Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard
Chapter 270 - 218: The Hot Spring of the Evening Glow

Chapter 270: Chapter 218: The Hot Spring of the Evening Glow

The evening glow painted the sky red, and the evening breeze stirred this retro street.

Here, wind-blocking curtains, flamboyant canopies, and castle-style hot spring buildings lined both sides.

Under the neon signs lit with a thousand lights, you could see women in yukatas with heavy makeup everywhere, and tourists with cameras in front of them kept flocking here.

It’s said that there will be a float parade at night, making the atmosphere of the Obon festival increasingly lively.

"Shall we go to the hot spring now...?" Uesugi Sakura asked Hanamaru Hanabi beside him.

"Mom, why do we have to go to the other side?"

On the bluestone-paved street, the soft summer white dress on her slender legs exuded the aura of a youthful girl.

"Ahem..."

Uesugi Sakura paused a bit and said, "It’s a private hot spring; the one earlier with Auntie was a public hot spring."

"A private hot spring?" The eyes under Hanamaru Hanabi’s small round hat blinked at him, "Is it... a hot spring for just two people?"

"Just two people, and only one pool."

Hanamaru Hanabi understood the implication, two people... one hot spring pool.

Isn’t that just going to soak in the hot spring together...

Staring at Uesugi Sakura’s face, Hanamaru Hanabi’s cheeks seemed to have some reaction again, she shyly lowered her head and said:

"Mom... is always like this..."

Uesugi Sakura also felt that his mother-in-law seemed a bit too eager to give away her precious daughter.

Such a good girl, is there really no one who would appreciate her?

Or perhaps, the mother-in-law really wanted to have grandchildren soon.

"So... shall we go now?" Uesugi Sakura lowered his voice, making his words sound more pleasant.

"..."

"Okay..." Hanamaru Hanabi softly agreed.

——————————

Dogo Onsen has three onsen buildings: the main building, the annex, and Tsubaki-no-Yu.

This is the symbol of Japan’s oldest hot spring; Dogo Onsen itself is a museum-level cultural building but continues to operate as an active public bath.

The grand bathhouse in Spirited Away drew its inspiration from here.

Following the address on the hot spring voucher given by her mother-in-law, the two of them traversed two streets to arrive at this retro-flavored annex hot spring.

Amber lighting, low ceilings.

While walking towards the reception, Uesugi Sakura could even reach up to touch the wooden boards above his head.

In a typical hot spring inn, after paying the bathing fee, you would see "Men’s Bath" and "Women’s Bath."

But here it was a private hot spring, with only three rooms in the entire building, so there were no gender-segregated baths.

Once inside, you could see lockers and a wooden cabinet on the wall filled with towels.

Lockers were for clothes and backpacks, while the towels in the cabinet were for wiping the body or covering oneself.

The stone bathroom was decorated with a wall painting of pine trees made from ceramic tiles, with bright lighting inside and an open sky outside under the stars.

In front, a round open-air bath surrounded by stones had a large cylindrical "hot spring pot" in the center, where spring water gently flowed out.

Surrounded by high fences, the grassy area around the bath was adorned with a cluster of swaying green bamboo.

The traditional bath with ancient charm created the unique atmosphere of the onsen house.

The difference between a private and public onsen is that the establishment provides some snacks and tea.

Above the lockers were teapots, teacups, and water drizzle cakes.

Ehime’s specialty of orange juice and orange wine was also available there.

Seeing those delicately packaged wines, Uesugi Sakura was actually considering whether or not to try some.

Alcohol content in such wines shouldn’t be high, right?

Before entering the hot spring, bathing is a must.

To the right of the stone chamber, three streams of hot spring water continuously flowed down from a groove above.

Watching the steamy mist rising from the bath, Uesugi Sakura asked Hanamaru Hanabi beside him:

"Bath first or snack first?"

Hanamaru Hanabi clasped her fingers in front of her dress and softly said, "Bath first..."

The air inexplicably became silent for several seconds.

"Need help washing?" Uesugi Sakura noticed she wasn’t moving and just stood there.

The sound of water could be heard flowing into the bath.

Hanamaru Hanabi blushed and said, "Okay."

