Chapter 71 Seeds
The strong winds of midwinter ravaged the earth, and the snow fell in gusts. The branches of the trees behind the teaching building were covered with silver and bent by the accumulated snow. On sunny afternoons, one could often hear the crisp sound of snow falling to the ground.
The New Year's bell arrived as promised at the beginning of January. As soon as I approached the classroom, congratulations poured out like beans.
Fengjian sat back in his seat with a dry mouth and drank a glass of water.
"April--"
Yuan's voice pierced the cold air. As Fengjian put down the cup of water, he came to her, holding her shoulders tightly with both hands, shaking them and muttering, "I have a very good idea."
She swallowed the water with difficulty and sighed: "What a good idea!"
"After graduation, let's go confess our feelings to our senior!"
A shocking statement.
Fengjian's face turned red, and when everyone in the classroom looked at him, he quickly covered her mouth and dragged her out.
"What, what confession?"
"Don't tell me you don't like President Tezuka~" Yuan deliberately dragged out the ending tone and came closer.
"Who told you that?" Fengjian turned his face away.
Yuan poked her shoulder and said, "Your thoughts are clearly written on your face, who else needs to tell you?"
Feng Jian choked and quickly changed the subject, "Could it be that you want to confess your love to Senior Gan after graduation?"
"Of course," Yuan admitted openly, his hands on his hips, "I secretly went to the third-year archives and saw that Gan's target university is Keio, the same as mine. I'll go to Keio to find him in a year."
Feng Jian glanced at her sideways, "So you deliberately delayed until the end a few days ago, and even stood me up, just to sneak into the archives room~~"
Yuan lowered her head guiltily, "I'm sorry, April... Oh, this is not the point." She cleared her throat, "April, are you sure you don't want to confess to Tezuka-senpai?"
"Everyone said there is no more..." Fengjian's voice became weaker and weaker.
"You're really stubborn," Yuan rolled his eyes at her. "This is the last month of third grade. If you don't tell me now, you might never have another chance."
Fengjian slowly clenched her hands tucked into her sleeves, staring at her white sneakers in a daze. Yuan's words were like a devil's sound, drilling straight into her ears. She remembered what his sister said to her at Senior Tezuka's house on Christmas Eve last time. Her heart felt like it was blocked by concrete. She urgently needed an outlet, but it was always like she was walking in a maze and couldn't find the exit.
"Then you..." She paused, "How are you going to confess?"
Seeing that the wooden head finally gave in, Yuan's eyes lit up and he smiled at her with narrowed eyes, "I figured it out."
As he said this, he came closer in a mean manner and looked at her expression carefully.
Feng Jian avoided her substantial gaze guiltily and pushed her face aside, "Don't change the subject."
"I know you're shy," Yuan said, walking forward a few steps with his hands behind his back, then smiled back, "I plan to tell him in person and give it to Senior Gan along with the database account book I made myself as a graduation gift."
"What about you, April? What are you going to do?"
"Write...write a letter." Fengjian said vaguely.
"Write a letter" Yuan was stunned for two seconds, holding his stomach and laughing, "April, you are too retro, who still relies on writing letters to confess their love nowadays?"
Kazama curled his lips, unspoken, but Tezuka-senpai really did enjoy writing letters. And this quiet, unobtrusive way of expressing himself was truly worthy of such a secret.
"Okay, okay, I won't laugh at you anymore," Yuan stopped laughing and poked her arm. "As long as you're happy, that's fine. But you better hurry up and don't regret it until you graduate."
"I understand."
Although he spoke calmly, Feng Jian couldn't help but clench his palms, and a secret curve appeared at the corners of his lips.
Her heart felt like it was filled with cotton, light and fluttery. She could hardly suppress the throbbing in her heart and could only let out a long sigh.
——
As the school bell rang, most of the classrooms were already empty, and the school gate was crowded with people like sardines in a can. Dusk was creeping in from the horizon, dyeing the sky above a dazzling gold.
Yuan had already run off to who knows where. Feng Jian slowly stuffed his textbooks into his schoolbag. He glanced at his watch on the way and saw that it was still a quarter to four.
She sat by the window, looking down at her toes, tiptoeing with her left foot out of boredom, then switched to her right foot and kicked. She looked at her watch again and saw that there were still ten minutes left.
