Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard
Chapter 172 - 162: The Scent of Green Love

Chapter 172: Chapter 162: The Scent of Green Love

The body swayed, lungs panting rapidly; in the final moment of exhaustion and powerlessness, it seemed as if someone embraced me, the feeling of leaning on an arm was steadily profound.

The breeze of the sunset blew across the face, Hanamaru Hanabi’s eyebrows twitched, she slowly opened her eyes, dazedly waiting for her brain to process the messages received by her eyes.

A whitewashed ceiling, surrounded by soft blue-green drapes, she lay on a small bed, her consciousness still lingering in the moment of falling toward the ground.

After fainting, time seemed to have disappeared because the consciousness of the brain was completely lost—no dreams, no thoughts—the memory just lingered on that final moment of closing her eyes.

She had just woken up, feeling bewildered.

Remembering the last image of being embraced, the blue-grey sky turning black, her small hand instinctively reached out.

There was nothing, no final sense of stability holding her hand.

The heart, still aching in the chest, suddenly felt empty, as if the spirit had been extracted.

"Sakura, Sakura-kun..."

Uesugi Sakura, who was talking to the school doctor outside the curtains, heard the voice and turned his head to look inside the curtains.

"She’s awake," the school doctor, named Miyashita, told him.

"I understand," Uesugi Sakura nodded at Dr. Miyashita, "Is there anything else we should be mindful of?"

"It’s not serious, she has a bit of low blood sugar, just unconscious due to insufficient blood supply to the brain. Eat some food, have some candy, and take it easy."

Dr. Miyashita turned around, writing the records in a work log, the sound of a black ballpoint pen scratching against the paper.

"Also, her constitution isn’t great, so running exercises need to be gradual. Don’t let her get too exhausted suddenly, her body can’t handle it."

"Alright." Uesugi Sakura nodded in response.

The black line of the pen completed the last few characters of "Hanamaru Hanabi," the doctor paused the pen’s tip and suddenly looked up.

"She doesn’t have any particular medical history, does she?"

Uesugi Sakura was momentarily stunned and then answered:

"No."

"That’s fine then." Dr. Miyashita closed the work log, half-illuminated by the sunset, and tucked the pen into his chest pocket.

Uesugi Sakura heard the faint voice coming from behind the soft curtain, and at this moment, Dr. Miyashita stood up and walked to the door.

"It’s time for me to get off work, let her rest for a bit, just close the door when you leave."

"Thank you," Uesugi Sakura said.

"You’re welcome." Dr. Miyashita waved his hand, closing the door with a click.

Uesugi Sakura drew back the soft curtain beside the bed, looking at the restless girl in athletic clothing lying there, and pulled over a round stool to sit by her side.

Her small face was flushed, and her eyes were clear and bright. It seems, as Dr. Miyashita said, that there was nothing serious.

"Sakura-kun..." Upon seeing his familiar face, Hanamaru Hanabi smiled at him and tried to prop herself up from the bed.

Uesugi Sakura held her shoulder, helping her sit upright on the bed.

"How do you feel?"

"I’m okay... just my legs and waist are a bit sore, and my chest feels stuffy."

"..."

"It’s my fault, letting you run so much on the first day."

"Sakura-kun... there’s no need to say such things to Hanabi, Hanabi doesn’t blame you at all." Hanamaru Hanabi placed her small hands on her bare thighs, sticking out from her shorts.

She glanced at the small window, the setting sun hiding behind the fiery clouds.

"Is it almost evening already? I didn’t attend classes today either."

"Ayaka took notes for you, I’ll help you review them tonight."

"What would you like to eat?" Uesugi Sakura asked.

"Chilies..."

"..."

"Let’s skip the chilies for now. The doctor said you have low blood sugar, let’s start with some candy."

Uesugi Sakura reached into his bag and pulled out two lollipops, "Shio-sister came to see you earlier, I snatched these from her."

As he spoke, he peeled off the wrapper and handed the lollipop to her mouth.

Quietly waiting.

Hanamaru Hanabi looked at him, leaning slightly forward, her soft lips wrapped around the candy he held out.

It was a slightly sour strawberry flavor.

Uesugi Sakura also unwrapped the other lollipop, savoring the same flavor in his mouth.

Hanamaru Hanabi’s lively eyes flitted across his face, she called out,

"Sakura brother..."

He looked at her, "Why suddenly call me that?"

"Just... remembering how it was when I was by the brook with you when we were little."

The time was somewhat distant, Uesugi Sakura thought back for a moment.

"Was it that camping trip?"

"Yes."

Hanamaru Hanabi’s small hands silently twirled the stick of the candy by her mouth, the youthful taste flowing through her lips and teeth reminiscent of her youthful feelings for him.

That night, in the deep, dense forest, her small hand clung tightly to his coat’s hem, his brotherly figure always leading her forward.

The little girl’s pupils were full of reliance.

Uesugi Sakura suddenly smiled, "If you hadn’t cried, I wouldn’t have found you."

"Hanabi... doesn’t even know why she ended up there..."

In the forest’s flickering shadows, the gaps woven by branches and trunks revealed only darkness, the moonlight was serene and remote, and only the sound of insects enveloped them, which frightened the little girl.

Uesugi Sakura still remembered her hugging her knees under the tree and the way she hurriedly rushed over, tearfully clinging to him.

Time had etched marks on their emotions.

Since childhood, Hanamaru Hanabi was always a silly, foolish crybaby, her clingy manner didn’t make her particularly likable.

He never thought that he would come to like the clingy little girl so much as he does now.

Her faint call of "Sakura brother" was sweet, the timid tone full of expectant dependence.

Uesugi Sakura noticed the ring on her little finger and couldn’t help but reflect on the passage of time.

The little girl who once held onto his coat’s hem was now his fiancée.

"Sakura-kun...?"

"It’s nothing," Uesugi Sakura raised his head, smiling at her delicate little face, "Let’s go home first."

His handsome face bathed in the light of the setting sun, the girl’s love for him still ripple in her heart as always.

Hanamaru Hanabi was sucking on the lollipop and lowered her head slightly.

"Let’s... not go home just yet, I haven’t finished today’s work at all."

"Then shall we head to the library? I’ll help you."

"Okay."

In truth, she just wanted to spend time alone with him.

The library at Kamigoe was filled with the scent of books, the tables overlayed with the shadows of books sketched by the evening light. Hanamaru Hanabi listened to his detailed explanations, completing exercises one by one according to the thought process.

Suddenly, she noticed his focused expression, and her heartbeat quickened in response.

If only... she could always be with Sakura-kun like this....

Hanamaru Hanabi couldn’t help but think silently in her heart.

——————

It was Friday, and with the month-end archery practice approaching, there were significantly fewer people practicing in the Kyudo Club.

Uesugi Sakura put down the longbow, exhaled lightly, and walked off the shooting range.

"Aren’t you participating in this year’s sports festival’s archery competition?" Sugita Shuhei also stepped down from the shooting range.

"I don’t really care, but participating doesn’t really do much for me."

"For you, it truly is that way," Sugita Shuhei said, then smiled, "Unparalleled Meteor."

"Please! Don’t ever mention that thing, just hearing it makes me feel awkward."

"Really? I actually think it’s fine."

Chitose Mai suddenly ran over, "Senpai, senpai, outside there’s a really pretty senior looking for you!"

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