Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard-Chapter 923 - 540: Christmas Eve Reunion (Part 2)

At that time, I might also end up confused like Uncle, living in a daze, just existing for the sake of it.

Uesugi Sakura looked at the warm family in front of him... His heart was truly full of emotions.

Living a lifetime again, truly, he gained so much, so very much.

Sakura put away the feelings stirring inside and walked in with a smile on his face.

"Sakura, why were you standing at the door just now?" Mrs. Hanamaru, who was cooking in the living room, smiled at him.

"I... was just thinking about some things..."

"You little guy, come sit and eat, stop thinking about things. As for your uncle, I had Hiroki deliver a prepared dinner to him earlier. It’s not a feast, but it should be enough for him to eat alone, so don’t worry."

"Hmm..."

Sakura watched the silhouettes of the two mothers busy in the kitchen, "I’ll help with chopping some vegetables."

"Go, go, go!"

Mrs. Hanamaru waved her hand at him with a smile, "Go join Hanabi and Hanami. Today you’re here to eat, leave the cooking to us."

Mrs. Uesugi added, "Yes, we didn’t even ask Hanabi for help. You just go out, the remaining dishes will be ready soon, then we can start eating."

"Go, go, go!" Mrs. Hanamaru waved him off with a smile again.

Sakura looked at the two mothers and smiled as well: "Then I’ll go rest, waiting for the feast."

"Oh, stop nagging, just go already, stop being so fussy."

Criticized by his mother-in-law, Sakura instead felt happy. He went to the living room, greeted Shio, and was pulled by Yuuki to sit together with Hanabi.

"Sis, I’m going to the bathroom, we’ll talk about makeup later."

"Ah... okay."

On the long sofa, only the two remained, with two babies who just learned to call their parents.

Sakura glanced at Hanamaru Hanami and Uesugi Shin, smiling, and said to Hanamaru Hanabi: "Shouldn’t we also have a few adorable kids in the future?"

"It depends on Sakura-kun. How many does Sakura-kun want?"

"I... I want them, but I also don’t."

"Why?"

"Because having kids signifies the end of our youth. We’re married, have a family, and become mom and dad... Everything will be different."

"Is Sakura-kun missing high school days?"

Sakura lowered his gaze, looking at his hand, nodded, and said: "I do miss it a bit."

Then, he saw a soft white hand on his own; unlike previous days, it wasn’t cold but was full of warmth and tenderness...

Sakura met her gaze.

Their eyes met, the girl’s vibrant purple eyebrows and eyes, tender like snow.

"Sakura-kun... Hanabi also misses high school, because it’s when Sakura-kun confessed to Hanabi... Every day we happily interacted, every day we happily found the sparkle in each other, and the changes brought about by the transformation of our relationship.

"But the memories aren’t just of high school, but also middle school, junior high, elementary school, and when we first met...

"Sakura-kun, all these are memories, memories that seem particularly precious now."

"But it doesn’t mean we aren’t happy now. We’re still together, still able to look at each other, feel each other, listen to each other speak, see each other’s face...

"Hanabi thought the happiest moment was when Hanabi and Sakura-kun got married... But it really isn’t, like he said, the happiness of Hanabi and Sakura-kun has just begun, starting from the happiest point, with no visible end, just as long as we remain by each other’s side... Happiness will continue, won’t it?"

As Hanabi spoke these words, both hands were already on his hand, her cute little face showing a sincere and lovely smile.

Sakura forever remembers her smile, truly forever remembers her smile to him.

A smile a hundred times more beautiful than cherry blossoms...

"Hanabi..."

Sakura found himself unable to do anything at that moment but watch her smile, calling her name.

"So!" Hanamaru Hanabi suddenly said with a pout, "Sakura-kun made Hanabi angry, that’s wrong! He needs to accept punishment!"

"Hmm... Whatever Hanabi-chan says, I’ll do it."

"Sakura-kun now sees how good Hanabi is..."

"I’ve always known... It’s just... occasionally I make mistakes... This isn’t an excuse for my errors; I genuinely want to change."

