Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard
Chapter 67: It Hurts Precisely Because He’s a Father

Chapter 67: Chapter 67: It Hurts Precisely Because He’s a Father

The time was after dinner that day, and Uesugi Sakura had another meal at the Hanamaru household.

"You’re improving quickly." Hanamaru Hiroki put down the bamboo sword.

The so-called "improving quickly" refers to how today Uesugi Sakura didn’t get hit much.

In the small courtyard of the Hanamaru house, Uesugi Sakura was receiving his first sword training of the week from Hanamaru Hiroki in the evening.

Recently, he seemed to be a bit busy.

Putting down the bamboo sword that made his arm sore, Uesugi Sakura sat on a small wooden platform outside the living room.

After failing to hold back a yawn, Hanamaru Hiroki also sat beside him.

"I hear from Hanabi that you’re going to participate in the national Kyudo competition?"

"Yes." Uesugi Sakura tried hard to keep his tired mind alert.

"It’s a difficult goal, but since you want to stick with it, keep pushing forward."

"Uncle, have you been busy recently?"

"Uncle?"

Hanamaru Hiroki suddenly changed his expression and said sternly, "You brat, these days you’ve been calling me Uncle so fluently already? In a few days, are you going to be calling me Father-in-law just as casually?"

"..." Uesugi Sakura didn’t know what to say at that moment.

"It’s been a bit busy lately," Hanamaru Hiroki continued from before, "some unruly elements are starting to make moves. Although it’s not a big deal, having such people become active isn’t good for ordinary folks."

"So, you and Hanabi better not wander around; the Shinjuku area is still quite restless at night."

"Is it really dangerous?"

"Very dangerous."

As the police chief, Hanamaru Hiroki naturally knew many things lurking in the shadows.

He spoke so vaguely because he didn’t want Uesugi Sakura and Hanamaru Hanabi to have too much contact with these matters.

However, Uesugi Sakura couldn’t help but ask, considering Hanamaru Hiroki’s past experiences:

"Uncle, you said you started in the Investigation First Division, right?"

"Yes," Hanamaru Hiroki looked up at the night sky, "especially during the initial period, that time was busy and exhausting. Coming home, I would fall asleep right away, and on waking, I’d have to think about those minute clues again."

Hanamaru Hiroki sighed deeply and turned back to look at Uesugi Sakura:

"Why do you ask? Thinking about becoming a cop?"

"No, not that." Uesugi Sakura shook his head.

But becoming a cop was indeed a possible path for Uesugi Sakura.

If he got into the University of Tokyo and passed the national public servant exam, with Hanamaru Hiroki’s support, a bright future would naturally be in sight.

But the busy life of a cop, especially in the Criminal Division, was too exhausting for Uesugi Sakura.

He didn’t want to spend his whole life striving; his current efforts were for a future laid-back life.

Efforts not geared toward a more comfortable life, could that truly be called effort?

Uesugi Sakura continued, "Isn’t the Investigation First Division responsible for major criminal cases? Uncle, you have such a high rank, I worry..."

He didn’t finish speaking, because he knew Hanamaru Hiroki already understood what he meant.

"Are you asking if the guys I’ve caught might retaliate?"

Uesugi Sakura nodded.

"They might."

Hanamaru Hiroki picked up the bamboo sword beside him, gazing up at the sky with a steely focus. "Although there aren’t many such figures, there certainly are some."

His tone suddenly became heavy.

"It happened once twelve years ago; they tried to threaten me to stop pursuing a case."

The air fell silent for a moment, and Uesugi Sakura asked further:

"Then, what happened afterward?"

There was no continuation to his words, as it was clear Hanamaru Hiroki didn’t want to disclose more.

"There’s nothing much to say about these things. You need only be aware of the existence of such dangerous individuals; they’re hiding in the shadows, and the police can’t always watch them, nor can they know what they intend to do."

"It’s exactly because they’re hidden that they’re called criminal cases."

Hanamaru Hiroki patted Uesugi Sakura on the shoulder.

"Most people don’t have that kind of courage, but I’ve faced many criminals beyond your imagination."

"Given the unique nature of my job, Hanabi also has certain potential risks. I can’t protect her at all times, so when I’m not around, it falls to you, boy."

"Don’t forget that."

Uesugi Sakura nodded.

"I understand."

The glass door behind them slid open, and Hanamaru Hanabi, dressed in casual clothes, walked over with a polite step and placed the barley tea between them.

"Dad, here you go."

"Hmm."

Hanamaru Hiroki looked at his daughter’s smiling face and took the warm tea cup from her hands with a smile.

"Sakura-kun."

"Thank you."

Taking a light sip of tea, the warm malty aroma lingered in the mouth.

"Sakura-kun..."

Under Hanamaru Hanabi’s lingering gaze, Uesugi Sakura could feel a warmth different from the barley tea burning in his heart, but he didn’t dare to meet her gaze too much.

Because, just after taking a sip of the tea, Hanamaru Hiroki suddenly furrowed his brows slightly.

Soon afterward, Hanamaru Hanabi felt a pat on her head.

She turned around in confusion to look at Hanamaru Hiroki, "Dad?"

Looking at her little face, Hanamaru Hiroki gently rebuked, "You little girl, how dare you look at this brat like that in front of Dad?"

"Hanabi... didn’t..."

Hanamaru Hanabi didn’t dare to look at her father, but when she turned around, she met Uesugi Sakura’s gaze, and she could only shyly lower her head.

The scene tugged slightly at Hanamaru Hiroki’s heart.

Clearly, she was such a well-behaved daughter when she was little...

Sigh...

After silently sighing in his heart, seeing Uesugi Sakura, he suddenly seemed to think of something, and his face became particularly solemn:

"I heard from Meiko that you two already bought engagement rings?"

With those words, Hanamaru Hanabi’s cheeks flushed, and Uesugi Sakura even put down the tea he had just sipped.

"Y-yes."

He couldn’t quite understand why Auntie and his mother would do something so abrupt either.

The other morning when asked, Uesugi Nobuko just said that while shopping with Hanamaru Meiko, they walked into a VA Jewelry store on a whim.

By the time they left, they had two expensive red boxes.

She even joked that it was something bound to happen sooner or later, and if they didn’t want to wear them now, that was fine too.

So until now, both he and Hanamaru Hanabi kept those things at home.

Hanamaru Hanabi was even more embarrassed to bring up the topic, having never been in a serious relationship for more than a couple of days, and yet being set up with engagement rings by their two mothers.

However one looked at it, it was unusually abrupt.

Seeing the reaction of both, Hanamaru Hiroki knew it was orchestrated by Meiko and Nobuko, the two friends.

Clearly, they’re still kids, still in high school. Buying them early serves no purpose.

It’s not like they could wear them to school each day.

"Forget it, forget it, they bought it, so what can we do?" Hanamaru Hiroki sighed again in his heart, "It’s my fault for letting Hanabi spend every day around this brat since she was little."

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