Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard-Chapter 862 - 508: The Clamor of Tokyo

Uesugi Sakura stood inside the coffee shop’s bar, gently stroking a blue cat named Keke in his hands.

"You’ve gained weight again recently."

"Meow~ (The humans here are all my servants.)" Keke squinted its eyes, rubbing its furry head into the palm of his hand.

Sakura stared at the plump cat in his arms:

"Keke, tell me, what does it feel like to be a cat?"

"Meow~ (Conquering the world is our mission.)"

"So, are you moving towards that goal?"

Keke suddenly squirmed out of his arms, standing on the bar beside a potted cactus: "Meow (The boss doesn’t seem very happy.)"

"Me? I’m doing quite well."

"Meow (No, the aura you’re giving off isn’t great.)"

"Meow~ Meow~~ Meow! (Boss! Boss!!)"

Uesugi Sakura ignored Keke in front of him because he saw Hanamaru Hanabi walk in through the shop door. The girl pushed open the door, gently ringing the quiet wind chime, and was politely greeting her colleagues inside the shop.

"Meow! Meow! (Boss!!)"

Uesugi Sakura brushed Keke aside with one hand, watching as Hanamaru Hanabi finished her greetings and walked over to him.

She lifted her small face, looking up at him.

"Hanabi... I..."

"Good afternoon, Sakura-kun," Hanamaru Hanabi said with her usual sunlit smile.

"Good afternoon..."

Yet it was this seemingly heartwarming smile that made Uesugi Sakura feel he owed her.

Even if he had reasons, wrong was wrong.

Just imagining Hanabi’s well-prepared surprise, waiting alone all night, made his heart ache like it was pricked by a bee sting.

Seeing the expression on his face, Hanamaru Hanabi put her hands behind her back and smiled: "It seems Sakura-kun knows he was wrong, so Hanabi doesn’t have to worry."

After spending so much time together, Uesugi Sakura already understood that when she spoke of "Hanabi" now, she referred to another part of herself.

"I’ll secretly tell Sakura-kun that Hanabi is planning to bring up the idea of reconciliation with you," Hanamaru Hanabi whispered with a smile, covering her mouth halfway with her left hand.

Uesugi Sakura understood; Hanabi was such a girl...

No matter how much he wronged her... she could still swallow her grievances.

"It’s my fault; I shouldn’t make you take the initiative to—"

"Does Sakura-kun want Hanabi to do that?"

Uesugi Sakura gazed at her silently: "I hope... and I don’t."

"Hmm?"

"What I mean is... when it comes to apologies, I must personally show sincerity. Expecting you to apologize isn’t the right choice at all."

"That’s the answer I expected."

Hanamaru Hanabi suddenly turned around, her back to Uesugi Sakura, a faint smile on her lips:

"Since Sakura-kun said so, Hanabi promises Sakura-kun—on the day we officially reconcile, Hanabi will throw him a make-up birthday party."

"A make-up... birthday party?" Uesugi Sakura’s pupils contracted.

Hanamaru Hanabi didn’t continue his words.

"Even though I might sometimes hate Sakura-kun... but Hanabi can’t help but like him," she murmured.

"Once you like someone, even your annoyance with them turns into the bittersweetness of love. As long as he shows Hanabi even a hint of kindness after a mistake, Hanabi can’t help but forgive him... can never truly get upset with him."

Uesugi Sakura was aware of this too. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"Sakura-kun, you must understand, when we marry, both of us should be happy. No matter what mistakes are made, both should strive to reconcile, rather than make ’Hanabi’s love seem more humble."

Hanamaru Hanabi’s light voice continued, her hands behind her back, smiling as she lifted her head and walked with a bounce towards the staff room.

Uesugi Sakura quickly saw her silhouette disappear from his view.

...

As evening approached, the entire coffee shop became quiet.

Uesugi Sakura glanced at Hanamaru Hanabi holding a book by the bookshelf. After tidying up the front desk, he said to her:

"See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." Hanamaru Hanabi closed her book, smiling at him as usual.

In Uesugi Sakura’s view, she was bathed in the sunset’s glow outside the window, a halo tinting her with exceptional beauty.

For the past two days, Hanabi had been staying at her parents’ home.

No need to think; his mother-in-law was surely talking about him constantly, even saying things like "married men are unreliable" wouldn’t be surprising.

Uesugi Sakura felt a bit embarrassed facing both parents.

After all, it was only a week ago in Hokkaido that they scolded him intensely.

...

Uesugi Sakura hung the coffee shop apron.

"See you tomorrow, Uesugi-kun." Kobashi Rikai slightly bowed her head in front of him.

"See you tomorrow."

After also saying goodbye to Towa Rina and the Tashiro sisters.

Uesugi Sakura walked down from the second floor of the coffee shop, onto the streets of Tokyo.

He looked up at the not-so-scorching winter sunset sky, thinking suddenly—it was already December.

Soon... another year would pass.

Year after year, time flowed endlessly... endlessly...

Uesugi Sakura was never a nostalgic person, but since meeting Hanabi... he couldn’t help but reminisce, fearing the future.

He would wonder what would happen if one day, he and Hanabi grew old, what should they do then.

Would there really be a next life?

Even if there was a next life, would he remember Hanabi then?

