Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard
Chapter 247 - 206: The Fields, Hanabi, and the Stream_2

Chapter 247: Chapter 206: The Fields, Hanabi, and the Stream_2

The uncovered Uesugi Sakura smiled, gazing at the girl’s repeatedly flickering purple eyes, then leaned in directly to kiss her soft and lovely cherry-like lips.

"Sakura... mm—"

The shy and lively girl, initially resistant, soon went limp.

The long and deep taste brought about the stirrings of adolescence.

Uesugi Sakura held her small hand that was placed on his chest, gently spreading apart the shy gap, intertwining their fingers.

....

"Good morning kiss." Uesugi Sakura smiled, "You don’t dislike it, do you?"

Hanamaru Hanabi glanced at his face, which made a girl’s heart race, then lowered her head and shyly made a small sound, "I don’t dislike it... as long as it’s Sakurai... I don’t dislike it..."

In the morning, the drifting clouds were still leisurely swaying at the horizon.

The girl wore a homey spaghetti strap nightdress, the thin pink color concealing the increased size of her small mounds beneath her distinct collarbones.

The little girl who used to always follow behind her had indeed grown up.

Uesugi Sakura hugged her, placing his hand on Hanamaru Hanabi’s soft belly, feeling the texture of her smooth skin with his fingertips as he traced the graceful curve of her waist, climbing up her spine.

Every touch spoke of the girl’s shyness and petite form.

"Has Hanabi been dieting lately?"

"Mm..."

"Actually, eating a bit more isn’t a problem."

"But in that case..." Hanamaru Hanabi, her face flushed red, closed her eyes and shyly rested her neck against his shoulder, "it wouldn’t look good..."

"A soft, chubby tummy is comfortable too."

Uesugi Sakura’s hand circled from the girl’s smooth, flat back to the front, retracting along her slender arm.

...

"Is it okay?"

"Y-yes." Hanamaru Hanabi’s face felt like it was on fire, she could already feel his hands enclosing around her.

Just after she spoke, the extremely embarrassed girl panicked again, hurriedly saying, "A-after all, Sakurai should only do it while Hanabi is asleep..."

"Too shy?"

"Mm..."

"Then what will Hanabi do if she’s always this shy?"

"No, it won’t be like that... at least, at least now Hanabi wants to prepare..."

"Then it’s settled," Uesugi Sakura said gently, "tonight."

Because of his hands, Hanamaru Hanabi, whose mind was about to short-circuit from shyness, agreed quietly.

"Alright..."

—————————

It’s lunchtime, and the Uesugi Family gathered for the meal.

"Isn’t there a fireworks festival in Matsuyama City in August?" Mrs. Hanamaru said with a slight smile, putting a juicy sweet orange slice into her mouth.

Uesugi Lady rolled up her kimono sleeves and poured a bowl of tea, "I remember, last year it was on August 5th."

"It’s always on August 5th, unless it’s postponed due to rain, held at Mitsu Pier." Aunt Uesugi Tomoko said while eating, uninterested in those old-fashioned manners.

Mrs. Hanamaru suddenly sighed, "What a pity, this year’s fireworks festival by Sumida River has been canceled."

Sumida River is in Tokyo, and its fireworks festival is also a popular place in Tokyo.

Both families used to participate there every year.

"Why?" Aunt Uesugi Tomoko curiously asked while picking up some vegetables with her chopsticks.

"Safety concerns," Uesugi Nobuko said, remembering the issue, "last year, a box of fireworks wasn’t adjusted properly, it exploded on the spot toward the crowd, injuring many people."

Uesugi Lady shook her head upon hearing this, "Young people these days are really careless, the quality of work declines every year too."

Uesugi Tomoko: "It’s still better for us country folks, just grow oranges. Speaking of which, that Farmers’ Association is really annoying, they have their influence everywhere oranges are sold."

"Where are Sakura and little Hanabi?" Uesugi Lady asked slowly, "They haven’t come over for lunch yet, are they taking a nap?"

"They should be doing laundry by the stream together." Mrs. Hanamaru said, "Hanabi did say she was going to do laundry by the river."

"Laundry." Uesugi Lady smiled, "Being able to do laundry together is also proof of a good relationship. If Jiro could also pull himself together, then my husband and I would be completely at ease."

