Love Tennis and Yumiko Miura

"You are always right." Yumiko still couldn't hide the smile on her face.

"Elementary school students are just elementary school students after all. There are still many things they don't understand, just like they don't know why adults are adults." Zhixian looked at the elementary school students in the kitchen and suddenly felt emotional. "They don't understand the meaning of learning, the meaning of politeness, the value of money, or the meaning of love. Therefore, they take many things for granted."

Youmiko stopped laughing and listened to Zhixian quietly.

"Because they are too naive, they are easily driven by their likes and dislikes to do things that suit their own ideas." Zhixian watched as Ye Shan approached the lone Tsurumi Rumi again not far away.

"Ah, it's that kid!" Youmiko also saw Rumi. She had a deep impression of Zhixian because he had been following that group before.

"We don't know why the child was excluded from the group, but there is no doubt that she must have done something that displeased her group members, whether it was her fault or not."

"That sounds a bit pitiful." Yumiko saw Hayama bring Rumi back to the group.

"But this child obviously no longer has any hope of integrating into the group, so she will choose to be alone." Zhixian said.

"But didn't she return to the group with Hayato?" Yumiko asked puzzled.

"Look again." Zhixian gestured to Youmeiko to continue looking.

Ye Shan was talking to the elementary school students at this time.

"It's a rare opportunity to make curry, so let's add some secret seasoning!"

"Hi~Hi!" The primary school students raised their hands enthusiastically.

Yuigahama, who was not far away, also responded to Hayama's call: "I think fruits are good, such as peaches!"

This sentence made Ye Shan very embarrassed for a while. He didn't expect Yuigahama to do this to him.

As Hayama interacted with the elementary school students, Tsurumi Rumi quietly slipped past him and went outside to where Hikigaya and Yukinoshita were.

81. Curry

"Did you see it?" Zhixian turned his head and asked Youmeiko.

"Yeah... I see." Yumiko, who has always been the center of a small group since she was a child, actually doesn't quite understand the idea of ​​studying in the United States.

"Maybe she can get along better with Yukinoshita Hikigaya." Chixian glanced at Rumi who had already started talking to the two of them, "Let's go back, Yumiko."

"Yeah, okay." Youmiko couldn't help but turn her head to look at Liumei again, then turned around and followed Zhixian.

That child seems to be really similar to Yukinoshita, Yumiko couldn't help but think.

Although their temperaments are very similar, it is obvious that Tsurumi Rumi does not yet have the counterattack ability of Yukinoshita.

----split line----

Near the kitchen, there was a long wooden table and two rows of benches, a perfect place for Zhixian and the others to dine. After everyone had their curry and rice served, they took their seats.

It's worth mentioning that while everyone was helping the students, Ms. Hiratsuka didn't slack off. She diligently tended to the curry, ensuring it exuded a fragrant, alluring aroma. Zhixian, who hadn't had curry in a while, was eager to try it. After all, he had personally participated in making it, so if it tasted good, he'd be proud of it.

When serving rice, the principle of ladies first was also implemented. Yukinoshita Yumiko and her group served their curry first and then went to sit at the wooden tables and benches.

Yukinoshita sat at one end of the bench, Komachi sat next to her, followed by Himami Osaka and Yumiko, and so on. The girls sat in the same row in perfect agreement.

Next came the boys who had finished their meals. Tobe was about to sit down at the very edge, facing Yumiko, but was gently pulled by Ye Shan.

"Hayato-kun?" Tobe turned around in confusion, and suddenly realized what was going on after Ye Shan's hint.

Zhixian noticed this detail, but he said nothing. He silently took the plate and sat opposite Youmeko.

Seeing Zhixian sit down, Tobe sat down next to Zhixian, followed by Hayama, Totsuka, Hikigaya and Hiratsuka-sensei.

After the last person, Mr. Hiratsuka, sat down on the bench, everyone said, "I'm starting to eat," and started to enjoy the curry in front of them.

"It seems like eating the side dishes makes sense."

"The only thing on the menu is curry."

"Boys really like curry. When curry is on the menu, the boys get really rowdy."

With curry as the topic, everyone recalled the memories of group meals or school trips. It seems that these are common memories no matter which elementary school or middle school they are in.

Zhixian naturally had similar memories, but he didn't speak out.

Then, following the introduction by Hayama, they talked about some trivia about Chiba Prefecture, such as that only Chiba Prefecture has malt jelly and miso peanuts in its side dishes.

However, when mentioning Chiba Zhixian, the word "sister control" flashed through my mind.

It is worth mentioning that Hikigaya's behavior confirmed his image as a sister-con in Chiba.

After finishing the curry on the plate, Zhixian stood up and got another plate.

