Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard-Chapter 855 - 504: The Easiest Girl to Win Over (Part 2)

Chapter 855: Chapter 504: The Easiest Girl to Win Over (Part 2)

"Really... if Sakura doesn’t like ’me’ being around... then Hanabi will naturally disappear..."

"But—"

Hanamaru Hanabi lowered her head as she spoke, remained silent for a moment, then raised her head again. The slow blossoming smile on her face seemed to dispel all gloom.

"But... Hanabi is really happy that Sakura genuinely cares for Hanabi... even if she no longer resembles the image Sakura once had of her..."

"Alright, that’s all in the past. Once we finish the porridge, let’s take a stroll around Otaru City. The scenery after the blizzard is quite rare."

"Hmm..."

"Remember to dress warmly this time, so you don’t catch a cold again."

"Okay."

This time, clutching her plush shark toy, Hanamaru Hanabi wiped away her tears and obediently agreed.

Watching her quietly eat the food he fed her, Uesugi Sakura smiled. Having a girl like her by his side filled his heart with indescribable happiness.

...

The romantic town of Hokkaido, Otaru City.

In the crisp snowy landscape, Uesugi Sakura held Hanamaru Hanabi’s hand, taking her to see the gas lamps along Otaru Canal, the red brick warehouse clusters, crystal bears in shops, paintings in art galleries, music boxes in museums, and steam trains in the transportation memorial hall...

"By the way." In front of a food truck, Uesugi Sakura took out two origami cranes from his purse and handed them to Hanamaru Hanabi.

"Did Sakura make these for Hanabi?"

"No," Uesugi Sakura said, "These were folded for you by Aei and Chiaei... Actually, Hanabi-chan, now not only do I care about you, but Aei, Chiaei, and even Mom also love you very much."

"I see." Hanamaru Hanabi held them in her hand, then looked at Uesugi Sakura, "Then why didn’t Sakura make one for Hanabi?"

"Well..."

Uesugi Sakura chuckled, "I’ve been taking care of you all along, so I never thought to fold one. Can you forgive me?"

"No way!"

"Do I need to prostrate myself?"

"Who needs Sakura to prostrate? Besides, that’s a humiliating gesture, I don’t want it."

Hanamaru Hanabi said, suddenly leaning in closer, then holding his arm, her violet eyes staring at him, "Hanabi wants Sakura to carry her, to walk along Otaru Canal, through the snowy Otaru City, so everyone can see how gentle Sakura is, how good he is to girls. They’ll surely envy Hanabi."

Her voice was like she was acting coquettishly, indulging herself from the heart.

Uesugi Sakura suddenly thought of a word, strategy.

Is this considered him strategizing Hanabi?

Thinking about it, it seems like he hasn’t really done much these days, merely accompanying her on the journey, watching the snow, eating together, walking in the woods... ahem.

One last thing—watching over her when she was ill.

Simply by accompanying her, he maximized her fondness for him.

Calling her the easiest girl to strategize doesn’t seem far off.

Indeed, Hanabi has always been the easiest girl to strategize... because from the very beginning, she’s been head over heels for him, showing off all her cuteness and beauty, wholeheartedly thinking of him.

How could anyone not love such a childhood sweetheart...

"Jump on, I’ll carry you." Uesugi Sakura turned around and slightly crouched down.

"Alright!"

Hanamaru Hanabi smiled, squinted her eyes, and happily leaped onto his back.

"Indeed, you’ve gotten heavier." Uesugi Sakura weighed the girl on his back, holding onto her slender legs.

"That’s not true; it’s Sakura who hasn’t exercised for a long time! That’s why you think Hanabi’s gained weight."

Hanamaru Hanabi leaned forward, wrapped her arms around his neck, brought her face close to his, smiling while rubbing against him: "Sakura seems to be growing a beard, it’s a bit prickly."

"Well, every man has his day. Mainly, I haven’t shaven properly."

Uesugi Sakura carried her, and began to stroll slowly through the snowy Otaru City.

