Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard
Chapter 169 - 159: Some Things, So Clichéd They’re Boring

Chapter 169: Chapter 159: Some Things, So Clichéd They’re Boring

Many people dislike her dullness, her frailty.

But Uesugi Sakura could never bring herself to bully her. If she lacked the encouragement and help back then, that radiant smile like a summer firework might never have blossomed in this world.

Uesugi Sakura understood why Uesugi Shio used to nag her so much, because she too had seen the troubled look on her face before.

As a newly acquainted sister, back then she often sent letters from Ehime Prefecture to Tokyo to chat with her heart-to-heart.

And she included some oranges.

If those close to her stopped caring, then who would?

Her cousin often said the same thing to her.

No weak voice calling her name, no smile shown to her, no bento or meals prepared daily.

Missing the colorful vibrance that stirred the heart.

Without it, she might have ended her uneventful life as quietly as she did in a past life.

—Uesugi Sakura closed the book, feeling a sudden introspection.

Shortly after math class ended.

Tsubokawa Takahiro suddenly ran in from the door, saying someone outside was looking for him, a beautiful girl at that.

"Alright, I got it." Uesugi Sakura stood up, ready to head to the door.

"Hey, wait, Uesugi." Tsubokawa stopped her, his eyes suspicious, "You okay with that?"

"What’s not okay?"

Tsubokawa Takahiro gestured towards the door with his eyes, lowering his voice, "You’re an engaged man, don’t—"

Uesugi Sakura ignored him and walked straight out the classroom door.

Glancing around, she saw Uesugi Shio leaning against the classroom wall on one leg, waving at her with a lollipop in her mouth.

Uesugi Sakura walked over.

"What’s up?"

"Not much, just wanted to invite you to join the Kendo Department."

"Not interested."

"Alright, got it." Uesugi Shio stared at her briefly before turning and leaving.

Uesugi Sakura returned to the classroom and sat back in her seat.

Sometimes their conversations were just that straightforward; a no means no.

Tsubokawa and Goto were chirping away about something.

"Uesugi, who was that just now?"

"Who do you think she was?"

"According to my findings, she’s the transfer student who just joined yesterday," Goto said.

"To become a transfer student at Kamigoe, she must have a unique background." Tsubokawa adjusted his reflective glasses, "An entrepreneur’s daughter? Or some official’s daughter?"

"Hey, hey, Uesugi, how do you know her, and what did she want with you?"

The two started speculating again.

Tsubokawa Takahiro: "I mean, Uesugi, isn’t having Hanamaru enough? Can’t you just live quietly satisfied?"

Goto Iwao: "That’s too harsh, Uesugi! That’s not how you play the protagonist role, how could you!"

"So?"

"So tell us your relationship with her."

"..."

Uesugi Sakura was speechless at them.

"I think it’s a waste of talent that you guys aren’t in the news department gossiping about the whole school."

The green leaves outside swayed gently in the breeze, while Uesugi Sakura casually watched the two.

"She’s my sister, Uesugi Shio."

"..."

Eyes filled with disbelief.

"You have a sister since when?"

"Believe it or not, she just enrolled yesterday, a special admission to the Kendo Department."

Goto Iwao had an inkling, scratching his chin, looking up and recalling, "Now that you mention it, there was talk of a new head of the Kendo Department yesterday."

Uesugi Sakura didn’t know this herself; he assumed that his cousin had just joined the Kendo Department.

He wasn’t very social at school, not very in the loop.

Too lazy to ask his cousin at home either.

"Oh." He responded calmly, indicating he’d understood.

Goto and Tsubokawa knew his outward indifference meant he didn’t care about anything.

But when it came down to it, he’d still pay some attention.

"Uesugi, do you know anything about the Kendo Department?"

"Not really."

Uesugi Sakura recalled the angry-looking Kendo Department students he saw at lunch.

He rubbed the hard edge of his book with his index finger.

Sister Shio won’t have beaten up all the Kendo Department members, would she?

Tsubokawa looked around the noisy classroom, propping himself up on the table, speaking as he turned back, "A parachute head of department, Uesugi. Even though it’s an appointment by the principal, how could the Kendo Department members be convinced."

"Do they want to fight in school?"

"They won’t be blatant about it, but as you know, injuries are common in Kendo practice."

Uesugi Sakura inexplicably wanted to laugh.

Tsubokawa continued, "Also, according to my little insider sources, they might be planning to warn your sister after school today."

"In this day and age?" Uesugi Sakura propped up his face with his right hand, utterly uninterested in the matter.

This kind of thing was as ordinary as breakfast with milk and eggs, too cliché.

Considering Uesugi Shio’s personality, Uesugi Sakura could even predict the ensuing plot.

For the Kendo Department members, Uesugi Sakura could only say they were as bored as thinking why 1+1 equals 2 in advanced math class.

"By the way, Tsubokawa, how do you know all this?" Goto Iwao asked, "I’m not as well-informed as you."

"Overheard from the Uniform Research Department folks chatting."

The Uniform Research Department was in fact a department with vast connections.

——————

After school in the afternoon, the Kyudo Club hasn’t had much going on lately, and Hanabi’s Painting Department had no activities today.

Crows crossed the sky above the school, a flock of black cawing in the sunset’s stretching light, giving off an apocalyptic vibe.

"Not going home first? Shio said she has something today, wants us to head back on our own."

Hanamaru Hanabi waited for him to change his shoes, holding a shoulder bag with a small shark keychain.

Uesugi Sakura closed the shoe cabinet, which no longer had love letters appearing in it, and said, "Going to check out the Kendo Department."

"Kendo Department?"

Hanamaru Hanabi tilted her head slightly, her slender and cute leg peeking out from beneath her pleated skirt.

"Is it... about sister Shio?"

Connecting it to the people they met at the student council earlier, she had a guess.

"Yeah," Uesugi Sakura responded to her, "Sister Shio was appointed as the head as a special admission, and you saw how the Kendo Department students seemed discontent."

Hanamaru Hanabi had a particular concern for Uesugi Shio.

After all, she was the only girl who was once willing to chat heart-to-heart with her.

The Kendo Department, like a sports hall, bright and open, but the floor was not as clean as that of the Kyudo Club, obviously not well-maintained.

The clock on the wall showed 3:30, but not many were practicing Kendo now.

Hanamaru Hanabi hid cautiously behind Uesugi Sakura, seeing Uesugi Shio in full kendo attire, leisurely holding a bamboo sword.

"I’ll get straight to the point; it’s fine if you guys all quit the Kendo Department."

"Why! That’s too much! Not only were you suddenly made head of department, but you want everyone to quit too."

Uesugi Shio waved the bamboo sword, then pointed it at them:

"Isn’t it because you’re unmanageable? You won’t even do three hours of training a day, why stay in the Kendo Department?"

"You’re not convinced, but I’m the head now, what I say goes!"

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