Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard
Chapter 273 - 220: Autumn Arrives

Chapter 273: Chapter 220: Autumn Arrives

The drizzle persisted in the days that followed.

At noon, Uesugi Sakura stood behind the wooden window, with a faint mist seemingly shrouding the surrounding scenery, and the sound of raindrops ticking on the green tiles echoed in the courtyard.

Just watching the iris swaying in the small pond, a refreshing coolness seeped through his entire being.

From the kitchen, carrying a tray, Uesugi’s grandmother saw Uesugi Sakura standing by the window in a daze, and couldn’t help but sigh lightly.

Her young grandson had been like this for the past few days.

It was a look she had never seen in him since he was little.

"Sakura, it’s lunch time, I made tempura today," Uesugi’s grandmother called softly.

There was no response.

The grandmother moved closer to him and continued to call.

"Sakura."

"Sakura."

"Sakura...?"

Standing in front of him, Uesugi Sakura finally snapped out of his thoughts away from the red spider lilies swaying in the garden outside the window.

"Grandma."

With no intention of scolding, the grandmother, holding the plate of golden tempura, smiled and said:

"How long has it been, and you’re already missing little Hanabi?"

"Is this... missing her?"

Uesugi Sakura knew he had just been staring blankly at the bright red spider lilies outside, and whatever he was thinking about, he quickly forgot.

"Your eyes have already told me."

His grandmother averted her gaze from his face, turning her back, "Isn’t little Shio recently learning Sword Dao with Mr. Sakihara? Grandma thinks you could learn with them."

"I’m not particularly interested."

"It’s not about interest or not, but needing something to take your mind off things," his grandmother said, shaking her head while facing away from him, "Constantly thinking about someone can make you sick."

After speaking, the grandmother walked to the table and put the tray down.

Uesugi Sakura lowered his head, gazing at his open palm, listening to the pattering rain outside the window.

Recalling her wearing the small round hat he gave her, dragging her suitcase as she left, her summer white dress disappearing from view, his heart, like the courtyard outside, was soaked with a chill from the rain.

Both her announcement and departure were too sudden.

Leaving for the airport overnight, not even having time to say much in farewell.

He put down his hand.

"I’ll go call Shio-nee and the others to eat."

Uesugi’s grandmother, who was sorting dishes, paused her actions, and slowly said, "Go ahead."

Walking along the wooden eaves surrounding the house now, even his steps felt much slower than usual.

Sometimes it felt like lazing around wasn’t so bad.

As he walked towards the warehouse, Uesugi Sakura logged into Line, which he hadn’t used much recently, for the first time in a while.

There weren’t any particularly important messages, but Tsubokawa Takahiro had sent him a video.

In a room filled with an array of figurines, the PS5 was placed beside a flat-screen TV, carefully cherished.

A message accompanied the video, saying things like "good brother, feel free to tell me if you need anything" in gratitude.

As for that guy Goto, he’s been working all summer, bowing and saying welcomes at the convenience store every day.

He lamented to Uesugi Sakura that there were no romantic encounters at convenience store jobs, only unsold hamburg steak bento boxes to accompany him at night.

In the Kyudo Club group chat, everyone shared their daily progress and experiences, and weren’t at all surprised by Uesugi’s reticence throughout the summer.

Chitose Mai, on the other hand, shared her summer beach trip, making a confident and beautiful peace sign in a family photo.

She seemed very happy.

Recording life was something Uesugi Sakura would never do.

Firstly lazy, secondly finding it troublesome.

Girls are more into such things, but Hanamaru Hanabi’s little records were off-limits to anyone.

They were locked off even to Uesugi Sakura; only when she got gifts from him did she share them in her updates.

For instance, when she won that big shark from him that day, she happily posted it.

In the picture, her face nuzzled the shark’s belly, showing a pure and cheerful smile.

Below the picture, next to an adorably happy emoji, she noted: "Thank you, Sakura!"

Seeing that cute emoji and font, Uesugi Sakura continued to scroll through the sweet thank-you posts.

The small round hat, hair ornaments, braided cords, cakes, chocolates... with every little gift given to her, she earnestly posted it, using text and emojis to describe her joyful and grateful feelings at the time.

The sweetness overflowed from her smile and her words.

Seeing all this, Uesugi Sakura couldn’t help but smile along, but the happier and sweeter his smile became, the more indescribably strange his heart felt.

Since she left, was it possible to be this joyful just seeing her past messages?

Turning to look at the empty spot beside him, Uesugi Sakura couldn’t help but question himself.

Had he really... cherished her?

Why, after she left, did he feel such deep emotions just from glancing at her updates?

Even soundless gratitude in photos and words could make him smile.

Before... he never cared about any of this...

Opening an umbrella, stepping out from under the eaves, traversing a stone-paved path, he walked to the orange warehouse by the front courtyard.

Due to the rain, practicing Sword Dao could only take place in the warehouse.

Stepping in, he saw his cousin practicing air swings in her dry attire.

An uncle, sitting on a low stool beside, was petting A-Chai’s chin. Noticing Uesugi Sakura who walked into the door, he looked up and said:

"The cherished disciple planning to join Sword Dao?"

"It’s for lunch," Uesugi Sakura replied.

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