. As she finished adjusting it, her fingertips brushed against the corner of his eye, gently stroking it with an indescribable tenderness.
Feeling the faint touch on his face, Tezuka suddenly wanted to kiss her.
But this was outside, the occasion wasn't right, and he suppressed the thought as soon as it popped into his head. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he took her drooping hand in his palm and gently massaged it with restrained force.
The restraint revealed in her movements startled the somewhat dejected Kazusa, who then quickly flashed a sly smile.
Her gaze slid down to his soft lips, then slowly rose to look into his eyes, her gaze filled with a silent tenderness, fixed on him as if making a silent invitation.
Tezuka's hand, which was holding hers, stiffened. He glanced away, trying to remain calm. But he could still feel her gaze on his face, and his ears gradually turned red.
Seeing him like this, Hezou finally couldn't hold back her laughter. She left his embrace, took two steps back, and leaned against the railing on the riverbank. She burst out laughing, a bright and flamboyant laugh with a hint of smugness.
She now admits that she was the one who first sent the cross-boundary invitation last night, so she can't blame Guoguang for seducing her; she was an accomplice.
They seduce each other and freely sink into depravity.
With such a high degree of spiritual compatibility, they simply cannot resist the physical attraction emanating from each other's bodies.
Both she and Guoguang knew this was a normal thing.
The beauty of this physiological attraction lies in the fact that it allows them to experience the pleasure of a brief loss of control within a safe range.
This kind of pleasure can be addictive, but fortunately they are rational enough to find a balance between losing control and restraint. Of course, they also occasionally use it to create some adorable moments for each other, like right now.
“Melodia…” Tezuka knew she was doing it on purpose, and when he heard her laughter, he turned back to look at her helplessly and said in a low voice, “Stop fooling around.”
Kazusa nodded very cooperatively, "Mm." Then, without any attempt to hide her smile, she added, "Not here."
Tezuka could only shake his head, calming the heat in his heart, and then reached out his hand to her, who was now out of his reach: "Come over here."
He Zou smiled and reached out to grasp his hand. His large palm was still a little warm. She repeatedly rubbed her thumb against his palm, and the cunning in her eyes turned into tenderness, soothing his emotions caused by her.
Well, she felt sorry for him again.
Seeing her fluctuating emotions today, Tezuka's gaze quietly settled on her straight lips. His eyes were deep and understanding, but he didn't expose the emotions she wanted to deal with herself. He simply squeezed her hands that were holding him and said softly, "Melodia, let's go."
Their lingering there for quite some time had already attracted some inquisitive attention. His studying in Heidelberg was no secret, and those who were interested would naturally notice him.
Although he had no intention of hiding it, he didn't want anyone to disturb their rare date, and he didn't want Melodia to be criticized again.
Even normal dates have to be done in a way that avoids crowds. If anyone has to say they owe something, Tezuka thinks he's the one who should apologize.
She was simply walking beside him, but Tezuka, unable to contain his emotions, finally lowered his head and gently kissed her forehead. Seeing her eyes widen in surprise, he smiled and led her forward.
The Philosopher's Path is short, and soon it leads to a fork in the road.
They had only decided to go out for a casual stroll on a whim. Kanade looked at the two paths in front of her, then looked up at Tezuka and blinked.
The meaning is clear: they want him to choose.
Seeing Kanade's unusually lazy and unthinking demeanor made Tezuka want to laugh. After a moment's thought, he said with a smile in his eyes, "There's a tennis park nearby, want to go check it out?"
"good."
The tennis park is a popular gathering place for beginners, with many young children playing on the courts, making it a lively place.
The two sat on a relatively quiet step in the stands, watching the somewhat immature game on the field.
Kanade had never seen Tezuka play tennis when he was young, which was fine at first, but now, watching the group of boys chasing the ball on the court, she suddenly felt a little regretful.
She watched the boy struggling to save the ball and asked the person next to her with some curiosity, "Did Guoguang used to practice at the tennis park often?"
"No." Tezuka shook his head, recalling his childhood, "I mostly practiced on my own."