She walked around the classroom a few times, looked at her watch, and saw that there were still eight minutes left. She walked around a few more times and saw that there were still seven minutes left. When there were only five minutes left, her eyes lit up, she grabbed her schoolbag and ran out. After running a few steps, she felt that her behavior was inappropriate, so she deliberately slowed down her pace.
But the cheerful steps could not be concealed, and the voice-controlled lights behind him kept lighting up all the way.
The third grade tutoring session had just ended, and Kazama waited by the wall for a while before other sounds were heard above his head.
"Sorry for the wait."
When she looked up, she saw Tezuka standing in front of her and quickly waved her hand, "I just got here too."
The figure in the black uniform was slender and tall. Tezuka nodded slightly at her, "Let's go."
Kazama tightened his backpack strap and followed his steps, continuing, "I'll have to trouble Tezuka-senpai to take me to buy envelopes today."
Tezuka looked calm, "It's okay, I just happened to be going to mail a letter, but why did I suddenly remember to buy an envelope?"
"Well..." She laughed and scratched her head, "I recently met a pen pal on Line who I get along really well with, and we agreed to send letters together."
You can't say he planned to do this because he once said he liked handwritten letters.
Feng Jian suppressed the throbbing in his heart and forced his lips together, but the other party still saw through it, "Feng Jian, you, are you very happy today?"
"Is there? Maybe it's because spring is coming soon." She tilted her head and smiled at him.
"Yes, spring is coming."
The whirring traffic carried his voice away. Tezuka deliberately slowed down his pace for a few seconds, then calmly walked to the left side near the traffic, slightly tilted his head and continued to listen to her.
The two walked side by side, their shadows lengthened by the setting sun, extending into the distance.
I really wish I could stay in this moment forever.
Fengjian muttered in his heart.
Time passed quietly in the tense and expectant waiting. When it was less than a week before the graduation ceremony, the whole Qingxue was shrouded in the tense atmosphere of exam week. Students did not dare to speak loudly when passing by the third-grade floor.
Yuan would ask her from time to time how the letter was going, but she would always lightly reject his question and pretend to read with her head down under his meaningful gaze, but she couldn't stop her excitement.
However, accidents always come before tomorrow.
"Mr. Kazama, Teacher Toyota asked you to get the test paper." Someone called out from outside the door.
"good."
As soon as he walked out of the classroom, the cold air outside drilled into his collar like a nimble little snake. Fengjian rubbed his palms and knocked on the office door.
She was carrying the new test papers and about to leave when Teacher Toyota's voice suddenly came from behind her, "Kazama-san, please take this to Teacher Tanaka in Group 1, Grade 3."
Feng Jian handed over the white envelope, and Teacher Toyota muttered to himself, "It must have been left here when he came to me before. Tanaka is still as reckless as before."
She responded and was about to leave with the envelope in her hand when she caught a glimpse of some English words written on the envelope and her steps paused slightly.
"Tezuka Kunimitsu".
「Letter of introduction from a foreign university」
Those few words pierced my eyes like needles.
When handing the envelope to Mr. Tanaka, Kazama found that his hands were shaking, and even his voice was shaking.
"Teacher, I want to ask, what is this letter...?"
"Oh, this is an acceptance letter from a prestigious foreign university."
"Tezuka-san's tennis skills are outstanding. He has been accepted into a foreign university in advance. He will be able to go abroad after attending the graduation ceremony."
"What's wrong"
Tanaka looked curiously at the girl who was standing there in a daze as if she had been hit by a bolt of lightning. He touched his chin and suddenly felt that this student looked a little familiar.
She seems to be the girl who often walks with Tezuka.
Fengjian lowered her head. The words just now seemed to have completely drained all the strength in her body. She pulled a wry smile at the corner of her mouth, shook her head slightly at him, and turned away, but her hands hung at her sides, her nails almost digging into her flesh.
The chilly spring air rushed through the corridor like a tidal wave, blowing up a strong wind in her heart, leaving her feeling empty.
She pressed herself against the wall, slowly slid down, and buried her head in her arms.
The envelope she hid among the books had only the words "Personally addressed to Tezuka-senpai" written on it, and she hadn't even had time to write a single word.
