Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard
Chapter 206 - 183: July Athletic Festival (4)

Chapter 206: Chapter 183: July Athletic Festival (4)

The light streaming into the rest area was lively, and the gentle curtains by the bed swayed with the indoor light.

Everything remained the same, but on Hanamaru Hanabi’s downcast face, there was no longer the radiant smile from noon.

She had no confidence in herself.

"Sakura, Sakura-kun... Hanabi... doesn’t know what she should do..."

"Hanabi... is just an ordinary girl, she doesn’t know what’s useful about herself..."

"Whatever Hanabi does, she’s clumsy and takes a long time to learn."

"Hanabi..."

Uesugi Sakura placed his index finger on her soft lips.

"Did something happen? Lately, I’ve felt that Hanabi is acting strange."

Hanamaru Hanabi hung her head low, her small hands intertwined, not daring to meet his gaze.

"It’s because Hanabi is useless... it’s only natural Sakura-kun doesn’t like her anymore."

Uesugi Sakura squatted in front of her.

"Why do you always say these things?"

"Hanabi... dislikes herself very much..."

Maybe she’s sick, maybe she’s not feeling well mentally.

But Uesugi Sakura understood she was very downcast now, not in a good mood.

Her appearance tugged at his heart, making it seem as though everything around started to dim.

"Don’t be like this." Uesugi Sakura shook her arm.

Yet Hanamaru Hanabi still hung her head, not responding to his voice for a long time.

It seemed like the way she used to close herself off as a child had reappeared.

"Hanabi? Little Hanabi?"

No response.

"I like you, Little Hanabi."

Hanamaru Hanabi looked up: "Sakura-kun..."

"First, tell me what happened."

"It’s... Hanabi’s fault." She thought of that photo.

Forehead, resting against her forehead.

"Don’t take everything upon yourself."

"But Hanabi..."

Ten fingers, tightly clasping her delicate and small left hand.

A pair of intertwined rings shone brightly under the sun’s brilliance.

"Little Hanabi is the fiancée, some things need to be faced together."

Foreheads touching, fingers intertwined.

Amidst his gentle voice, Hanamaru Hanabi’s chaotic heart calmed somewhat.

The more she saw his face, the more memories from twelve years made her want to lean in.

She softly called, "Sakura-kun..."

"Do you want to hold each other for a while?"

"Hmm..."

Gently stroking her soft short hair, the girl’s petite body remained so tender and warm.

Hanamaru Hanabi rested her face on his chest, gently inhaling the scent on him.

To her, this was a scent that brought her peace of mind.

"Hanabi... doesn’t want to leave Sakura-kun..."

"You won’t."

"Hanabi really likes Sakura-oniisan, Hanabi doesn’t want to leave him."

"You won’t."

Her willingness to speak is a sign of improvement.

"But Hanabi is always like this, Sakura-kun must be annoyed."

"You won’t."

"No one likes Hanabi..."

"What silly things are you saying again," Uesugi Sakura hugged her soft body tighter, "Didn’t I say I would always like Hanabi?"

The feeling of being held felt reassuring; it has always been so calming whenever she was in his embrace.

Hanamaru Hanabi closed her wetted eyes, her small hands wrapped around him, burying her head deeply in his arms.

"Sakura-oniisan..."

Her childlike side showing means she really needs someone to rely on.

Uesugi Sakura understood that while many people might not like her, at least to him, he never wanted her to disappear.

Her presence, her smile, her delicacy made the long years of over a decade a rainbow-like memory.

Never would he wish for this timid girl to vanish from his sight.

In the afternoon rest area, sunlight streamed down.

Uesugi Sakura leaned on her shoulder, glanced around, found no one else, and released his tight embrace around Hanamaru Hanabi.

"Feeling better?"

"Hmm..." Hanamaru Hanabi’s slightly trembling violet eyes gradually regained color, "I’m sorry, Sakura-kun... Hanabi worried you again... Hanabi..."

"Don’t speak."

Uesugi Sakura gently pressed her soft cherry lips.

Gestured towards the room inside.

Took her hand and said, "Come over here first."

The inner room had a bed with curtains for shading, surrounded by medications to prevent heatstroke, specifically for those who are out of strength during the sports festival.

After locking the door, pressing the handle twice to ensure it couldn’t open, Uesugi Sakura turned back.

Looked at the small frail girl sitting by the bed.

Hanamaru Hanabi slightly lowered her head, her small hands curling together, focusing as well as her gaze on the white legs under her sports shorts.

The girl, illuminated by sunlight, had an ethereal beauty.

Uesugi Sakura sat beside her, moved close, and embraced her sweaty, soft body.

