chsdbacks Chapter 3: The Boy Who Sliced Tennis Balls with a Piano String and Dominated the Entire Court
Chapter 3: The Boy Who Sliced Tennis Balls with a Piano String and Dominated the Entire Court
The music classroom is located at the far west end of another teaching building. It is a separate tiered classroom with a very quiet environment, where you can only faintly hear voices from afar.
When he pushed the door open, Sakaki Taro was sitting at the piano, turning the pages of sheet music.
Just like I remember, he was wearing his ever-present custom-made shirt, suit, and leather shoes, his posture was upright, his hair styled with hair wax was impeccable, and he sat there, exuding an aura of authority.
Even Mochizuki Ryo couldn't help but sigh, realizing that he hadn't paid much attention to him when he watched the anime.
In real life, due to their large age difference (28 years), although they usually have a good relationship, they only communicate about music and tennis.
A generation gap exists most of the time.
"Sit down." Sakaki Taro gestured to the chair beside him, continuing to look at the sheet music without looking up. "Is the transfer paperwork complete?"
"Um."
How's it going with the new class?
"It's alright." Wang Yueling rested the violin case against her leg and added, "My deskmate is Akutagawa Jiro."
"He's not sleeping?"
"She's asleep; she's always sneaking off to sleep during class."
Sakaki Taro's lips twitched slightly, as if he had been amused.
After a moment of silence, he closed the score and turned to look intently at Wang Yueling.
"Xiaoling, join the tennis club. Your talent shouldn't be wasted."
Wang Yueling leaned back in her chair, her voice languid, clear, and deep: "You know, I came back to take care of my grandmother and manage the family business. I don't have that much time to play tennis. As for clubs, I'll join the music club."
He pointed to the violin case, "I quite like this one too."
Sakaki Taro stared at him intently for a while without saying anything more.
I stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the tennis court in the distance.
It was exactly 3:30 pm, the time for club activities.
More than 200 members of the Hyotei Tennis Club arrived at the tennis courts one after another to begin training. The regular members were on the outer courts, while the regulars and prospective regulars were on the innermost courts. The sounds of swinging rackets and hitting the ball rose and fell through the soundproof glass of the music classroom.
"Let's go," he said. "It's time for club activities. You just transferred here and haven't chosen a club yet, so come with me for a walk."
-
The training grounds for Hyotei Tennis Club were even larger and more luxurious than Mochizuki Ryo had imagined.
Ten hard-court basketball courts are arranged side by side, each equipped with the latest smart ball-handling machines and speed measuring devices. The physical training room is also fully equipped with treadmills, strength training equipment, and other facilities. The supporting facilities are equally impressive, including private changing rooms with showers, a conference room with remote digital connectivity, a well-stocked storage room for equipment, a spectator stand with panoramic views, and a reception area for media reporters…
Wang Yueling couldn't help but sigh, "These are truly enviable training conditions. Back when I was training tennis, I never had these kinds of opportunities!"
Rows of gray-blue flags hung outside the fence, and at the entrance to the innermost court, reserved for regular players, stood a sign that read: "No entry for non-regular players."
When Sakaki Taro led Mochizuki Ryo inside, almost everyone noticed.
More than two hundred people slowed down their movements, glancing in this direction from time to time.
Wang Yueling sensed curiosity, scrutiny, and something else he couldn't quite put his finger on in those gazes... something like a strange excitement?
It's inexplicable.
The regular players are doing basic training.
Atobe and Taki Oginosuke were practicing catching the ball. Atobe's every ball landed precisely in Taki's blind spot, making it impossible for Taki to even touch the ball.
Shinobu and Mukahi swung their rackets at a moderate pace. Ootori and Shishido were doing reaction drills, with Shishido's speed noticeably faster than the others.
On the side of the field, a tall, sturdy, and dull-looking young man with a buzz cut was leading someone in.
The one being carried is "Sleeping Little Lamb" Cilang.
He was being held by the back of his collar like a chick by Kabaji Takahiro. Surprisingly, even so, his eyes were not fully open, and he was still fast asleep.
Mochizuki Ryo was amazed by Kabaji's arm strength and deeply agreed with her new friend's nickname, "Sleeping Emperor."
The quality of my sleep is absolutely terrible.
Hua remained expressionless, then shook the person several times more forcefully to make sure they were awake before placing them on a bench in the rest area.
Cilang settled down, yawned, rubbed his eyes, and then saw Wangyue Ling.
"Ling!" he exclaimed in surprise, raising his voice. He stood up, but then seemed to remember something and shrank back down.
The coach is here.
Atobe was also there.
It's still part of the activity time.
He could only wink at Wang Yueling and mouth the word "baby".
