When Yukimura returned home that day, half of the desserts in the paper bag had disappeared.

In order to make up for the mistake, Marui took Yukimura to a station a little further away and enthusiastically recommended a flower-themed cake shop.

Yukimura was pleasantly surprised to find a dessert that was extremely pleasing to his taste and shape. The beautiful aqua blue tulip shaped cake and fruit completely attracted his attention. It was so delicate and cute that he couldn't bear to eat it.

When he heard Marui tell him about the awards that the shop owner had won, Yukimura even had the illusion that he was in a Western pastry lecture.

"Marui -san is really good at desserts!"

Yukimura sighed unconsciously. This crazy enthusiasm was not inferior to his father who talked non-stop about desserts. Sure enough, people who liked desserts looked innocent and cute.

Marui, who was happy to be praised, did not hesitate to tell him about his hobbies and information. After learning that Yukimura also played tennis, he actively invited Yukimura to play.

Yukimura thought about it. It had been a long time since he played with someone else. Maybe it would be interesting, so he happily decided to meet at the club next time.

Yukimura's mother rarely received her favorite dessert, and also the new product that Yukimura bought later. She was so happy that she kissed her son fiercely.

Yukimura's father, who came home from work, happily nibbled on the doughnut that his son specially bought for him.

In the whole family, he was the only one who was prone to gaining weight. That was enough!

Yukimura's father silently wished that his little daughter could inherit his sweet tooth.

With the cold weather, winter officially arrived for the first four people in Yukimura's family.

Unlike Sanada House, which had taken out the table heating system early on, Yukimura's Western-style home furnishings did not increase the floor heating in previous years in order to not let the baby get too hot.

Because of this, whenever Xing Mura went to Sanada's house to play, he would involuntarily curl up on the warm table and fall asleep accidentally. For this reason, Sanada's mother would often call Xing Mura's family with a smile to inform them that Xing Mura was staying overnight.

Ever since Yukimura stayed in his room in the first grade, it had been kept clean and tidy. From time to time, he would stay here because he was training or staying late for dinner. Yukimura's father often felt that his son had a cousin, more or less making up for his parents' regret of not being able to take care of his younger sister.

In December, Yukimura was invited by Takeda to watch the finals of the national high school basketball tournament.

In this competition, Takeda's brother's school team met their arch-rival. It was the Winter Cup that received a lot of attention.

As it was nearing the end of the semester, many third-year high school students did not participate in this competition. Brother Takeda, who was selected as the shooting guard in his first year of high school, performed well in the group stage.

Takeda, who got the ticket from his brother, immediately thought of Yukimura.

He admired his deskmate's keen sense of the ball and comprehension ability. He also appreciated his deskmate Sanada's uprightness and seriousness. Perhaps compared to Yukimura, Takeda and Sanada sometimes chatted more.

The three of them arrived at the stadium a little early and followed Takeda to the player's room to greet his brother.

Yukimura, who was watched by a group of high school students, was depressed to find that he had once again become the lowest in the group.

This level of competition was equivalent to determining the number one high school basketball team in Japan. Whether it was the solemn and tense player's room or the players who looked excited or determined, they were all running toward their biggest dream of dominating the country in this last year of willfulness.

Yukimura was moved by the look in their eyes and could not help but think. Unlike tennis, which was based on absolute individual strength, basketball might place more emphasis on teamwork and tactics, which were indispensable in the process of leading the tennis department.

The three of them returned to the auditorium. After the game started, he was still staring thoughtfully at the advisory team in the coach's seat.

To some extent, it was not an exaggeration to say that it was the art of war …

He turned his head and whispered to his good friend next to him, "Shinichiro learned shogi from your grandfather, right?

Did you find anything to learn about the layout? "

Sanada almost instantly understood Yukimura's thoughts. He observed for a while and said with uncertainty, "There is a gap in the individual strength of the two teams. Team Red's offense is fiercer, but its defense is weaker. Team White's defense can be called an iron wall, so their current scoring rate is higher …"

Yukimura had a different view. "This is just the opening game. It's not worth it to go all out right from the start.

It's easy to make mistakes if you lose too much energy.

As for Team White, "he smiled." The best defense is offense. Even an iron wall can be broken.

