Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard
Chapter 174 - 163: Have I Been a Bit Strange Lately?_2

Chapter 174: Chapter 163: Have I Been a Bit Strange Lately?_2

He’s wondered more than once, does this mean he’s entered senior life early?

Using a rake to clean up dead branches and leaves, putting them in a bag, walking to the nearby combustible waste recycling bin outside the house to dispose of them.

When he got home, little Hanabi was already busy in the kitchen with her mother preparing breakfast.

Still so virtuous.

The pregnant Mrs. Hanamaru was chatting with the half-asleep Uesugi Shio.

Seeing him return, Mrs. Hanamaru quickly waved for him to sit on the sofa in the living room.

"Little Sakura, I heard you used to bathe Hanabi by herself?"

Uesugi Sakura glanced at Uesugi Shio, nodding: "Yes."

"Let me guess," Mrs. Hanamaru reminisced over the slightly worn black and white memories in her mind, "When little Hanabi was five, during that trip to Ehime Prefecture?"

Housewives are impressive, she guessed it right in one go.

"Yes." Uesugi Sakura nodded.

Mrs. Hanamaru had long hair draping over her shoulders, her daughter bore a striking resemblance to her in features, and her eyes were equally bright and gentle. She smiled and said:

"Little Sakura and little Hanabi have a special bond, back then she was willing to have one-on-one contact with you, or maybe you two hit it off at the first meeting?"

"..."

Uesugi Sakura was silent for a long time, he was just four years old at the time, and it was impossible to hit it off with a timid little girl.

"Sakura has been astute since childhood, so if he showed any interest in Hanabi back then, it wouldn’t be surprising." Uesugi Shio said.

Mrs. Hanamaru looked at her and then at Uesugi Sakura, feigned surprise by covering her mouth: "Little Sakura considered little Hanabi as his wife from early on, employing the strategy of playing hard-to-get was indeed true."

"..."

Uesugi Sakura stood up: "I’ll go help with the dishes."

"Wait." Mrs. Hanamaru said without rushing, her posture was very proper.

When the mother-in-law speaks, he listens, so he promptly sat back on the sofa.

"What kind of wedding does little Sakura want? So we can help you two prepare."

"Planning two years ahead?"

"You don’t have to worry about that, just tell me if you want a traditional or Western style."

Uesugi Sakura thought for a while and said: "Traditional, but we can also take some wedding photos afterward."

Little Hanabi in a Shiromuku and a wedding dress must look pure and shy.

Mrs. Hanamaru smiled kindly, "How about going to Meiji Shrine next week to check it out? Observe a Shinto wedding on an auspicious day."

And so the matter was happily decided.

During exam week, all club activities were suspended, and Uesugi Sakura leaned against the window thinking about how to help his cousin revive the Kamigoe Kendo Department.

He really didn’t want to go, but Shio, who had cared greatly for little Hanabi in the past, requested his help, so it was unavoidable.

Winning first place in one event at the sports festival awards fifty thousand, so if I participate in both Kendo and Kyudo, wouldn’t I earn a hundred thousand?

Thinking like this, Kanzaki Togoshi Private Academy is quite wealthy.

The board is really committed to boosting Kamigoe’s influence in sports clubs.

"Goto."

Uesugi Sakura called out to Goto Iwao who had just sat back in front of him.

"The school’s most envied Uesugi wants to talk to the wretched me again?" Goto started eating the pineapple bun he bought yesterday but didn’t get to eat.

"What nickname will you give me this time?"

"Cough, cough... isn’t Hanamaru classmate particularly cute recently?"

"My fiancée has always been cute."

"..."

Goto Iwao clutched his chest tightly, taking two deep breaths, "Recently, I discovered Hanamaru classmate even has a fan club."

When little Hanabi just enrolled, she was quite invisible, though cute, she didn’t have much presence.

Fan clubs never had anything to do with someone as transparent as her.

After all, she wouldn’t respond to fans’ enthusiasm.

"Aren’t you worried?" Goto took a bite of the pineapple bun, seeing him still flipping through his books for exam review.

Uesugi Sakura’s usual indifferent face: "Why should I worry about my fiancée?"

