CHAPTER 364: CHAPTER 272: THE UPCOMING CHILDREN’S DAY ON JUNE 1ST.

After breakfast, the weather was just perfect.

Sunlight flooded into the living room, casting a golden hue on the floor.

"Who’s doing the dishes?"

Uesugi Sakura tossed the napkin he’d used to wipe his mouth toward the trash can, landing it accurately.

Hanamaru Hanabi took the bowls and chopsticks in front of him and stacked them with her own:

"Sakura, you can rest, I’ll wash them."

"If we live like this every day, are you going to do all these little chores?"

"Yes," Hanamaru Hanabi nodded her little head at him, then asked, "Is there something wrong with that?"

Uesugi Sakura took the bowls and chopsticks from her hands, "I should do it. I trouble you every day to cook for me."

"Sakura... how can you say it’s a trouble, I don’t feel bothered by it."

"Maybe you don’t feel that way, but to me, it feels like I’m imposing on you because you have no obligation to do this." Uesugi Sakura took the bowls and chopsticks she was holding, observing the way her small hands were placed before her.

Hanamaru Hanabi stroked the engagement ring on her ring finger and whispered to him, "A fiancée is obligated to take care of Sakura, isn’t she...?"

"Even a wife has no obligation, Hanabi chooses to cook and do laundry out of love and care. Since Hanabi has this kindness, it’s only natural that I should be considerate of you, so I’ll wash them."

Uesugi Sakura gave her a gentle smile and then took the dishes to the kitchen.

Turning on the faucet, water began to gather in the sink.

Just as he was washing dishes, Hanamaru Hanabi ran to his side.

"Aren’t you going to rest?" Uesugi Sakura asked.

"Let’s wash together." Hanamaru Hanabi took a foamy plate he had set aside and rinsed it in another sink.

The morning was bright, as two figures of differing heights stood together harmoniously and warmly.

——————————

May 31st, the last day of May.

Uesugi Sakura rarely went to Tokyo University.

Perhaps having caught the traditional "May sickness" of the university, he felt a bit sluggish.

He resolved to regain his momentum.

Aside from classes like Ideology and Culture, and Historical Culture from their Liberal Arts group three, he also attended an Astronomy lecture in a neighboring Science class.

In April, every classroom was packed with students.

Students held notebooks, with books under their arms, looking every bit like they were the nation’s top talents, full of enthusiasm.

But by the end of May, attendance had thinned and became lax.

Most couldn’t escape the word "lazy."

Closing his notebook after an Astronomy lesson that wasn’t particularly useful to him, Uesugi Sakura glanced once more at his schedule for the day.

There was still a language class.

Before sophomore year, students were required to learn a second foreign language, which would be tested, so they couldn’t afford to be careless.

As a result, language elective classes were the only ones with fully occupied classrooms.

After buying a bottle of water, Uesugi Sakura returned to the classroom, where a few classmates were already seated in the back row.

"Uesugi! Come over, I have a question for you." Todaka Keichiro waved and called out.

"What is it?" Uesugi Sakura walked over.

He handed him the phone.

Todaka Keichiro seemed to be reading The Peach Blossom Record, but it wasn’t the original version. Rather, it was someone’s analysis of the piece, gradually unveiling it into a land of the dead.

The text was entirely in Chinese.

Todaka must be studying, relying on a translation app for many of the words.

"Do you believe this?"

Uesugi Sakura sat beside him, knowing that he had been studying ancient Chinese texts for his coursework recently.

This article was likely something Todaka found online during his search.

"I don’t believe it. After reading the original text thirty-two times and researching the actual background of its creation, I think there’s no reason for the author to depict a ghostly land."

"Then why ask me? You seem to have your understanding."

"Understanding doesn’t mean I comprehend everyone’s perspective. I wanted to see what you thought."

Uesugi Sakura took the phone from him again, flipped through and reread the article, then returned it and said:

"It’s just a sensational topic."

Seisa Takeshun from behind asked, "Senior, what have you been busy with lately? The Kyudo Club has been wanting to invite you over."

"Not much, just a lot of stuff needing my attention recently, so please excuse me from the Kyudo Club for the time being."

Uesugi Sakura understood that the Kyudo Club always hoped he could participate more and perhaps offer some guidance to the newcomers.

But beyond occasionally adjusting his mood, there was no greater goal or expectation motivating him to go.

To spend more time with Hanabi, he decided to forgo the time spent going to the club.

Class sessions were merely a transition of time.

After class, Umezu Nana seemed to have some news to share with them.

She cleared her throat:

"Ahem, tomorrow is June 1st. Although our country doesn’t really celebrate International Children’s Day, we do have something planned for tomorrow."

"Children’s Day?" Todaka Keichiro tried to glean key information.

