Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard-Chapter 799 - 475: Grocery Shopping and Character Design (Part 2)

Chapter 799: Chapter 475: Grocery Shopping and Character Design (Part 2)

"It smells really, really good," he said with a smile, "I feel like after just a few days of learning, Hanabi-chan is already so skilled at making Chinese stir-fried dishes."

After saying this, Uesugi Sakura picked up a piece of meat and ate it with white rice.

"As long as you like it, Sakura-kun." Hanamaru Hanabi flashed an adorable smile.

Ah, only with a wife can you taste this.

Uesugi Sakura thought about the discounted supermarket bento he had this morning, the cold dishes and rice, the cold, impersonal industrial line hamburger patty...

How could these compare to the dinner his wife lovingly made for him?

Can these even be called meals?

Uesugi Sakura no longer considered this as just appeasing hunger, but enjoying the blissful days of having a wife.

Hanamaru Hanabi saw him eating eagerly: "Sakura-kun, slow down."

"I can’t, I won’t get to eat this in the morning, I can only have it for this brief moment in the evening, I need to eat more!"

...

After dinner, Uesugi Sakura proactively intercepted the bowls that Hanamaru Hanabi was about to take to the kitchen.

"Let me wash them. You’ve worked so hard, Hanabi-chan, let me help out."

"Alright then."

Hanamaru Hanabi watched him enthusiastically take the dishes from her hands, and gave him a sweet smile.

Then she turned to take yesterday’s clothes off the drying rack.

After finishing a series of house chores, it was almost 9 PM.

"Didn’t Sakura-kun say he’d help with the character design?" Hanamaru Hanabi brought a laptop to the balcony.

"Wait a moment!" Uesugi Sakura blocked the computer screen and said to her.

"What’s the matter?"

"Let me check it once more, then we’ll talk."

"Then... I’ll just wait in the bedroom?" Hanamaru Hanabi suggested.

"Alright, you rest for a while, I’ll call you in half an hour."

"Okay."

...

Writing drafts, checking.

After half an hour, Uesugi Sakura finally finished revising the final plot outline of the first volume of the novel.

He scrolled the document page to the top, where it read "Hanabi’s Love."

He propped his face with one hand, staring intently at those words.

Later when Hanabi comes over, will she discern his intentions from this title?

Saying it’s some sort of love letter written for her, she might feel embarrassed if she found out.

Oh, forget it, let’s just call her.

If she finds out, she finds out.

Uesugi Sakura stood up and went to the bedroom door, knocking, "Hanabi-chan, it’s ready."

"Alright," Hanamaru Hanabi replied. After a moment, she emerged carrying her laptop and tablet.

The two of them went to the living room balcony together.

The window on the balcony was tightly shut, but the transparent floor-to-ceiling window connected to the living room was open.

They had no choice; it was too cold, and unbearable without the heater’s warm air.

— They didn’t work in the bedroom because the balcony view was better at night.

Hanamaru Hanabi turned on the computer, opened her usual drawing software, and asked Uesugi Sakura, "So, whose character design do we do first?"

"The male protagonist, Akizuki Katsuyama." Uesugi Sakura input the name in katakana.

Hanamaru Hanabi immediately opened a new document: "Alright, we have the name, what about his personality?"

"Hardworking," Uesugi Sakura thought for a moment, "he struggles and works hard but is often defeated by reality due to overthinking, not accustomed to lying, and he’s 26 years old."

"Body type?" Hanamaru Hanabi asked.

"Medium build, not too fat, nor too thin," Uesugi Sakura replied.

"Got it. Anything else, Sakura-kun?" Hanamaru Hanabi inquired.

Uesugi Sakura stroked his chin, thinking while looking at Tokyo Tower outside the window, "In terms of looks... above average, but due to a hard life, his appearance is somewhat haggard."

"Sakura-kun, Hanabi would like to remind you, the male protagonist should be a bit more handsome," Hanamaru Hanabi advised.

"Hmm? Why?"

"Kawaichi Editor from the SG Library once told me that since readers project themselves onto the protagonist, the protagonist has to have a matching attractiveness with the heroine and must be excellent; the gentle male protagonists of the past don’t work anymore."

