Chapter 173 Tennis 61
"How's Sana?!"
"Is the injury serious? Is his life in danger?!"
"Will it affect the future—"
The youngsters were clamoring to ask questions, and the doctors were stunned. They had seen many concerned family members thronging the operating rooms and wards, but they had rarely seen so many high-spirited young students filling the hallways.
The person they were all concerned about was the same person, the young girl lying in the operating room.
The doctor replied, "Ms. Kurikawa's back wound is quite large. We've already cleaned and sutured it. She may have a fever later, but antibiotics will prevent inflammation and it won't be a problem. The more serious issue is that the stone slab fell on her back during the earthquake, causing a fracture of her scapula and T12 vertebra."
"Fortunately, the injury wasn't high up in the body and didn't damage the spinal cord, so there's no risk of loss of body function. She just needs to recover well from the injury, and if the surgery heals well, she'll be able to be discharged in two to four weeks."
“……!!”
Everyone held their breath and listened carefully and quietly to the doctor's long speech.
After hearing about her fracture, everyone's faces turned ugly, with visible empathy and heartache written all over their faces.
For a group of teenagers who love sports, sprained wrists and ankles are considered very serious injuries. Now, the girl whose amazing ball skills they have witnessed has suffered a fracture of the shoulder blade and vertebrae.
But if you look at the situation at the time, a mere fracture seems to be a blessing in disguise.
This worry was finally put to rest after I heard the key words "no danger" and "you will be discharged soon" in the doctor's words.
"Really?! That's great..."
"So when can we go in and see her?!"
"Once she's recovered from anesthesia and her condition has stabilized, you can visit her after she's transferred to the ward." The doctor glanced at their number again and was silent for a moment. "You're not going to rush in to see her all at once, are you? I suggest you visit her in batches."
"Got it, thank you, doctor!"
"Don't worry, doctor, we won't all rush in!"
The doctor nodded with satisfaction, "That's good."
Amidst the atmosphere of peace of mind, one voice stood out.
"Is there really no other danger?"
It was Keigo Atobe's question that immediately silenced the surroundings again.
Compared to the relief of others after receiving the doctor's affirmative answer, Atobe Keigo's expression was still particularly ugly and full of tension.
The people from Seigaku and Hyotei looked at each other in confusion, thinking that Atobe was just too concerned. Only Tezuka Kunimitsu, Fuji Shusuke, and Echizen Ryoma were quick to notice something was amiss and had a bad feeling in their hearts.
Something is wrong.
Atobe wasn't one to make a fuss, there was definitely something wrong.
Like Atobe, after hearing the doctor say with certainty that Sana was no longer in danger of life, others including Yuushi Oshitari and Seiichi Yukimura of Rikkai University still had grim expressions and did not relax.
Maybe... there is something they don't know.
The doctor thought Atobe Keigo was questioning him, unable to believe that the patient had only suffered a fracture after carrying an entire wall. He replied reassuringly, "I understand your concern, but judging by her current condition, Ms. Kurikawa is not in danger of death. There's no need to be overly concerned."
Almost everyone knows the news about the girl miraculously surviving a life-saving operation. Of course, they have also seen the surveillance video of Kurikawa Sana bravely carrying an entire wall to save a life. However, they did not expect that the girl not only survived, but was also sent to their hospital.
Recalling the scenes in the video, even the experienced doctor couldn't help but add, "It's truly a miracle... Our entire surgical team has never seen anything like this before. A whole wall collapsed, yet she only sustained superficial trauma to her back and a partial fracture. Miss Kurikawa is incredibly lucky. She's kind and brave, and God will reward her."
Yukimura Seiichi frowned, "Her heart..."
Hearing this, the doctor looked at the other person in surprise.
So this is what they wanted to ask.
The patient had a chest X-ray taken before the operation, and the doctor naturally knew her heart condition. He was willing to call her heart another miracle, no less than her survival in the earthquake.
"The injuries sustained in the earthquake did cause her heart rate to fluctuate for a period of time, but she did not develop a serious illness. Her heart condition is too complicated for our Nagano Prefecture Hospital to handle. We recommend transferring her to Tokyo or the United States, where top-tier hospitals have the necessary capabilities."
"I understand your concern, but for now, Ms. Kurikawa's heart hasn't developed any symptoms, so there's no need to worry too much."
After he finished speaking, the doctor hurried away as he had to perform the next operation, leaving the teenagers looking at each other in astonishment.
“…heart problems?”
"Is there something wrong with Sana's heart?"
Atobe Keigo closed his eyes and took a deep breath for a few seconds.
