Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard-Chapter 869 - 512: You Can Find a Girlfriend by Jogging (Not Really)

Chapter 869: Chapter 512: You Can Find a Girlfriend by Jogging (Not Really)

The time was evening after the rehearsal.

The sun had set in the west, and Uesugi Sakura, who had practiced for another day, planned to go home.

"Hmm? You’re not planning to practice until ten tonight?" Murata wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.

Uesugi stretched his arms by interlocking them, saying, "Today, I need to head back early. Lately, my sleep quality hasn’t been great. If I push it further, my health will worsen."

Murata was silent for a moment, then looked up, "I say, Uesugi, are you the so-called common enemy of men? A high-quality male?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you guys should take a look at us, we still don’t have girlfriends!"

"According to your logic with your 500-meter run, it’s expected that you haven’t found a girlfriend." Uesugi Sakura switched legs to relieve the muscle fatigue of the day.

Murata squatted beside him, tilting his head to look up at him, asking:

"Why does running lead to getting a girlfriend?"

Uesugi Sakura glanced at him sideways, saying, "Compared to staying indoors painting, do you think your chances of meeting a girlfriend are higher by painting or by going out for a run?"

He bent one leg backward and held his knee with one hand, continuing to stretch.

"Not to mention, girls walk around the university track every day. If you persevere in your runs and look decent, do you think girls without boyfriends might want to ask for your contact?"

Murata was bewildered by this. Going to the track for a run to find a girlfriend seemed really plausible.

"Should I... give it a try then?"

"Go for it."

Murata scratched his head and stood up, "Haha, since you’ve encouraged me, I feel a bit embarrassed to refuse. Besides, I know the situation on the track; there are indeed many female students going for night walks, and quite a few boys running!"

Uesugi Sakura raised his arms to stretch his body, giving Murata a once-over with his eyes.

"Why... are you looking at me like that?" Murata instinctively stepped back two steps, crossing his arms over his chest.

Uesugi Sakura: "I was thinking, as the vice president of the Dance Department, you should be middle-class in the social circle of classmates. Why haven’t you dated anyone?"

"Damn, popular guy! Don’t scrutinize me, an ordinary person, with your popular perspective!"

"Do you also like playing games?"

"Why? Isn’t it okay?"

"Galgame?"

"Hmm? I’m surprised a popular guy like you knows about galgames?" Murata began to suspect Uesugi might be a fellow enthusiast.

"I have a friend who plays galgames too."

"So what?"

"Well, he didn’t date throughout high school, and now... his dad is forcing him to date an arrogant young lady. Why do you think that is?"

Murata didn’t get it: "Why?"

Uesugi Sakura walked to his side and patted his shoulder earnestly: "Because games consume time, you have to understand some things are hard to acquire simultaneously. You can’t have two pleasures at once; you need to choose."

"I’m heading off now, keep it up, see you tomorrow."

Uesugi Sakura waved and walked out of the dance room.

Watching his silhouette disappear at the doorway, Murata silently recited in his heart: "Lies, all deceptive lies... Isn’t life about working hard so you can play games more comfortably in the end? Who needs a girlfriend..."

...

Uesugi Sakura strolled slowly through the campus at night with his hands in his pockets.

The weeds growing from the bushes were parted by his advancing right leg, and the spider lurking under the grass observed everything outside with its compound eyes quietly.

He looked quite carefree, but inwardly he felt somewhat lonely.

Uesugi Sakura walked to a vending machine emitting a faint light by the roadside, glanced at the drinks displayed above, inserted coins, and after hesitating between coffee and cola, pressed the button for cola.

He continued walking into the chilly December wind, holding the cold aluminum can of cola, one hand in his pocket, and proceeded slowly onward.

He walked to the school’s rear garden by the creek, where the light was dim, with only a solitary bench standing beside a willow tree.

Uesugi Sakura stopped, suddenly feeling that the scenery was somewhat poetic.

A streetlamp, a willow tree, a wooden bench, lit by dim light from above.

Taking out his phone from his pocket, he snapped a picture and posted an image update on Twitter without caption.

Then he sat on the bench, trying to engage in an activity called "resting."

While sipping cola, he watched the awake black swan and a few ducks in the river.

Humans often feel like nothing is enjoyable.

But occasionally find it delightful to watch ants crawling on the ground or ducks swimming on the river.

People would calm themselves to observe why it floats, and how the webbed feet propel it forward through the water.

And from there, discover many wondrous things.

The cold wind that hit the face permeated through the skin into the neckline, causing shivers all over the body.

Uesugi Sakura pulled his collar, put on a hat, and stayed like this in the quiet, cold night.

Soon, the cola was also finished.

Seeing the nearest trash can was a dozen meters away, he didn’t feel like walking over, glanced at it, stood up, and crushed the can with both hands into a flat shape, mimicking a shot-put movement.

Pulling back his right leg, turning sideways, he backhandedly flung the can into the air.

The flattened cola can glided through the air along a curvature, landing accurately in the opposite trash can.