Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard
Chapter 44: Two People under the Eaves in the Rain

Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Two People under the Eaves in the Rain

"Sakura, what happened to your face?" Uesugi Nobuko asked as she placed a plate of potato curry in front of Uesugi Sakura.

Before Uesugi Sakura could answer, Uesugi Kenichi, who was sitting across from him, replied with a laugh:

"Haha, don’t worry about him, this injury was given to him by his future father-in-law, and this kid is over the moon with happiness."

Where did you see that I’m happy?

Uesugi Sakura wanted to retort, but held back.

"Hanamaru Hiroki?" Uesugi Nobuko placed another plate of potato curry in front of Uesugi Kenichi.

"Yes."

Quickly, she returned to the kitchen to bring out her own portion of curry, sat across from Uesugi Sakura, and asked:

"Was he teaching you Kendo?"

"Almost accurately, otherwise Hiroki wouldn’t find a good chance to beat up this kid," Uesugi Kenichi took a spoonful of rice and put it in his mouth; it tasted exactly like yesterday.

Uesugi Nobuko glanced at the large piece of cotton on Uesugi Sakura’s cheek and said earnestly:

"In that case, Sakura, you have to learn well. In college, your Uncle Hiroki was a genius famous in the Kendo world, which is why he could achieve... um... what rank was it?"

The more Uesugi Nobuko spoke, the more confused she became.

"Seventh rank," Uesugi Kenichi recalled clearly, looking at Uesugi Sakura, "Don’t underestimate the seventh rank; Kendo seventh rank is one of the world’s top ranks. Hiroki hasn’t moved to the eighth rank just because the examination committee’s group of old folks wouldn’t allow it, saying he’s too young, and they want to wait until after he turns 50."

years old?

"Does the Kendo rank have an age restriction?" Uesugi Sakura asked.

"Yes, of course,"

Uesugi Kenichi swallowed the rice in his mouth and continued, "As far as I know, to take the first rank in Kendo, one must be over 13 years old, the second rank must be taken after one year of first rank practice, the third rank after two years of second rank practice, the fourth rank three years, and the fifth rank four years, and so on.

"And reaching the eighth rank requires more than ten years of training in the seventh rank, with a minimum age of 46 to take the exam, and that pass rate is very, very low. How should I say it, it’s as difficult as winning a gold medal in a popular Olympic event."

"As for the ninth rank swordsman, there isn’t one yet."

There are so many restrictions?

Uesugi Sakura couldn’t help but think of his two-year-long main quest.

If the Sword Dao Kyudo competition has any rank restrictions, it’ll be tough.

"So, is there any participation standard for the national high school Kendo competition?"

"Haha, you kid, just picked up a bamboo sword and want to participate in a national competition? Do you think you’re a genius?"

Uesugi Kenichi joked with a laugh, took a bite of curry, and continued, "However, besides age restrictions, there’s no rank restriction for these kinds of competitions, since they’re for high school students; everyone’s at the first rank, and some even deliberately don’t take the rank and just go to the competition.

"If you want to go, you can participate, but you’d better get some results, otherwise that guy Hiroki will certainly get angry, and will give you another thrashing.

"Don’t be fooled by how amiable and easygoing he seems; when he gets serious, he’s very formidable. I’m sure you must have felt that when learning Kendo with him last night."

Uesugi Sakura looked at the half-eaten potato curry on his plate, nodded, and replied:

"Understood."

...

The sky had already started to drizzle lightly.

The pitter-patter of raindrops continuously drummed on the solid ground and splattered little rain flowers.

Rain falls, returns to nothing.

Rain is just such a fleeting process.

Gathering from the sky and then falling to the ground, no more than a minute passes, and it’s their most free lifetime.

Afterward, whether soaking into the earth, pooling into a puddle, or flowing into the sea, it’s just drifting along with the flow.

After breakfast, Uesugi Sakura picked up his umbrella, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and changed shoes at the entrance.

Uesugi Nobuko suddenly came out from the living room holding a transparent umbrella and handed it over:

"Hey, Sakura, use this umbrella, it’s bigger than yours."

Having just changed shoes, Uesugi Sakura stood up straight and took a look.

That one indeed appeared much larger than the one in his hand; the one he had was a single-person umbrella, while the one his mother held was clearly a two-person umbrella.

Seeing the smile on his mother’s face, Uesugi Sakura understood her intention.

"I’m off."

Uesugi Nobuko waved with a smile as she watched Uesugi Sakura’s back as he headed out the door:

"Be careful on the road!"

Raindrops kept beating on the transparent umbrella, producing short and dense "thunk thunk" sounds.

The chilly wind on this rainy day carried a trace of coldness.

Thankfully, Uesugi Sakura wore an extra layer of warm clothing under his school uniform today, and as he walked, he felt much warmer.

In this environment engulfed by cold rain, walking slowly had a certain charm.

As usual, he intended to head to the neighboring Hanamaru household.

But this time, just as he turned past the sign that said "Hanamaru," he saw Hanamaru Hanabi standing under the eaves by the entrance.

Under the raindrop-streaked eaves,

she bowed her head, wrapped in a scarf, breathing out a little puff of warm air.

Her delicate and cute cheeks slightly reddened, just about to open the umbrella in her hands.

Seemingly sensing something, she lifted her head and saw Uesugi Sakura standing in the rain in front of her.

"Uesugi-kun."

She called out joyfully, a smile blooming on her lovely face, as pure and enchanting as a lily.

"Mm."

Uesugi Sakura smiled and nodded at her, a smile that inexplicably stirred a ripple in his heart, propelling him forward.

The fine drizzle continued tapping on the transparent umbrella, with transparent raindrops sliding down the transparent edges.

Hanamaru Hanabi looked up at his bandaged face, put away the umbrella she was about to open, and asked with concern:

"Uesugi-kun, is your injury better?"

"Much better," Uesugi Sakura recalled last night’s events, smiling slightly, "Thanks to Hanabi’s help yesterday, otherwise it would still be swollen and painful now. Particularly the injury on my back, I definitely couldn’t have reached it on my own."

Back...

Thinking back to what happened after that, Hanamaru Hanabi’s little head shrank slightly, her pretty face turned red, looking somewhat embarrassed.

"Uhh... Uesugi-kun... about what Hanabi did last night... was it comfortable...?"

"..."

Uesugi Sakura paused, knowing she was referring to "shoulder massage," from their study meeting arrangement yesterday afternoon.

"Ah, yes, thank you, it was quite comfortable."

"Then... that’s good,"

Hanamaru Hanabi buried her face deeply into her scarf, interlocked her ten fingers tightly in front of her chest,

"After all... it was Hanabi’s first time last night... no experience, just learned from mom... the body... didn’t fully react, but if the first time could bring Uesugi-kun comfort, Hanabi is very happy."

"..."

Night, first time, body, comfortable, happy...

Oh boy, these lines are too suggestive.

Uesugi Sakura felt his body moving up and down with Hanabi’s soft voice; if Hanamaru Hiroki heard these words, he feared he wouldn’t end up being dumped into Tokyo Bay in a barrel filled with concrete by tonight.

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