In the changing room, after taking off her white dress and wrapping herself in a white towel, the girl walked out on bare feet.

The girl’s shy collarbone and snow-white shoulders came into view as she walked over.

Hanamaru Hanabi held the towel covering her chest with both hands, too shy to look at him.

"Sakura-kun... go change first... Hanabi will start washing..."

The room was filled with steam.

Uesugi Sakura just nodded at her blushing face, "Okay."

The changing room was only separated by a sliding curtain, with a wooden cabinet next to it for clothes.

Uesugi Sakura naturally changed into a white towel, took his folded clothes, and opened the cabinet.

The cabinet was large, and Hanabi’s clothes were also folded there.

Red hook jade, colorful hand strings, white dress, pink underwear, white bloomers, and a bit of panties sneakily exposed from the clothes’ layer.

Ever since she was called down from the tree in the park, she had always worn bloomers to prevent exposing herself.

Wearing short skirts is actually a troublesome thing for girls.

Pretty as they are, there’s always the worry of exposure when squatting or sitting on a bench.

To solve these worries for girls, bloomers came into existence.

After tying a towel around his waist, Uesugi Sakura walked out and found Hanamaru Hanabi already in the hot spring with her back facing him.

Wasn’t she asking for help with washing?

No need to say more, Uesugi Sakura knew she was probably too shy halfway through, not wanting to be seen stark naked.

After rinsing under the hot spring, Uesugi Sakura took some juice and water drizzle cakes from the locker and carried them on a wooden tray to the side of the pool.

Then he stepped into the water, entering the hot spring.

Generally, when soaking in a hot spring, people don’t wear clothes or towels, but Hanamaru Hanabi wrapped herself with a towel around her chest.

Steam rising and swirling, the warm spring water constantly enveloping every inch of the body.

Uesugi Sakura sat beside Hanamaru Hanabi, turned around and picked up a piece of water drizzle cake from the wooden tray, and offered it to her mouth.

The girl, seemingly lost in thought, instinctively opened her mouth and bit down.

She chewed slowly.

Seeing her only biting off two-thirds, Uesugi Sakura didn’t mind, he finished the rest in one bite.

"What are you thinking about?"

Hearing his voice, Hanamaru Hanabi came back to herself, turned her head in the water to look at him:

"Sakura-kun... is Hanabi annoying?"

Uesugi Sakura smiled, picked up another piece of cake, and fed it to the girl:

"Why ask that all of a sudden?"

"Hanabi’s personality... is probably quite annoying..." Hanamaru Hanabi ducked her head into the water.

"Most of the time, you’re not very energetic," Uesugi Sakura said.

"Yeah," Hanamaru Hanabi nodded in the water, then surfaced again, "Hanabi feels a bit gloomy too..."

"Annoying, right...?" she asked him.

Uesugi Sakura noticed her eyes were quivering slightly, understanding this was a sign of her insecurity.

Perhaps it was the thought of having to study far, far away that made her feel this way.

Uesugi Sakura hugged her exposed snowy shoulder, letting the girl lean into him:

"Are you worried?"

"Yeah..."

"But Hanabi has to grow up, doesn’t she?" Uesugi Sakura held her petite body in his arms, "I can share some burden for you, but I can’t bear all of it for you."

"But rest assured, Hanabi, Sakura-kun will always wait for you too."

Within the girl’s heart, a strange feeling coursed, one that compelled her to draw close to him, let him hold her.

"Sakura-kun... will you miss Hanabi?"

"I will."

"Sakura-kun, won’t you hate Hanabi?"

"I won’t."

"Sakura-kun, will you always like her?"

"I will."

Hanamaru Hanabi held his hand, carefully feeling the everlasting stir he left in her heart.

"I’m sorry... Sakura-kun... I’m sorry... Hanabi can’t do her best... Hanabi is even very useless, very useless, always being protected by Sakura-kun, troubling him with many, many things."

"But Sakura-kun has never been disgusted with her, never said she was bothersome, never blamed her for her mistakes, Hanabi doesn’t know how to repay his kindness, just secretly likes him and only wants him to like her..."

Saying this, Hanamaru Hanabi paused for a few seconds, eyes filled with anticipation:

"Sakura-kun... isn’t Hanabi very selfish...?"

