Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard-Chapter 771 - 461: Retrieving the Youthful Romance Battle_2

Chapter 771: Chapter 461: Retrieving the Youthful Romance Battle_2

But all things have their moments of ending.

Uesugi Sakura wondered what kind of emotions she would hold if she were fortunate enough to grow old with Hanamaru Hanabi.

Now, Uesugi Sakura often imagines herself in old age, sitting in a lonely room, gazing out the window at the sky, praying for a rebirth with Hanabi, hoping that even without memories, they can meet again amidst the vast sea of people.

She longs to see her again... That pure and lovely appearance that touched her lonely, wandering heart.

That passionate love from youth was a throbbing of fiery adolescence.

...

"Uesugi-kun... Uesugi-kun..." Kobashi Rikai’s voice brought Uesugi Sakura’s thoughts back to reality, "Are you okay?"

"No... nothing." Uesugi Sakura turned her face with effort, squinting her eyes to blink back the tears, "I was just thinking about something, and I find what you said to be very true."

"About love...? Honestly... I’ve never been in love, those are just emotions I’ve seen in dramas.

"But I remember, the first time I watched TV and saw the male and female leads fall in love and marry, my reaction was really embarrassing to say. When I saw them smiling at each other, I buried my head in the quilt and covered it hard, rolling on the bed, unable to stop laughing. When they kissed, I covered my face with both hands, as if I was too shy to see, but still peeked at the screen through my fingers... so shy..."

Kobashi Rikai did not notice Uesugi Sakura’s action of wiping her eyes, just nostalgically recalling her innocent self in her mind, while lowering her head slightly.

"Back then, I especially longed for love, I really wanted to find someone I like and fall in love, but in high school, I never succeeded. Back then, I was too busy studying for the Tokyo Art University entrance examinations... and boys didn’t really like that kind of girl... later on, I’ve just never met someone I truly liked, and because of that, I always felt like something was missing in high school, quite a regret."

"Idol" Kobashi Rikai paused, "...I did have an idol, but I understood that he was too far away from me.

"Thank you."

"Huh?"

"Thank you," Uesugi Sakura said to her.

"What is Uesugi-kun thanking me for?"

"You’ve inspired me, and that’s why I owe you gratitude. Let me make you a cup of coffee as a thank you."

"Huh?" Kobashi Rikai didn’t catch what he meant, but nodded, "Sure, sure..."

"What would you like to drink?"

"Drink... since it’s about love, how about a rose lover."

"No problem."

As Uesugi Sakura started making the coffee, Kobashi Rikai, out of curiosity, asked him:

"Is it my understanding of love that inspired Uesugi-kun?"

"Yes, that’s exactly it."

"Well, that’s good." Although Kobashi Rikai knew in her heart she didn’t quite understand what exactly inspired him, given the current atmosphere, she was too shy to ask further.

The sunlight streamed through the window, casting a glow on the coffee bar.

Uesugi Sakura handed the prepared red rose lover to Kobashi Rikai.

"Thank you." Kobashi Rikai took the coffee and expressed her gratitude to him.

"You’re welcome."

Uesugi Sakura replied, wiping the counter with a cloth, tidying everything up. After Kobashi Rikai finished her coffee and went to the bathroom inside the coffee shop, Uesugi Sakura was left alone at the front counter.

Uesugi Sakura had been thinking earlier, and now, he had come to a conclusion.

He looked up and watched Hanamaru Hanabi play with Keke, the chubby cat, enjoying herself.

He made a decision.

He took out his phone, found a number in his contacts, dialed it, and put the phone to his ear.

During this time, Uesugi Sakura’s gaze never left Hanamaru Hanabi’s face.

"Hello..." A rather clear female voice came over the phone.

"Can I ask you for a favor?" Uesugi Sakura looked at Hanamaru Hanabi and spoke to the person on the other end of the line.

"A favor?"

"Yes, specifically—"

...

...

Uesugi Sakura: "That’s the situation... is it possible?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line before they responded:

"Strange, why do you suddenly want to do this? It’s really strange..."

