They all have hidden attributes!

In the first game, Hanakawa Kaori and Nekoya Hina lost with a score of 18-21.

There is a short halftime break before the two sides switch sides.

The person in charge of the event then approached and bowed respectfully, saying, "Mr. Takahashi, a man who calls himself Hanakawa Nobuyuki wants to see you."

Makoto Takahashi looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a man with a DSLR camera hanging around his neck waving and greeting him.

"Let him come over."

"clear."

With permission, Hanakawa Nobuyuki entered the VIP area and sat down in the chair on the other side of Takahashi Makoto, one seat away.

He was wearing a plaid polo shirt and black trousers, his short black hair was a bit unconventional, he had a round head and face, and his smiling face made him look very kind.

"Thank you for taking care of my daughter."

After a polite greeting, Hanakawa Nobuyuki smiled and said, "Thanks to you, my father's hot spring inn is doing incredibly well. When I was abroad, a friend invited me to his home for photography, which really surprised me."

"It's nothing, I was treated well after all," Takahashi Makoto replied in as gentle a tone as possible.

Because of what happened to Uesugi Maya, he really disliked these irresponsible parents, but he didn't want to appear rude.

Seeing Takahashi Makoto's complex yet indifferent attitude, Hanakawa Nobuyuki sighed, "Oh dear—," and went straight to the point:

"Actually, Xiaoqian still cares about her daughter, but that's just her personality. Apart from me, her childhood sweetheart, probably no one can understand her."

"Did she have ulterior motives when she asked you to marry her?" Makoto Takahashi asked.

"I only found out later, but hoping that your son will succeed is also a kind of love."

Upon hearing this, Makoto Takahashi suddenly felt an urge to call Maya Uesugi and have her rant over to the commentary booth's loudspeaker.

The favoritism between his wife and daughter is too obvious. Could it be that he is henpecked?

"So what do you think?" Makoto Takahashi asked calmly.

The oppressive aura of the superior dissipated slightly, and Hanakawa Nobuyuki took out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead:

"Xiaoqian has always been guiding her daughter towards a professional path, and she is doing so now. Although I support her, I will also support Huazhi's own decisions."

"I think so too."

Makoto Takahashi unscrewed the bottle of mineral water beside him and swallowed a mouthful: "I'm curious, you and Coach Shirakawa are childhood friends, were you the kind who were always bullied when you were young?"

"Ah, well, she was very mischievous back then." Hanakawa Nobuyuki laughed, seemingly oblivious to the underlying meaning.

Faced with his elders who seemed utterly oblivious to everything, Makoto Takahashi smiled silently and watched the game without uttering a word.

In the second game, Nekoya Hina and Hanakawa Kaori successfully won the match.

In the third game, the Hagiri sisters took the lead with 11 points. According to the rules of the deciding game, the two sides switched sides again.

Hanakawa Nobuyuki stood up and said to Takahashi Makoto:

"Actually, I know I'm a bad father. Xiaoqian has always told me not to interfere in my daughter's life, and it was my own choice to stay abroad to work."

"Thank you again for taking care of my daughter. In addition, I will try to persuade Xiaoqian to respect her daughter's own choice."

After saying this, Hanakawa Nobuyuki bowed deeply and then walked away.

Makoto Takahashi rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on, and complained to Reiko Kashima, "This is too childish. I'm only a first-year student."

"In terms of social status, that's not the case."

After deep thought, Kashima Reiko replied to him in a completely emotionless voice: "In the Tachimi family, no one dares to treat the young lady as a junior."

“Nonsense, I can do it.” Takahashi Makoto retorted.

"Please be serious, this is a public place." Kashima Reiko raised her blue eyes, a hint of worry in them, making her obedient face look especially cute.

Makoto Takahashi smiled and squeezed her hand, then stood up and said, "Let's go, let's go to the rest area and wait for them."

The two walked through the stands and into their private lounge, where they watched the rest of the match on a small TV.

With just one point away from overtime, Hanakawa Kaori accidentally dropped her racket, and Nekoya Hina, whose distance was too great, crashed heavily onto the court.

The final whistle blew, and the score was 21-19.

Makoto Takahashi watched through the television screen as Hanakawa Kaori stood there, her eyes vacant, and Nekoya Hina shed tears of regret, his feelings a complex mix.

This was undoubtedly a huge blow to both of them.

All of Hanakawa Kaori's expectations vanished after winning the match, and Nekoya Hina's dream of becoming a professional athlete also came to a temporary end.

Sitting on the sofa in the lounge, they waited quietly for about ten minutes before a dejected Hanakawa Kaori and a disheartened Nekoya Hina pushed open the door and walked in.

"Thank you for your hard work," said Kashima Reiko.

