Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard-Chapter 939 - 548: Sakura’s Birthday Party (2)

After listening to these words, Hanamaru Hanabi smiled, turned over, and lay on his legs, looking up at his face:

"At least Sakura can still hold Hanabi and listen to her voice now."

Uesugi Sakura also nodded in agreement: "Yeah... at least I can still feel Hanabi now, and the warmth coming from her little hand."

Hanamaru Hanabi saw him smiling above and also smiled up at him:

"So, Sakura should cherish Hanabi... if you don’t pay attention, she’ll slip away."

Uesugi Sakura felt touched by her beauty, and everything before him started to become like a dreamy, elusive mist:

"Don’t say that, I’m really afraid you’ll slip away... when I see your face, I feel like you’ll disappear when the car lights flash."

"Hanabi isn’t as mysterious as Sakura says!"

"It’s true... you’re like a Dandelion, a moment of inattention and you’re gone in the blue sky."

Uesugi Sakura looked at her and spoke earnestly: "After all... a girl like Hanabi really only exists in dreams, in the heart, and in thoughts."

"So, what does Sakura think he is in Hanabi’s heart?"

"What is it?"

"A secret..."

Uesugi Sakura smiled: "Still keeping me in suspense?"

"Sakura, Hanabi understands, even between lovers, there should be some reserve, otherwise after a long time, you’ll lose the novelty with each other... Of course, this doesn’t apply to Hanabi, it’s about Sakura. So, Hanabi wants to keep secrets."

"Twisted reasoning."

"It’s not twisted reasoning at all!"

"I don’t care, it’s twisted reasoning, Hanabi is so good to me... why would I think about anything else."

Suddenly Hanamaru Hanabi released her interlocked fingers, extended her arms to embrace his face, and then with her purple eyes, looked up at him and said:

"Sakura... Hanabi is a person who easily feels content, actually as long as I can see Sakura happy, I’m satisfied. I used to think, if Sakura finds another girl, Hanabi would secretly watch him, not disturb him, or let him see."

"Why don’t you want me to see?"

"Because even if Hanabi feels content... actually, I’ll still be unhappy, very disappointed... Hanabi is afraid Sakura won’t be able to resist caring for her... at that time Hanabi truly couldn’t bear Sakura’s concern... just thinking about him still liking other girls, Hanabi feels content... but really can’t take it."

Hanamaru Hanabi said this, her beautiful and moving face made one ache.

They had actually shared many heartfelt conversations before, but every time, he couldn’t help but be moved by her.

Uesugi Sakura smiled as he half-embraced her, letting her small arms wrap around his neck, then looking into her eyes, he pressed his forehead against her little forehead.

Pressing their foreheads together, it seemed like the snowflakes outside the train had become warm.

"Do you feel it?"

"Feel what?"

"Your husband’s love flowing from his mind."

A long silence followed.

"... No..."

"Hmm? At this moment shouldn’t little Hanabi say, ’Yes, I feel it, the intense love flowing from Sakura’s mind’?"

"But... Hanabi really doesn’t feel anything, just Sakura’s forehead feels a bit hot, aren’t you running a fever?"

"Hanabi-chan, you should cooperate with me a little, at least I’m half an artist, maybe if I’m happy, I’ll write you a poem."

"What’s romantic about writing poetry... Hanabi’s requirement is simple, just spend more time with Hanabi."

"What? I pretty much spend every day with you."

"It’s still not enough!"

"Bad... the topic was skewed by Sakura again!"

"Hahaha."

...

Quietly alone together again, for a while.

The train was still running, each time it started and stopped, no one came in.

It seemed like night had fallen, and on this Christmas night, everyone had returned home, spending a happy night with the one they love.

Uesugi Sakura even believes now there must be many boys confessing to girls they like.

Some girls are moved, some girls refuse.

Uesugi Sakura prefers the scene when a girl accepts the confession.

Because he fully understands the unexpressable excitement boys feel at that moment.

That moment is thrilling happiness.

"Hey Hanabi, why don’t you sing a song for me? It’s been a while since I heard you sing."

"What do you want to hear, Sakura-kun? Merry Christmas?"

"No, just a simple birthday song."

"But when we get home, everyone will sing for you together."

"I was thinking, Hanabi-chan, to sing just for me... because in my head, I’ve always imagined a scene:

"A girl carefully preparing a birthday cake at home for someone she likes, hanging up a banner, blowing up balloons; she’s wearing a birthday crown, smiling, clapping her hands, and singing ’Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday’ to the person she likes in front of her... and at the end, cheerfully clapping her hands, happily saying ’Happy Birthday Sakura-kun!’"

Uesugi Sakura said this, managed a slight smile, and spoke to the girl’s cute face,

"That night should have been like this... and I should have been enjoying Hanabi-chan’s cheerful wishes... blowing out the candles amidst her happy applause, then looking up at her as she smiles and repeats ’Happy 19th Birthday Sakura-kun!!’"

Listening to him, Hanamaru Hanabi closed her eyes, imagined that scene, and smiled:

"Didn’t Sakura-kun say you don’t like celebrating birthdays? Now it sounds so happy and hopeful."

"Silly, the important thing isn’t the birthday... but the everyday with Hanabi-chan, the happiness of seeing her bless me... If I were alone... it doesn’t matter whether I celebrate or not."

"Are you saying that many of Sakura-kun’s actions are driven by Hanabi’s influence?"

"Um..."

Hanamaru Hanabi sat up from his lap, looked at him amid the sound of the train, and said:

"Then... Hanabi will reluctantly agree to Sakura-kun’s request, singing a birthday song just for him while there’s no one else on the train."

"Alright."

Uesugi Sakura agreed, then watched the flickering lights, Hanamaru Hanabi with a smile in her eyes, softly and gently, like a spring breeze brushing past the ear, sang:

"Happy Birthday to you~ Happy Birthday to you~ Happy Birthday to you~ Happy Birthday to you..."

Uesugi Sakura rested his face in one hand, elbow on the train’s backrest, enjoying her singing, until Hanamaru Hanabi suddenly stopped.

"What’s wrong?"

"Isn’t it a bit childish?"

"Childish is fine, birthday songs are all the same." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Not really, there’s another version we hear often: ’Today is joyous, today is happy, happy birthday to you, let’s sing together!’ "

Uesugi Sakura laughed again: "Feels like Hanabi-chan would make a great kindergarten teacher, you really have patience."

"Hanabi has considered that... No wait! Sakura-kun, do you still want to listen?"

"Yes, go ahead."

"Then... Hanabi will continue," Hanamaru Hanabi cleared her throat, then continued smiling, singing to him, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU~~HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU~~HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YO."

"Pfft—hahaha, Hanabi’s English is terrible! Plus an accent!"

"Sakura-kun, you’re mean! Hanabi sang just for you!"

"Sorry, sorry, didn’t mean to mock you, but it’s really strange."

"It’s not Hanabi’s fault if I can’t speak English well!"

"Haha, isn’t that Hanabi’s fault?"

"Sakura-kun, you’re too mean! I was so moved! I’ll hit you!"

"No, no, I know I was wrong, sweetheart, I know I was wrong!"

"Oh yeah, still daring to laugh! I’ll hit Sakura-kun!"

"Hahaha."

Their joyful banter echoed with delight through the carriage, which only had the two of them.

The train continued in the dark night toward home, the black Tokyo sky once again filled with falling white snowflakes.