After thinking about what he said, He Zou smiled.
When Guoguang was this age, he had no rivals among his peers, and perhaps even the club's coaches couldn't guide him, so he spent most of his time practicing in front of the ball machine.
As the undisputed star of the golden generation, his unparalleled talent and hard work back then were reduced to nothing more than "practicing on his own" in his own words.
Hezou turned her gaze away from the field and looked at her boyfriend.
Under the brim of his baseball cap, he looked somewhat relaxed, and his simple casual clothes gave him a more student-like and relaxed appearance, befitting his age.
He is always more rational than his peers, and even after a two-year hiatus due to injury, he can still go further.
He Zou held his left hand on her lap, stroking the calluses on his palm, and sighed softly, "Everyone says you were delayed for two years. Has Guoguang ever regretted it?"
Tezuka shook his head: "There's no need to regret what's already happened."
He Zou chuckled softly; this was not an unexpected answer.
Guoguang is an idealist, but he has always been pragmatic and forward-looking. He has decided that tennis is the path he will take no matter what, so he will not waste time on meaningless assumptions. Perhaps he sees all his experiences as necessary tempering on the way to his goal.
She admires people with firm goals, and Guoguang is one of the best among them.
Tezuka held her hand, looked at her profile, and asked softly, "When did Melodia want to study medicine?"
"Hmm?" Kazusa was a little surprised, but she still answered, "My first year of junior high school. Although I always knew that I would study medicine in the future, I only started to study it because I liked it in my first year of junior high school." As she spoke, she remembered an interesting story: "Once you have a goal, you have motivation, so I was going to skip a grade that year, and I almost became your senior."
Seeing her mischievous expression, Tezuka chuckled: "Melodia is very clever."
He Zou said with some regret, "But Mom didn't agree."
This was the first time she had spoken to her about her mother, and Tezuka listened calmly.
He said, "I said I didn't want to waste time on those simple lessons, but my mother said that to become a good doctor, a complete upbringing is the foundation, and I need time to experience it."
Tezuka nodded: "Your mother was a wise woman."
Upon hearing this, Kazusa smiled and her eyes crinkled with delight: "But I didn't understand back then. Isn't being a doctor just about having enough knowledge and skills? What kind of experience is required?"
“That summer, my mother, as a Doctors Without Borders, took me to Western Sahara to participate in medical aid, and that’s when I understood. Medicine is a science, but it is also a human science. I need time to understand and even experience fear, anxiety, and anticipation.”
"The reason I had the opportunity to see and think at that time was because I was born into a privileged family. Thanks to the Yagyu family, I didn't need to worry about anything else from a young age. My path was smooth, and I only needed to work hard towards my goal without distraction. This alone gave me an advantage over most people."
"But it is precisely because of this that I am more qualified and have more reason to take risks, help others, and put my ideas into practice than most people."
She kept her head down as she said these words, as if she were talking to herself.
Finally, she looked up, her eyes red-rimmed, at the person who was looking at her with calm and understanding eyes, and said with a smile, "So, Guoguang, I'm sorry."
After she finally said those words, Tezuka raised his hand and wiped her wet eyes with his fingertips. He sighed, pulled Kanade into his arms, and gently patted her back: "You don't need to apologize."
When he first saw the vision on her computer, he knew what path she would choose. At that moment, he thought that if Melodia was fortunate enough to choose him, then her ideals would become a cherished part of him, just like hers.
“Go do what you need to do, I’ll be here.” He whispered in her ear, his voice gentle and cheerful. “I’m so happy, my Melodia needs me, doesn’t she?”
“Yes.” He Zou buried his face in his shoulder and nodded vigorously.
"So I will be here, so that every time you come back, it will be meaningful, and you won't be afraid."
"...I'm not afraid."
"Yes, we Melodia are not only smart, but also very brave."
"Kuoguang...you've changed!"
A soft laugh rang out again from a corner of the bustling park.
This small town, known for its contemplation, suddenly becomes light and airy on a spring afternoon.
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