Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard
Chapter 135: Love’s Daily Life Really Is All About Talking

Chapter 135: Chapter 135: Love’s Daily Life Really Is All About Talking

On the third day of June, Monday, the rainy season’s sky still looked as if it were about to weep.

The Kyudo district competition had been moved to this Saturday.

Having gone through three battles, Kamigoe’s Kyudo Club had become the dark horse to watch in this team competition.

Looking forward to their match with Mizuki.

——————

"Um, uh... Sakura-kun, good morning."

Uesugi Sakura adjusted the red little tie on his black sailor uniform.

"Why are you greeting me like a stranger?"

Hanamaru Hanabi seemed a bit flustered, "Really, really need to wear it... Everyone will be looking at Hanabi."

"Don’t you think you look a lot prettier wearing the ring?"

She glanced at herself in the mirror in her school uniform, quickly looking away as her heart raced.

"It really is much prettier."

Uesugi Sakura gently embraced her soft waist through the school uniform from behind, leaned close to her crystal-clear ear, and whispered softly:

"Wear it from now on, and little Hanabi will always look this beautiful."

The soft fragrance of the girl stirred his excited heartstring.

Her cuteness had reached an irresistible level, as if the whole world was submerged in it.

Feeling the warmth of his breath as he leaned in, Hanamaru Hanabi closed her eyes tightly, pursed her lips, and nodded slightly.

...

After a while, she opened her blinking eyes again, tilted her head, and said word by word: "Sakura-kun... aren’t you going to kiss?"

"We can’t always be so clingy; we should maintain some distance."

Although unsure why they needed to maintain distance, Hanamaru Hanabi held back her feverish heart and quietly agreed:

"Mm."

"You’re sweating, aren’t you?"

"Hanabi... it’s a bit hot..."

"The summer sailor uniform is quite thin, isn’t it?"

"Mm," Hanamaru Hanabi nodded lightly, "but... it’s just very hot..."

Uesugi knew why she felt hot, but how could he openly say such a thing?

"When Sakura-kun is very close, my body... feels soft and weak, and my heart... beats very fast..." she said, lowering her head, her words slow.

"You used to hold me so tightly too," Uesugi chuckled, "you were just too nervous."

"Did it hurt...?" she asked with concern.

"The more it hurts, the better."

Hanamaru Hanabi tilted her head, staring at him: "Sakura-kun... you’ve been acting strange lately..."

"Just as strange as you, Hanabi."

The girl thought about his touch climbing slowly along her waist, her face turning red: "Sakura-kun... why are you so skilled at this..."

"Skilled at what?"

"Touching Hanabi..."

"After all, I’ve watched little Hanabi grow up, so I’m familiar with it."

"But... Sakura-kun used to only hug."

Hanamaru Hanabi’s increased cuteness stirred Uesugi Sakura’s heart.

"So now I want to touch your chest."

"....Huh?" Hanamaru Hanabi stepped back slightly, arms crossed over her chest.

"Is that not allowed?"

"It’s not that it’s not allowed, after all... Sakura-kun has already kissed Hanabi..." Hanamaru Hanabi bit her words shyly, lowering her head.

"Then I’ll go ahead and touch."

A pause.

"Okay..."

...

"Let’s head to school first." Uesugi made no move.

"Sakura-kun... aren’t you going to touch?" Hanamaru Hanabi raised her head slightly to sneak a peek at him, speaking quietly.

"Distance." Referring to what was said earlier.

"Huh...? Ha-Hanabi understands....."

——————

The puddles reflecting the falling raindrops mirrored the swaying green trees and sky.

The transparent glass made the entire cafeteria intertwined with the gray and white of the cloudy weather.

"Darn it! Normies, normies, normies, normies!! You really are a normie!" Goto Iwao angrily gulped down his food.

"Calm down, calm down, are you just realizing that now?" Tsubokawa Takahiro patted his back like a father.

"Up...@#$%^&*#" Goto mumbled incoherently, mouth full of food.

Uesugi: "What?"

With Tsubokawa’s help, Goto finally swallowed the lump of food in his mouth and continued:

"You’re definitely up to something, aren’t you?"

The gleaming silver ring was particularly eye-catching, impossible to ignore.

"Why do you say that?" Uesugi Sakura took a casual sip of coffee, having already finished his meal.

"Childhood friends! What are childhood friends! You must have started your evil plan since you were young."