Let's see who can't hold on first. "

Takeda Kun was very surprised to hear that the two of them could see through the game with just a few words.

Obviously, the two of them did not know the professional skills of basketball, but they could see the strategy from an outsider's perspective. It reminded him of the consultants of the school clubs.

The consultant of the basketball club was also the consultant of the shogi club. Was that why Sanada could see the strategy?

Just as Yukimura guessed, Team Red's power forward was replaced in the third game due to exhaustion. Team White's point guard and shooting guard cooperated well. The iron wall was still strong, and they took the opportunity to take a big lead. The situation was basically difficult to reverse. Team Red, where Takeda's brother was in, lost to their arch-enemy by a tragic score.

Sanada commented that Yukimura was quite talented in shogi. Inspired by this game, Yukimura decided that he should learn from him.

He thought that he would probably need to use team tactics when he entered Junior high school in the future. He smiled meaningfully.

This New Year, Yukimura's house was particularly lively.

When he received Sanada's call at night, Sanada could hear the crying of a child on the other side of the phone.

"What's wrong with Yuyi?

Doesn't she rarely cry? "Sanada watched his nephew run past him and leaned against the wall unhappily.

"Mom said that Yuyi should be ready to teethe, and she doesn't plan to feed her herself now. Just now, Yuyi was holding the spoon and was stunned by something. She didn't put the spoon into her mouth and got it all over her body."

Xing Cun laughed out loud. His little sister was always too well-behaved, and it was rare to see her embarrassed. He and his parents watched from the side with a particularly bad taste. "Daddy is recording it with a DV camera!

I'll show you when you come over next time. There are a lot of videos of Yuyi's stupidity these days. "

Sanada somehow thought of how he was surrounded by his family when he was young. He vaguely remembered that he seemed to have a memory of wearing women's clothes … Ah, no, he couldn't keep thinking about it like that.

He sincerely sympathized with Yuyi from the bottom of his heart. It was a kind of "Ah, that's right, your brother is the kind of person who specializes in bullying you" feeling.

"Speaking of which, Shinichiro, you should rest early this year. Aren't you going to say 'Happy New Year' to me?"

The voice in his ear was distorted by the phone transmission. Although the red and white gala was still playing on the TV and the whole family was talking, Sanada felt that his mind was filled with laughter and teasing.

"Happy New Year."

He seemed to feel that he wasn't frank enough. He didn't even have the courage to say, "I'm too lazy to stay up late and talk on the phone." He didn't hesitate to fall for the other party's teasing.

Sanada Senichiro, you really, really, must be better than Seiichi in the New Year!

However, it was Sanada's style to respond to the other party so straightforwardly!

After returning to school after the New Year, the tennis department handed over the next minister. Yukimura still held the position of deputy minister. He was determined to wait until the third year to appear in the singles as the minister and the main player.

After the final exam, he and Sanada followed the club coach to watch the high school tennis tournament in March. They were a little conflicted about the violent tennis that seemed to be tacitly approved.

This was a problem that the Japanese tennis world had not been able to cover up in the past decade. Many players' style of play had seriously deviated from the definition of chase, and players had retired due to injuries.

Yukimura imagined that if he were standing on the court, it would be difficult for him to perform his ultimate skill in the face of such an attack, no matter how good his technique was or how strong his mental strength was.

After watching a few games, the two children were a little silent.

Compared to watching a basketball game, it had nothing to do with them. The tennis court was a battlefield for the next ten or even twenty years. Such a cruel struggle for survival frightened them for a while.

The coach had been wondering if he should let them see the reality so early. However, he increasingly found that the growth of these two children was astonishing to him.

They were also mentally mature and had almost never taken the wrong path. The coach was determined to guide them on the right path of tennis as soon as possible.

He was quite sure that neither of them would appreciate violent tennis, but they had to learn how to face such opponents.

Even …

He silently stared at Yukimura's hair. This child's strong mental strength might become a double-edged sword.

The Japanese tennis world was almost laissez-faire when it came to violent tennis, but such extreme thinking was very conservative and the so-called "justice" was always on the tip of their tongue.

He was very worried that when Yukimura appeared in front of everyone, the new offensive power of a new era would be accepted by the tennis world.