If he forgot her by then, while she still remembered him, and unknowingly he fell in love with another woman, what would happen?

Uesugi Sakura wouldn’t make excuses for himself, he’s just heartbroken for Hanabi.

Some emotions are things that certain people will never understand.

Just like mocking people who are heartbroken on the internet... They casually judge a relationship while criticizing you for not using that energy on studying.

They lack empathy and personal experience, speaking thoughtlessly.

Chaotic thoughts grow in Uesugi Sakura’s mind, making it hard for him to calm down.

He gazes at the road ahead, on the narrow sidewalks of downtown Tokyo.

An indescribable emotion drives his body, leading him to start running uncontrollably forward.

Feet pressing firmly against the ground, his calves trembling through his body, Uesugi Sakura passes strangers unrelated to him, pushing his physical limits in the howling wind.

The only thing he sees is the ground beneath him illuminating like a lighthouse at sea, guiding his path forward.

While sprinting, the taste of the wind spreads through his skin, his mouth continuously expelling cold mist.

He can feel the rhythm and breathing of other pedestrians, as well as their stares—by the time Uesugi Sakura exhausts himself, he realizes he’s arrived at an unfamiliar place.

Beside a city’s inner river.

A long-lost enthusiasm spreads from his chest, Uesugi Sakura supporting his legs, panting heavily.

He looks at his sweaty palms, realizing his habit of using running to unleash emotions.

This feeling of pushing himself to the limit effectively breaks his lazy thoughts.

Uesugi Sakura supports his legs, stands up straight, exhales warm air, and looks back at the riverside Sakura Trees yet to bloom.

Flowers have days to bloom again, while people can never revisit their youth.

The youthful self is no longer the boy he once was.

And the bloomed flower is not the original one.

Even if another person resembling Hanabi is found in the world, she wouldn’t be her.

Everything is unique, one of a kind.

Uesugi Sakura walked around the riverbank for a while, arriving at a platform with strangers, and boarded a bus.

During the slow bus ride, Uesugi Sakura sat in the back, resting his forehead against the window.

Gradually, the sky darkened.

The city began to reveal thousands of lights, with bustling streets continuing their noise; the sounds of engines, winds, and horns blending into the air, making Tokyo’s prosperity pervasive.

He gazes at the elegantly dressed pedestrians on the opposite commercial street and suddenly thinks:

People never truly love this city, but love the people or emotions it brings them.

In a daze, Uesugi Sakura returned home.

He took out his keys, opened the door, fetched his slippers, and entered the room.

In the darkness, he hits the light switch.

With a click, the room is brightly lit.

The birthday decorations Hanamaru Hanabi set up a few days ago remain.

The coffee table adorned with surprise poppers, cake plates... with colorful ribbons, the balloons she personally blew, and the six large handmade words by herself—"Happy Birthday, Sakura!"

Despite being a festive scene, the room is eerily silent.

The living room is empty, with no shadow standing within.

Uesugi Sakura stares at this spot for a while, then can’t help but sigh.

What a failure...

He walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and took out a partly eaten but unfinished cake.

Uesugi Sakura placed the cake on the living room’s coffee table, sitting cross-legged.

On the cake, those words—"Happy 19th Birthday, Sakura! Congratulations!" Especially glaring.

So glaring that Uesugi Sakura feels heartbroken at just a glance.

If he had returned that day, he’d be happily eating cake with Hanabi now, wouldn’t he?

She would smile at him, then he’d tease her with the cake, smearing white cream on her face, listening to her little complaints saying "Sakura, you’re so annoying!"

Uesugi Sakura takes out a table knife, slowly cutting the cake Hanabi made piece by piece, putting them onto a plate and savoring them.

Though it’s a cake from three days ago... the taste isn’t great.

Yet Uesugi Sakura feels he should eat it, perhaps out of guilt towards Hanabi, or to feel a bit better.

Eating the birthday cake Hanabi made for him, he remembers that little girl who once built a snowman by the window, using it as a substitute to wave at him.

"Good afternoon, Sakura-brother."

He also remembers the little girl who once held many paper cranes, giving them to him.

"These are for you, brother."

"Do you think Hanabi is pretty?"

"Hanabi is willing to always be by your side."

"Sakura, Hanabi likes you... likes you the most..."

"Sakura, Hanabi is so happy... truly happy..."

"Please, Sakura... always remember Hanabi..."

In the silent night, alone in his room, Uesugi Sakura slowly eats the cake she made with a spoon, recalling scenes from the past, tears in his eyes, quickly turning into laughter.

It’s nothing significant... just finding her actions... truly adorable.

He puts the half-eaten cake back in the fridge, goes to the bathroom to wash his face, wipes away the tears at the corner of his eyes, and stares at himself in the mirror.

Yes, I was never alone.

He shuts off the faucet and exits the room, gazing at the surprise birthday setup in the living room.

Looking at the large words Hanabi prepared, they are no longer glaring, no longer heart-wrenching...

He begins to anticipate what the girl promised him for the afternoon.

A birthday party she would re-host alone.

Uesugi Sakura smiles at the words Happy Birthday, then turns off the living room lights.

"Goodnight, Hanabi."

With a soft click, Tokyo’s night returns to silence.