WebNovels

Chapter 25 - Chapter 25 –The Rhythm of Spring

April.

At the campus gate, sakura blossoms drifted like pink and white confetti. The scent of spring carried the thrill of new beginnings… and a touch of nerves.

Shion adjusted the strap of his bag. At the gate, Souta greeted him.

"Good morning, Shion."

"Good morning."

"It's my last year," Souta teased. "Won't you miss me?"

"Not at all. Stop bothering me."

"Come on, show me some respect," Souta laughed.

Shion brushed past, though inside, his mood lightened a little.

"Shion!"

He stopped. Kasumi was running toward him, breathless. But her familiar smile relaxed everything.

"Were you waiting for me?" she asked softly.

"…I was just here."

Together, they climbed the campus stairs. Sakura petals landed on their shoulders. Casually, Shion plucked one from her hair.

Kasumi paused.

"We're second-years now."

"Yeah."

"…But one thing won't change."

He looked at her.

"Me," Kasumi said with a gentle smile.

Shion didn't reply.The scent of spring, the sunlight on sakura petals, and Kasumi's profile—everything fit perfectly in one frame.

"The new term begins… and maybe, for the first time, I finally understand what a fresh start feels like." he thought.

---

Classroom.

As always, Shion headed for his window seat. Just as he set his bag down, Ren appeared in front of him—holding a wrapped book.

"This is for you," Ren said casually.

Shion glanced at the cover. "For me?"

"Yeah, man. I know you like reading."

Inside, Ren thought." It takes me an hour to finish a single page… how does he get through these long novels ?"

Shion accepted it with little expression.

"…Thanks."

Ren shrugged with a grin and walked away.

Lunch break.

On the badminton ground bench, Kasumi and Yeamori sat together.

"Kasumi, I'm worried about you," Yeamori said softly.

Kasumi sighed.

"Yeah… my workload's piling up. There's the doctor camp, and practice with you too."

Yeamori gave her a confident grin.

"The tournament's this month. You have to be there with me."

"I know," Kasumi smiled faintly, helpless but warm.

---

After school ended, Kasumi walked slowly toward home.

Shion appeared beside her. Souta and Ren watched from a distance, sharing a quiet smile.

Ren muttered with a familiar tone, "He's learning."

Souta replied calmly, "Yeah. It's about time."

Kasumi blinked in surprise his mind suddenly thought. "This is the first time Shion's walking home with me after school…"

"You're early today. What changed?" she asked softly.

"…You don't like it? You always wait. So I came sooner." His voice was flat, but steady.

Kasumi blushed, then smiled.

"I'm glad, Shion."

They walked side by side along the path. Shion noticed the racket bag slung over her shoulder.

"Kasumi, when's the tournament?"

"This month. And I have two responsibilities."

"Two?"

"Practice… and the doctor camp."

After a brief pause, Shion said calmly,

"You'll manage both."

Hearing his words, Kasumi felt a quiet relief bloom inside her.

---

Holiday morning.

Sunlight bathed the clay court. The bounce of the ball and the sharp thwack of rackets created a steady rhythm.

Kasumi's ponytail swung as sweat slid down her temple. Her stance was sharp, her grip firm.

"Recover faster after the serve, Kasumi! Don't stand still!" the coach called out.

She launched a powerful serve. The ball shot across like lightning. Yeamori tried to return it, but it flew out past the baseline.

Yeamori sighed.

"I'm getting tired, Kasumi. Why don't you practice with someone else for a bit?"

From the sidelines, Shion held a water bottle.

"I can try."

Kasumi blinked.

"…You? This is tennis, not martial arts."

"It's just returning the ball, right? That much I can do."

The coach shrugged.

"Let's see."

Shion stepped onto the court, racket in hand. His stance was awkward at first, but his eyes stayed calm.

Kasumi served gently, expecting him to miss.

Instead—he returned it cleanly.

The rally continued. He stumbled once or twice, but gradually his rhythm synced with Kasumi's pace.