Tsubokawa Takahiro understood his meaning and adjusted his glasses: "Considering Uesugi’s cleverness, Hanamaru’s current timid personality might be due to his manipulation."

Uesugi’s expression remained unchanged as he stirred his fragrant coffee with a spoon: "I was just a little boy back then, what could I have done?"

Meaning he was pure and oblivious at the time.

"As a man who got dumped a month ago, should I believe the words of someone who had a cute wife at 16?"

"Darn it!"

Goto poked furiously at his unfinished meal with chopsticks, glaring resentfully at Uesugi Sakura, "Ahh~ I’m so jealous."

Tsubokawa Takahiro suddenly nudged him, "Let’s go, let’s go."

"Go where... uh... Uesugi, take your time eating. Come visit our Photography Club sometimes; we have a wedding dress prop there. Good luck!"

"What nonsense are you saying? Hurry up and leave. Not being aware of the atmosphere describes someone like you." Tsubokawa picked up his plate, dragging Goto away.

"Hmm? Who did Tsubokawa call an idiot?"

"You."

Hanamaru Hanabi glanced at the two walking toward the other end of the cafeteria, then sat across from Uesugi Sakura.

"Want some coffee?" Uesugi Sakura pushed the cup toward her.

Hanamaru Hanabi’s fair little hands cradled the cup, with the silver ring on her ring finger gleaming.

"Sakura-kun... everyone has been asking what’s up with Hanabi....."

"That’s normal; how did you respond to them?"

Her small mouth hesitated for a while before slowly opening: "Hanabi... doesn’t know how to say it..."

The words "engagement" lingered in her throat, unsure of how to express them to everyone.

It was as if they were blocked, turning into awkward gibberish when trying to speak them out.

"Having so many friends is great, isn’t it?" Uesugi Sakura smiled, gazing at her particularly charming little face today.

"B-but!" Hanamaru Hanabi became flustered, her small hands wobbling with the cup, "Everyone keeps saying Hanabi looks much prettier today, constantly asking how it happened."

Uesugi Sakura propped his arms on the table, pointing to her ring finger.

"Didn’t I tell you this morning? As long as little Hanabi wears it, you’ll always look this beautiful."

"Is it really that magical..." Hanamaru Hanabi lowered her head, lightly stroking the silver-white ring, the refracted colors dazzlingly vivid.

"Just smile at me and you’ll see." He suggested.

Hanamaru Hanabi stared blankly for a second, then her expression softened, her amethyst eyes showing a hint of adorable sparkle, naturally smiling.

Just like her name, her radiant smile resembled brilliant fireworks in the night sky, capable of illuminating everything and making one’s heart skip a beat.

Pure and clean.

The boys occasionally stealing glances at her were momentarily stunned, their hearts seemed to stop for a second, their entire beings drowning in her fleeting smile.

This kind of cuteness feels enough to engulf the entire world.

Then, a sense of lemony envy filled the air.

Why not me!

Sitting across from her, Uesugi Sakura was also infected by her smile, involuntarily smiling himself.

"Very beautiful."

Could adding a little charm have such a strong effect!?

"Is it really that beautiful..." Hanamaru Hanabi’s voice was still that uncertain, soft tone.

"Little Hanabi, be more confident. Haven’t you received a lot of love letters lately?"

"Hanabi rejected them all one by one..." She thought he might be a bit jealous, cradling the coffee he had just handed over again, "Doesn’t Sakura-kun also receive them often..."

"I’m saying you’re very popular, not that I’m jealous."

Hanamaru Hanabi’s mood didn’t waver at all:

"They... just think Hanabi looks pretty... only Sakura-kun doesn’t mind little Hanabi from before..."

The girl frequently said this, because she indeed valued it a lot.

In lonely, scared times, only one hand reached out to help.

"In the past, when Hanabi wanted to eat something delicious... Elder Brother Sakura secretly ran out of school to buy it for Hanabi... and even bumped into the principal when climbing back over the wall..."

Uesugi Sakura chuckled, "Uncle and Auntie asked me to take care of you."

It was his helpless act to comfort her.

Because of that incident—in elementary school, their relationship was constantly teased by classmates as if they were a couple, urging them to just hurry up and get married.

On the blackboard, in textbooks, there were messy doodles of two little figures everywhere.

—Because he wasn’t very social, and Hanabi liked following him around.