"Zhixian, you have a good appetite, don't you?" said Youmeiko, who had only eaten half a plate.

"I haven't eaten curry in a long time. I miss the taste a little bit." Zhixian put down the plate and sat down. "Also, I haven't eaten curry made by myself in a long time."

"Come to think of it, I was wanting to ask just now, Ju is the kind of person who is very good at cooking, right? He is very skilled at both making fire and cutting vegetables." The person asking the question was Hubu. The kitchen was so small, so it was normal for Zhixian's knife skills to be seen, not to mention that he also helped the elementary school students prepare the ingredients.

"Yes, yes! I saw it too! Tachibana-san's knife skills are amazing!" Yuigahama also said. She herself is the kind of person who has a hard time peeling fruits. She can be said to be a kitchen killer, so she especially admires people with good cooking skills.

"Komachi saw it too! Tachibana-senpai's knife skills are good enough for a big restaurant."

"I'm the one who cooks at home, but the food tastes just average. Only my knife skills are okay." Zhixian's expression didn't change at all when people praised him. He didn't think it was anything special. After all, he wasn't a sculptor, and having good knife skills alone wouldn't make the food taste good.

"I really hope my brother can learn this humble attitude." Komachi looked at Hikigaya meaningfully.

"Hey! What's wrong with me?!"

"Hmph, Onii-chan knows it yourself!"

"Whoa!"

After listening to the conversation between several people, Shizuka Hiratsuka did not say anything. She knew much more than those who did not know the inside story.

She was Zhixian's homeroom teacher in his freshman year of high school, and his father's name was listed as his guardian. When she planned to interview Zhixian's parents about him sleeping in class, Zhixian said his parents were divorced and his father was too busy to come to school.

Only then did Shizuka Hiratsuka realize what kind of life the student in front of her was living.

Based on the principle of seeing is believing, she followed Zhixian to the club and watched his training routine for a day.

After returning to school, she no longer cared about Zhixian sleeping in class. She even persuaded the teachers of other subjects to let Zhixian off and repeatedly assured Zhixian that he would not fail in any of his subjects.

She and Zhixian agreed on this point. As long as Zhixian could pass all subjects, she would not care if he slept in class.

Shizuka Hiratsuka had seen Chixian's junior high school grades, which were very good, not only in tennis, but also in academic performance. Although he was admitted as a sports student, he could also be admitted to Sobu with his grades and exams.

Perhaps he chose tennis because his parents were divorced and he wanted to share some of the pressure with his family? And the facts proved that Zhixian indeed possessed unparalleled talent in tennis. In his freshman year, he placed third in the national high school competition. By his sophomore and junior years, he might have been a surefire national champion.

Although others see Zhixian as ambitious and promising, Shizuka Hiratsuka still feels that he is a little too lonely. While Zhixian does have friends at school like Miko Shibanozaki, Shizuka Hiratsuka still feels that he is lonely. Not in the sense of being alone, but in the sense of being alone in the pursuit of his dreams, with no one to walk alongside him—including his parents, who only express support and provide financial assistance.

Zhixian's words just now that he hadn't eaten curry for a long time touched Shizuka Hiratsuka a little. It was just a bowl of curry and no one made it for him.

She could even imagine what it would be like for Zhixian to return home alone and face an empty house after a hard day of training.

But now the trend seems to be changing, Hiratsuka Shizuka thought.

A few seats away, Yumiko was talking to Zhixian with a rich expression on her face.

82. Loneliness [Rewards and More]

In the evening, it was already time for the elementary school students to go to bed, but a group of high school students including Shizuka Hiratsuka gathered together.

The nights in the mountains were somewhat cold, and because the elementary school students had dispersed, it became unusually quiet and somewhat deserted.

At this time, the kettle with a flute made a clicking sound, and the sound of the flute became louder and louder - this meant that the water in the kettle had boiled.

Komachi skillfully brewed the tea from the bag.

Drinking hot tea in this kind of weather is indeed a pleasant experience, but the atmosphere among the crowd at this moment did not seem particularly pleasant, but rather solemn. Even the most boisterous Hubu did not speak easily, but simply held his paper cup in silence.

The elementary school students were probably having a night talk, after all, it was a rare opportunity for everyone to sleep together, and it would be a shame not to make good use of it. Even the children who had been active all day probably wouldn't mind this night talk.

It’s a bit of a pity for the children who are not physically fit and are very sleepy, but fortunately the daytime is still enjoyable enough.

It's the exact opposite of the atmosphere among high school students today.

"They are probably doing something like they did on the night of the school trip." Ye Shan put down the paper cup, making a small noise and breaking the silence that lasted for several minutes.

But his tone was not as relaxed as his words.

"Is the child okay..." Yuigahama's voice sounded a little worried.

