𝙋𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙝 ➝ Zhuo Zhi

50: Sentimental Farewells

Humming to herself, Jia Li dusted the sheets of her father's bed in the hospital while he was in the restroom. When she heard the door open, she immediately guided her father to sit down comfortably on his bed.

It was another regular day of school, project, and hospital but this time, instead of going straight to the court to watch the team practice, she was called in by their mother as she had to go to their office, seeming as there were tons of paperwork she needed to submit.

After she had given him water and his medicine, a knock resounded from the door, pulling her apart from her father. Jia Li frowned, turning to Mr. Tang with her eyebrows crossed, "Were you expecting someone, Dad?"

"No one in particular."

She continued frowning and placed the glass on the table before heading towards the door. A mop of black hair first greeted her view, and her eyes widened as she opened the door further. "Zhuo Zhi? What are you doing here?"

"What? You don't want me here?" He snickered, raising his eyebrows.

"I-I mean, aren't you supposed to be at school, practicing?" Jia Li continually blinked in confusion, moving to the side to let him enter the room.

Zhuo Zhi chuckled and went in, "I came to see a friend here and I thought that maybe I could pass by here before I go home."

"A friend?" Jia Li echoed to which he hummed in response, nodding. "But I don't know any of your friends that got admitted in this hospital."

"You'll see."

Jia Li then squinted her eyes at him, slightly glaring, "Did you skip practice?"

"I asked permission from our vice captain." Zhuo Zhi shook his head.

Soft chuckles pulled their attention. They both turned to where Mr. Tang was sitting on his bed, amusement visible on his face as he watched the two. "Cut him some slack, Sweetie and let him come in."

She obliged as Zhuo Zhi entered to greet her father, but she remained standing by the door with her head tilted in confusion, digging into her head to recall any of his friends that got admitted. However, the only person Jia Li could come up with that was injured was Si Yang. But he seemed fine a few days ago. It'd be impossible to tell that he was the one that Zhuo Zhi visited today. But then again, maybe his injury wasn't better as how he had shown everyone.

Could Senior Si Yang be really injured that badly?

Her question was answered that night when she was combing her hair before going to sleep. Her phone dinged and when she opened it, a private message from Jing Wu appeared. She was surprised that he suddenly texted her.

'I'm sending Si Yang to Germany to have his arm treated as a payment for how I injured it. You don't have to worry about him.' – jing wu

Jia Li's lips parted. She didn't know whether to be baffled that Si Yang was really injured, or that Jing Wu was going to help Si Yang, or that Jing Wu suddenly texted her. But then again, Jing Wu had claimed that he would be a better person. Maybe this was his way of redeeming himself.

'Thanks, I really appreciate you looking out for Senior Si Yang.' - jia li

Shutting off her phone, Jia Li absentmindedly roamed her eyes until it landed on her study table where stacks of Polaroid photos were scattered. An idea then burst into her. Grinning to herself, she stood up from her bed and slid onto her swivel chair, letting her fingers dance as she began recreating that idea from her head.

-☆-

The following week, Jia Li walked her way to the court in a leisure pace after her last class had dismissed. In her hands was an average squared box, clipped with intricate designs. Her eyes roamed around until it landed on her senior's figure, standing still by the entrance with his gaze fixated at his teammates practicing. She approached him, enough to hear him say, "Thank you, all."

"Thank you for what, Senior?" She piped in with a smile to which Si Yang turned to her, his somber look vanishing from his face.

"Jia Li."

She exhaled and turned her gaze to the team who were oblivious to their presence. "Jing Wu told me you're going to Germany for a treatment." She shrunk her eyes as the sunlight hit them. "How does it feel, knowing you're going to be separated from the team?"

Si Yang deeply sighed, his stoic facade wavering, "It's pure pressure for them because they'll be facing a very strong team afterwards. But I have complete faith in them. They'll do better and achieve greater."

Snickering to herself, Jia Li smirked at how he still answered her question based on his team's perspective. "They'll have a hard time getting used without you barking punishments at them."

He cracked a smile then patted her head, "Jia Li, take care of them for me, yeah? I know they're capable of taking care of themselves as a team but sometimes, they tend to overwork themselves and ignore other people's help."

"Does this mean, I'm promoted as Captain now?" She teased as he only snickered at her. Jia Li then noticed she was still carrying the box. "Oh, this one's for you by the way, Senior."

His eyebrows raised questioningly as he took it, opening the box to reveal a small album filled with the team's Polaroid photos. Si Yang absentmindedly showed a small smile as he flipped the pages, showing various stolen photos of the team during practices and competitions.

"I know you'll be missing being with those bunch of noisy idiots, so I compiled these photos for you to look at whenever you miss them." Jia Li grinned.

"Thank you." Si Yang ruffled her hair and closed the box. He then headed to the court with her following a few steps behind him.

Da Yong and Zhi Ming, who were observing the team, noticed their captain's presence behind them and hollered for everyone to gather in one horizontal line in front of Si Yang.

"Captain..." Jia Le first spoke up, a sad look on his face. "Are you really leaving?"

"Chi Da Yong," Si Yang called his vice captain to which Da Yong straightened up. His face was back in its usual stoic facade, serious and poker, not showing any signs of sentimental feelings about him leaving. "Isn't it training time now?"

"Yes, but we all want to-"

Si Yang cut him off, giving each of his teammates a hard, reprimanding look, "The Provincial Finals are around the corner and you're slacking off? Twenty laps for everyone!"

Jia Li watched the team wearing somber looks, hesitant to obey his orders.

"But Captain, today you-" Bai Yang tried to interfere.

"What are you all waiting for?" Si Yang glared at them as they all left one by one to run laps, obeying the last task Si Yang gave them before he left.

She let out a sigh, "That was one way to bid farewell, Senior."

Si Yang simply smiled at her, walking to the board beside the shed and began writing something. Jia Li read it once he pulled away, displaying the big Chinese letters, forming, Go, Yu Qing!

He let out one last long look at his team before he patted her head, "I'll get going now. Take care of them." And then he walked away, disappearing from her line of view.

After one round, the team then gathered around her. "Little sis, did Captain leave already?" Jia Le asked softly.

Jia Li nodded, giving them an encouraging smile as their faces fell, "He left you something by the way."

They all walked over to the board where she had pointed, their faces showed mixed feelings of pressure and pride.

"Nineteen more laps to go." Da Yong swallowed thickly.

"Go, Yu Qing." Lu Xia read aloud.

The rest nodded, displaying firm determination on their faces as they agreed to what was written on the board and began resuming their laps. Jia Li smiled at them, letting a wave of pride wash over her.