Breathless, Kasumi smiled.

"You're… actually adjusting?"

"The way you move… I just watch and follow."

Warmth spread inside her chest. For the first time on court, she didn't feel alone.

Kasumi steadied her breath, spinning the ball in her hand.

"Okay then, let's go serious this time."

Shion gave a tiny nod. "Do your best."

His words were simple, but his eyes didn't drift away from hers.

The serve came faster—clean and curved.

He caught it, returning with a quiet precision that even surprised the coach.

Thwack. Step. Return. Step.

Their shoes carved twin arcs across the clay. The rhythm synced—the sound of the rackets almost like a heartbeat shared between them.

From outside the fence, Yeamori folded her arms, smirking.

"Well, well… so that's how you two practice."

Ren leaned against the post beside her.

"He's a fighter, not an athlete. But look at him now."

Yeamori laughed softly. "Maybe she's his weak spot… or his focus."

On court, Kasumi sent another serve—a fierce cross-court shot.

Shion sprinted, the racket scraping the edge of the ball, sending it just over the net.

She blinked in disbelief.

"You returned that?"

He caught his breath, a faint grin flickering.

"You said don't stand still."

Her laugh broke through the air, light and genuine.

"Okay, Amano. You win this one."

The coach clapped once. "That's enough for today. Good practice, both of you."

They walked to the bench side by side. Shion handed her the towel first.

"You should hydrate," he said quietly.

Kasumi took it, still smiling. "You're learning too fast."

He looked at the court. "I just followed your rhythm."

Her gaze softened. "Then keep following it."

The wind brushed past—soft, bright, filled with the scent of clay and sunlight.

---

Later – Shion's hallway he sat on sofa

His thoughts lingered on Kasumi's laughter.

"Keep following it…"

He didn't fully understand what she meant—but his chest felt lighter.

---

Kasumi's side

She sat under the shade after everyone left, tracing her fingers over the strings of her racket.

The memory of his steady gaze stayed with her.

"He learns fast… because he listens."

Her phone buzzed—Shion's message:

> "Thanks for letting me play. It was… fun."

Kasumi typed back, smiling to herself:

> "Then next time, I'll teach you a topspin."

> "Challenge accepted."

She laughed quietly, watching the screen.

For a moment, the world felt simple.

---

Weekday.

At the doctor camp, during the lunch break, Kasumi sat at a desk, still in her white coat. Strands of hair clung to her tired face.

A familiar tiffin box slid onto the table.

"…Shion?"

"You said this morning you didn't have time for breakfast. So…"

She opened it. Neatly packed sandwiches and sliced fruit. A soft smile tugged at her lips.

"You know how to cook? I thought instant ramen was your specialty."

"Bought it. Arranged it myself."

Kasumi let out a small laugh. She took a bite.

"It's really good, Shion."

He just watched her calmly. Suddenly, her eyes welled up.

"Do you think… I can handle both roles?"

"Yes. Because I've seen you on the court, and here too. You don't need to choose."

When Shion stood to leave, he bent down—without hesitation—and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

Kasumi didn't pull back; instead, she leaned closer, returning the kiss again and again—gentle, wordless, real., as if neither wanted that moment to end.

"Sorry… I just—"

Kasumi froze, then whispered, "It's okay. I needed that."

---

Evening.

They walked side by side along the riverside road. The sunset cast an orange glow across their faces. A racket hung from Kasumi's shoulder; in her hand, the now-empty tiffin box.

"You've given me a tennis partner… and lunch too. Feels like I'm getting spoiled," she teased.

"You just needed balance. The rest is normal," he replied in a flat, but faintly teasing tone.

Kasumi smiled softly.

"Normal… but it feels special to me."

Sakura petals drifted around them, their footsteps falling into rhythm.

"Two paths stretch before me—court and clinic. But now… it feels manageable. Because someone's walking beside me."Kasumi thought.

---Chapter 25 end---

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