Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard-Chapter 876 - 516: Warmth Shrouded by Moonlight

"Sakura-kun."

"Hmm, I’m here." Uesugi Sakura replied patiently, trying to provide her with a sense of security through his voice.

The strands of hair hanging by her ear shimmered softly under the bright moonlight.

"Do you remember the time you and Hanabi watched the moon together...?"

"Which day?"

"The day you told Hanabi that the moonlight was beautiful... Even though Hanabi is dumb... She could still understand the meaning behind your words."

Every time Uesugi Sakura heard her call herself dumb, his heart would tighten.

When she called herself dumb, it was as though she was willingly revealing her childhood insecurities and self-doubt. Just hearing her gentle words and seeing her flickering, violet eyes, a feeling of tenderness would well up inside him.

"What happened that day?"

"It’s just... on that day, you made Hanabi’s heart flutter significantly..."

"And before?" Uesugi Sakura smiled.

"Before, I liked you too, but that was a feeling from our... dating days; compared to back then, it feels entirely different." Hanamaru Hanabi’s voice grew softer, her gaze more evasive.

Even if she were now tapping her fingers together in front of her, Uesugi Sakura wouldn’t be surprised at all.

Gazing at her face illuminated by the bright moonlight, Uesugi Sakura felt she looked so small and adorable at this moment.

"Hanabi-chan..."

"Hmm..."

"Even though the timing is not right, I must say... I’m sorry..."

Hanamaru Hanabi hesitated for a moment, then buried her head, saying, "Sakura-kun... you big dummy..."

"Mm..." Uesugi Sakura nodded, also burying his face, "I’m a dummy."

"I’ve called you a big dummy so many times, but the big dummy just doesn’t understand."

"My fault."

The air conditioning gently blew as Hanamaru Hanabi’s exposed shoulder tucked inward. She hugged the quilt over her legs quietly for a while, speaking in an extremely gentle and patient tone:

"Sakura-kun... although you have apologized to Hanabi, and Hanabi feels your sincerity... Hanabi still cannot accept your apology at this moment.

"The male lead must work hard to be with the female lead; the prince must slay the dragon before returning home to marry the princess. Just like a love game, today’s meeting is just a step to increase affection... It cannot be considered the end of the journey. Hanabi still cannot accept Sakura-kun’s apology now."

"So, what is my current affection level?"

"1 point."

"Only 1 point?" Uesugi Sakura glanced at her arms, pale and radiant, wrapped around the quilt.

"If it weren’t for Sakura-kun, anyone else wouldn’t even get 1 point of affection from Hanabi... Sakura-kun... this time, you were so mean, ignoring Hanabi all the time, not coming home at night, not returning even on your birthday... so mean, so annoying..."

The girl’s voice grew smaller and smaller.

Uesugi Sakura knew that she understood his difficulties and the reasons for his absence.

Yet, no matter how many reasons there were, not being by her side meant not being there, her feelings of loneliness and solitude were undeniable facts.

"Hanabi... made your favorite cake on your birthday, thinking that as long as you apologized... Hanabi would fully forgive you... But Hanabi made the cake, blew up the balloons, hung the banner and the letters on the ladder in the room... Then, turned off the lights, waiting for your return... But Hanabi kept waiting, kept waiting... The hallway remained silent, Hanabi didn’t know what she felt at the time, just that she wanted to curl up, hide in a small space, and quietly fall asleep."

The more Hanamaru Hanabi spoke, the tighter she clutched the quilt, sitting on the bed with her small body curled up.

"I’m sorry... Hanabi..."

Hanamaru Hanabi lifted her eyes to glance at him, then quickly turned away, her violet eyes glistening with unshed tears: "I don’t want your apology, Sakura-kun. Hanabi... just thought saying these things might make her feel a little better, after all, you said not to keep things bottled up inside."

"So... do you hate me now?" Uesugi Sakura asked with concern.

"Hate you!" Hanamaru Hanabi immediately replied, then buried her face into the quilt on her knees, "Not really hate..."

Uesugi Sakura didn’t dwell on her contradicting words, "What do I have to do... for you to forgive me?"

"Sakura-kun... you big dummy... It’s something you should think about yourself, not ask Hanabi..."

Although her voice was still soft and small, Uesugi Sakura could clearly feel her mood gradually improving.

He remembered what his mother-in-law said to him in the hallway: [Be proactive, be bold!]

Before marriage, Uesugi Sakura felt he had no reservations; after marriage... he seemed to be too considerate of her feelings and less proactive.

Perhaps because of this, Hanabi felt insecure so easily?

Uesugi Sakura got up and sat on the girl’s bed.

Then, he gradually inched closer to her.

"Sakura-kun... what are you doing?" Hanamaru Hanabi shifted slightly to the side.

As she now only had two pieces of undergarments left, her figure looked so small and adorable in the soft moonlight from the window.

"I just want... to be a bit closer to you." Uesugi Sakura moved a little bit closer.

"But Hanabi hasn’t accepted your apology yet." Hanamaru Hanabi also shifted a bit outward.