"Sakura-kun..."

"Don’t speak."

...

"Even though we’ve kissed many times, you don’t dislike this feeling, right?"

Hanamaru Hanabi leaned against the wall, pursed her lips, her gentle and shimmering eyes watching his familiar face.

She timidly replied, "Mm."

"True love is constantly thinking of each other, taking care of each other at all times, love is mutual, and it’s hard to find."

"And since we’re engaged, as fiancés, we should cherish each other even more."

Foreheads touching again, the words flowed gently into the girl’s heart along with the shared warmth.

"Sakura-kun will never dislike Hanabi, not once in the past twelve years has he said he disliked her, that’s the best proof."

"Sakura-kun..."

All chaotic thoughts melted like ice and snow on him.

"Hanabi... would also like to always believe in Sakura-kun..."

Hanamaru Hanabi gazed at his extremely familiar face, her little heartbeat started racing again.

"Sakura-kun..."

She softly called out.

Uesugi Sakura, through her small animal-like voice, understood her meaning.

Eyes meeting, silence prevailed.

The afternoon sunlight gradually warmed the air.

A gentle nibble, melting the girl’s heart in its stead.

...

"Not dislike it?"

"Like..." After parting, Hanamaru Hanabi said with a blushing face.

Her snow-white neck and fair collarbone were also tinged with a faint blush.

Mixed with the sunlight streaming through the window, she was even more enchanting like a lotus bloom in a summer pond.

Uesugi Sakura pressed her upper body against the wall by the bed, his forehead pressing against her sweat-drenched head.

"As long as you don’t dislike it..."

The white loose sporty clothes, the girl’s delicate waist, had long been warm with a rosy sweat.

In the toned athletic attire, the girl’s delicacy flowed in her heart.

"Do you remember what I said on Friday?"

The intimate touch around her waist made the heart itch.

"Sakura-kun said Hanabi should not trouble herself."

"Did Hanabi do that?"

"No, no... but—"

"No means no, that’s also a promise."

"Is this... also a promise?"

"It is."

The closer he got to her, the more he could feel the alluring scent gently wafting in his nostrils from the girl’s fragrant body.

There wasn’t a hint of cloying sweetness, just a refreshing and elegant aroma that uplifted the spirit.

"Running, it must be tiring, right?"

Uesugi Sakura supported her shoulder, gently laying her on the bed covered by the thin curtains.

The girl wore a white sports t-shirt, light pink shorts, with her delicate arms and hands exposed to the air, completely uncovered.

The white clothing wet on her abdomen revealed a faint pink, outlining the graceful lines beside her slender waist.

"Why are you working so hard now?"

Hanamaru Hanabi lay on the bed, her eyes clearer than a stream, colors flowing as she looked at him, softly saying:

"Hanabi doesn’t want Sakura-kun to dislike her, Hanabi doesn’t want to always be like this, this way is very disliked by others."

"I don’t know if others dislike it, but at least I don’t."

"There’s no one who needs more care than you."

Hanamaru Hanabi looked at him, deeply believing that whatever Sakura-kun said, he surely wasn’t lying to her.

—————————

In the July evening, summer cicadas were noisy.

The green grass and trees in the park were more vigorous than in spring.

Hanpe in a suit extinguished the cigarette held between his fingers, casually throwing it into the nearby trash can.

The sound of his dark leather shoes striking the long stones was audible.

He saw a girl in a black dress sitting on the bench by the pond in front of him.

Kitagawa Sakisa noticed the black shoes entering her view and looked up.

She didn’t seem very happy.

"What’s wrong, miss, spending a day outside and ending up sitting here?"

The summer breeze blew, dissipating the sultry air while rustling the leaves overhead.

The girl in the black dress once again gazed at the reflection of irises in the pond, seeing the dragonflies lightly touching the water and creating tiny ripples on the surface.

"Hanpe, do you think I’m quite annoying?"

Hanpe sat in the empty seat on the bench beside her, resting his arm on the backrest:

"You are quite annoying, leaving behind the life of a proper lady and coming out to trouble me."

"Of all people, you chose to bother me."

"With a taste for expensive things besides, you’ve spent all my remaining savings, and now, here we are, going hungry together every day."

"But... with so many people, you’re the only one I know," Kitagawa Sakisa, her voice coming down several notches from the usual, said after hearing him.

"Miss, until before this, we’d only met twice," said Hanpe, "You should know that your brother’s subordinates aren’t good people, their courtesy towards you is purely out of respect for your brother and your father."

Kitagawa Sakisa didn’t respond, simply gazing quietly at the pale green river surface.

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