"Then Hanabi wants to give Sakura a baby someday."

"Once we have a baby, you won’t stop loving me, right?" Uesugi Sakura asked, carrying the girl on his back.

"How could that be? Hanabi still loves Sakura-kun."

"But I’m always worried that after having a child, you’ll be distracted taking care of the baby... and then we won’t be able to stay together all the time like we do now, always telling each other how much we love each other."

"That’s true... So, Sakura-kun doesn’t want a child?"

"Well... it’s not that I don’t want one, just maybe a bit later." Uesugi Sakura suddenly laughed, "It’s also strange, sometimes I just want you to get pregnant, hurry up and get pregnant for me!"

Hanamaru Hanabi pouted and suddenly knocked on his head.

"What’s wrong?" Uesugi Sakura asked.

Hanamaru Hanabi leaned into his ear and lazily said, "Sakura-kun just knows about H."

"Hanabi, do you really have the nerve to say that about me? Didn’t you start playing hide and seek with me?"

"Hmph..."

Hanamaru Hanabi hummed softly by his ear, then bit his ear saying, "Actually, Hanabi likes it when Sakura-kun finds Hanabi. At that moment, Sakura-kun feels so real to Hanabi, like he’s a part of Hanabi, making her not want to let him go at all."

"Is that so? Then when you’re feeling better, should we play a longer game of hide and seek?"

"Sure." The girl happily agreed at his ear, "Where shall we play?"

"Of course — on the balcony. Hanabi loves that place the most. We can move the sofa and TV aside and play as long as we want. Watch TV for a while, play for a while, watch TV for a while, play for a while."

"Won’t Sakura-kun get worn out?"

"What are you saying, it’s just light work!"

"Hmph, Hanabi doesn’t believe it! Isn’t it always Sakura-kun who wants to stop first?"

"That’s because — hide and seek requires skills. We need to play more to master them, and by then, I’ll find Hanabi’s weakness in seconds, and you better not come begging me with wobbly legs!"

"Liar!"

"Hmph, just wait and see, believe it or not!"

The two walked along the frost-bitten canal, their words puffing out warm breaths, cheeks rubbing against each other.

"Sakura-kun, are you tired?"

"No... carrying you, how could I feel tired."

"Then Sakura-kun must keep going like this, carrying Hanabi forward... just like last night, don’t let her fall." Hanamaru Hanabi snuggled closely to his back.

Uesugi Sakura looked ahead, the snow along the roadside stretching down the slope into the distance.

"No way, you’re not a burden, but a motivation... because of little Hanabi, I strive today, strive to be a champion, strive to study and work, strive to exercise."

Hanamaru Hanabi rested her head on his sturdy back, the cold air of the day making her cling tightly to his warmth.

With her violet eyes slowly closing, a smile blossomed on her beautiful face:

"I like Sakura-kun the most..."

Uesugi Sakura also smiled softly, "Want to go to the night market later? I’ll buy you some candy apples."

"Sakura-kun, do you know what candy apples mean?" Hanamaru Hanabi closed her eyes, her cheek resting on his back.

"What do they mean? I really don’t know."

"It means a confession, sweet and sour, the taste of love..."

Hanamaru Hanabi’s gentle and delicate voice drifted into his ears from behind, like her soft, tender hands soothing his heart.

"Sakura-kun... so dull... obviously Hanabi gave him candy apples at the shrine festival in middle school, but he still didn’t react...

"Really... so dull... Hanabi was so mad that she sneaked in and kissed him on the lips while he was asleep that night.

"But... his lips didn’t taste sweet and sour... they were the taste Hanabi was most familiar with and loved the most - Sakura-kun’s taste, the taste that makes one so shy that you want to hide under a blanket.

"Sakura-kun, baka, bad guy, big dummy... too dull!"

Leaning against him, Hanamaru Hanabi’s face showed a sweet expression, her small arms seemingly embracing a distant, unreachable dream, smiling happily and sweetly.

"However, Hanabi still likes him... likes him the most..."