Uesugi Shio, hearing the Lady mention her father, didn’t make any other move and continued eating.

On the other side,

The small stream gurgled, the water flowing from Sakura Hill gathered into a river in this artificial channel.

Uesugi Sakura caressed the stream, the coolness of summer entering his mind through his fingertips, bringing a refreshing respite to the hot air.

Hanamaru Hanabi was right beside him, hand-washing the clothes they had both worn over the past few days.

She was neither slow nor fast but very serious in her task.

Uesugi Sakura watched her earnest face for a long time, familiar, adorable, exquisite.

Why had he changed from being so lazy, started morning runs, and worked hard in various competitions?

He thought, it was probably because of the girl who had always accompanied him.

"Hanabi." he called.

"Mm."

"Sometimes I feel like I’m not good enough for you." he said with a smile.

Hanamaru Hanabi stopped rubbing the clothes with her small hands, gazing at the white foam drifting away with the stream.

In a low, shy voice she said softly, "It’s... it’s actually Hanabi who isn’t good enough for Sakurai..."

Uesugi Sakura looked up at the blue sky, the sky in the seaside town had a deeper azure:

"Do you know why I want to apply to Tokyo University?"

"Because of laziness, being too lazy, I don’t want to let myself be overly lazy, to be too negative about life."

Hanamaru Hanabi listened earnestly to his words, but the more he said, the less confident the girl felt:

"Sakura, you are obviously a very talented person... Hanabi, Hanabi always feels too ordinary..."

"That’s your small inferiority complex at work."

Uesugi Sakura turned his head to the girl washing clothes by the stream, "Believe me, there’s no other girl as wonderful as you."

Hanamaru Hanabi felt the cool stream with her small hands, speaking in a low tone: "But... Hanabi is so dull, before... everyone... didn’t like Hanabi."

"Everyone" and "didn’t like" were words she whispered.

She remembered those extremely hurtful words.

"Just small flaws, I know them." Uesugi Sakura said, "But that’s because everyone sees your silence and can’t see the effort you make within your silence."

"But there is someone who has always seen your hardworking and resilient heart."

Recalling some of the unpleasant words, Hanamaru Hanabi turned her face to look at him.

Uesugi Sakura just smiled, without saying anything further to her.

In the afternoon sunlight, the ripples intermittently flashed countless times. It was a while before Hanamaru Hanabi returned to washing the clothes in her hands.

Uesugi Sakura extended his hand, looking toward the blue sea sky, the slanting light flashing with the brilliance of the ring.

"I know I have many shortcomings, perhaps some flaws that can’t be corrected, perhaps some that people will dislike intensely.

"But I think, he has found a girl who can accept all his flaws, willing to do his laundry and cook his meals, willing to accompany him for a lifetime."

"Then he... is the luckiest person in the world."

Hanamaru Hanabi patiently washed the clothes in her hands; in her tender heart, she silently etched every word he said.

"He is willing to use his precious life to protect her, Hanabi." Uesugi Sakura said these words with utmost sincerity.

Hanamaru Hanabi lowered her head even further, not wanting him to see her slightly red eyes, only emitting weak voices intermittently:

"Thank... thank you, Sakurai..."

"So between us, there’s no need to discuss topics of being or not being a match, our relationship has been mutually devoted over twelve years."

"Hanabi should never lose confidence in front of him because he never wishes for that. He just wants to see the carefree, beautiful, and happy girl in front of him."

By the stream where they spent time as children, Hanamaru Hanabi’s short hair gently swayed with the summer breeze.

Uesugi Sakura turned his head, watched her unseen side-profile, and with a smile, invited:

"For the fireworks festival in two days, would you like to attend with me again this year?"

Time was silent, Hanamaru Hanabi kept her head low in silence.

The summer grasses were gentle, the irises at the stream emitting a verdant glow.

"No, no... I can’t..."

Shy Hanamaru Hanabi thus spoke.

Uesugi Sakura was stunned by her small response.

But before he could ask, Hanamaru Hanabi raised her youthful face, her red eyes shining in the sunlight.

Then, the girl’s slowly blooming bright smile contained a youthful yet captivating color:

"Hanabi wants to attend the fireworks festival with Sakurai in two days this year."

"Sakurai, will you go with Hanabi... together?"

The answer, of course, was undeniable.

"I’d be delighted." Uesugi Sakura said with a smile.