"Since you genuinely want to change! Then Hanabi wants to tell Sakura-kun!"

"Hmm, go ahead."

"After this big crisis, Hanabi wants to always reserve 1% of un-forgiveness, letting him constantly remember his mistakes, so that next time, he won’t make them again."

"I understand..."

"Then let’s pinky swear!" Hanamaru Hanabi extended her little finger to him.

Another pinky swear, huh...

Such a childish act, but Uesugi Sakura didn’t mind at all.

He put his hand up, linking his pinky finger with hers.

Following her, he recited like a nursery rhyme:

"Pinky swear, promise, if you lie, you’ll swallow a thousand needles."

Finally, their big thumbs pressed together, one big and one small.

Uesugi Sakura and Hanamaru Hanabi didn’t let go, instead looking at each other and smiling.

"Hey brother-in-law! Making pinky promises with my sister behind my back! I want in too!" Hanamaru Yuuki shouted as she emerged from the bathroom, seeing the scene.

"What are you up to?"

"Pinky swear!"

"Eh, my deal with Hanabi has nothing to do with you." Uesugi Sakura batted her hand away.

Hanamaru Yuuki withdrew her hand, wearing a pitiful expression: "Sister, brother-in-law is bullying me."

Hanamaru Hanabi chuckled behind her hand, "This time, I’m siding with Sakura-kun."

"Fine! Both of you are bullying me! I’m going to find auntie!"

Hanamaru Yuuki’s angry face lasted only a moment before she beamed and hugged Hanamaru Hanabi’s arm, "Just kidding, sister."

"Alright! You guys, go call the two old guys chatting outside, it’s time for dinner!"

Upon hearing it’s dinner time, Hanamaru Yuuki got quite excited:

"Yay! Christmas dinner!"

The atmosphere at dinner was quite lively, the aroma of the food lingering.

The sukiyaki in the center bubbled and steamed.

"Hey kid, come on!" A slightly tipsy Hanamaru Hiroki shoved a bottle of beer in front of Uesugi Sakura.

"Oh dear, little Sakura isn’t even twenty yet, can’t drink." Mrs. Hanamaru joked on the side, though she made no real move to stop him.

"What do you mean not an adult, he ran off with the daughter I adore most! And he’s not an adult! Kid, down it in one go! Kenichi, you’ve got no objections, right!"

Uesugi Kenichi chuckled, "Absolutely none!"

Hanamaru Hiroki surveyed the table, "Nobody objects, right!"

"Drink! Brother-in-law has to drink!" Hanamaru Yuuki was thrilled, joining in on the fun.

At this point, even Hanamaru Hanabi didn’t support him, whispering to him, "Sakura-kun, drink a little less."

"Kid! Drink up! Bottoms up!"

With the father-in-law pressing him, Uesugi Sakura glanced at the beer in front of him, grabbed the bottle, and started drinking from the mouth.

Gulp, gulp, gulp.

His throat bobbing.

In no time, the bottle was empty.

"Good! Another one!"

Hanamaru Hiroki pulled another beer from behind him, effortlessly opening it with a bottle opener.

"Kid! Keep drinking!"

Uesugi Sakura didn’t refuse, grabbing the bottle to drink again!

"Good!"

Hanamaru Hiroki laughed, "I didn’t see you drink so readily at the wedding feast, messing with me when you married Hanabi, huh?"

The way the father-in-law spoke was like an ordinary man, even Mrs. Hanamaru couldn’t help but give him a playful slap.

"No... it’s just Hanabi wouldn’t let me drink too much... said it’s not good to drink too much."

"So are you drinking today or not?"

Uesugi Sakura glanced at Hanamaru Hanabi and found she said nothing.

"Drink!"

"Alright!" Hanamaru Hiroki replied loudly, calling in Uesugi Kenichi, "Today, the two of us will get this kid drunk, for leading my lovely daughter away!"

"Alright!"

Uesugi Kenichi was naturally happy to agree.

Then, the first half of this Christmas dinner was spent with Hanamaru Hanabi and the others watching as the three men guzzled from the bottles.