Wang Yueling suppressed a laugh and nodded gently.
Sakaki Taro held up two fingers, which was his signature gesture.
"The fundamentals determine everything; keep training."
The more than two hundred people quickly looked away, and the sound of the ball hitting the court resumed.
Sakaki Taro turned to Mochizuki Ryo: "Didn't you want to join the music club? Stand here and play a song."
"Huh?! Playing the violin here?!" Mochizuki Ryo was completely bewildered, but since the other person was practically an elder, he could only acquiesce. "What piece is it?"
"casual."
Wang Yueling thought for a moment and took the violin out of its case.
He tuned the strings and rested the instrument on his shoulder.
When the first note rang out, the sounds of the ball hitting the court seemed to pause for a moment.
Ryo Mochizuki played "Hymn to the Brave" by the famous British musician Laugh Dru. The sound was powerful and resonant, like a herd of wild horses galloping and neighing. The sound traveled through every corner of the stadium, full of aggression.
Atobe paused for a moment while serving.
Shinobu, Mukahi, and the others slowed down their training and turned to look.
Cilang was no longer sleepy; he leaned against the back of the bench, his eyes bright.
A handsome and elegant blond boy, dressed in Hyotei's usual suit uniform, stands gracefully on the tennis court playing the violin; every move he makes is pleasing to the eye.
As the piece was about to end, the tempo suddenly quickened, and the bow leaped across the strings.
The team members on the field listened with great enthusiasm, feeling as if they were there, wishing they could transform into heroes to tame the wild horses on the spot, and their enthusiasm for independent training soared.
Then the accident happened.
Two players were sparring on the next court when the ball was hit hard and went astray.
The yellow tennis ball flew like a cannonball, heading straight for Sakaki Taro's forehead.
That's too fast.
Atobe ran over there with his racket, and Shinobu and the others were also moving, but the distance was too far, and no one could catch up in time.
But Mochizuki Ryo's movements were faster than anyone else's.
He lowered the violin from his shoulder and casually raised his right hand...
The bow slashed down like a knife.
The sound of something cutting through the air was exceptionally clear in the stadium.
His way of exerting force is very strange.
It's not a swing, it's a chop.
The power of the whole body travels from the soles of the feet to the waist, then from the waist to the wrists, and finally concentrates at the tip of the bow.
The bow hair was taut and straight.
Cut precisely to the side of the tennis ball.
"Snapped!"
The ball was instantly split in two.
The two spheres flew past his sides, one hitting the netting and the other bouncing twice on the ground.
Wang Yueling placed the violin back on her shoulder.
The arm pulled back with the momentum, the bow drew an arc in the air, and landed steadily on the strings.
The sound of the piano comes again.
Until the very last note was finished cleanly and neatly.
The entire room fell silent.
More than two hundred people, yet not a single one made a sound.
Sakaki Taro, on the other hand, stood up calmly, as if he hadn't been the one who almost got hit by the ball. He remarked on his cousin's transformation, "Your piano playing has reached a new level. Compared to six months ago, it has become less craftsman-like and more spirited, and it has also gained emotion."
"Really? Maybe it's because I've found my whole self again."
Bking, Wang Yueling replied to her cousin with an ambiguous remark, then took the zither off her shoulder and looked at the bow.
The bow hair broke.
He frowned slightly and turned to look at the two team members who were standing there dumbfounded: "Next time you play ball, pay attention to the direction."
His tone was very calm, as if he were saying that the weather was nice today.
The two, clearly terrified, swallowed hard. "Okay, okay, we'll be careful..."
Only then did the sound of gasps fill the air. Someone whispered, "So strong," while others stared at the split ball in disbelief.
Jiro, realizing what was happening, ran off the bench and gave him a bear hug: "Ryo!! What was that just now?! You used a bow to slash a ball?! Have you practiced with a samurai sword?!"
Wang Yueling helplessly helped the person up and shook his head, saying, "No, it's Chinese swordsmanship."
What he didn't say was that in his previous life, in order to improve his serve, he specifically sought out a master swordsman and learned the power generation techniques of the Tang Dynasty's Mo Dao (陌刀).
The force of that chop was enough to split a steel plate open.
Atobe stood still, looking at the half-ball lying on the court, and tightened his grip on his racket.
The way he looked at Yue Ling changed.
It's not about interest, it's about the fighting spirit to face a strong opponent.
Shinobu pushed up his glasses, looked at Atobe and the transfer student with great interest, and couldn't suppress the smile on his lips as he recalled the rumors of the fan club's "challenge".
"Xiao Jing, you've probably really run into a formidable opponent this time."
Wang Yueling's earth-shattering slash drew the attention of everyone in the tennis club.
As expected, Atobe came looking for him.