Chapter 43: Tacit Understanding
On a sunny day, the field is crowded with people and the sound of balls hitting the balls is endless.
Kazama was sitting on the sidelines drawing a picture. Gen half leaned on her shoulder, his arm draped over the back of the chair, swaying. "April, today is the last day of training camp. Who do you think Captain Tezuka will choose in the end?"
She paused for a few seconds, then lowered her head again, "I don't know."
"You hang out with President Tezuka every day, didn't he tell you?" Yuan glanced at her suspiciously.
"Pay attention to your wording. Source, fellow student, and student." Feng Jian gently poked her left cheek with the tip of his pen. "What do you mean by 'staying together'? That's a normal discussion of the data sheet."
"Hey, hey, you're right." Yuan rolled his eyes at her and returned his gaze to the field. "Let's guess who will be in the Ryuzaki team. That Echizen guy will definitely be on it, right?"
Fengjian stared at the form in his hand nonchalantly, "I guess so."
"Kirihara should be selected. Although his sportsmanship isn't great, his skills are definitely up to par. And there's also Oishi-senpai. I really hope Inui-senpai can get in too..."
As Yuan's muttering faded away, Feng Jian suddenly remembered what he overheard when he passed by the conference room yesterday afternoon -
"I recommend Kirihara and Kikumaru."
Tezuka's straight back was reflected in the crack of the door. He didn't even frown when he heard the doubts of the other two coaches. The sunlight slanted across his profile, and his eyelashes cast a light shadow under his eyes. His expression was hidden in the light and shadow and could not be seen clearly.
The rest of the words were isolated behind the door.
The closing ceremony in the afternoon arrived as scheduled. Kazama stood behind the stage and clearly saw that when the last name was called, Echizen suddenly looked up, his dark green hair covering his stubborn face. His lips were tightly drawn and his eyes were looking straight at Tezuka who was standing next to the God Coach.
After the training camp ended, everyone got on their own buses and left one after another. Tezuka went to the hospital to see Coach Ryuzaki first.
Kazama waited at the door, kicking the stones at her feet. The voices in the house gradually faded. She turned around and found Tezuka standing at the door. He nodded slightly at her and said, "Let's go."
Kazama was going to the hospital to get medicine for Sister Ling, and Tezuka was also preparing to go to the hospital for a rehabilitation checkup.
"Is President Tezuka's hand injury still recurring recently?" Kazama broke the silence.
"Very little," Tezuka said, clutching his racket bag. "Your diet plan is very helpful. How's your mother?"
"That's good," Feng Jian breathed a sigh of relief, his tone much lighter, "Sister Ling is doing very well now. She's asked me several times when it would be convenient for you to visit her home. The postoperative recovery manual that President Tezuka provided is also very suitable for Sister Ling."
"Thank you, mother, for me," Tezuka said, his lips curved slightly, like a lake rippled by the wind. "I'll come visit you when I have the chance."
Fengjian's eyes lit up slightly, "Okay."
"Kazama, what do you think of Echizen?" Tezuka asked suddenly.
"He's very strong and growing very fast," Kazama replied in a proper manner, adding, "Maybe he can become an outstanding professional player like his father in the future."
Tezuka hummed, then continued, "He's a good talent worth cultivating, but before he can become like his father, he needs to defeat all the opponents he encounters, otherwise he will never grow."
It was rare for the other party to say so much. Feng Jian turned around in surprise and happened to meet the other party's gaze. "Aren't you curious why he is not on the final list?"
Kazama shook his head, kicking the gravel with his toes, making a rustling sound. "Just like the tacit understanding between you, Oishi-senpai, and Fuji-senpai, I know that Captain Tezuka has his reasons for everything he does, so as long as you and the person involved are clear about these things, it's fine."
The shadow beside him paused slightly, and his hand gripping the shoulder strap tightened slightly.
