The final of the US Open.
Tezuka versus Roger.
Tezuka Kunimitsu was seventeen years old.
He had been playing professionally for three years before the age of eighteen.
He had won five Grand Slam titles, and his goal was to win the Gold Slam.
Roger had been famous for a long time.
He was eleven years older than Tezuka.
Currently, he held the record for the longest number of consecutive weeks in the history of the ATP rankings.
He was recognized as a king of his generation. Even though he was old now, and there were many other players who had surpassed him, he was still a god-level player in everyone's hearts.
Looking back at his professional tennis career, he had won nineteen Grand Slam titles since he entered the professional tennis scene at the age of sixteen.
Compared to the rising star Tezuka Kunimitsu,
The difference was like heaven and earth.
However,
Unfortunately, Roger had never won the Gold Slam in his many years of tennis career.
Tezuka Kunimitsu, on the other hand, had already launched a strong challenge to the Gold Slam in his third year in the professional tennis scene.
This was a clash of eras.
One was a king of the old era, and the other was a rising star.
Some people were optimistic about Roger's chances in this match.
Some people were optimistic about Tezuka.
After all, everyone could see Tezuka Kunimitsu's future.
Even if he did not beat Roger this time, he was still very young. His strength was obvious to the world. His future was absolutely limitless. No one would underestimate him.
Of course, it was understandable that many people were optimistic about him.
He was a natural talent to have achieved so much at such a young age. Roger's golden age had come to an end.
An athlete's peak career only lasted four or five years. Roger was almost there.
Even if he had many more years of experience than Tezuka, Tezuka Kunimitsu had won several Grand Slam titles. He was no longer a rookie. He could not be lacking any more.
Of course, Rukawa Sakura, who was sitting in the stands behind Tezuka's rest area, was nervous, but more confident.
She had always believed that as long as Tezuka Kunimitsu tried his best to do something, it would definitely end well.
Even if it was a failure, it was completely acceptable.
Just like the battle between him and Atobe, even though the result was not satisfactory and he had lost his arm, no one could say that the battle was not exciting enough.
She believed that Tezuka Kunimitsu would be the final victor.
Even if the process was full of twists and turns, even if he couldn't obtain victory this time, one day in the future, he would definitely be able to achieve his goal and realize his dreams.
She no longer cared about winning or losing. A temporary win or loss didn't mean anything. Tezuka Kunimitsu still had a lot of opportunities and a brighter future ahead of him.
And she knew that Tezuka was also the kind of person who didn't care about winning or losing.
He pursued victory, but not blindly.
For Tezuka Kunimitsu, tennis itself was more important.
Atobe, who sat next to Rukawa Sakura, asked Rukawa Sakura with a smile, "Are you nervous?"
"Not everyone can keep a straight face like you, Sir, okay?"
"Sir, I have always had a good mentality."
Atobe praised himself without blushing. Sir, he never knew how to spell the word 'humility'.
Rukawa Sakura had gotten used to Sir's style of speech. After all, Sir was the most beautiful person in the world, and everyone else had to step aside!
She really had no idea what kind of species would be used to mate with such a beautiful creature, but in any case, it was definitely not 'human'!
"Sir, I heard something interesting … Last night …" Atobe looked at Rukawa Sakura mockingly and caressed the mole at the corner of his eye.
Rukawa Sakura rolled her eyes internally. "Sir, are you a radar?"
"Sir, I'm much more beautiful than that. There's nothing that I don't know. Don't change the topic."
"Don't you already know?" Rukawa Sakura glanced at him.
"What about the details?
Don't make me confess to torture you … "Atobe narrowed his eyes.
"What kind of crime have I committed for you to torture me?" Rukawa Sakura scoffed condescendingly at him.
"Hey, tell me the truth. Sir, I won't laugh at you — even if I do, I'll laugh at Tezuka.
What did he say to you?
He didn't come to find you the night before the final just to say something unimportant, right? "
"Confessing and whatnot … Are they considered important?
Rukawa Sakura looked up at the sky, and her face blushed slightly.
"Yo!"
Atobe's interest was piqued. He sat up straight and leaned close to Rukawa Sakura's face. He saw the blush on her face clearly, and he snickered.
"You know how to be shy?" Atobe was surprised.
"How thick-skinned can I be? Why do you think I don't know how to … Ah!" Rukawa Sakura exploded.
Atobe caressed the 'kitty' who was bristling and looked at Tezuka with a smile. "That man … I really couldn't tell …" Atobe scratched his chin. "What did he say?"
"Are you a busybody or not!" Rukawa Sakura almost facepalmed. Is this really Atobe?
He dares to get to the bottom of something like this!
Has Atobe been possessed by Nin Of Gojoseon?
How did this kind of "best friend" come out of nowhere?
"Sir, I'm just curious. Gossiping is that guy's specialty. Don't compare me to that wolf!
Tell me, how did Tezuka confess? "
"I won't tell you.
You'll have to ask him yourself. "Rukawa Sakura was tight-lipped.