At the end of March, Yukimura accompanied Sanada to watch the high school kendo selection contest. Sanada's grandfather was ill and did not attend the contest. He sent one of his disciples to lead the two children to sit in the best seats.

Yukimura, who could not understand kendo, always felt that he could not help his friend. He took the opportunity to study it carefully and listened carefully to Sanada's explanation next to him.

By watching the contest, Sanada had a little insight in his own understanding and had a new idea about the integration of kendo into tennis.

Yukimura, who had been promoted to the third grade, was half a head taller than his deskmate.

He could not figure out how he could not grow taller than the two peers around him. They were all doing sports.

Among the new applicants of the tennis club, he found two promising new students. He received the new members of the art department. Only then did he realize that he had not bought a new album for a long time.

After thinking about the schedule, he accepted Sanada's invitation to go to the bookstore on the weekend.

They visited an art center that was exhibiting the works of Ukiyo-e masters.

The surrounding area was full of an artistic atmosphere, and there were several well-known private galleries and bookstores.

Although he had ridiculed the old man Zenichiro's hobby, Xing Cun still obediently appreciated these charming Japanese paintings.

He thought about his and his friend's preferences and could not help but feel amazed.

Obviously, their interests in art and music were diametrically opposite, but they met and became good friends because of the only thing in common.

Now that they had known each other for five years, even their personalities had gradually become more obvious, but they had never really quarreled. It was a miracle.

He looked at his childhood friend next to him. He took off his upside-down baseball cap for the serious occasion, and his straight black hair was cut short. He looked hot-blooded and unruly, which did not match the calmness in his bones. The corners of his mouth curled up as he thought about it.

Ah, Shinichiro was so serious. It was better not to tell him.

After entering the bookstore next door, the two of them separated.

Yukimura picked two recommended new books and art collections that he had not seen, and wandered to the English novel section on the other side. He had been entrusted by his father to bring back two translations that he wanted to read.

When passing by the calligraphy section, he paused slightly.

He remembered that it was Shinichiro's birthday this year, and he had not thought of a gift yet. However, a calligraphy copy was a good choice.

Shinichiro's calligraphy had always been very good, and it was very domineering. Should he practice it?

He thought in front of the bookshelf, and when he came back to his senses, he found a person standing next to him.

The well-behaved boy with a haircut was holding a notebook in his hand, and his serious attitude made Yukimura have a good impression of him.

He carefully observed the boy, but he did not mind turning his head sideways and being seen.

"Sorry, I was just a little curious." He smiled and apologized generously, and got a gentle nod in return.

"It's nothing. I don't know what you are confused about, if I can help."

Xing Cun thought for a moment and decided to ask a master in the field of calligraphy.

The boy in front of him took out another book from his bag, opened it to a certain page, and introduced three different masters in a few words.

One of them was slightly familiar, and he thought that he had seen it in Shinichiro's study before.

He curiously picked out this person's calligraphy copy, and hesitated among several books.

"If you are an experienced person, I recommend this one."

The gentle and polite boy nodded at the ancient book that Yukimura placed in the middle, "This is an early work, the strokes are strong and imposing, suitable for young people."

He felt that his thoughts had been completely guessed. What an amazing person.

Yukimura gratefully smiled and thanked him, and put the other two books back on the bookshelf.

The boy next to him looked at the tennis bag behind him, paused, and asked, "Do you also play tennis?"

Yukimura looked back in surprise, "Yes, I have to go to the club to practice later.

You too? "

The boy nodded and reached out his hand, "Green River First Elementary School Tennis Club, Ryohei.

We didn't make it to the Kanagawa tournament this year. "

Yukimura reached out and shook his hand, "Kanagawa Daiichi Elementary School, Seiichi Yukimura." He had no impression of this school, and had never played against them before.

Liu thought about it, he knew a lot about this school, and this person seemed to have appeared a few times, "I've seen you play doubles, it's very good."

He currently had a like-minded doubles partner, but unfortunately, the school's team strength was insufficient, so he didn't have much data on this doubles player in front of him.

Subconsciously, he felt that this person should be very strong.

Yukimura smiled and didn't say much, he was very confident in himself. The Daiichi Elementary School Tennis Club was one of the strongest teams, but his goal wasn't just that.

"Junior high and even senior high schools are full of people who are really strong!"

