[Provincial team setting; I can’t recreate everything exactly. If you prefer an entirely realistic portrayal, please move along. A Shustries fanfic; apologies for the OOC!]
The first time Wang Chuye saw Yu Yingqiu, she was wearing a little white dress and clutching her paddle as she stood timidly at the training hall entrance.
It wasn’t some melodramatic story. He didn’t fall madly in love with her at first sight. He just found himself wondering, for no particular reason: How could anyone play table tennis in a dress?
When they met again at thirteen, the little girl in the dress had cut off her long hair. Holding her paddle, she stood before the provincial team and loudly announced her name. She cast aside every disapproving and mocking voice and came up to him. The two prodigies each carried their own pride. She smiled and held out her hand.
“Hello, my name is Yu Yingqiu.” He shook her hand, and a flurry of thoughts rushed through his mind.
“Hello, my name is Wang Chuye.”
From their reckless youth to stepping onto the road to success, he told her to take it easy countless times. Every time they stood on opposite sides of the table, they prayed with all their hearts to bring honor to their country and to themselves.
Praise, popularity, betrayal, jealousy. The sweet dreams and misfortunes only made them hold hands tighter. He always thought he was just there to support her, always thought his career was time he’d stolen from the heavens through a crack in their fingers. But a ray of sunshine pushed open the window shut tight in his dark corner. Standing beside him, she told him, “Remember, nothing in this world is absolute. You shouldn’t underestimate yourself, either.”
When he stepped onto a greater stage, someone asked him, “Wang Chuye, your journey here has been so difficult. How would you describe your partner?”
Holding the microphone, he answered earnestly, “The love of my life, until death do us part.”
This is my favorite type of sweet article
It looks good. I like it.