Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard
Chapter 80: The Daily Routine of Searching for the Target

Chapter 80: Chapter 80: The Daily Routine of Searching for the Target

Uesugi Sakura shook her head without lifting her eyelids:

"He’s too busy with his own chaos, probably still struggling with how to respond to that Ogata classmate."

Yesterday afternoon at the Kyudo Club, Uesugi Sakura merely conveyed Goto’s message to Ogata Asaka. Although Asaka said she wouldn’t interfere with her sister’s romantic affairs anymore, if her sister were to be rejected again, she’d have no choice but to personally give Goto trouble.

In her view, her sister’s feelings completely outweighed Goto’s.

"True," Tsubokawa Takahiro said, continuing, "But are you really going to ask me this question?"

He was surprised that Uesugi Sakura was asking him this, someone who had never been in a relationship.

"Even I feel I’m not reliable."

"Just a suggestion," Uesugi Sakura said, "If the method is good, I’ll use it."

"Then just take it as a reference. If it’s wrong, don’t blame me." Tsubokawa Takahiro gently stirred his coffee with a spoon from the cup.

"No problem."

Different from what Uesugi Sakura imagined, Tsubokawa Takahiro didn’t have any deeply thoughtful actions and quickly said casually, "Girls, if they dislike you, just apologize sincerely with a gift they like. As long as they still care about you, coaxing them will resolve it."

"You’re so close with Hanamaru, childhood friends, I believe as long as you’re careful, you’ll completely avoid any life-threatening situations."

Acting like an expert, completely different from his earlier lack of confidence.

"..."

Uesugi Sakura looked at him with a strange expression, "Why do I feel like you have unusually rich experience in this area?"

Tsubokawa Takahiro glanced at him and raised his cup:

"What new twists can an apology have? It’s nothing but understanding the reason, exaggerating your mistakes, then understanding her preferences, and finally taking sincere action."

After taking a sip of coffee, he realized he hadn’t added any white sugar, making the coffee bitter and astringent, prompting him to smack his lips.

"I should give her a gift," Uesugi Sakura looked down at the dark brown coffee.

These days, she’s been helping him with medicine, massaging his shoulders, even making bento for him, while he hasn’t done anything.

"But," putting down the unpleasant instant coffee, Tsubokawa Takahiro quietly leaned over and said, "You really should be careful, this morning I noticed she seems to be in a bad mood, hardly talking with the class rep and the others."

"Could it be because of you, worsening her condition?"

"..."

Uesugi Sakura silently said, "Don’t worry, I’ve got it under control."

——————

In the afternoon, it was English class, with very ordinary weather, the slightly rippling clouds veiling the sun.

Their English teacher was someone high school students greatly admired.

Young, pretty, Uesugi Sakura often heard the boys discussing the color of her underwear she was wearing today.

Compared to the more professionally charismatic Haneda Kimu, she seemed more approachable.

Her classes were naturally very popular.

The vast majority were striving for this month’s tests, wanting to get into prestigious universities. They had to work even harder on such crucial subjects.

The atmosphere of effort and aspiration intensified their study environment.

However, Uesugi Sakura’s gaze was drawn outside the window to the gently swaying locust tree in the wind, staring distractedly at the tender buds brimming with spring.

Entirely ignoring the young English teacher’s lecture.

He was mulling over what apology gift to give Hanabi and where he should present it.

The Intelligence of 8, which usually makes absorbing knowledge easy, seemed utterly ineffective at this moment.

The afternoon English class quickly ended in his daydream.

As school got out, classmates packed up their bags, either heading to clubs or home.

Seated by the window in the classroom, Uesugi Sakura glanced toward the door.

Hanamaru Hanabi was following the class rep and others towards the club building, just disappearing from sight.

She seemed much better than in the morning, but Uesugi Sakura could sense in her beautiful eyes a faint, almost undetectable sadness.

She had something on her mind.

Shaking his head, Uesugi Sakura noticed only three people left in the classroom—himself, Tsubokawa, and Goto.

Tsubokawa Takahiro slung his bag over one shoulder, patting Uesugi Sakura on the back with a supportive expression:

"Good luck, our main character, Uesugi."

Goto Iwao didn’t understand the meaning of their conversation: "What does that mean? Shouldn’t I be the one needing encouragement?"

"You? Forget it," Tsubokawa Takahiro dismissed him with a wave, "You made your bed, now you have to lie in it."

"I told you it was a misunderstanding. I didn’t want it, it was just regular conversation." Goto Iwao tried hard to defend himself.

Tsubokawa was dismissive of his statement: "From that Asaka senior’s reaction, it clearly isn’t that simple."

"You don’t believe me?" Goto Iwao said.

"Who knows?" Tsubokawa Takahiro shrugged with open hands, "But my opinion isn’t important; what’s important is how you handle it now."

"You must believe me." Goto Iwao insisted.

"Why? I think having two girls willing to date you makes you lucky enough, as someone who’s never even had a first love, I don’t qualify."

"Because nobody believes me now, everyone says I’m scum, dating two girls at the same time."

"Especially in the Photography Club." Goto Iwao promptly added.

"Spreading quickly," Tsubokawa Takahiro nodded with crossed arms, "I think what they’re saying is quite right."

"Hey, aren’t we brothers?" Goto put his right arm over his neck, forcibly turning Tsubokawa’s line of sight, looking together at the silent Uesugi Sakura, "See, Uesugi never doubted me."

Uesugi Sakura zipped his backpack, "There are suspicions, but it’s still acceptable."

Then, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and, as he stepped toward the door, waved to the two behind him:

"Thanks for the advice, see you next week."

Uesugi Sakura’s silhouette quickly disappeared at the doorway.

"Who was he thanking?" Goto Iwao asked.

"Me." Tsubokawa Takahiro replied.

——————

Kyudo Field, with the gentle sound of the wind.

In the open shooting range, stood a few young boys and girls holding bows and arrows.

Slender fingers trembled slightly, the elegantly shaped longbow being slowly drawn.

In the white Kyudo uniform, Uesugi Sakura’s expression was calm, looking straight ahead.

Clack...!

The fingers suddenly pulled back with force—a single arrow shot into the air, vanishing from the longbow.

With a "thwap," the air seemed to shiver as the disappeared arrow suddenly appeared on the target 28 meters away.

Not bad.

Appraising himself briefly, Uesugi Sakura exhaled softly, retrieving another arrow from the side quiver, and once again fitted it on the longbow.

Drawing the right hand to full draw, another arrow was released.

But this time, surprisingly, it missed the target.

"That’s rare," Sugita Shuhei glanced at Uesugi Sakura who had set down the longbow, then raised both hands to release an arrow of his own.

No surprises, hitting the bullseye on the distant target on the antotsu.

"Your mind is unsettled."

Ogata Asaka, facing the target, spoke in a cold tone, her shadow on the shooting range slender and graceful.