Hearing her voice, Nekoya Hina took a deep breath, adjusted her mindset slightly, and looked up to say, "I'm not that tired, it's just a little disappointing."

Compared to her, Hanakawa Kaori's reaction was more straightforward.

"...Brother, sob."

She dropped the sports backpack she was carrying, dragged her weak steps over, sat on Takahashi Makoto's lap, and cried, "I could have won, I was just a little short."

Nekoya Hina clenched her fists, unable to speak.

The smaller the score difference, the more regrettable it is.

If the racket hadn't slipped from my hand, or if I had made a calmer decision on the spot, could I have won the match?

Makoto Takahashi couldn't give them an answer, so he simply supported Hanakawa Kaori, who was sitting on his lap, and used his thumb to wipe away her tears.

The tears that had just overflowed from my eyes were still warm.

"What's done is done, all we can do is face it. Aya has lost to Sachi so many times, but she has always faced the result with equanimity."

"But, brother, I—"

Hanakawa Kaori hung her head, her black twin tails seemingly lifeless: "I lost before, that's why my mother left me."

“You lost to me at the sports festival too,” Kashima Reiko added unexpectedly.

"That's different."

Hanakawa Kaori tried to argue, but Kashima Reiko calmly continued, "I even let the water out, no, the sea."

"Brother~ Sister Leng Zi is too much."

Unable to argue with her, Hanakawa Kaori looked up at him with a pitiful expression. Takahashi Makoto helped her to her feet and calmly asked:

"Do you feel you're not qualified to see Coach Shirakawa?"

“…Hmm.” Hanakawa Kaori lowered her head again, as if she had made a mistake.

"From a daughter's perspective, it's her fault that you can't see her."

Makoto Takahashi stood up, gave Reiko Kashima a look, and put his arm around Kaori Hanakawa's shoulder as they walked out of the lounge: "And whether you want to continue playing badminton is your own decision. It's your life."

"I know, but..."

"Don't let a single victory or defeat affect your entire life [1 point]."

"..." Hanakawa Kaori fell silent.

Makoto Takahashi put his arm around her shoulder and led her from the VIP passage to a side door, where the chill of winter seeped in through the cracks.

Breathing in the fresh air, Hanakawa Kaori remained silent for a long time before slowly raising her youthful face and staring into Takahashi Makoto's eyes.

"Brother, will you always take care of me like this?"

"Children shouldn't learn heavy and strange things." Makoto Takahashi looked away and gazed at the vegetation outside the glass door, its colors vibrant in the warm sunlight.

"But you clearly said that it's okay for me to be a child forever." Hanakawa Kaori puffed out her cheeks in a huff.

With her tear-stained face, moist purple eyes, cute twin tails, and petite figure, she embodies all the qualities of an injured younger sister, creating an surreal and irresistible feeling.

“That refers to the band,” Makoto Takahashi replied cautiously.

"But we want to be in a band for life."

“I never said that.”

"My brother is so mean!"

Hanakawa Kaori stomped on his foot hard, then rubbed her cheeks with both hands, forcing a smile that was usually full of energy: "Brother, am I cute?"

"Cute." This was the only point that Makoto Takahashi couldn't argue with.

"So, brother, you have to stand by me."

Although he didn't understand Hanakawa Kaori's logic, she seemed to have cheered up a little, so Takahashi Makoto didn't refute her and was pulled by the hand towards the gymnasium corridor.

"As long as my brother is on my side, I can... well... I don't need to be afraid of anyone."

"Are Aya and Sachi included in [anyone]?"

"Of course, and I'm still in my rebellious phase."

I advise you to calm down.

In just a few words, Hanakawa Kaori led him to the door of a lounge. Judging from the [Hagiri] nameplate, Coach Shirakawa would probably be inside.

"Brother, please wait for me here." Hanakawa Kaori's expression was serious.

"Don't you need me to come with you?"

"What if they're changing clothes or something? Besides, I want to deal with it myself."

Seeing that she had the courage to face everything head-on, Makoto Takahashi could only nod: "Okay, no matter what, we'll support you."

Under his gaze, Hanakawa Kaori turned around, let out a long breath, raised her hand to knock on the door, and after hearing a voice from inside saying "Come in," she pushed the door open and went in.

"Sorry to bother you," said Hanakawa Kaori.

The door closed immediately, and the conversation inside could no longer be heard.

That's how it should be.

The truth is that the door wasn't closed tightly, and Makoto Takahashi could clearly hear what Hanakawa Kaori shouted through the crack.

As for why she shouted loudly and what she said, it's a bit strange.

"I will never play badminton again!"

"Athletes don't earn any money at all, it's tough and tiring, it's better to be a lover of someone you like, and you can be a child forever!"