Uesugi Sakura: "So the character has to be good-looking and ambitious? Otherwise, why would the female lead like him?"

"Yeah."

"But... it feels a bit out of place with my earlier storyline."

Hanamaru Hanabi: "Don’t worry, Sakura-kun, I’ve seen your story. As long as the male lead appears somewhat melancholic at first, it’s okay for him to excel in other areas."

"Alright then."

After all, it’s his wife doing the artwork, so Uesugi Sakura should take her opinions into account. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

While he was talking, Hanamaru Hanabi adjusted her tablet, held her stylus, and quickly sketched out a rough outline.

"Does this look okay?"

"Let me take a look."

Uesugi Sakura looked over the sketch—the lines, the strokes!

The essence of the male lead came through immediately, but rather than a brooding lead, he looked like he was at the peak of his prime.

The confident pose, the slight curl in his hair—his actions seemed ready to jump off the page.

"Isn’t he a bit too suave?"

Hanamaru Hanabi pondered a bit more: "Hmm... Hanabi thinks it’s great."

As she spoke, she refined some details of the male lead’s pose and expression.

His gaze, his stance—it’s not the kind of pretty-boy handsome, but more of a neat and sharp charm that even men would appreciate.

"..."

Alright, Uesugi Sakura completely shut up.

Handsome is handsome—the male lead’s attractiveness left both men and women speechless.

"This is the rough version—how does Sakura-kun feel about it?"

"It’s good."

Hanamaru Hanabi saved the document and started a new one. "Next up is the female lead, right?"

Uesugi Sakura nodded: "Yeah, Hanabi Chiwa."

"Hanabi Chiwa..." She always found the name a bit strange on her tongue, so she couldn’t resist her curiosity and asked, "Sakura-kun... what’s the name of the novel?"

"Hanabi’s Love."

"Sakura-kun..."

"Don’t worry," Uesugi Sakura explained, "other people will just think of fireworks, not you."

"But with a name like this... Sakura-kun, this light novel doesn’t feel very ’light novel’ at all."

"Come on, Hana-chan, the editor at Kadokawa said the name is fine. He said my style isn’t your typical light novel; it’s like ’I Want to Eat Your Pancreas.’ Even a strange name like that became popular, didn’t it?"

Hanamaru Hanabi took some time to accept it: "Alright... then... what’s Hanabi Chiwa’s character design like?"

"She’s a café worker, short hair, purple eyes, only likes wearing skirts, likes sharks... Hey, why are you interrupting me?"

"Sakura-kun..."

Uesugi Sakura nonchalantly chuckled: "I already said she’s modeled after you."

Hanamaru Hanabi puffed her cheeks in mock anger: "But this is already totally just Hanabi!"

"You don’t like it?"

"Hmm..."

"Then I’ll adjust her hobbies a bit. Everything else can be changed, but the short hair and purple eyes are non-negotiable, okay?" Uesugi Sakura tried to persuade her.

"Reluctantly... let’s leave it at that..."

"Great, let’s happily decide on that."

Then, Uesugi Sakura slowly described some details for Hanabi to revise based on her impressions.

Hanabi’s artistry is superb—even simple sketches can clearly convey her overall style.

In the end, the two of them finalized the cover illustration for the first volume: it showed Hanabi Chiwa jumping in mid-air, flashing a victory sign and a bright smile.

Her body soared, dressed in a schoolgirl sailor suit, the gap between the sailor suit and the pleated skirt neatly revealed her belly button, radiating a cheerful and sunny aura.

"Is this the general action?"

"Yeah."

Hanamaru Hanabi nodded after making adjustments.

Uesugi Sakura was fond of the energetic pose, and even more so because it’s just a sketch. Once finished, Hanamaru Hanabi’s color mastery could make it bloom into a vibrant picture full of life.

Uesugi Sakura couldn’t help but hug Hanamaru Hanabi around the neck: "Honey, you’re too good to me..."

"Sakura, Sakura-kun..." Hanamaru Hanabi tried to push him away, "Let... me go..."

"I won’t let go, I refuse."

"Sakura-kun... don’t be childish."