CHAPTER 344: CHAPTER 261 THE PERSON WHO RETURNED FROM CAPITAL CITY

Hanamaru Hanabi walked down from upstairs.

Today she’s wearing a French-style short-sleeved dress

with a sky blue gradient, cinched at the waist with a white belt into a bow tie at the back.

Pure white tights, black leather shoes.

The overall style is fresh and light.

According to Uesugi Sakura, girls really know how to dress up. The outfit is beautifully matched and eye-catching. If the wind blows when she walks, she appears elegant and airy.

Her pace is always calm, at least when she walks over, it rarely stirs even a slight breeze.

Hanamaru Hanabi sat next to Uesugi Sakura and picked up the little guy from beside him who was looking up and calling her sister.

As she leaned in closer, she caught a whiff of a ’secret indulgence’ smell.

With slightly puzzled eyes, she looked at him and asked:

"Why does Sakura-kun have a milk powder scent on him?"

Uesugi Sakura stole a glance at Mrs. Uesugi on the other side, who was preparing to mix milk powder for his sister again.

"It tasted good, so I secretly drank a bit."

Hanamaru Hanabi knew what milk powder tasted like, a faint sweetness with just a hint of fishiness.

She glanced at Mrs. Uesugi and then at Uesugi Shin, who was sitting in his arms.

She more or less understood that he must have been secretly drinking his sister’s milk just now.

If you leaned in and smelled, there was still the aftertaste of milk on his mouth.

"Does Sakura-kun like drinking milk powder?" Hanamaru Hanabi pinched Hanamaru Hanami’s cheek, as if to verify how tender a child’s skin was.

"How could that be, I was just curious for a moment." Making sure his mother wasn’t paying attention, Uesugi Sakura repositioned his almost-slipping sister Uesugi Shin onto his lap.

"But, Sakura-kun, the scent on you is quite strong..."

"Quite strong?"

The milk bottle was 225 milliliters, and he drank at most 170; the rest was polished off by little Hanami.

Mrs. Uesugi probably realized her son was sneakily drinking his sister’s milk by now too.

But since they’re a family, she didn’t reprimand her son for bullying his little sister.

Uesugi Sakura sniffed himself, sensing a hint of baby smell.

Oh well, let it be. Just drank a bottle of milk.

After finishing the milk powder—no, after breakfast, it was time to go out.

It didn’t take long to get from near Tokyo University to Shinjuku District.

Taking the train only takes about twenty minutes.

But Uesugi Sakura always thought that commuting by train every day might prompt him to buy a car.

As for getting a driver’s license, he could seek help from his father-in-law.

Just self-study a bit and go take the exam at the police station.

On Sundays, there are fewer people on the train compared to weekdays.

Most office workers on their day off prefer staying in for a restful break rather than a leisurely holiday.

Uesugi Sakura found a vacant spot to sit down, and when Hanamaru Hanabi sat beside him, her white tights subtly revealed the tender pink flesh of her legs peeking out from under her skirt.

Her thighs pressed against the seat, causing a slight compression.

A subtly seductive vibe.

Uesugi Sakura spent the whole ride stealing glances while avoiding her gaze.

Letting her know shouldn’t be a big deal.

But perhaps it’s better that she remains unaware.

The train moved along and stopped at the stations.

As the sound of the train doors reopening played, Uesugi Sakura saw a pair of people carrying kendo bags step in.

They had a good demeanor, stood with poise in casual dress, with bags behind them with a small-patterned seigaiha wooden sword cover.

The front was even adorned with special prints.

Three cherry blossoms, possible a family crest.

Siblings or brother and sister?

Uesugi Sakura knew that some large Japanese clans still pass down family crests, but after living here for so many years, he only recognized the Emperor’s large chrysanthemum and the Minamoto Clan’s gentian crest.

Apparently, his Uesugi surname once belonged to a famous noble family too.

"Next station, Yu Island, next station, Yu Island"

After Yu Island comes New Ochazuke, then it’s a transfer to the Tozai Line at Otemachi.

Uesugi Sakura got off the train with Hanamaru Hanabi and two mothers, preparing to transfer to the Tozai Line for Waseda Station.

This is Chiyoda District, also home to Tokyo’s largest subway station; stepping outside the station leads to the Imperial Palace.

Off the train, they were greeted by a cluster of vending machines lined up together.

Japan’s vending machines are truly omnipresent.

Selling water, bananas, tights, books, amulets, cooked noodles...

Even by the rivers used for fishing, they have specialized vending machines for fresh bait.

Walking through the subway station, one obvious sight is—most middle-aged adults are balding.

A suited and booted balding middle-aged man carrying a briefcase and anxiously checking his watch is a common sight.

Correspondingly, the train’s advertising screens also promote hair growth products.

As people reach middle age with family responsibilities and the stress of working in Japan, balding can be a psychological blow to one’s confidence.

They can’t even afford a traditional chonmage hairstyle.

Maybe wives and kids at home also find the balding husband displeasing.

After a long day’s work, there are still judging eyes looking at your smooth hairline when you return home.

Uesugi Sakura couldn’t help but worry for his father, whose job is very busy.

"Hanabi, what will I do if I go bald in the future?"

Hanamaru Hanabi turned her head to look at him, her eyes shining as if imagining his bald self:

"You could actually shave it all off."

That isn’t a bad solution.

If there was thick hair on the sides and only a few strands left in the middle, it would look too middle-aged-man-ish.

Better to simply go bald and wear a wig.

As a side note, don’t casually mention ’bald’ in Japan.

Part of the reason middle-aged men still keep hair on the sides is because they don’t want to be recognized as ’bald’.