So it wasn't a "Happy birth/death day!" it was a "happy birth/death OR REMISSION day!"? I suddenly feel so bad for these poor characters.

It's most definitely not horrendous. :D

Yeah, probably. It's way more touching that Fuji love a crippled ex-tennis player than a rising star of the tennis world, though. (Though I suppose Tezuka would prefer the latter. oO; Poor guy.)