Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard
Chapter 168 - 158: The Girl Deep in Love Had Already Given Her Eternal True Heart

Chapter 168: Chapter 158: The Girl Deep in Love Had Already Given Her Eternal True Heart

The sunny weather after the rain lasted into the third day.

International flights departing from Haneda Airport drew white lines in the distant sky.

Surrounded by students in school uniforms, Uesugi Sakura had just returned a book at the library, looked up at the plane flying high above.

After gazing at it for a moment, her eyes started to hurt a little.

It seems like she’s been reading too much lately.

Rubbing her brow, Uesugi Sakura slowly walked back to the classroom.

Many students were preparing for this year’s sports festival, training for their events.

This sports festival was being held jointly with several other high schools in the area, and everyone’s enthusiasm was much higher than usual.

Even Kyudo was included as a specialized event this time, which never happened before.

Uesugi Sakura hadn’t yet decided what event to participate in.

When she returned to the classroom, she nearly bumped into Hanamaru Hanabi, who was carrying a box just as she entered the doorway.

Why again? Because last time, she had bumped into her forehead.

The probability of such an event happening is as uncertain as Schrödinger’s cat, with a quantum superposition of states.

Hanamaru Hanabi steadied herself, her standard-issue black school shoes pressed together.

Holding the small box, she looked up at him and said:

"Sakura-kun, are you thinking about something again?"

"I’m thinking about what event to participate in for the sports festival," Uesugi Sakura replied, then pointed to her box, "Do you need any help?"

Hanamaru Hanabi initially wanted to say she could manage it herself, but suddenly seeing the ring on her hand made her feel she shouldn’t be so distant, and she softly whispered:

"Then I’ll trouble you, Sakura-kun..."

She handed the books to him.

"Where should I take them?"

"To the student council room."

Uesugi Sakura took the books and turned around with her, "Let’s go."

As it turned out, after their engagement ring was sensationalized by the news department, both of them together became the most eye-catching focus at the entire school.

Uesugi Sakura knew Hanabi didn’t like being watched by too many people, but her much prettier face inevitably led to this.

Classes quietly commented on them, and some female students privately envied her appearance, saying unpleasant things.

Hanamaru Hanabi lowered her head, trying not to look at them.

Uesugi Sakura suddenly understood why her father-in-law had asked them to keep a low profile at school.

It was all for little Hanabi.

Perhaps... he was wrong again.

He was afraid she might think of the past and, with concern, asked, "Are you okay?"

"I’m okay... everyone... is just feeling it’s a bit novel... it’ll be fine after a while..." Hanamaru Hanabi folded her small hands together and placed them in front of her soft pleated skirt.

Always as kind as ever.

Student council.

Their arrival was marked by seeing several boys in Kendo clothes stomping out angrily.

Ignoring them, Uesugi Sakura carried the box into the student council room and then turned to leave.

As they walked down the stairs together, Hanamaru Hanabi’s little black shoes made a light, lively sound on the steps.

"Sakura-kun, they seem to be from the Kendo Department..."

"That’s right."

"Sister Shio has also joined the Kendo Department..."

"Are you worried about her?"

"Yes," Hanamaru Hanabi said, "They seemed very angry; I wonder what happened."

Uesugi Sakura remembered that Uesugi Shio had mentioned going to spar with the Kendo Department guys a few days ago.

"I think instead of worrying about her, you should worry about them," Uesugi Sakura said.

"...Is Sister Shio really that strong?"

"She was the female individual Kendo champion of the entire Kantou Region in her freshman year of high school."

As they stepped out of the staircase and onto the bright, shady corridor of the office building, Hanamaru Hanabi was about to head back to the teaching building when Uesugi Sakura gently took her wrist.

She gazed at him with a slight hint of confusion.

Uesugi Sakura: "We still have some time. How about sitting in the backyard for a bit?"

Feeling the touch of his hand on her wrist, Hanamaru Hanabi couldn’t help but direct her gaze to his face.

Suddenly, she recalled how he had his arm around her waist while sleeping the night before.

A ticklish feeling suddenly filled her heart.

Just with that one look, her adorable face blushed crimson up to her ears, and she quickly dropped her gaze to avoid his eyes.

Uesugi Sakura chuckled: "Why are you so shy again today?"

"N-nothing..."

"So, do you want to go to the backyard?"

"It’s up to you, Sakura-kun..."

Kamigoe’s backyard was beautifully serene, lush with greenery, with a small pavilion surrounded by flowers and plants.

The green silk cotton trees were no less beautiful than cherry blossoms, their tall, straight trunks and large branches stood out impressively.

It’s a pity it’s not winter, otherwise, there would be a gentle fragrance wafting here.

The small pavilion was occupied, so the two had to find a bench to sit on.

On the way, they stopped by the cheap vending machine to grab a can of coffee and a bottle of milk.

Amidst the greenery and blue skies, with the fragrance of the garden’s flora in the air, their moods became much calmer.

"Have you enrolled in any sports festival events, Hanabi?" Uesugi Sakura held the coffee but didn’t drink it right away.

When Hanamaru Hanabi sat, her pleated skirt hugged her legs tightly, her small feet tucked slightly inward.

This was also a reflection of her gentle personality.

"Yes... apart from the three-legged race, there’s the one-thousand-meter run and the group jump rope..."

"You’re going to run a long race? That’s very tiring."

Her sports performance had never been ideal; sometimes, it was hard for her to even pass.

"Hanabi... wants to give it a try..." Hanamaru Hanabi looked at him and said, "Are you going to participate in the standing broad jump again this year, Sakura-kun? Even though the results haven’t been great every time, you’ve still been improving."

"Hanabi remembers, last year it was 1.23 meters, the year before it was 1.12 meters, and in junior high, it was 1.02 meters."

"..."

Actually, his standing broad jump was just a casual jump, dismissively done.

"I’ll skip it this year and try something different, maybe the Kyudo event," Uesugi Sakura said.

The solo events in Kyudo were relatively relaxed, as you only had to focus on shooting accurately without worrying about a team’s rhythm.

"I’ve also joined the cheerleading performance," Hanamaru Hanabi suddenly said softly.

"Cheerleading?"

Uesugi Sakura eyed her carefully, who always spoke cautiously; the lively girl persona seemed completely opposite.

"Is it okay? Actually, dancing also requires a lot of confidence and courage."

"Hanabi... lacks self-confidence, but I will try my best."

"Well, I’m looking forward to your performance," Uesugi Sakura said with a smile.

"Mm!" Hanamaru Hanabi returned him a bright smile, "Thank you, Sakura-kun."

"It’s nothing."

For girls with Hanamaru Hanabi’s character, even a little encouragement would make her strive to achieve her goal.

The prerequisite was that the person must hold a very important place in her heart.

Otherwise, no matter how much encouragement she got, she would always remain that quiet, cautious girl.

Hanabi had faced a lot of bullying when she was younger, and apart from Sakura, no one helped her at school, causing her to always be so gentle and weak.

Her inferiority complex was hard to cure, but now it seemed to be getting better.

Uesugi Sakura looked up at the clear, bright blue sky and asked the girl beside him:

"Little Hanabi, do you feel happy and joyful right now?"

Hanamaru Hanabi tilted her head to look at him and replied, her voice always carrying a gentle, soft tone:

"As long as Sakura-kun is by Hanabi’s side, Hanabi will always be as happy and joyful as today."

"What if we suddenly get separated?"

"Hanabi will go find Sakura-kun and pursue him all the way."

"And what if I hate you?" Uesugi Sakura asked seriously.

"Hanabi will leave... and watch over Sakura-kun from afar..."