Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard
Chapter 355 - 267: Rainy Street

Chapter 355: Chapter 267: Rainy Street

The sky gradually darkened, yellow clouds veiled the sun, and the rising and falling evening glows in Tokyo’s sky heralded the light.

Uesugi Sakura, carrying the 50,000 yen tutoring fee he got from Uncle Sakihara, met Hanamaru Hanabi by the pond in the garden.

Sakihara Shion was right by her side.

"Is this something to eat?" Uesugi Sakura took the small package from Hanamaru Hanabi’s hand and looked it over carefully on the transparent box.

The individual confectionery inside was colorful and exquisitely adorned.

Miss Sakihara placed her hands in front of her and said, "Hanabi made this wagashi with me this afternoon."

Uesugi Sakura diverted his gaze, nodded to her, and said, "Thank you, Miss Sakihara. The confectionery is so exquisite that it feels like an artwork."

Sakihara Shion smiled and said, "You should save that compliment for Hanabi. She made it especially for you."

Uesugi Sakura glanced at Hanamaru Hanabi, whose eyes always carried a lively sparkle.

It seemed... she had been busy with this all afternoon, not merely indulging in sweets.

Unintentionally, he was cared for like this again.

He was always prone to loneliness, rarely fully engaging with anything. Since she gradually stepped into his heart, life would become warm at unexpected moments.

Uesugi Sakura tightly held the box with the confectionery, saying to Hanamaru Hanabi, "Thank you."

"Sakura-kun... No need to say thank you to Hanabi..." The girl’s response was still soft and tiny.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" Sakihara Shion saw the deep bond between them, a thank you filled with love and care, and couldn’t help but smile gently.

"No, that’s not necessary," Uesugi Sakura replied, "our mother is preparing dinner at home. We’ll eat there."

Miss Sakihara, in her gentle voice, tried to persuade him again. Uesugi Sakura felt the sky was getting late, and having dinner at home would mean he’d have to return to his place to sleep, so he politely declined.

As he walked towards the station to go home, the shadows lengthened in the twilight on the street.

This made her, bathed in the twilight, as beautiful as if coated in gold.

"Sakura-kun... aren’t you going to eat it?" Hanamaru Hanabi walking beside him, softly asked.

"Eat it now?" Uesugi Sakura looked at the box in his hand, "I think it’s better to eat it at home, but you only made one?"

"Sakura-kun... do you think it’s too little?" Hanamaru Hanabi tilted her head upwards to look at him.

"I didn’t mean that." Uesugi Sakura noticed her mental state seemed off.

"Actually, Hanabi made a lot, but accidentally knocked them over, so there’s only this one left."

"It’s okay, one is enough to eat."

Seeing her a little disappointed, Uesugi Sakura didn’t joke about her being careless sometimes but instead took her hand, leading her along the streets of Tokyo at sunset to the subway station.

After returning home, soon his cousin also came home, and the wait for dinner was always filled with joy.

Little Hanamaru Hanami treated Uesugi Sakura like a tree root, climbing up and down him, being both annoying and cute.

Her purple eyes shone brightly, always reminding Uesugi Sakura of Hanabi when she was a child.

Little Hanabi was a little pitiful, quiet, not as lively as her younger sister.

She was always waiting, just like when she quietly hugged a ball alone in the corner as a child, silent and speechless.

Like being forgotten, becoming unknown and uncared for.

Uesugi Sakura sat on the sofa, next to him was his cousin with her legs crossed watching TV, while Hanami was clamoring for his glasses on his lap.

Hanamaru Hanabi was busy in the kitchen with dinner, occasionally chatting with her mother and mother-in-law by her side.

Uesugi Sakura looked at her and thought, if he hadn’t approached her back then, would she still be this beautiful now.

Would she have been forgotten, until the ball in her hand fell on the grass, bouncing less and less, with no little hands to pick it up again.

On the coffee table was the wagashi Hanabi made for him in the afternoon.

He couldn’t bring himself to eat it, as the intricately carved patterns already revealed the girl’s sincere intentions.

Just now, Miss Sakihara sent a message saying that Hanabi’s box of confectionery was knocked over by someone, who neither apologized nor said anything, just walked away.

Hanabi didn’t say who it was, just said it was accidental by the other side.

Uesugi Sakura, however, felt she was too kind-hearted and definitely didn’t say it out loud.

Perhaps in the eyes of some men, things made by girls are just small toys, not worth apologizing for even if dropped.

But anyone who spends time with Hanabi can understand how much effort she puts in.

This is intention, intentions towards herself.

Uesugi Sakura could even imagine Hanamaru Hanabi silently picking up the confectionery that had fallen to the ground and was covered in dust, all by herself.

Over ten years ago, she was weak, and more than ten years later, she is still a gentle girl.

But no one can bully her just because of her tolerance and cuteness.

————————

The next day was Monday, and Uesugi Sakura returned home after finishing his classes at Tokyo University in the afternoon.

The May Festival event was quite successful; many students from the same school got to know him because of it. Some even offered to be friends, mostly males, who mostly came to inquire about Hanabi.

As her fiancé, Uesugi Sakura naturally showed his engagement ring, tactfully deterring them.

In any case, it was quite a bothersome yet ordinary day.

Upon returning home, Uesugi Sakura called out, "I’m back." from the entrance.

The expected sound of little running feet from inside didn’t come; Hanabi probably wasn’t home around this time, likely still in class or perhaps on the way back.