Chapter 163 Tennis 51
"……What?!"
"Minglian?!"
"Echizen, you kid—"
Everyone in Qingxue was dumbfounded, a little bit unable to believe what they had just heard.
Although they had known Ryoma Echizen's personality for a long time, they were still shocked to hear such reckless remarks from him.
…How on earth did Echizen manage to say such explosive news without blushing or beating his heart? Even the third-year seniors couldn’t do it!
And when did he start to like Kurikawa Sana? !
"Echizen, you kid—" Momoshiro Takeshi tightened his grip on Echizen Ryoma's neck, "When did you start thinking about this?"
Echizen Ryoma was silent for a moment. Even he himself couldn't answer this question in a few words.
My initial feelings for Sana-senpai were simply due to her appearance.
Although he couldn't say that he liked her just because of her appearance, that would be too superficial, but he did remember her name and existence because of it.
At that time, he had just returned from the United States, and the first time he saw Kurikawa Sana was when she confessed her love to Minister Tezuka.
Under the cherry blossom trees that filled the air in springtime at Qingxue, a black-haired girl with snow-white skin and moon-like features was incredibly beautiful, a stunning beauty that had never been seen in the United States.
Echizen Ryoma remembered that he looked at it for quite a long time.
When the girl was rejected by Minister Tezuka, his first subconscious reaction was not that he couldn't understand why Minister Tezuka rejected her, but that he thought she was quite classy.
Minister Tezuka is indeed a respectable person.
Later I heard that before confessing to Minister Tezuka, she had also confessed to Fuji-senpai, but was also rejected.
Echizen Ryoma was silent for a moment. Fuji was also a powerful and admirable senior, and she was really quite well-mannered.
But there was still a small voice ringing in my heart.
What Tezuka-san and Fuji-senpai have in common is that they are both strong players. If being strong can win her favor, why hasn't he been noticed? Is it because he is a first-year?
At that time, he had already made a name for himself. As soon as he entered school, he won the starting lineup and the third place in singles and defeated Fudomine. He was famous in Seigaku and even in the whole of Tokyo. There were not many players in the country who could achieve such a record in the first year.
Logically speaking, he was already as eye-catching as the number one singles player, Captain Tezuka, and the number two singles player, Senior Fuji, but she didn't see him.
Seigaku has Sadaharu Inui who is like an information tower. Echizen Ryoma learned from Inui that Sana-senpai had also confessed to Atobe and Obito of Hyotei and Minister Yukimura of Kanagawa Rikkai University - they all have one thing in common with Minister Tezuka and Senior Fuji, that is, they are all first-class players.
What about him?
Ryoma Echizen has tried to analyze himself, and his final conclusion is that his concern for Sana-senpai has changed from being simply shocked by her appearance at the beginning to a concern that seeks recognition.
He was competitive and confident by nature, and had never experienced being ignored or invisible in terms of his abilities. This was the first time he had ever experienced being completely ignored, both in the United States and since returning to Japan.
Therefore, when Sana-senpai came to Seigaku to look for Fuji-senpai but was turned down, he stepped forward and took the initiative to talk to her, allowing her to finally remember his name and existence.
Therefore, he invited Sana-senpai to watch his match after match, so that she could see that he was just as strong.
Whenever he had the chance to see her, he would act immediately. Even if it was during the weekend when he was fast asleep at home, or even if he just heard a voice that sounded like hers on the phone from a senior, he would immediately set out to be with her.
want to……
Wanting to be seen by her.
But in subsequent contacts, new changes occurred.
—attracted to her for who she is.
She is lively, beautiful, dazzling, kind, and excellent...all the beautiful adjectives seem to be able to be used to describe her. It is only natural to fall in love with her.
It is hard for people who get close to her to dislike her. Once they become interested in her, their fall begins.
——I want to see her smile.
The initial desire to be seen by her also quietly changed with each contact.
Changing from wanting to make yourself happy to wanting to make her happy is in itself a sign of falling in love.
He even felt that perhaps Senior Fuji had undergone the same transformation as him.
Echizen Ryoma glanced at Fuji Shusuke silently.
Senior Fuji is no longer as calm as before.
…
The seniors of Qingxue all stared at the dark green-haired boy with sharp eyes, waiting for his answer.
Echizen Ryoma pondered for a long time, and finally said, "It started in May."