He paused, and seemed to have a good impression of the person in front of him, and hinted, "If you want to become strong, you have to play against stronger people, Liu-kun."

After nodding, the two of them politely said goodbye.

Yukimura didn't know that this conversation had planted the seed of yearning for victory in Liu's heart.

Just like himself when he was a child, once he tasted the taste of victory, it became the motivation to constantly evolve.

Time passed quickly, and after handing over the position of the head of the Tennis Club, Yukimura and Sanada were about to become fourth-grade students.

At the beginning of the boy's growth period, Sanada's appetite became shockingly large.

Yukimura watched as his good friend ate twice as much as usual, and then looked at himself, he suddenly understood where he couldn't beat Shinichiro.

He began to worry, when school started next year, what if Shinichiro, who was clearly the Vice Head of the Tennis Club, looked more imposing than him when he appeared in a match?

Thus, the members of the Tennis Club were surprised to find that Yukimura Kun, who had been the Vice Head of the Tennis Club for three years, had started to wear a sports jacket to play.

But even so, no one could make Yukimura's jacket fall off, whether it was a coaching match or a practice match!

It was definitely sewn on his shoulder!

That boy who acted cool!

And in February, when Valentine's Day arrived, the girls who were shocked by the new Tennis Club Head of the Tennis Club, Yukimura Kun, were especially enthusiastic this year.

Among the chocolates they received, a considerable number were even from seniors who were about to graduate from the sixth grade.

No, no, no, Yukimura Kun's charm had nothing to do with age!

With teary eyes, they looked at the youth who had a helpless smile on his face, but seriously accepted the gifts, gently and sincerely thanking them, his beautiful eyes looking at them, and saying words of encouragement to the seniors.

Often, it was these small moments that allowed people to feel that their hearts had been properly healed.

This youth used to be so good-looking that he made people blush, and so gentle that people wanted to get close to him. Now that he was growing up, he revealed a corner of his dignity, but he still restrained his sharpness, not letting the coldness hurt others in the slightest.

Their elementary school ended in this way, accompanied by this little boy breaking out of his cocoon, and became the most beautiful scene in their memories.

In May, after school started, the news that the new head of the Tennis Club was in the fourth grade spread throughout the elementary schools in Kanagawa.

They rubbed their fists and wanted to pinch this soft persimmon, but when the two teams fought in the team competition, they were scared to death by the figure of a single player.

Wasn't that the famous doubles team?

Originally, the two of them were invincible, and it was still acceptable to give up on a double player, but now that the First Junior Tennis Club had a double player and a double player, as long as they could win the first set, they would definitely win!

Damn it!

How can we compete like this?

Although there were people who thought so, after all, the majority of them were hot-blooded teenagers.

Although Sanada's seriousness and seriousness were scary, many people still thought that they might be able to compete with him.

But they obviously underestimated the First Junior Tennis Club.

Yukimura put two fifth-grade seniors in the double player position. For many years, they had been suppressed by Sanada Yukimura as the double player for two years. Their advantage was their extraordinary tacit understanding and perseverance, which was why Yukimura was relieved to give them the position.

The double player was Lai Chi River, who was once favored by Yukimura. He didn't have a strong presence in the club until a new member of the second grade appeared, and the pair started to work together.

In the qualifiers and group matches, the First Junior Tennis Club became every opponent's nightmare.

When they finally managed to get 2: 2 with the First Junior Tennis Club, facing the teenager who easily killed his opponent with a jacket, no one could get even a point from him.

While evolving in the competition, Yukimura also gradually perfected his unique spiritual skill.

Many people found that all the players who came off the field after the game looked like they were wet, and they returned to their seats and stared blankly for a long time without coming back to their senses.

In the finals of the county tournament, the opponent in the deciding set was horrified to find that his vision was dark.

The audience outside the field and the members of the other schools saw that the poor opponent was waving his racket randomly and shouting, "Why can't I see?", while the teenager at the other end of the court acted as if he didn't see it and mercilessly smashed the ball into the opponent's court.

Playing with him was so scary!

The people who were being talked about like this were already prepared.

His tennis didn't need a unique skill, he only needed a perfect foundation to see through all the incoming balls.

Unless they had a better foundation and higher skills than him, or had an indestructible heart, they could only obediently surrender.