Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard
Chapter 288 - 227 Searching for the True Dream_3

Chapter 288: Chapter 227 Searching for the True Dream_3

"Treat Uncle Yugetsu to a barbecue?"

"Barbecue sounds too stingy, I put quite some effort in, you know."

"Ginza?"

"Ginza is barely acceptable." Hanamaru Yugetsu smiled and turned to ask, "When are you two getting married?"

"We’ll go when the opportunity arises; right now, the main thing is we’re not old enough yet."

Hanamaru Yugetsu patted him on the shoulder, "Haha, aside from anything else, I kind of like you. You’re genuine and straightforward."

Uesugi Sakura: "I think I’m a pretty poor person."

"Where there are weaknesses, there are strengths! Otherwise, why would my niece be so good to you? She’s only that way with you."

"In Uncle Yugetsu’s eyes, what kind of person is Hanabi?"

Hanamaru Yugetsu smiled, "I believe you have more answers in your heart than I do."

...

After calling each of his parents, Uesugi Sakura came, umbrella in hand, to the neighboring Hanamaru household.

He didn’t use a key to open the door but rang the doorbell instead.

"Ring—Ring—Ring"

The door opened.

Mrs. Hanamaru’s voice came from the intercom at the door, "Sakura, just come on in."

Upon entering the living room, he found Mrs. Hanamaru, with a noticeable bump, sitting on the sofa watching TV, with iced tea and fruits on the coffee table.

"Aunt," Uesugi Sakura greeted politely.

"Have a seat first."

Mrs. Hanamaru smiled and, after seeing him sit quietly for a while, asked, "Want to eat some different fruits?"

The voices of a conversation between a man and a woman on TV mixed with the sound of rain outside the living room came to Uesugi Sakura’s ears, and he said:

"No, I came this time to talk to you about something—"

Mrs. Hanamaru interrupted him, "I know what’s going on. You want to bring Hanabi back."

"..."

"But before that, have you given thought to the question I raised?"

"No," Uesugi Sakura said.

"Can I say you’re going to England now to seek that answer?"

Facing his mother-in-law’s smile, Uesugi Sakura nodded, "Yes."

Mrs. Hanamaru turned back to the TV without looking at him again, "Do you know why I like you so much?"

He didn’t speak.

"Because I know you’ve always been attentive and caring towards Hanabi, uniquely free of typical young men’s restlessness. You were quite oblivious in how you felt about Hanabi before, but things have been moving in a good direction."

"Hanabi, on the other hand, is so timid that she dares not say anything to you directly, yet always praises you behind your back. She relies on and complies with you in unintended ways for everything."

"As her mother, I wish you won’t take her obedience for granted, won’t let her consistent compliance dull your appreciation of her affection."

"By agreeing to let her study abroad, you wanted her to grow, but at the same time, you’re not ready to embrace her after she’s fully grown and changed in three years. You regret the decision to let her go, having gotten used to her presence."

"Choosing change is understandable; I just hope you’ll truly think it through before going."

"Love also requires balance; the equilibrium in your relationship needs you to actively seek it and try to change."

As Mrs. Hanamaru spoke, she paused, and her purple-tinged eyes reflected the ever-changing images on the TV screen.

"I hope on this journey to retrieve her, you’ll find the way to truly love her, Sakura."

"That is the key to whether you two can sustainably continue your path together."

————————

The next morning.

Haneda International Airport, Terminal 3.

The expansive waiting area made the chatter of the surrounding crowd sound hollow.

Walking among the people waiting to board, Uesugi Sakura held the painting, unsure of how to describe his current state of mind.

What is love, he had no idea either.

It was just five months ago that he made his first confession, across two lifetimes.

——The girl who had been with him for twelve years agreed very easily.

Having never dated but being overly familiar, they awkwardly fumbled through everything, even for a few days after the confession, not knowing how to start a conversation.

He still maintained his previous demeanor, rarely taking the initiative to speak or try.

Maybe with other girls, his demeanor would have already worn thin, but not with Hanamaru Hanabi, whose usual shyness and timidity led her to even suggest helping him massage his shoulders.

Uesugi Sakura understood that being with her rarely led to ups and downs because of her nature; she seldom troubled him.

Being with her was plain, to the point where her quiet contribution to a mundane life was hard to see.

Many people found her silence annoying and responded with dislike.

But once one truly understood, they’d realize how rare and precious that silent contribution is.

No one would ever care for him again quite like she does.

’Broadcast: Japan Airlines JL043773 is now boarding, Japan Airlines JL043773 is now boarding, please proceed to Gate D for boarding, please proceed to Gate D for boarding.’

Uesugi Sakura stood up, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and blended into the crowd heading toward the boarding gate.

With a stewardess’s welcoming smile, he stepped onto the boarding bridge.

Perhaps... the one who truly needs to grow this time... is himself...

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