#夏日生活打卡季#
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Text: Peng Peng
Edited by Peng Peng
When we talk about table tennis, we're always talking about those exciting matchups that make your heart skip a beat. But today, let's talk about a love story about table tennis.
You may ask, what does table tennis have to do with love? Don't worry, listen to me slowly. The protagonist of this story is Japan table tennis star Kasumi Ishikawa, and her "favorite person" is the familiar national table tennis demon Ma Long.
Yes, you heard it right, it's a one-way crush story about crossing borders and languages. A "difficult to settle" that has lasted for ten years. Let's take a look at how this seemingly impossible love story is played out on the table tennis table.
Origin: The germination of idols
In 2008, 14-year-old Kasumi Ishikawa saw a video of Ma Long's game for the first time.
At that time, Ma Long was not the powerful table tennis demon king today. But his calm and unhurried self-confidence on the table was deeply imprinted in the heart of the girl Ishikawa.
Maybe it's the girl's nostalgia, or maybe it's the worship of the strong. In short, from that moment on, Malone became the idol in Kasumi Ishikawa's heart.
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it is the London 2012 Olympic Games.
At this time, Kasumi Ishikawa had grown into an excellent table tennis player, representing the Japan team at the Olympics.
However, it was only when she stood on the world stage that she truly realized the gap between herself and the world's top players.
Especially compared with Ma Long, the idol in her heart, this gap is even more like a moat.
But Kasumi Ishikawa was not discouraged. On the contrary, this huge gap fueled her inner fighting spirit.
She secretly made up her mind: to become stronger, to be worthy of standing by Ma Long's side.
Since then, Kasumi Ishikawa has started her own path of "chasing stars". It's just that the road is extremely difficult.
It takes countless days of sweating and sweating, and you need to break through again and again on the field.
Kasumi Ishikawa knows very well in her heart that only by constantly improving her skills can she shorten the distance between her and Ma Long.
Only in this way can she have the opportunity to stand on the same podium and even have the opportunity to talk to Ma Long.
This worship of idols gradually transformed into a special emotion in Kasumi Ishikawa's heart.
It is not only an admiration for the strong, but also mixed with the ignorant admiration of an adolescent girl.
This complex emotion has become the driving force for Kasumi Ishikawa to keep moving forward.
In the days that followed, Kasumi Ishikawa rose to prominence on the international stage like a butterfly with flapping wings.
Her skills have improved day by day, and she has gradually become a rising star in Japan's table tennis world.
Every swing of the racket, every serve, seems to prove to her idol Ma Long: I am getting better, I am getting closer to you.
The road to stardom: brave confession
2014 was an important turning point for Kasumi Ishikawa.
After the World Table Tennis Championships, a reporter asked her: "If you had a choice, which male player would you most like to partner with in mixed doubles?"
This question seems to have opened a long-hidden secret in Kasumi Ishikawa's heart.
She first politely said something like "every player is good". But when the conversation turned to the Chinese team, Kasumi Ishikawa's expression changed.
She hesitated for a moment, then plucked up the courage and said the name that had been hidden in her heart for many years: "Ma Long, I want to cooperate with Ma Long the most."
As soon as this sentence came out, it was as if a bombshell had been dropped. The journalists were surprised, and the fans were boiling.
Who would have thought that Kasumi Ishikawa, who has always been shy, would confess his heart so boldly?
What's even more surprising is that Malone actually responded positively to this. He publicly stated that he would also be willing to cooperate with Kasumi Ishikawa if he had the opportunity.
This back and forth immediately ignited the soul of gossip among Chinese and Japanese fans.
"Ma Long and Ishikawa Kachun, isn't this a match made in heaven for talented women?"
"Transnational romance, Romeo and Juliet in the table tennis world!"
In the face of speculation from the outside world, Kasumi Ishikawa did not back down. Instead, she became more daring.
In an interview, she unabashedly commented on Ma Long: "Ma Long is strong, handsome, and gentleman, and I am an iron fan of Ma Long."
These words are tantamount to another confession in public.
When asked about his ideal partner, Ishikawa Kasumi gave a standard that almost described Ma Long: honest, good at table tennis, and better than himself.