No explanation was needed, the high school students present all knew that the bun-haired girl was talking about the little girl named Tsurumi Rumi, and they were all paying more or less attention to this matter.

With a "swish" sound of friction, Shizuka Hiratsuka lit a ladies' cigarette with a match. After taking a light puff, the smoke slowly rose.

"Is there anything troubling you?" the teacher asked. The solemn atmosphere didn't sound like a summer camp at all.

"There is a student who is isolated by everyone..." It was Ye Shan who answered the question.

"Yeah, that kid is so pitiful," Yumiko agreed.

"No, Hayama, you don't understand the essence of the problem. Isolation itself is nothing if you're just alone. The problem is being isolated because of malicious intent." Hikigaya spoke.

"Huh? Is there any difference?" Yumiko asked. She thought being alone was just like being isolated.

"There are people who stay alone because they like someone, and there are people who are forced to do so. That's roughly what it means," Ye Shan explained.

"Are there people who really like being alone? I mean, elementary school students," Yumiko continued, raising the question further because of the example of Zhixian. Because Zhixian fits the description of someone who likes being alone most of the time.

But even Zhixian, who is not very keen on socializing, often acts with friends. Not to mention anything else, just talking about Sobu, Zhixian even went to the drama club to play a guest role as a guard, and he has good relationships with a few people in all three grades.

So Youmiko just felt that Chixian needed personal space sometimes, but other than that, she didn't want to be alone all the time.

However, before anyone answered her question, Hiratsuka Shizuka's question was put on the back burner.

"So what are you guys going to do? Are you going to do anything?"

Everyone fell silent after hearing Hiratsuka-sensei's question.

what to do? Let's serve it cold.

At times like these, it's pointless to show sympathy; people don't need your sympathy. Actually, it's not easy to do something, and when you can't do anything, you just feel content with your current happy life, or you might participate in fundraising or something like that.

This is also why it's so easy to be a keyboard warrior. After all, you don't have to be responsible for what you type on the keyboard, and everyone can talk nonsense! When you get off the plane in a foreign country and start talking, who knows if you are just bored and want to show off your words or if you really care about the matter?

Maybe it's just about enjoying the process, reveling in the seemingly compassionate behavior.

But we cannot ignore those who really want to take action but are unable to do so.

"I...I want to do something within my ability." It was Ye Shan who spoke first, and his tone was heavy.

"You can't do it. Wasn't it like this before?" It was Yukinoshita who responded to him, with a hint of sarcasm in her tone.

Upon hearing this, Ye Shan showed an ugly expression, as if he remembered something.

"Maybe so...but this time is different..."

"Who knows." Yukinoshita's tone was very cold.

Although this behavior is very consistent with Yukinoshita's personality, Zhixian always feels that Yukinoshita seems to be deliberately targeting Hayama.

"Ah, ah," Shizuka Hiratsuka said helplessly. She put out the cigarette in the ashtray. "So, Yukinoshita, what are you going to do?"

Yukinoshita first confirmed that this also fell within the scope of the Service Club, then closed her eyes and thought.

But she opened her eyes after a moment: "...If she asks for help, I will help her through some means."

The girl's words were clear and firm.

"Ju, do you have any ideas?" Then Shizuka Hiratsuka called Zhixian's name again.

"I probably wouldn't ask anyone for help." Zhixian gently put down the paper cup in his hand. "It's ridiculous to need help with something like this."

"Do you think so?" Hiratsuka Shizuka asked again.

"I would rather be alone than ask for help from others. I think the little girl thinks the same way." Zhixian said, because as a third-year junior high school student, he also chose "no" at the fork in the road of asking for help or not, that is, he would not ask for help from others - not even his closest partner.

"Zhixian..." Youmiko called his name worriedly. She was worried that Zhixian would recall the bad things in the past.

"I'm fine, Youyouko." Zhixian turned his head and smiled at Youyouko.

Then he looked at Hiratsuka Shizuka: "Even if there are trustworthy people, they still might not say it out loud. And if it doesn't work out after speaking out, it will only make the situation worse. So it's better not to do anything."

"But..." Yuigahama wanted to say that it was too pitiful, but she hesitated and didn't say it out loud. She thought of some of the things Yumiko had said about Zhixian, and perhaps there was more to Zhixian.

"But if I'm willing, it's still very easy to break through. After all, it's just elementary school."

"...Is that so?" The teacher lit another cigarette. "Excellent. Then you can figure out what to do next! I'm going to bed now."

But when everyone decided to hold a meeting for this, Zhixian stood up and prepared to leave.

83.Zhixian's Thoughts

"Zhixian, where are you going?" Youmiko asked.

"Uncle Honda has a tennis racket. I'll borrow his racket to exercise before bed."