"But the only thing I'm curious about is..." She deliberately dragged out her words, walked quickly to him, tilted her head with her back to the sunset and smiled at him, "President Tezuka, as the captain, it must be very tiring, right?"
The shadows of the two were lengthened by the setting sun at the end of the street. The evening breeze brought the aroma of oden from the convenience store on the street, gently brushing the girl's skirt. The setting sun crushed the shadows and they lightly stuck to her soft black hair, like the shimmering surface of a lake in the afternoon.
Tezuka's breathing slowed down. He didn't speak, his gaze passing over the golden hair and falling on the orange sky at the end. He lowered his voice as if he was afraid of disturbing something, "It's nothing to play ball with you guys."
Fengjian slowed down his pace, and when the shadow behind him caught up, he moved his shoulder quietly to the side, and the two shadows merged into one in the setting sun.
——
"First grader, you're not swinging your racket hard enough. Did you not eat enough?"
A boy wearing a tennis team uniform and a crimson headscarf stood in front of the first-year students, his arms folded across his chest, his voice resounding throughout the court. "Your swing is so weak! You two have to run 50 laps around the court!"
"No way..." The first-year student in white sportswear wailed.
"100 laps."
The two of them quickly ran around him.
Arai had a stern look on his face, but in fact he was very happy inside. It was finally his turn to say this, and he felt great!
"Arai is showing off in front of the first-years while the regular team members are away." Several second-year students in green jackets gathered on the sidelines and were amazed when they saw the figures running hard outside the field.
"Look, Kazama is back," one man nudged his companion's arm and pointed his chin towards the door. "Arai's days of showing off are over."
"Kazama is the person President Tezuka trusts most besides the regulars. This is going to be a good show."
"Let's go over and say hello. Maybe Kazama can even teach us how to improve our skills."
Several people pushed each other and moved towards the door. Arai was about to teach them a lesson when he caught a glimpse of Kazama standing at the door out of the corner of his eye. His mouth opened unconsciously and he almost dropped his racket.
"Well, Kazama, you're back so early," Arai rubbed the back of his head, his eyes darting around, "I thought it would take a few days."
"I don't have to go to the American exchange competition, so I came back early." Fengjian didn't look up, wrote and drew on the notebook, and then tore off the paper to give to the other tennis club members who were around him.
"As expected of you, Kazama. You even have my detailed data."
"You've even marked out the shortcomings and strengths. Kazama, you're amazing."
Kazama smiled at them, "Everyone was very cooperative, so collecting data was relatively easy."
"Excessive modesty is actually pride. Kazama is the top student in our second grade, a true academic master. He must be good at everything he does, right?"
"No, I'm not very good at drinking juice."
"That thing is an exception. Who else but Fuji-senpai can stand the dry juice of the dry senior?"
Fengjian smiled but said nothing.
Catching a glimpse of Arai approaching from the corner of his eye, Kazama continued, "The other regular players have already finished their matches this morning and are probably on their way now, arriving this afternoon. Also, Coach Ryuuzaki, I heard he'll be discharged from the hospital tomorrow morning."
"I see..." Arai was laughing awkwardly when Kazama closed his notebook and looked up, glancing at him: "Why do I feel like you're a little disappointed?"
"No, no!" He waved his hands repeatedly. "It's a good thing the regular team members and Coach Ryuzaki are back. The national competition is coming up soon."
"So you should practice your skills instead of just talking nonsense." Feng Jian smiled at him and handed him the new training plan. "Here."
Arai's face turned red when he met Kazama's meaningful smile. The other party must have witnessed him scolding the first-year student just now. He hurriedly took the training plan and slipped away.
"That guy Arai has been acting arrogantly these past few days while you're away." A teasing laugh came from the side.
"Well, after all, this is a positive and enterprising attitude."
Feng Jian smiled noncommittally, turned back to continue revising the training plan in his hand, tapped the words "Coach Ryuzaki is discharged from the hospital" with his pen, and murmured:
"It would be appropriate to hold a welcome party to celebrate discharge."
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