"Popular guys can be pretty annoying, Uesugi, they tend to hurt others’ hearts unintentionally." Goto suddenly wondered why this pineapple bun tasted so sour, how strange!

"So, do you need money?"

"I do." Goto nodded solemnly.

"Are you interested in an activity where you can easily earn several hundred thousand yen?"

"As long as I don’t have to sell my body, except for a beautiful girl."

Uesugi Sakura placed his hand on Goto’s shoulder, seriously putting on a straight face: "Congratulations on earning fifty thousand yen, you’re now a member of the Kendo Department."

"No problem... wh-what?"

Goto quickly brushed his hand away, "When did I agree to join the Kendo Department?"

Uesugi Sakura withdrew his hand, his long fingers continued flipping the pages of his math book, making the rustle of book pages, repeating what he just said:

"As long as I don’t have to sell my body, except for a beautiful girl."

"I’m just a weakling from the Photography Club, why are you putting me in the Kendo Department?"

While taking math formula notes, Uesugi Sakura replied: "To make up the numbers."

"?"

"Doesn’t your Kendo Department have members?"

"Of course we have, but if you can make up the numbers and earn fifty thousand from the school—the reason I thought of you first is because it’s such a good opportunity, isn’t it?"

What Uesugi said made Goto suddenly see the light.

"Good bro!" Goto Iwao placed his hand on his shoulder again, "Whatever you need, just ask, I’ll fully support it."

"Just answer one question for me." Uesugi Sakura said expressionlessly.

"Ask anything!"

"Who is the President of Hanabi’s fan club?"

"..."

——————

After lunch, the midday sun was melting everything in its path, Hanamaru Hanabi insisted on running on the track.

She sometimes put in a lot of effort, unsure if it counted as being strong-willed, currently, her legs found going down stairs very difficult after running.

Uesugi Sakura gazed at the glaringly white track, holding a bottle of room-temperature mineral water, patiently waiting for her to complete today’s goal.

Her white tracksuit with the word Hanamaru on it, beads of sweat trailing along her flying short hair under the blazing summer sun.

The snow-white legs under her shorts were reddened from running, her panting little face showed determination.

One must admit that while little Hanabi’s running was clumsy, it was quite attention-grabbing, the male students passing by the track couldn’t resist turning to glance at her.

Although not as captivating as a swaying skirt, girls running in shorts also had a unique charm.

"Whew~ whew~"

Her little head was almost dizzy to the point of fainting, her eyes seeing the ground steady and flat, but it began swaying as well.

The firm ground turned into something like floating clouds, while persisting to complete today’s final target, Hanamaru Hanabi’s cheeks were rosy, her hands resting on her knees as she bent down to catch her breath.

Uesugi Sakura approached her with the bottled water.

"Don’t stop right away when you’re this exhausted."

He wrapped an arm around her soft, warm waist, letting her rest her right hand on his neck, "Walk a little more."

"Um..."

Hanamaru Hanabi leaned on him, still panting, trying her best to move her tired legs to walk.

The heat from June’s shimmering air assaulted her skin, turning into sweat inside her thin white tracksuit, soaking in and sticking to her skin, a faint pink hue appearing as a result.

"You can train in the afternoon too, there’s no need to come at noon when the sun is this strong."

"Hanabi..."

Hanamaru Hanabi turned her head, showing him that same beautiful smile, "Hanabi... wants to study with Sakura-kun in the afternoon, so completing the goal by noon is okay..."

Her chest was still in pain after the intense exercise, and her voice was a bit broken when she spoke.

She always had an unintentional way of warming people’s hearts.

"If we get married, will our feelings still be this strong?"

"Sakura-kun... has been with Hanabi for twelve years... and it will always be like this..."

"Twelve years, yet I’ve recently liked you more and more." Uesugi Sakura spoke more earnestly than ever.

"Thank you, Sakura-kun... Hanabi is very happy..."

Holding her waist, the petite girl was in his embrace, warm and sweet.

"Have I been acting a bit strange lately?"

"Well, it’s not so bad..." Hanamaru Hanabi said, her face turning red, unclear whether it was from something, "Just that Sakura-kun... likes to touch feet when putting socks on Hanabi..."