Everyone: “!!!”
Momoshiro Takeshi was surprised and said, "Good boy, that was around the time when the metropolitan meeting started... No wonder you suddenly provoked Akutsu in the coffee shop, it turned out to have started from that time!"
Kaidou Xun sighed: "Hiss..."
Kikumaru Eiji was once again in shock: "Echizen, you like Kurikawa, so what about Chief Tezuka and Fuji?"
Shuichiro Oishi: "???"
How did you score twice? Are you stuck in a cycle, Eiji?
Oishi Shuichiro closed his eyes with a headache, "Didn't I just tell you, Eiji? Tezuka and Fuji rejected Kurikawa a long time ago. No matter who likes Kurikawa, it has nothing to do with them."
Kikumaru Eiji came back to his senses and clapped his hands, "That's right."
Fuji Shusuke: “…”
If he didn't know that Kikumaru's personality was just like that, Fuji Shusuke would almost suspect that the other party was deliberately complaining about him.
Echizen Ryoma suddenly laughed and turned to look at Fuji Shusuke, "Yes, Senior Fuji, that should be the case, right?"
Fuji Shusuke smiled, still without opening his eyes, "What? I didn't hear clearly just now."
Shuichiro Oishi: "..."
What? Didn't Bu Er hear clearly? How is this possible?
Don't let him repeat the same sentence three times—
At the same time, Inui Sadaharu, who remained silent, felt like he was the incarnation of a human observation diary, taking in all the reactions of Echizen Ryoma and Fuji Shusuke.
Interesting, really interesting.
The only thing missing is Tezuka. If Tezuka were here, it would probably be even more interesting. He would definitely punish them by making them run around the cruise ship deck three times without being careless.
"But Echizen, you're really brave, actually openly falling in love with a third-year senior." Momoshiro Takeshi couldn't help but sigh: "Come to think of it, Sana-senpai seems to be a little taller than you. American nutrition isn't good either."
Echizen Ryoma: “…………”
Fuji Shusuke's shoulders trembled slightly, and for a moment he almost failed.
Kikumaru Eiji couldn't hold it in any longer: "Pfft...Pfft hahahahahaha!"
Echizen Ryoma gritted his teeth and said, "I'm still in my growth spurt. By the time I'm in third grade, I'll definitely be taller than you guys."
"You're so cute, little one—" Kikumaru Eiji rubbed the top of his baseball cap frantically, "Yes, yes, I believe you will grow taller..."
“…Don’t rub my head.”
"Okay, okay."
…
*
In the Sky Suite on the 13th floor of the cruise ship, Kurikawa Sana had just finished taking a shower. She took out an iced drink from the refrigerator in the room and sat on the balcony that came with the room, looking at the sea covered with fine golden sunlight.
It’s so cozy and comfortable.
The last time she enjoyed such a journey was before she fell ill in the real world. When she thought about it carefully, it was indeed a long time ago.
While cruise ship rooms are typically small, the suites on the Atobe cruise ship boast a 6-foot-tall bed, a large-screen TV, and luxurious decor. The bathrooms feature separate wet and dry areas and a bathtub. The tub is topped with sea salt, lemon, and rose petals, each with its own setting. As you lie down, the bathroom speakers play melodious music, creating a truly captivating experience.
Although this voyage is not officially open to the public, the rooms are still equipped with the highest service standards. You can call a dedicated butler with one click to deliver three meals a day directly to your door. You can sit on the balcony, facing the sea breeze and admiring the beautiful scenery of the sea and sky, while enjoying all the dishes of the 20 different restaurants on the entire cruise ship.
Just as Kurikawa Sana was thinking about whether to go down to the restaurant, the doorbell of the room rang.
"Hello, Ms. Kurikawa, your room service has arrived."
Um?
She didn't order room service.
Kurikawa Sana opened the door in confusion, and as soon as she opened the door, a refreshing floral fragrance hit her nose.
“……!”
What caught my eye was a giant bouquet of light purple roses on a cart. The edges of the petals transitioned from a soft and beautiful lavender to a pale white. The buds embraced each other and clustered together, like a gentle and dreamy light purple mist, exuding an elegant and serene fragrance.
"Master Jingwu said this is today's bouquet. It's a rare rose variety called 'Song of the Sea,' which is perfect for this cruise," the cruise steward said with a smile. "The bouquet will be placed in your suite. You'll wake up each day to a beautiful bouquet besides the sea, which will make your trip even more enjoyable."
