whisper
"Thud—"
The tennis bag, which had been resting on a chair by the side of the court, fell to the ground.
"Oh, I'm sorry."
On the sidelines, a medical student who was intently cleaning the wound on Kirihara Akaya's knee accidentally knocked over a white tennis bag leaning against a bench while turning around to look for a spray bottle.
He looked at the bag that had fallen to the side, raised his hands which were occupied by cotton swabs and bandages, and looked at Kazusa next to him with pleading eyes.
He Zou understood and stepped forward to help pick up the half-open tennis bag. There were a few small items that had slipped out of the side pockets on the ground, which she bent down to pick up one by one: a cell phone, a wristband, and a book with a cover featuring large swaths of vibrant colors.
The cover style was so unique that Hezou couldn't help but glance at the title: "Aimez-vous Brahms?".
This is still a book written in French.
Kanade glanced at the bag and saw that it was embroidered with the owner's name, Yukimura seiichi.
It's not surprising that Yukimura would read a French book. However, it's rather intriguing that he would read a French book like this.
Do you like Brahms?
The book title made Kanade raise an eyebrow, but then, as if keeping a secret she had inadvertently discovered, she discreetly and carefully put the book, along with other small items, back into her side bag.
At that moment, a cheer erupted from the audience!
On the court, Seiichi Yukimura faced match point. Although he would no longer underestimate any opponent, the team, already relegated to the Davis Cup play-offs, faced a special situation with the Japanese team, which boasted several world-class lifters, making the outcome largely predictable.
The disparity in strength between the two sides was too great; this match was more like a warm-up for him.
The last point was Yukimura's serve.
On the court, Yukimura Seiichi remained composed, his usual gentle expression replaced by a sharp one. He stared intently at the opponent's baseline, his expression resolute.
Unsurprisingly, he bent down, tossed the ball, swung his racket, and a clean ace landed right in his sight.
The match is over.
When the two shook hands, compared to his opponent's disheveled state, Yukimura had regained his gentle elegance off the court. However, his opponent was no longer fooled by his appearance—this guy is incredibly terrifying to play in this style!
Yukimura maintained perfect manners until he and his opponent thanked each other, then ignored his opponent who was still looking at him with a terrified expression and simply walked towards the sidelines.
Just as he was about to reach the rest area, he glanced back at the opposite stands a few times, his gaze seemingly sweeping over every corner of the opposite stands unintentionally.
Unfortunately, nothing was found.
When he finally returned to the rest area, his smile was almost frighteningly bright. His teammates, who were about to congratulate him, took a few steps back upon seeing his expression.
They'd known each other for years, and they knew all too well when Yukimura was the most dangerous person to mess with. Kirihara Akaya, who was extremely sensitive to danger, even limped from the bench next to Yukimura to the one next to it, curling himself up into a ball.
But then again... everyone looked at each other with puzzled expressions, exchanging silent glances:
"Who upset him?"
"I don't know?"
Sanada and Yanagi, both of whom were in the audience, were completely bewildered and could only take a few more steps back.
Kazusa didn't move. She happened to be standing right in front of Yukimura's tennis bag, so she got a clear look at his expression. Seeing his upturned lips and then looking at his grinding back teeth, she was once again certain that Yukimura Seiichi was a poisonous mushroom—the more dazzling, the more poisonous.
Not seeing the people who were supposed to be in the stands, Yukimura was in a terrible mood, but he still reluctantly took out his phone from his tennis bag and quickly opened a pinned chat window, which was empty.
He was so angry he almost laughed. His jaw twitched as he gritted his teeth, and he shoved the phone back into his pocket with some force. But when he touched the book, he softened his movements to avoid crushing the pages.
This conflicting mix of anger and cherished feelings made his aura even more oppressive.
This made Kazusa realize something – even Yukimura Seiichi had his day of being stood up.
Kanade is starting to get interested in the person who could anger Yukimura to this extent.
However, self-preservation is more important now. Given Yukimura's meticulousness, she suspects he has already discovered that the book has been touched, which could cause some trouble.
Kazusa had no intention of causing herself any trouble, and was about to turn around when she saw Yukimura looking at her with that perfect smile.
“Yagyu-san.” Yukimura’s gentle voice rang out.
"..." Before she could even take a step, Hezou preemptively said, "Congratulations on winning another match."
"I never imagined that Lord Wakana would come to watch my match in person. It's truly an honor."
"...A very good match."
Do you like Brahms?
"I like Beethoven."
"I mean, I have a book in my bag."
"Book?"
At that moment, the medical student from before came over from around the corner of the passage, wiping his hands. As soon as he saw Yukimura, he apologized sincerely: "Yukimura-kun, I'm sorry, I accidentally knocked over your bag. Please check if there's any damage, I can compensate you." Then he said to Kanade, "Thank you for helping me tidy up, Yagyu-san."
He Zou: "...You're welcome."
Yukimura: "Heh."
"Uh, I... I'll go check on Kirihara-kun's injury!" Realizing he had stumbled into a battlefield, the honest man quickly moved towards Kirihara's direction.