Such a naked hint makes people sigh: It's good to be young, dare to love and hate, and are not afraid of the sky and the depths of the sea.
However, the reality is always cruel. Kasumi Ishikawa's brave confession did not end in exchange for a fairytale ending.
Missed fate
The 2016 Rio Olympics was supposed to be the stage for Kasumi Ishikawa and Ma Long to meet again.
However, fate seems to have played a cruel joke on Kasumi Ishikawa. Neither of them competed in the mixed doubles tournament and missed the opportunity to compete in the same field.
For Kasumi Ishikawa, this is undoubtedly a huge blow. Her long-awaited reunion came to naught.
But the news that broke Kasumi Ishikawa even more was still to come. In this year, Ma Long officially announced his marriage.
It turned out that Malone already had a place in his heart. His wife, Xia Lu, is an ordinary girl, but she has accompanied Malone through the most difficult years.
This news is undoubtedly a bolt from the blue for Kasumi Ishikawa. Her dreams, her crush, were completely shattered at this moment.
Surprisingly, however, Ishikawa did not show any resentment or resentment.
Instead, she chose to bless. Because she understands that to really like someone is to want him to be happy.
"If Malone will betray Xia Lu for me, then he is not the Malone I love."
This sentence may be a summary of Kasumi Ishikawa's long-term crush, and it is also her last confession to Ma Long.
Growth and relief
Time flies, time flies. Kasumi Ishikawa's crush has come to an end.
But that doesn't mean her life stands still. On the contrary, the experience made her more mature.
At the "Waldner Cup", Kasumi Ishikawa and Malone had the opportunity to work together.
Kasumi Ishikawa served as the vice-captain of the Asian team, while Ma Long was the captain. The relationship between the two turned into pure friendship.
They will take a group photo together and work together for the development of table tennis. This kind of relationship may last longer than love.
In Paris in 2024, Kasumi Ishikawa meets Malone again. This time, there was no longer reluctance in her eyes, only nostalgia for youth and expectations for the future.
It is said that Kasumi Ishikawa now has a lover of her own. An ordinary office worker may not be able to beat Kasumi Ishikawa, but he can give her ordinary and warm happiness.
Isn't this the best explanation of Kasumi Ishikawa's youth?
Ma Long has a happy family, and Kasumi Ishikawa has also started a new chapter in her life.
Perhaps, this is the best ending. Everyone has found their own happiness on their own path in life.
Netizens are hotly discussed
This "difficult to settle" story, which spanned ten years, quickly caused heated discussions on the Internet.
"Kasumi Ishikawa is so brave! Dare to love and hate, this is what youth should look like!"
"Although we weren't together, Ishikawa must have grown a lot through this experience. Sometimes, that's what a crush is all about. "
"Ma Long chose Xia Lu, who has been with him for many years, this is a real man! However, Ishikawa's courage is also admirable. "
"Isn't this the real-life version of Full House? It's just that the ending is different. "
"Kasumi Ishikawa's behavior is a little inappropriate, right? Ma Long obviously already has a girlfriend, is it a bit disrespectful for her to confess so publicly?"
"I think Ishikawa is good, at least she's brave enough to express her feelings. Many people have a lifelong crush and don't even dare to say it. "
"This story tells us that idols are idols after all, and the relationship in reality is still to find a suitable person."
"Kasumi Ishikawa later had a lover of her own, and this was the best ending. Everyone deserves true love. "
Write at the end
Love is always one of the most complex human emotions. It can make one brave or vulnerable.
The story of Kasumi Ishikawa shows us an unknown side of an athlete.
On the table, she is a calm and self-contained player; In emotion, she is so fiery and brave.
Perhaps, it is this spirit of brave pursuit of love that has made her successful in the field of table tennis.
At the same time, we would also like to thank Ma Long. In his own way, he gave this one-way crush a decent ending.
He did not take advantage of Kasumi Ishikawa's feelings, but firmly chose the lover who had been with him for many years.
This story tells us that love is beautiful, but we must also learn to stop in moderation.
When we realize that a relationship cannot continue, it is also a virtue to let go in time and bless the other person.
Finally, I would like to ask everyone: If you were Kasumi Ishikawa, how would you handle this relationship? Do you continue to like it silently, or do you choose to confess bravely? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.