Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard
Chapter 278 - 222: The Rain, Still_2

Chapter 278: Chapter 222: The Rain, Still_2

"Give me the money." Uesugi Jiro, with slumped shoulders, just turned his hand in the other direction.

Uesugi Sakura had complaints about his reckless borrowing of money:

"Out of respect for my father, I still call you uncle, but as an uncle who never contributed to my cousin since childhood, what right do you have to ask money from your underage daughter?"

Uesugi Shio was raised by her grandparents, starting from her third year after birth.

"She owes me and will repay for a lifetime."

"Give it to him, Sakura."

Uesugi Sakura couldn’t understand what Shio owed this false father, "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Uesugi Shio replied in a much lower tone than usual, "Give it to him."

On the rainy street, the lifeless Uesugi Jiro clutched the neatly arranged sixty thousand yen, holding a black umbrella as he left for the other side.

"What could you owe him, Shio?"

Uesugi Shio just shook her head, then turned her face, her sapphire blue eyes looked at him and said, "Do you remember those complaints I mentioned to you before?"

"..."

"About Aunt’s situation?"

Uesugi Shio exhaled and closed her eyes, the sound of rain filling her ears as she reflected for a long time.

"I have no ambitions, but every time I think of my mother sitting weakly in a wheelchair, I feel my existence is unnecessary.

"Without me... father and mother would surely be living happily now."

About half an hour after returning to the Uesugi Family home, Uesugi Sakura was still pondering over his cousin’s matters.

Her mother was disabled, always in a wheelchair, ever since he first met this aunt, her expression became increasingly weary.

What illness his aunt had, Uesugi Sakura didn’t know, but he understood it was a condition developed after his cousin was born.

His father Jiro hustled daily for money, while his mother’s health worsened, accumulating debts for treatment.

Ultimately leading to her mother choosing to leave and drown...

If you asked what his deepest impression of Shio was in his childhood?

It was her standing on the shore watching boats attempt to find her mother, with the townsfolk gossiping behind her.

His father held those bills like blank sheets, slumping powerlessly on the shore, letting the tide soak his pants.

Soon, the young Uesugi Shio was sent to the grandfather’s home in the same town, hearing his father arguing loudly with the grandfather late at night.

Since that day, she knew she was someone her father probably didn’t like.

About half an hour later, someone knocked on the door.

Uesugi Sakura, resting his eyes, stood up to slide open the shoji, letting the sound of rain and fresh air pour into the room.

"Shio."

"Mm," she responded, "Mr. Sakihara is here, are you going to Sword Dao practice today?"

"It could’ve been informed through a text message." Uesugi Sakura said.

"I think coming in person is better."

"Shio, has it been tough for you these past years...?" Uesugi Sakura suddenly asked.

Uesugi Shio was silent for a moment, "Because of what my father did just now? Not really, just a little less feeling."

"What is Shio’s goal?"

"Why ask that again?"

"Working so hard on Sword Dao, there must be some reason."

"Sakura," Uesugi Shio called his nickname, "Instead of worrying about your sister, your sister is more concerned about you, you’ve been distracted these days, school is about to start, don’t you still have the goal of getting into Tokyo University? Didn’t you say you’d take first in the national Sword Dao competition?"

Now it was Uesugi Sakura’s turn to be silent.

"Originally... there were some goals and expectations, but now I feel like nothing matters anymore."

"So you’re planning to give up?"

"Not really."

This kind of statement was contradictory, and Uesugi Shio understood the source of his mindset.

"Why don’t you call Hanabi back?"

"That’s... her dream... I’ve always kept her tied to my side, it’s too selfish...."

"Sakura."

Behind Uesugi Shio was the rain in the courtyard that hadn’t stopped for days, "You often ask me what my dream is, right?

"Actually, my dream doesn’t come from myself, I don’t know if it counts as a dream, but whenever I remember my mother’s frail body, her beautiful eyes watching sword competitions on TV, I find the drive to keep going.

"Despite being young, I still remember the beautiful times when my mother talked about my grandfather personally teaching Sword Dao to her as a child.

"Grandfather told my mother in the dojo that one day he would see her efforts on television, see the path paved with her daily and nightly sweat.

"Every time my mother, with her disabled legs, talked about it, her eyes always lit up."

"At that time, I secretly picked up a stick, not understanding what effort meant, I just wanted my mother to show that beautiful smile, that gaze illuminated with light."

"But before I could start further training according to the relics left by my grandfather...

Uesugi Shio paused here.

"She left me and father alone..."

Uesugi Sakura noticed his cousin showed little change in expression when she said these things, only a slight ripple in her tone.

"Sakura, telling you this is to let you understand, sometimes dreams aren’t just one’s own, sometimes just a word gives others direction."

"Although time with my mother was very short, the hazy memories make me almost forget her smile, yet she remains my most important hope, even now..."

Uesugi Shio held the umbrella single-handedly, facing Uesugi Sakura, "Take a rest today."

Holding the umbrella, his cousin left onto the rain-soaked eaves near the corridor.

Uesugi Sakura knew she was going to the warehouse to practice Sword Dao techniques, and it was true, Shio was more diligent than himself.

Lying back on the unkempt bedding, Uesugi Sakura turned on the TV and game console, using an account borrowed from Tsubokawa, casually clicked to play a game.

The screen slowly unfolded on the TV.

A full moon hung in the night sky, surrounded by clouds tinted with ethereal moonlight, with faintly visible layers of the valley below.

With a slight camera shake, an eagle flew up from below, towards the moon, but quickly descended again.

A dark cliff emerged in front, the eagle flew close to the cliff, passing waterfalls, trees, and a narrow stone path carved into the cliff.

Finally, it flew over a horseback rider’s shoulder, startling him to dodge sideways, while the eagle soared towards the moon again.

The screen froze in a scene with the moon, clouds, eagle, mountains, trees, and a person.

Temporarily mesmerized by this beautiful scene, Uesugi Sakura continued playing.

The story was obscure, but by nighttime, he roughly understood it.

It was a tale of courage, of embarking on a path to slay gods to save a maiden’s soul.

Yet the controls were too challenging for him, he couldn’t get past the first boss all afternoon.

After turning off the game, Uesugi Sakura remained lost in thought.

Rescue, rescue.

Between Hanamaru Hanabi and himself, who saved whom after all?

Little Hanabi always expressed immense gratitude, always loved him, and always cautiously cherished this affection, afraid of being disliked.

But did he ever reciprocate her expectations?

Uesugi Sakura took out his phone and dialed his mother-in-law’s number.

『Hello, Sakura, what’s up?』

Mrs. Hanamaru seemed to be outside, with the sound of rain hitting her umbrella.

『Aunt, I want to find Hanabi.』

On the other end, Mrs. Hanamaru didn’t seem surprised by this.

『What, missing her?』

『Yes.』

『But it’s only been a short time, there are still three years ahead, you can’t just fly to England whenever you miss her, right?』

『I understand, but I just want to see her.』

『Sakura, I see you now as a child.』

『...』

『Willful, following only your heart, what’s your motive for finding Hanabi?』