"So, does Hanabi... not like me anymore?"

"Hanabi, Hanabi never said that..." Hanamaru Hanabi’s tone became obviously more hurried, but with his approach, she still moved a little bit outward.

"Hanabi-chan, since you like me, me getting a little closer to you shouldn’t be something you’d dislike, right?"

Upon hearing this question, Hanamaru Hanabi nodded naturally: "That’s true..."

But she immediately realized the disadvantage this brought her, shaking her small head at him: "That’s not true."

Uesugi Sakura laughed, "So, is it true?"

"It seems... it is, and it seems... it’s not... Sakura-kun, you better not ask this question."

Hanamaru Hanabi glanced sideways and found herself huddled at the foot of the bed, with nowhere to escape but the floor.

Seeing his face getting closer, his breath intensifying, Hanamaru Hanabi buried her head in the blanket, not wanting him to see her blushing face.

However, this ostrich-like method of avoiding sandstorms was completely useless.

Not seeing does not mean not existing. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

It was only a short while before Hanamaru Hanabi felt a warm hand on her shoulder, and the girl’s body tensed almost at the same time.

Uesugi Sakura was also nervous at this moment; even though he wanted to be proactive, there had to be a limit to it.

If he was too aggressive——

No, thinking about all that useless stuff doesn’t help!

Uesugi Sakura looked at the girl burying her head in front of him, steeled himself, and pressed her onto the bed with both hands on her shoulders.

"Sakura-kun?!"

Hanamaru Hanabi obviously didn’t expect him to do that suddenly, and she was caught off guard as he pressed her down onto the soft bed.

Wearing pink shark pajamas, Uesugi Sakura directly kneeled at the edge of the bed, leaning forward, looking down at the girl whose face and eyes seemed flustered.

Her violet eyes were wide open, cheeks blushing adorably, and her exquisite face looked as perfect as a piece of art.

She was breathing rapidly, her heart beating faster, and the light fragrance of a girl’s scent was growing stronger.

From her neck to her collarbone to her shoulders, she had perfect lines, skin as crystalline as jade, and well-proportioned bones, all showcasing her petite and cute demeanor.

Perhaps it was because of her scant clothing, Hanamaru Hanabi’s face was even more bashful and flushed than usual.

Uesugi Sakura leaned towards her, "I’m sorry... Hanabi-chan, I was wrong."

"Sakura-kun... is this how you apologize?" Hanamaru Hanabi’s voice faltered as he drew closer, his breathing caressing her cheeks.

Uesugi Sakura did not speak, simply looking at her silently.

Time slipped away, and in the warm air blown by the air conditioner, the atmosphere gradually became ambiguous.

Hanamaru Hanabi’s eyes were clear as autumn waves, and she suddenly blushed, turning her face away.

She said nothing more.

Uesugi Sakura immediately understood her meaning.

Her expression and actions were saying—do as you please.

"Is that okay?"

In line with respecting her wishes, Uesugi Sakura asked her.

Hanamaru Hanabi crossed her white legs, grabbed a pillow to cover her face, speaking muffledly, "Even like this, Hanabi won’t forgive Sakura-kun."

"Really?"

"Hmm... forgiving and forgiving are completely different things."

Uesugi Sakura nodded in response without saying anything else.

Hanamaru Hanabi also covered her increasingly heated face with a pillow.

Uesugi Sakura got up again, approached her, and gently removed her pillow for a lingering kiss.

"Damn it! Sakura-kun, get away, get away!"

Hanamaru Hanabi’s hands flailed about, giving Sakura no chance to move closer.

"Little Hanabi, you’re the naughty one! Watch my tickle attack!"

"Haha, hahaha, Sakura-kun! You scoundrel!" Hanamaru Hanabi laughed weakly from being tickled, "No, don’t tickle Hanabi."

"What? Continue, alright, watch me increase the pressure!"

"Haha! Hahaha!" Hanamaru Hanabi found her hands useless, quickly using her feet to kick at him.

But who was Uesugi Sakura? A man with Accuracy lv10.

He grabbed her soft white foot and continued to tickle mercilessly.

"Big villain! No, stop! Hanabi won’t forgive Sakura-kun!"

"That’s not possible, looks like I’ll have to intensify this until Hanabi forgives me."

"Hahaha~~~" Hanamaru Hanabi was laughing, unable to catch her breath, "Hanabi, Hanabi forgives Sakura-kun, forgives Sakura-kun."

"Really?" Sakura immediately let go of her foot.

Unexpectedly, Hanamaru Hanabi quickly curled up in the corner of the bed with a pout:

"Not at all! You pervert, Hanabi hasn’t forgiven you!"

"Oh ho?" Sakura chuckled, his gaze landing on Hanamaru Hanabi’s exposed foot.

Hanamaru Hanabi, scared, quickly withdrew it and reached out to block his approaching figure:

"Don’t, don’t come any closer!!"

"This isn’t something Little Hanabi can decide, haha, take this!"

Hanamaru Hanabi closed her eyes, repeatedly using her pillow to hit him: "Annoying! Big villain!! Big villain!!!"