Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard-Chapter 765 - 458: Lakeside Camping 2_2

"No way!"

"Definitely will."

"No way!"

"Definitely will," Uesugi Sakura repeated, "When I lend my novel to someone else to read, Hanabi gets so jealous, her lips are practically pouting up to the sky."

"That’s different, and they weren’t pouting up to the sky."

"What’s the difference? It’s all the same to me." Uesugi Sakura sliced through the beef with his knife, back and forth, before cutting another piece and bringing it to her lips, "Anyway, I get jealous, so let’s delay having them as long as we can. We haven’t spent enough time just the two of us yet."

Hanamaru Hanabi adorably took a bite, her hair gently swaying in the chilly night breeze:

"Then... if Sakura spends too much time with Hanabi, will you still get this jealous?"

"I will, definitely," Uesugi Sakura put down his fork with a clatter on the porcelain plate, "Do you still remember what I said earlier about rosemary?"

Hanamaru Hanabi thought for a moment and said slowly, "Your promise to me, I will never forget it. Please always keep your love for me, think of me, remember me."

"Sakura, is this the quote?"

Uesugi Sakura: "Yes, memories are filled with your presence. It’s hard to see you disappear from life; for example, this camping trip would be much less fun if you weren’t here."

Hanamaru Hanabi leaned against the shadows, with the orange glow of the campfire in front of her, and Uesugi Sakura watched the flames dance across her face.

"Hanabi, can you come over here?"

Hanamaru Hanabi stared at his face illuminated by the flickering campfire, paused for a moment, then moved her stool closer.

"Come, a little closer, sit on my lap."

Uesugi Sakura naturally sat down on her stool and had her sit in his lap.

Whether it was the heat from the fire or bodily warmth, Hanamaru Hanabi’s cheeks blushed faintly red.

Uesugi Sakura wrapped her slender body in his arms, his head starting from her back, circling from her delicate shoulder to her adorable rosy cheek.

She wore a scarf, her clothes were thick, and she had been by the grill for a while. Even so, nothing could hide her tantalizing scent.

It was a fragrance of girlhood, a sweet, seductive aroma mingled with the scent of fresh clothes.

This combination of thoughts made one want to bite into a red apple.

"Sakura... your hands..."

"Hmm? Should I hold you closer?" Uesugi Sakura mischievously pulled her into his embrace.

"Bad guy...."

Just being held tightly for a while, her shy nature was on full display.

The November cold wind blew across the mountains, rippling the moonlit Sagami Lake, stirring many campfires, and brushing past, making people shrink involuntarily, and prompted the girl sitting on Uesugi Sakura’s lap to nestle lazily into his arms.

Uesugi Sakura’s arms encircled her slender waist, resting on the fabric above her soft belly, as he gazed at her perfect profile, softly asking, "Since we’re already so close, shall we kiss for a while?"

In the moonlit night, the girl cradled tightly in his arms had no room for refusal. The shyness flushed her cheeks even as she blushed, softly murmuring, "Yes."

The girl was exquisite.

Hanamaru Hanabi closed her eyes, shyly tilting her head up, tightening her lips.

Until the girl’s tensely clasped hands relaxed, actively sending her fragrance to him. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

No one knew how long it lasted. Perhaps being too close to the campfire made them both feel a bit warm.

"Hanabi, there’s still a bit of steak flavor earlier, it smelled so good. Why don’t we barbecue more later? For now... shall we go inside the tent?"

"..." Hanamaru Hanabi was silent.

"You don’t want to? Don’t worry, we’ll extinguish the fire first; nobody will notice at this late hour by the lake."

"No... it’s not that..."

"Then what is it?" Uesugi Sakura patiently inquired.

"Earlier this afternoon... didn’t we say... we would play hide and seek outside..."

Uesugi Sakura understood, but he didn’t expect Hanamaru Hanabi to be so bold: "Shall we head over now?"

"Mm... mm..." The girl whispered, seeming to agree and not agree at the same time.

...

With the campfire extinguished, Uesugi Sakura took Hanamaru Hanabi to the woods where they had gathered firewood earlier.

The branches spread out, obscuring the sky, yet there was still a spot where one could see the vast stars and the luminous moon in the sky.

The night birds and crickets called tirelessly, though slightly annoying, yet there was a serene tranquility to the forested mountain.

Hanamaru Hanabi placed her hands on the tree trunk, always on edge about playing hide and seek in the forest.

"Hanabi-chan, remember to hide well so I won’t find you easily." Uesugi Sakura called from behind.

"Mm... okay..."

"Alright, the seeker is coming to find Hanabi-chan." Uesugi Sakura searched for her position from behind.

Hanamaru Hanabi couldn’t help closing her eyes, listening to his counting echo in the quiet forest, her whole body nervously weakening, with her tiptoed feet almost unable to hold herself.

Uesugi Sakura found the night breeze to be quite refreshing.

"Careful, I’m about to start counting."

"Mm... mm..." Hanamaru Hanabi replied absentmindedly.

"One, two, three, four, five, six..."

The cool breeze in the forest rustled the fallen leaves.

"Twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thir...ty."

Hanamaru Hanabi’s tiptoed feet instantly dropped, releasing a warm breath.

Uesugi Sakura saw her slender frame slightly trembling and smiled, saying from behind: "Hanabi-chan, have you been found this easily? Or is playing hide and seek in the forest more nerve-racking? The open surroundings give you no sense of security? Being nervous, making noise, and accidentally being found."

"Sakura... do it again..." The girl’s voice was as faint as a mosquito.

"Oh, very brave." Uesugi Sakura admired her courageously tiptoeing again.

"One more time?"

"Mm... mm..."

"Alright, this time I’ll be faster."

"Alright, okay."

...

Uesugi Sakura restarted the hide and seek count.

"One, two, three, four, five, six..."

His pace significantly faster than last time.

"Twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty... fifty."

Uesugi Sakura found Hanamaru Hanabi hiding by the tree, her little blushing face buried low.

"Not bad, this time you weren’t found until fifty."

Hanamaru Hanabi tiptoed again.

"Want to continue?"

"Mm... mm..."

"Brave little Hanabi, you’re amazing."

Uesugi Sakura started counting again, but this time when he reached twenty, there was a strange sound in the dark forest.

"Sakura..." Hanamaru Hanabi immediately tensed.

"Sss~ don’t worry," Uesugi Sakura grinned with a touch of tension, saying to the still-unfound Hanamaru Hanabi, "It’s just the birds in the forest, let’s continue playing."

"Okay... okay..."

...

The next morning, waking up to the chirping of birds.

Uesugi Sakura glanced at his peacefully sleeping wife, got up, and unzipped the tent.

He stretched his arms, trying to adjust his eyes to the brightness.

"Phew~"

A light mist floated over the distant mountains, mysterious yet ethereal.

The air was quite good today.

Uesugi Sakura picked up a small plastic bucket and headed to the lake.

He placed the bucket in the water, waited until it was thoroughly filled, then lifted it single-handedly.

Just then, a swan in the middle of the lake spread its wings and splashed water, causing large ripples.

Uesugi Sakura chuckled at the scenic beauty before turning to walk back to the tent.

He arrived at the extinguished campfire, used a lighter to ignite the leftover tinder from yesterday, and laid the wood as he had before.

Soon, vibrant flames rose once more.

Wearing his parka, Uesugi Sakura gazed at the fire with an involuntary smile.

The morning was warm too.