That left only Kazusa and Yukimura.
Although it wasn't intentional, Kanade realized that he had indeed touched on Yukimura's privacy, so he decided to apologize first: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."
She admitted that she had read the book, but did not say that she understood it.
But Yukimura wasn't easily fooled. He smiled brightly and helped her recall: "I remember that Yagyu-san and I took a French class together."
If you apologize but he doesn't accept it, there's nothing you can do. The Yagyu family's social maneuvering is based on politeness first, then force.
"I haven't learned as much as Yukimura-kun; I'm just good enough to understand the title." Kazuna clasped his hands in front of him, smiled, and looked up, his expression blatantly defiant. "Instead of questioning others, it's better to reflect on yourself."
With his personality, there's a 99% chance he'll scare people away when he tries to set a trap for them, and end up trapping himself in the process.
"Reflection?" Yukimura raised an eyebrow. He wasn't surprised that Yagyu and Kanade could deduce some things, but he didn't expect them to be able to pinpoint the problem directly.
Remembering the "good deed" he had done, Yukimura subconsciously looked around the audience. This time, he was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a figure, but only for a moment; his gaze only touched the hem of the other person's clothes.
They dodged quickly!
Yukimura's anger, which had just subsided, flared up again. He narrowed his eyes, then suddenly took a step closer to Kanade, barely maintaining a basic social distance. He lowered his voice and spoke in a deliberately familiar tone: "But I still have to thank Yagyu for keeping my secret."
?
Looking at the two burning flames in his eyes, He Zou instantly understood his intention—he wanted to use her as a tool to provoke the person who stood him up.
For Yukimura Seiichi, who is known for his cunning and shrewdness, to do something so foolish must mean he was truly driven mad with anger.
He Zou frowned and took a step back.
Fortunately, he only went crazy for a moment.
Seeing Kazusa back away, Yukimura realized his behavior was inappropriate. Just as he was about to apologize, his gaze suddenly fell on a certain spot behind Kazusa, and he immediately withdrew his apology.
When he spoke again, his tone was blatantly mischievous: "Sometimes, a little external stimulation, like... letting him see some 'potential threats,' can actually bring some surprises~"
Kanade knew he had no intention of taking advantage of her, but she absolutely hated being used, especially the possibility of being used to provoke a girl. Her eyes sharpened, and a warning rang out: "Yukimura, you—"
Before she could finish speaking, a figure, carrying the warmth of a post-warm-up and the familiar scent of cedar, stood steadily beside her.
Tezuka is back.
The person who had gone to warm up with him, Atobe, was a few steps behind. Seeing this scene, he chuckled and lazily walked over to sit on the bench where Kirihara had been sitting, not too close and not too far from them. His slender fingers tapped his beauty mark absently, with an expression of watching a good show.
Tezuka didn't speak immediately, but his very presence acted as an invisible barrier, instantly shattering the atmosphere that Yukimura had deliberately created.
His gaze first fell on Hezou's face, his eyes deep and calm, with a hint of concerned inquiry, but no surprise or doubt.
He met his gaze, smiled, and shook his head at him.
Tezuka then turned his gaze to Yukimura, his expression as cold and stern as ever, his tone flat and emotionless: "Congratulations."
Yukimura seemed slightly surprised by Tezuka's calm reaction, but then his smile deepened, as if he found it even more amusing. However, with the singles match about to begin, he still needed to restrain himself.
He stopped joking and laughed, "Looks like you're ready." He could already see that Atobe's forehead was still a little damp with sweat. These two probably played a serious half-game, so their warm-up was definitely enough.
"Hmm," Tezuka replied, turning his head naturally to look at Kazusa, who seemed to want to say something but hesitated.
But it was too late; the referee's voice urging the players to enter the arena had already sounded.
Seeing the hint of unconscious anxiety in her gaze, Tezuka sighed inwardly, not wanting her to overthink it. So, the moment he stepped into the inner area, he whispered something to Kazusa.
The brief, whispered words softened the look in Kanade's eyes as she gazed at his retreating figure.
Yukimura, who was nearby, had also heard it, but he didn't understand it. However, after seeing Kanade's smiling profile, the playful smile on his face gradually faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression.
He glanced at Tezuka's tall, straight back as he walked towards the court, then looked in the direction where the figure disappeared from the stands, and finally sighed inwardly.
"I apologize, Yagyu, it was my rudeness."
He glanced at the person who seemed to have returned to normal out of the corner of her eye, but ignored him. Her gaze fell on the figure standing in front of the net.
He simply stood there quietly, and the atmosphere on the field changed instantly, with cheers rising higher and higher.
Even his tall opponent was excited, his hand trembling as he extended his hand and said in a loud voice, "Tezuka Kunimitsu, I've heard so much about you, please guide me!"
Tezuka didn't keep the hand waiting any longer, nor did he give it any disapproving look because of the other's slight loss of composure. He shook the hand and said formally, "Nice to meet you."
At that moment, what Hezai heard in his ear was the sentence he had just said to himself—
"Melodia, warte auf mich."
He said to wait for him.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