"Thank you, thank you..." Kurikawa Sana took it a little flattered. Ever since Atobe confessed his love to her last time, she really received a bouquet of flowers from him every day.
It is also widely rumored within Hyotei Academy that Atobe has been pinning a flower on the chest of his school uniform every day, closest to his heart, since some time ago. He also pins a different flower every day, and when the flower withers, he replaces it with a new bouquet.
No one could guess the purpose of Jibu's daily actions, but he set off a trend of imitation in the school. Everyone was vying to learn the young master's gorgeous operations, and the students of Hyotei Academy began to wear a bouquet of flowers on their chests.
Only Kurikawa Sana knew that the bouquet of flowers on Atobe's chest every day was one of the flowers he gave her every day.
Even on the cruise ship, he still insisted on sending flowers.
Atobe is particularly fond of roses. During this period, Kurikawa Sana received countless different varieties of roses. She also learned about the varieties and flower meanings of almost all roses and is now a master of rose encyclopedias.
Today's bouquet of "Ocean Song Roses" is a small and medium-sized rose originating from Germany. It only blooms for seven days in the summer. Such a large bouquet appeared on a cruise ship at sea. The person who sent the flowers obviously put a lot of thought into it.
The key is that the flower language of the "Ocean Song" rose is - "Eternal love and romantic true feelings."
Kurikawa Sana blushed.
Although she felt that after a short time together and contact, Atobe probably only "liked" her at most, and his favorability was only 85 points, which was far from the level of "love", but Atobe always managed to express his love extremely strongly, just like his personality.
The butler continued, "There will be a cruise dinner tomorrow night. Master Jingwu also gave me a dress. Please take a look and see if you like it."
After saying that, he took out the skirt hidden behind the giant rose bouquet and unfolded it. It was a high-end dress in the same color as the Song of the Sea rose. The dreamy silver-purple color was like an unfolded scroll of Monet's garden, and it was dotted with countless gems and diamonds that were glittering and beautiful.
Kurikawa Sana didn't know how to describe her feelings. She asked sheepishly, "Thank you so much, Atobe-kun... Where is he? I want to go and thank him in person."
The butler smiled and replied, "Master Jingwu is playing bumper cars in the multi-purpose activity hall on the 15th floor."
Kurikawa Sana: "So you're playing bumper cars... um, wait a minute?"
Bumper cars?!
The butler replied fluently, "Yes, that's right. It seems that Master Mukai and Kikumaru from Seigaku were both playing bumper cars. Master Mukai violently attacked Kikumaru, claiming that he was better than him in both stunt tennis and bumper cars."
"When Mukuhi-sama was about to be knocked out of bounds by Kikumaru-san, Oshitsuka-sama shouted, 'Gakuto, I'll help you!' and joined the fray. Seeing this, Oishi-sama from Seigaku also took it seriously. As Kikumaru-sama's golden partner, he couldn't fall behind, so he drove his bumper car to the front."
"Then, things gradually turned into a showdown between Hyotei and Seigaku. The students from Rikkai University's Affiliated Middle School found it quite interesting and joined in. It eventually evolved into a three-school, each betting on their own school. It was a dignified bumper car showdown, and the winner would get to decide the menu for tomorrow night's dinner."
“…???”
Kurikawa Sana was stunned.
She understood every word Mr. Butler said, so why was the sum of them so difficult to understand?
Why are they suddenly playing bumper cars?
And how could the butler describe it so vividly? He was so skilled!
…
*
Unable to suppress her strong curiosity, Kurikawa Sana took the elevator to the 15th floor.
Come to think of it, it wasn't surprising that these tennis players suddenly got excited about a bumper car competition. I heard they often organized similar volleyball or bowling competitions before, and they had the ability to turn any competitive sport into a tennis match.
For example, as soon as she arrived at the multi-functional activity hall on the fifteenth floor of the cruise ship, she heard a familiar boy's voice - it was Ryoma Echizen's voice.
"Slasher Car A!!"
A young man wearing a white FILA baseball cap drove a dark green bumper car in a straight line towards where Keigo Atobe was, knocking Keigo Atobe's purple bumper car a long distance away - a capital A shape was formed between the two cars!