It turned out that in his world, there were already things more important than "being liked by me", such as tennis, Germany, and professional tennis. These words that she felt were so far away that she even felt uncomfortable approaching them were his direction.
This winter is so long that it seems like spring will never come.
Her secret love had not yet sprouted, and was buried in the deep winter snow before the arrival of spring.
——
The cool breeze at the end of February ushers in spring in Tokyo. Spring cherry blossoms bloom on the branches, clustered together to form a pink ocean, and blown down by the wind, like a falling pink snow.
After several days of winter rain, the sky finally cleared up. The sky was vast and azure, without a single cloud. Bright sunlight poured down, illuminating the plaque inscribed with the words "Graduation Ceremony." Students in black suits and red ceremonial rings gathered together for photos. Petals brushed against the hem of a young girl's skirt, then were carried away by the wind.
"April, go, go."
Yuan grabbed her hand tightly and rushed downstairs, his tone filled with unconcealed excitement, "I heard from Taocheng that the auditorium is packed. If you go too late, your Tezuka-senpai will be snatched away by someone else."
Feng Jian clenched the gift in his hand. When he stopped, the two of them had already arrived outside the auditorium. The boy's chestnut-colored hair formed a faint arc in the air, and his tea-brown eyes were slightly lowered, casting fine shadows on his handsome face.
Even in a dense crowd, the other person is still an eye-catching presence that can be seen at a glance. Even if he has a serious face, there are still many people around him.
She stood there and didn't move forward, but the other party seemed to notice the strange gaze and looked up at her.
Their eyes met in mid-air, and both were startled.
A moment later.
Tezuka, who had finally squeezed out of the circle of girls, straightened his messed uniform and adjusted his glasses.
"I didn't expect Tezuka-senpai to be so embarrassed."
Kazama put his hands behind his back and looked at him with a smile.
Tezuka breathed a sigh of relief, his lips pursed to reveal a faint helpless arc. When he looked at her, there was a very faint smile in his eyes, "Gen said, Kazama, you have something to give me."
Silently cursing Minamoto for being such a big mouth, Kazama handed him the gift he was carrying on his back, "This is all the data I've recorded on Tezuka-senpai as a recorder, as well as the rehabilitation training plan for his elbow."
Tezuka was slightly startled. When he took the notebook, he gently stroked the patterns on it with his fingertips and said in a soft voice, "Thank you. I like this gift very much."
Feng Jian pursed her lips and smiled, "As long as Senior likes it, I'm glad. And..." She paused for a few seconds before finding her voice, "I heard that Senior Tezuka is going to Germany for further studies."
The noisy sounds around her suddenly disappeared, and it was so quiet that it seemed as if the only sounds she could hear were her own low heartbeat and the rustling sound of cherry blossoms falling in the wind.
Tezuka was speechless for a moment, and after a while he whispered back, "I'm sorry, I..."
The rest of his words were interrupted by the girl's laughter. She shook her head, her face a dazzling smile. "This is a great opportunity. If you go to Germany, you can get your hand injury treated. I heard that tennis is developing very well in Germany. You can continue to pursue your tennis career. There is nothing better than this."
"But..." She gave a sly smile, "Even without us, you still have to play tennis well, senior."
Tezuka looked at her without saying anything.
Fengjian lowered her head, avoiding his practical gaze. Her thick black hair covered half of her face, making it impossible to see her expression.
Until the voices of Yuan and Taocheng pierced the silent and stagnant air.
"April, come and take a photo——"
"Kazama, President Tezuka, we're here to take pictures—"
Fengjian opened and clenched the hands hanging at her sides, clenched and opened again, and finally she let out a long sigh as if a heavy burden had been lifted. She smiled again, leaned over and waved to them.
“Here we come!”
He passed by Tezuka, his steps slowed down slightly, but he stopped a few steps away.
"Tezuka-senpai," her voice was like a taut and loosened guitar string, blending softly into the wind, "I hope you will continue to enjoy playing tennis in the future."
"I also hope that senior will pay more attention to his health. After all, seniors are always prone to injury."
There was silence in his ears. A strong wind blew by, blowing up fallen cherry blossoms all over the ground and filling his arms. Unlike his right hand which was slightly raised and lowered, he finally missed the hug.
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