"Sir, I have a hard time imagining how that guy would confess.
Hey, why don't you tell me about it? "
"Sir, are you trying to act cute with me?" Rukawa Sakura glanced at him from the corner of her eyes.
"Hmm.
Speaking of which, I'm the matchmaker, right?
You should be thanking me. "
"Why should I thank you?
Just let him thank you. "
"So?
… Are you two going to be together? "Atobe asked with a raised brow.
"I don't know …" Rukawa Sakura looked up into the sky. "I suppose so …"
Speaking of which, Tezuka didn't look at the almanac when he left the house, and his confession was interrupted by Kaede Rukawa just like that … So, who knew what the ending was?
She hadn't even said anything …
"That guy has liked you for a long time already, right?" Atobe didn't realize it initially because at the time, Seiichi Yukimura was Rukawa Sakura's boyfriend.
However, who would have thought that the ending of their love would be the ending of their relationship?
And Tezuka Kunimitsu had liked her for so long.
Atobe had a sharp eye, but he didn't expect the 'God's Favorite Child', Seiichi Yukimura, to be just a bystander!
Atobe thought about it and thought it was funny.
Of course, he still supported the overly serious Tezuka!
Based on his relationship with Rukawa Sakura, it was easy for him to see Tezuka make a fool of himself.
Other than that, the 'God's Favorite Child' was now an outsider, wasn't he?
Just thinking about it made Atobe feel good.
He deserved it!
If this was before, it would be harder to see Seiichi Yukimura make a fool of himself than to climb to the heavens!
But now, the truth was right before his eyes.
As expected, he still supported Tezuka!
Actually, Atobe didn't expect Tezuka to have been so silently in love with Rukawa Sakura.
Based on Atobe's personality and work style, it was not his style to be so quiet, and he had always looked down on this style. Atobe's life principle was to make his move when he had his eyes on something, and he had to be well-prepared to get it done in one go. Even if he didn't achieve his goal, he would not let go until he got it.
Even though it was a bit of a robber's logic, that was Atobe's style.
In comparison, Atobe really wanted to sigh when it came to Tezuka.
This man had gone so far — even Atobe had to admire him, even though this was not Atobe's style.
"Hey, Jingo …" Rukawa Sakura looked at Tezuka on the stage and was deep in thought. She turned back to look at Atobe seriously. "Should I agree?"
Atobe sighed.
Initially, even though he had acknowledged Rukawa Sakura and had taken her under his wing, at the end of the day, he still did not understand Rukawa Sakura.
He admired Rukawa Sakura and acknowledged her as his friend, but at the time, he did not understand her.
After all these years, he had come to understand how insecure this girl was.
It was probably because of that that she kept her distance from both Yukimura and Tezuka.
Atobe's heart ached for her.
He ruffled Rukawa Sakura's hair. "You should ask your own heart."
Rukawa Sakura trusted Atobe.
Atobe Jingo was not only capable and had a good eye, he treated his friends well. Rukawa Sakura had always trusted Atobe, and over the years, she had been relying on him.
Atobe Jingo was indeed reassuring.
As a friend, there was no one more reliable than Atobe.
"Tezuka Kunimitsu is a friend and opponent that I acknowledge.
Even if you don't give yourself confidence, you have to give him confidence. At the very least, you have to believe in my eyes.
If he dares bully you, I will be the first to come after him.
Since he dares to confess, you have to give him the chance. "
Rukawa Sakura smiled. "I'm not you, where does your confidence come from?"
Atobe raised his brow. "This is not the Rukawa Sakura that I know."
"Hmm … Actually, Jingo … during the national competition that year … he already … confessed to me …" Rukawa Sakura stuttered as she stole a glance at Atobe.
Atobe's face darkened. "Hmm?
… "
Rukawa Sakura shrunk her neck back. It reminded her of the time when Small Laminaria was facing Sanada's vice president.
Of course, even now, Small Laminaria was facing Sanada in the same way.
"Almighty Sanada!"
"What else?
Just confess honestly.
I can consider going easy on you. "Atobe narrowed his eyes. Rukawa Sakura started to confess honestly.
But Rukawa Sakura, is this really okay?
Why did she confess honestly to Atobe? This was probably a question that even Rukawa Sakura herself had not seriously considered. She just did it subconsciously.
Therefore, Atobe, you're playing the role of a 'best friend', aren't you?
On the court, Tezuka twirled the racket in his hand and swept it casually across the stands.
Of course, when he saw Atobe standing next to Rukawa Sakura with his eyes narrowed and a mysterious expression on his face, and he was so close to her, his cold face instantly darkened.
Atobe Jingo!
Tezuka tightened his grip on the racket.
I was too careless!
He narrowed his eyes and turned to look at Roger, who was on the opposite side of the court.
Roger shivered, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Why did the temperature suddenly drop?
What is with this sense of danger?
He met his opponent's eyes, and it felt like he had run into an iceberg.
Can someone tell me what's going on?
What's wrong with you, young man?