Just like the A shot he hit on the tennis court.
Kurikawa Sana: "…………"
There should be nothing wrong with her ears. She seemed to have just heard Echizen call this move "Whip Car A"?
Will there be "Whipping Car B", "Whipping Car C" and "Whipping Car D" next?
"Ha! Arrogant little brat, quite interesting!" Atobe Keigo laughed out loud, "Your blind spot has been seen through by my insight! I was originally planning to let you see this move at the national competition, but I'll let you see it in advance! Watch this, Ice World——"
As he finished speaking and drove the bumper car into the other party, Echizen Ryoma looked visibly stunned, and his dark green car seemed to be frozen and motionless, unable to move forward another step.
"The Ice World is a new trick developed by Atobe."
Yuuji Oshitari's voice sounded beside Sana Kurikawa, and she looked to the side in surprise.
Oshitari Yuushi raised his hand to support his glasses and continued, "With superior dynamic vision, Atobe's Ice World can keenly detect an opponent's weaknesses, rendering them unable to move as if frozen."
Kurikawa Sana: "…………"
No, who asked why I suddenly explained it?
And the name Ice World is a bit childish... Being frozen is too ridiculous. She clearly saw that Echizen's car couldn't move simply because it was out of battery!
The lights of other cars were still on, but the light of Echizen's car was off. If it wasn't out of battery, what could it be?
But soon Kurikawa Sana discovered that Atobe Keigo was not the only one who was a middle school student.
Facing Kirihara Akaya, who was driving a bumper car and also had red eyes, Fuji Shusuke chuckled, curled the corners of his mouth, and said to the other party with a slight pout: "Your car will disappear."
Just as he often said before using his signature "vanishing serve" on the tennis court: "This ball will disappear."
Just like giving a serve an amazing spin that causes it to disappear, Fuji Shusuke slammed the steering wheel into Kirihara Akaya's bumper car, giving the opposing car a strong spin, causing it to go out of bounds and disappear.
Kurikawa Sana: "..."
Ah this.
Oshitari Yuushi couldn't help but admire him, "Fuji Shusuke is indeed a genius of Seigaku. He really has something."
Kurikawa Sana really wanted to understand him, and she tried hard to understand him.
She tried to join the conversation, pointing to Oishi Shuichiro, who had already used the "Moon Climbing Intercept" to assist Kikumaru Eiji, and asked, "Hi-kun is surrounded by the golden pair of Seigaku. Don't you want to help?"
Oshizuka Yuushi smiled: "No, because I am not Oshizuka."
“………”
Kurikawa Sana had already roughly guessed what was going on.
The boy reached out and took off his glasses and the disguise on his face, grinning and saying, "Because I am Niou."
Kurikawa Sana: "…………"
Okay, that’s what I expected. Sorry for bothering you.
[Niou Masaharu, Favorability +3. ]
The girl's shocked and speechless look seemed to amuse him, and Niou Masaharu laughed out loud, and his favorability towards her increased.
Inside the venue, the purple-blue bumper car driven by Seiichi Yukimura stayed quietly in the corner, but was occasionally affected and hit by other people.
"Is it okay for Yukimura-kun to play this? I just finished my surgery and rehabilitated not long ago..." Kurikawa Sana also became a little nervous.
"Don't worry, I asked the boss, and he said he's almost recovered. Come on up and have some fun." Niou Masaharu spread his hands. "Our boss isn't that weak, and bumper cars are all about enjoying collisions."
After he finished speaking, Niou Masaharu suddenly remembered something and said, "Ah!" "But our serious deputy minister may not think so."
When he saw Yukimura Seiichi's car being hit, Genichirō Sanada's face changed instantly. He growled, "Move like thunder!" and teleported himself and his car in front of the others. With another shout of "Aggressive like fire!" he knocked all the other cars out of bounds.
After a long while, all the cars on the field suddenly stopped. Everyone's eyes seemed to have lost focus, and they all became dazed and stopped moving.
Yukimura Seiichi gracefully stepped out of his purple-blue car. The young man whispered softly, "I'm sorry, everyone. I accidentally deprived you of your five senses... I'm so sorry. It will be fine in a while."
Kurikawa Sana: "...?"
The intense shock had made her lose the ability to speak, leaving only endless silence.
No, who remembers that it was originally just a bumper car game?
How did it turn into a battle between magicians? !
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