"Isn’t liking someone inherently selfish?" Uesugi Sakura smiled at the girl with her upturned, moist little face, "Sakura-kun also hopes Hanabi doesn’t like anyone else."

"Sakura-kun feels the same way?"

"Of course."

Uesugi Sakura pinched her nose, "So, try to be a bit happier, we still have a long way to go, supporting each other, caring for each other, giving to each other, is what we need to grow and learn to do along the way."

"Hanabi has many shortcomings, but Sakura-kun will always accompany her to change together."

"Aren’t these things that happen along the way a reflection of our mutual affection?"

The girl’s hands are small and soft.

Like her character, soft and tender, and if you’re not careful, she gets hurt easily.

"Thank you..." she cautiously whispered.

"Then..." Uesugi Sakura turned around, placing her back against a warm stone, hands on either side of her, looking directly into the girl’s bright and sparkling eyes, "May I kiss you?"

Hearing his gentle voice, Hanamaru Hanabi closed her eyes and slightly tilted her neck upward.

The girl, feeling the warmth of the spring water soaking into her body, slightly parted her cherry lips.

The sweet wave of love flowed and merged, becoming richer and richer.

Listening to the soft rustling of bamboo in the night breeze, Uesugi Sakura couldn’t help but embrace the girl with her fragrant, tender waist, resuming the kiss.

The flowing affection made Hanabi’s small nose occasionally exhale some burning yet gentle girlish breathes.

...

It was a long while before they parted again.

Hanamaru Hanabi’s violet eyes became watery, with a hint of red spreading warmly on her cute face, her timid little hands resting on his chest.

Their four eyes met, staring at each other for a long time, unable to calm the flutter just below their throats.

Though the girl’s breath was very sweet, Uesugi Sakura felt his mouth a bit dry and tongue-tied.

"Hanabi."

"Yeah..."

"It’s kind of..."

"...."

Hanamaru Hanabi understood his meaning, bowing her head, looking at the ever-rippling water of the hot spring pool below:

"Yeah..."

Uesugi Sakura sat halfway up from the hot spring, the water that had just covered his waist now allowing him to feel comfortable stretching his body.

...

...

"Sakura-kun..."

With a towel wrapped around her, Hanamaru Hanabi’s face was as red as a freshly cut peach, lowering her little head with all her might.

"Hmm..." Uesugi Sakura closed his eyes, lifting his chin, his back leaning against the stone.

"What are we having for dinner?"

"Mother-in-law... um... didn’t she say... sushi?" Uesugi Sakura’s voice was intermittent.

"Is it... sushi...?"

"Yes."

"Why is it sushi...?"

"I don’t know."

Hanamaru Hanabi’s anxious heart led her to search frantically for some topics.

"Sakura-kun..."

The ripples on the bath water’s surface were becoming larger and larger.

"What’s up?"

"Is it... still not possible?"

"Is Hanabi tired?"

"No, it’s not," extending her small hands, Hanamaru Hanabi listened to the sound of hot spring water flowing from the hot spring pot, "it’s just... feeling so strange..."

Uesugi Sakura, having raised his chin, had already let his mind go blank.

"There’s nothing... um... strange, right."

"It is... strange..." Hanamaru Hanabi’s voice was very soft, "It’s...

In the bath, the cylindrical hot spring pot kept streaming down the hot spring water that made the skin flushed and hot.

"Hanabi." Uesugi Sakura said, looking at the rippling water surface in front of him.

"Yeah..." Hanamaru Hanabi’s voice had already transformed into the bashful nasal sound of a small animal.

"What’s the name for the amount of speed change an object in motion generates per second, from low to high?"

"Sakura-kun... what are you talking about?"

"A little physics trivia."

"Physics?"

Hanamaru Hanabi’s little head was working at an ultra-high load like she had a fever.

Finally, she recalled a piece of knowledge taught by the physics teacher and thought of two words.

"Sakura-kun..." The shy-faced girl called sweetly and softly.

"What...?"

Hanamaru Hanabi’s cute little face blushed lightly with cherry blossom tinge, her soft little hand comfortable and caring.

"You’re terrible."

...

...

...

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