Fortunately.
Fortunately, not only did she survive the earthquake, but her heart, which was like a time bomb, did not explode...
Facing the nervous and confused looks of everyone, especially Tezuka and Echizen, Atobe Keigo slowly replied: "...Now all we need to know is that she is fine. As for what the problem is, it is her privacy."
"When she wakes up, you can ask her if you want to know, provided she is willing to tell you."
"Okay..." Kikumaru Eiji's face wrinkled, and invisible red cat ears seemed to droop from above his head. "The doctor said it seems to be a serious heart problem. I'm so worried..."
"That's right!" Mukai Taketo was also in the same mood as Kikumaru, and he felt depressed. "Sana looked so energetic when she played basketball with me before. You can't tell that she has any heart problems..."
Taocheng Wu tried to comfort him, "Medical science is so advanced nowadays, there shouldn't be any problem."
Shishido Ryoya said: "I agree with Momoshiro on this point. Don't be so pessimistic. If she knew that she made others worry, she would definitely be sad."
Hou Chotaro looked at him in surprise, "Shishido-senpai, you surprisingly know Kurikawa-senpai very well."
Shishido Ryo: "...That guy's personality is just like that!"
"Echizen, what's wrong with you?" Noticing that something was wrong with the person next to him, Oishi Hideichiro couldn't help but ask him, "You look so bad."
Echizen Ryoma clenched his fists, his brows knitted together, "...I asked Sana-senpai to play that game with me before. I wonder if it put any strain on her body."
Mukai Taketo opened his mouth with a blank expression, "If that's the case, then our entire Hyotei Tennis Club has challenged Sana..."
Ozuki Yuushi sighed and stepped out to cut his losses: "Don't dwell on this. Putting aside the fact that you had no idea about Sana's physical condition, she has the ability to think independently. Everything she chooses to do is within her capabilities..."
"Does this include saving Tezuka this time?"
I don't know who whispered this, but the voice immediately silenced everyone.
When an entire building fell down, she subconsciously used her body to support it. This was beyond the ability of a normal person's physiological structure to bear, and it was a matter of exchanging her life for another's.
Everyone couldn't help but look at Kunimitsu Tezuka, whose gold-rimmed glasses reflected the light in the hospital corridor, making it difficult to see his expression.
From the time he was rescued from the rubble, to the time he was taken to the hospital, and up to now, Kunimitsu Tezuka had been in a state of tension, as if his body would break at any second.
It was not until Kurikawa Sana's surgery was over and the doctor said she was not in danger of life that he seemed to have come back to life a little.
"Sure enough, Sana-senpai's favorite is our Captain Tezuka..." Momoshiro Takeshi couldn't help but sigh: "It's even to the point of risking his own life to save him..."
Upon hearing this, Atobe Keigo and Yukimura Seiichi froze for a moment, but in the end they didn't say anything.
Instead, Fuji Shusuke, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke up: "No matter who was next to her at the time, she would have saved them like this."
"Because—she is a very good person."
Everyone was silent for a while, and they all agreed with Fuji Shusuke's words.
For some reason, they intuitively felt that what Bu Er said was absolutely right.
No matter who it is, she will try her best to save the other person.
Only Echizen Ryoma looked up at Fuji Shusuke with some surprise.
...Senior Fuji, you’re serious now.
He is no longer the senior who used to be indifferent and just watched the fire from the other side of the river.
After going through all these things, anyone would fall into the trap... and sink into it for herself.
"So, why is Minister Tezuka in Nagano Prefecture with Sana-senpai?" Momoshiro Takeshi asked a question that many people present wanted to know.
Tezuka Kunimitsu finally spoke, his voice unusually hoarse: "We met by chance in Kamikochi. I was with my parents and family, and she happened to be traveling in Nagano Prefecture."
In the blink of an eye, Ayana Tezuka finally arrived at Nagano Prefectural Hospital, followed by Kuniharu Tezuka and Kuniichi Tezuka.
"How's Kunimitsu and Sana?!" Tezuka Ayana was panting, tears in her eyes.
When the earthquake occurred, the emergency shelter was just left of the restaurant where they were staying. They took refuge in a large open space with many other citizens and were not injured.
The waiting process was quite difficult. At the moment of the earthquake, when she was unable to contact Kunimitsu Tezuka, Ayana Tezuka thought of many possibilities and experienced despair for the first time.
When she saw the surveillance video that swept the entire Internet and the scene where the girl did not hesitate to use her life to protect her son, Ayana Tezuka covered her mouth and tears could not stop falling.