"Is it possible to do? Please... whatever you need in the future, I will do my best to help."

"Hmm... possible, it’s possible... not as troublesome as you might think... but do you really want to do this? Does Hanabi agree?"

"Absolutely... she doesn’t know yet..."

"Alright then, let me think... timing... hmm, I should be able to inform you by tonight, hold on."

"Okay, thank you, really thank you."

"No problem."

...

Beep beep beep...

A series of disconnected tones.

As Uesugi Sakura put away his phone, having ended the call, Hanamaru Hanabi came over holding Keke, the fat cat:

"Who were you on the phone with just now?"

"A classmate," Uesugi Sakura replied with a smile.

"Oh?" Hanamaru Hanabi found his expression a bit off, "Feels like you’re hiding something from me."

"Which classmate?" Hanamaru Hanabi stared at Keke’s eyes and suddenly turned her gaze on him.

"Seisa Takeshun," Uesugi Sakura answered.

"Seisa Takeshun?" The idle waitress Todaka Keichiro heard Uesugi Sakura’s talk and came over to ask him, "Uesugi, did he ask you to check out the Kyudo Club? But to be honest, you have your name registered, you should at least go once a month, the new members all say the Kyudo Club is a scam because you never show up!"

Uesugi Sakura turned his head and asked Todaka Keichiro: "Did he ask you to remind me?"

"Yes," Todaka Keichiro replied matter-of-factly, "You didn’t come in the morning, and your phone couldn’t be reached so he asked me to help pass on a message, but that was what he told me in the morning... when I came in the afternoon, I just forgot about it while walking."

"Seisa Takeshun..."

Hanamaru Hanabi remembered this person, he was on the guest list of Uesugi Sakura’s family and friends at the wedding, "But... isn’t that a guy? Then why was the voice on the phone a woman’s?"

Uesugi Sakura met her eyes directly.

This dialogue, this confrontation of gazes...

Todaka Keichiro suddenly got a shock, feeling like a wife catching a cheating husband.

Hanamaru Hanami isn’t Uesugi Sakura’s sister-in-law?

Seeing her doubt, Hanamaru Hanabi petted Keke’s back, turned her head and smiled at her, "I’m helping my sister catch her rival in love, after all, since brother-in-law is so handsome, it’d be careless not to be on guard."

"Oh~~ I see." Todaka Keichiro felt the change in atmosphere, "Then, I won’t disturb you two any longer, I’ll go wash the dishes in the back."

Having said that, he quickly disappeared.

"Uesugi, those coffee beans..." Towa Rina just came out from the kitchen, only to be pulled back by Todaka Keichiro.

"Hey—Todaka, what are you doing?"

"Shh!"

Todaka Keichiro gestured for her to be quiet, "Hanami is helping her sister catch a cheater, better not get in her way, she’s fierce."

"Hmm? Isn’t Hanami involved with Uesugi?"

As soon as she spoke, Towa Rina saw Todaka Keichiro’s shocked expression and quickly covered her mouth.

She awkwardly added, "Sorry, just pretend I didn’t say that."

...

"Sakura-kun~~"

With no one else around the coffee shop’s counter area, Hanamaru Hanabi smiled at him, "Sakura-kun just got off the phone with another girl, didn’t you? Who was it?"

Uesugi Sakura gave Keke a look, signaling it to help out.

"Meow~"

Unexpectedly, Keke just snuggled into Hanamaru Hanabi’s arms, pretending not to hear.

All those beef treats for nothing!

"Ahem."

Uesugi Sakura cleared his throat, "I need to announce something to you, Hanabi."

"What? You’re not going to show me the call history, and you have something to say?"

"Of course, it concerns our relationship."

"Then... Sakura-kun, please tell me."

"Ahem."

Uesugi Sakura straightened his posture, clenched his right hand into a fist against his mouth, glanced at Hanamaru Hanabi in front of him and said, "I call it — the great adventure to reclaim youthful love."