Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard
Chapter 354 - 266 Collision_2

Chapter 354: Chapter 266 Collision_2

Although the air conditioner was already turned on in the kitchen, her patience in crafting still left her exhausted.

As a beginner, every scratch here required careful and patient trial-and-error, ultimately selecting the most delicate and suitable curves through repeated attempts.

Looking at it now, the results weren’t bad.

Sakihara Shion was already cleaning the tools beside her and smiled at Hanamaru Hanabi, saying:

"I always feel like you’re very earnest in learning things, Hanabi."

"I can’t waste Sister’s time," Hanamaru Hanabi packed the completed wagashi into small compartments, "Sister Shion teaches so diligently, I can’t just slack off."

"Haha, Hanabi, the way you say things is very like a middle schooler," Shion chuckled lightly after hearing her.

"Really?" Hanamaru Hanabi turned her head, her clear eyes shining brightly.

"Yes, it’s quite adorable."

"Adorable..." Hanamaru Hanabi turned back to continue covering the wagashi with transparent boxes, "Does Sister think I’m still very young, not grown up yet?"

"Hanabi, you’re 18 this year, right?"

"Mhm."

"18 is neither too young nor too old nowadays, but you’re already quite independent."

"But I feel... that my personality has always been childish..." Hanamaru Hanabi carefully put all the covers on the small boxes, placing all the diligently prepared pastries into a wooden box.

"Personality is personality, and childishness is childishness, they’re different, childishness also means being innocent and lively."

"Really..." Hanamaru Hanabi looked at the exquisite pastries she made in her hand, "I feel like I’ve always been protected by Sakura-kun, feeling like I’m troubling him a bit..."

"Sakura likes you, right?"

Hanamaru Hanabi nodded, whispering: "Yes."

Sakihara Shion: "Since he likes you, protection isn’t a bother, it’s responsibility and cherishing."

Hanamaru Hanabi: "If Hanabi could protect herself, would Sakura-kun be more at ease?"

"Well, certainly."

"Thank you, Sister." Hanamaru Hanabi hugged the box and quickly ran out of the door.

Sakihara Shion clasped her hands on her apron, watching her leave.

In her view, Hanabi’s words still lacked a bit of self-confidence.

She cared too much about Sakura, always thinking not to trouble him.

Instead of not troubling him, making yourself happy is what’s most important, whether it’s for him or for you.

Sakihara Shion shook her head with a smile, putting the cleaned tools back in their places in the kitchen.

Hanamaru Hanabi walked out with the small wooden box, the sun was much dimmer than at noon, and the temperature wasn’t that high.

She walked through the courtyard to the room where Sakihara Uncle was hosting Uesugi Sakura, knocked on the door, waited for a long time without any response, then gently slid the shoji open for a peek inside.

Inside was empty, except for a few teacups left on the table.

Is nobody here?

Hanamaru Hanabi saw the messy cups on the table, held the box as she went in to tidy up a bit, then walked out, closed the door, put on her shoes, and left.

Standing under the eaves, she took out her phone, illuminated the screen for a look, the wallpaper of their smiling photo together showed no new messages besides app notifications.

Her fair, tender hand holding the phone double-checked that Uesugi Sakura hadn’t sent her a message, then put the phone away again.

"Sakura-kun... should still be around..."

She softly murmured to herself, then continued wandering through the Japanese-style courtyard holding the wooden box.

The courtyards here were mostly decorated with mountain rocks and low pines, plus goldfish swimming in the pond, giving a park-like feel.

Hanamaru Hanabi walked slowly along the corridor, glancing at the green pine trees, the garden full of chirping birds and fragrant flowers.

The sound of her black shoes echoed, her small skirt swayed slowly, the thin white silk outlined the faint flesh-colored curves of her slender legs.

She continued walking, approaching a corner.

Some muttering voices, sounding like complaints, echoed from ahead.

Hanabi was too far to hear clearly but knew someone was approaching, so she slowed her pace and reached the corner to politely inquire:

"Hello... may I ask—"

"Get out of the way!"

The leading person, extremely impatient, waved a big hand, striking onto Hanabi’s hand holding the wooden box.

The girl’s strength was naturally small, never able to withstand such force.

The wooden box in Hanabi’s hand was directly knocked flying, the cover along with the small compartments inside, and the pastries within, all scattered.

Plop.... plop...

The square compartments rolled outside the corridor, the exquisite and tiny pastries slowly rolling out, stained with the color of dirt....

Hanamaru Hanabi froze in place, her small hands clenched tightly together in front of her.

"Fujino, Fujino." someone whispered.

"Enough, don’t tug at me." Fujino Shozaburo flung off his companion who was pulling at him, glancing at Hanabi standing in front of him.

"Fujino, should you perhaps apologize?" another person quietly suggested.

"Tch, no need."

Fujino Shozaburo seemed a bit guilty too, quickly glanced at the ground before striding away.

The two companions took another look back at the silent Hanabi, then followed suit.

"...Are you okay?"

"Ha, what could possibly happen?"

The sound of their conversation gradually faded into the distance.

Hanamaru Hanabi clasped her small hands together, slowly squatting down to pick up the pastries that had rolled out of the wooden box, one by one.

Some had rolled on the ground, colorful turned gray, round shapes became flat.

Some had flown further, pastries sticking to mud, square shapes changed to oval.

White ones became black.

Small compartments and lids scattered all over, shattered, and chaotic.

Hanamaru Hanabi squatted on the porch floor, carefully picking up the wagashi, her fingers touching the patterns patiently carved with a chisel, placing them into the wooden box.

From the corridor to outside, carefully picking them up....

—————————————

Coming out of the dojo’s changing room, Uesugi Sakura took off that hot kendo outfit.

In fact, he had long wanted to take it off, but had to teach the group of guys, occasionally sparring with them, so he had just kept it on.

"Vice Master, I have a question to ask."

Standing in front of him, still in kendo clothes with sweat trickling down her forehead, was Tachibana Youko.

"Sorry, class is over." Uesugi Sakura tidied his sleeves, saying, "I always follow one principle, doing what needs to be done, and not working overtime once time’s up."

"It’s not a kendo question."

"A regular question? Then ask away."

Tachibana Youko’s gaze was intense: "Vice Master, how do you usually train?"

"Isn’t this still a kendo question?"

Uesugi Sakura eyed her serious expression several times, probably more obsessed with sword dao than his own cousin, "Alright, alright, I’ll tell you, it’s not a big deal."

Tachibana Youko: "Please go ahead, Vice Master."

"I don’t usually practice sword dao, if you ask why I’m so skilled, I’d say it’s due to having practical experience with high-level swordsmen." Uesugi Sakura was referring to his father-in-law.

"Then, how do you get a lot of guidance?"

"Depends on relationships, of course, it’s also related to one’s own talent. If you can’t learn for a long time, even a swordsman will become very impatient, right?"

Uesugi Sakura felt this Tachibana senpai was quite good, at least putting aside pride to ask advice from this junior.

"Then, I can often spar with you, Vice Master, right?"

"No, no, no," Uesugi Sakura quickly declined, getting tangled up with such a sword dao enthusiast was troublesome, he worried Hanabi might misunderstand, "I’m only substituting as Vice Master this once, and won’t come back often."

"Once? Why, aren’t you instructing very well, Vice Master?"

"Very clear, right?" Uesugi Sakura glanced at the door, looking eager to leave quickly, "That’s my ability, but it’s your Master’s request that I’m here, I don’t need to stay as Vice Master for this little money, I’m quite busy, Tokyo University classes are always full."