When her son was rescued, he had borrowed a cell phone from the rescue team and successfully reported his safety to her. Tezuka Ayana had not yet recovered from the joy of recovering her son. When they learned that Sana had entered the operating room and her condition was unknown, they rushed here immediately.
"She had just come out of surgery and had trauma and two broken bones."
Everyone in Seigaku bowed to Tezuka's parents and elders as a sign of courtesy, and Tezuka Kunimitsu also briefly told his mother about Kurikawa Sana's situation.
"Oh my god, a vertebral fracture..." Tezuka Ayana's tears fell from her eyes, "The child must be in a lot of pain..."
Tezuka Kuniichi's expression was one of both worry and admiration. "He's truly a respectable child."
"Did Sana tell us why she did this?" Tezuka Kuniharu said anxiously and heartbrokenly. "A spinal fracture carries the risk of hemiplegia... No matter what, our Tezuka family will take care of her to the end, from treatment to recovery. When Sana wakes up, our whole family will thank her in person."
Oishi Shuichiro couldn't help but say, "Don't worry, uncle. The doctor said Kurikawa's vertebral fracture isn't high up in the body, so there's no risk of losing any of his physical functions. If all goes well, he'll be discharged in a few weeks."
"That's great..." Tezuka Kuniharu finally felt relieved, a huge stone lifted from his heart. "Kunimitsu, you are such a jerk. Why do you only say half of what you want to say? And you haven't answered the previous question yet..."
The previous question is - why would Sana go to this extent for him.
Risking one's life to save others.
Everyone held their breath, waiting for Tezuka Kunimitsu's answer.
"She said she wanted to protect my dream." Tezuka Kunimitsu lowered his eyes. "She said she didn't want my arm to be injured again, otherwise I would never be able to play basketball again."
“……!”
A pin-drop silence enveloped the corridor in front of the hospital's operating room.
For the young people who also love tennis, they all felt the same shock at this moment.
They love tennis so much that they can't imagine a day when they can no longer play. Just thinking about it is terrifying.
And now, there is a person who is willing to even sacrifice his own life to protect the dreams of others.
She not only wanted to save Tezuka's life, but also wanted to protect his arm from any further harm.
"Could it be because..." Tezuka Ayana suddenly remembered something, and her tears flowed even more violently, "Maybe it's because of what I said to Sana at the outlet..."
Tezuka Kuniharu hugged his wife's shoulders comfortingly, "What did you say?"
"I talked about the arm injury Guoguang suffered in his freshman year, how he went to Germany alone for surgery, and how tennis was his dream..."
Kunimitsu Tezuka stood in place, pressing his left arm hard with his right hand, and his arm was trembling slightly.
Tezuka Kuniichi also let out a long sigh.
The highest level of loving someone is heartache. Maybe it has not yet reached the level of "love", but the child really cares about Guoguang.
And now.
The same goes for Guoguang.
…
*
night.
The intensive care unit was incredibly quiet; the only sounds that could be heard were the oxygen machines and various testing instruments.
The girl lay quietly on the hospital bed with her eyes closed. Her face under the oxygen mask was pale and beautiful, with a hint of fragility.
The Tezuka family changed into blue sterile suits and caps and were the first to enter the ward to visit, while Hyotei and the rest of the Seigaku group were waiting outside, taking turns visiting.
"Good boy, Auntie Ayana really doesn't know how to repay you..." Tezuka Ayana thought she could control herself, but when she saw Kurikawa Sana, she felt tears in her eyes. "When Sana gets better, we must go to her house to thank her as soon as possible."
At this point, Tezuka Ayana suddenly noticed something incongruous, "But, what about Sana's parents?"
There are many people who care about Sana, and many people are waiting outside the ward, but her parents are the only ones missing.
Tezuka Kuniichi pondered, "Didn't this kid say before that she lives alone in Tokyo? Even with such a big incident, her parents didn't show up."
"How could any parent be willing to do this to their own child?" Tezuka Ayana couldn't understand at all, "Sana is such a good daughter..."
"No matter what, we just need to do what we should do." Tezuka Kuniharu comforted: "Since Sana's parents are absent, we will try our best to do what we should do as elders and make Sana feel warm."
"Anada, you are right..."
Tezuka Kuniichi was wearing gloves. The old man touched the girl's black hair lovingly, and his usually majestic voice became gentle and soft.
"Son, when you get better, I'll catch you a super big fish."
Kurikawa Sana's fingertips trembled slightly.
Tezuka Kunimitsu, who had been watching her, couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.
He saw tears welling up in the corners of the girl's eyes beneath the oxygen mask.
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