Umezu Nana continued, "Shirooka Affiliated Primary School invited students from our Liberal Arts class seven to spend some time with the little ones there, participating in the Children’s Day celebration."

Shirooka Primary School? Uesugi Sakura paused in packing up his laptop.

Todaka Keichiro couldn’t comprehend: "Why are we going to an elementary school’s Children’s Day?"

"To chat with them, discuss homework, share our lives, and talk about university life," Umezu Nana counted off on her fingers, "if possible, you can also help them with some crafts, explain classics, and foster cultural literacy."

In essence, it was to play with them.

The reason for the invitation? Because they were top-notch students from Tokyo University’s Literature Department.

Frequently, one could see middle and elementary school teachers leading tours around the Tokyo University campus, a testament to their admiration for the prestigious institution.

Having Tokyo University students help young kids chart their life goals and share their senior’s experiences was a perfectly normal developmental exchange, wasn’t it?

Seisa Takeshun softly asked, "Is it just our class seven?"

"Not only us, others are going too, but not everyone from each class," Umezu Nana turned to Uesugi Sakura, "Are you going, Uesugi? I need to submit the list to the dean."

Uesugi Sakura: "Can I bring someone from another school?"

————————————

Returning home in the evening, the rainy season was approaching quickly.

Even though he had just moved into this detached house, Uesugi Sakura was somewhat concerned about the shoe cabinet growing moldy.

So he left it open for ventilation.

Having just returned, he didn’t call out "I’m back" or anything, because then Hanabi would come pattering out to greet him.

Hanamaru Hanabi’s shoes were by the entrance, indicating she was already home.

Today, Uesugi Sakura wanted to secretly see what she was doing alone in the room.

Tiptoeing into the bedroom, Hanamaru Hanabi sat before the computer, deeply immersed in editing illustration lines, trying curves seven or eight times without much satisfaction, erasing and revising.

She was so focused that she didn’t notice someone standing behind her.

Uesugi Sakura took no action for the moment, watching her draw; this was likely the couple’s avatar illustration she’d promised to create earlier.

In the drawing, he was hugging her, and she was lying adorably in his embrace, their eyes meeting, filled with tender feelings.

"A bit in the style of a shoujo manga."

Unexpectedly, Uesugi Sakura’s face suddenly appeared next to her ear, and Hanamaru Hanabi yelped as if startled like a little rabbit, curling up on the chair, even dropping her pen.

Once she saw who it was, she realized he was smiling at her.

"Sakura!"

"What is it?"

"You didn’t call out when you came back, appearing behind me like that, you scared me... "

"I did it on purpose."

"You naughty!"

"I did it on purpose because Hanabi won’t watch horror movies with me."

Hanamaru Hanabi shook her head repeatedly with wide eyes, "I can’t watch those movies, they’d give me nightmares."

"Wouldn’t you hold me if you were scared?"

"Can’t hold you in my dreams."

Uesugi Sakura smiled at her and said, "Stand up."

Although puzzled, Hanamaru Hanabi obediently complied.

Uesugi Sakura sat down in her chair and then pulled her to sit on his lap.

"Sakura...?" Sitting on his lap felt strange to Hanamaru Hanabi, making her inexplicably shy.

While seated on Uesugi Sakura’s lap, her head just cleared his.

"Do you remember Shirooka Affiliated Primary School?" Uesugi Sakura looked up at her and asked.

"I remember, it’s the elementary school Hanabi and Sakura attended together."

"Tomorrow, we’re going back."

"Going back...? To do what, visit the teachers?"

"Our classmates from the Literature Department got invited to participate in their Children’s Day there, and I’m going."

"Does Sakura want Hanabi to come too...?"

"Children’s Day is open, so I think you can come along. We could also check in on Imanishi-sensei; she’s probably still teaching."

"That sounds nice."

"You agreed?" Uesugi Sakura held her waist. It was slender and small, soft even through her clothes.

Sometimes, he couldn’t help but marvel at how soft girls could be.

Feeling a bit mischievous, Uesugi Sakura squeezed her slender waist.

Hanamaru Hanabi pouted at him, moved his hand away from her waist, and then said:

"Yes, I’d like to go back and visit, it’s been a long time since I last saw Imanishi-sensei."

"Do you think she might have forgotten about us?" Uesugi Sakura placed his hand back on her waist.

"I doubt it... She even gave us gifts when we graduated." Hanamaru Hanabi tussled with his hand for a bit, found she couldn’t move it, and could only give up.

Uesugi Sakura, satisfied, hugged her tighter, causing her to lean into his embrace unwittingly, "Will she be surprised to find out we’re getting married?"

Seeing through his little scheme, Hanamaru Hanabi pressed her small hands against his chest, resisting his hug, mumbling:

"The old Sakura turned into this naughty Sakura."

Not letting me hug?

Uesugi Sakura wrapped his other arm around her silk-clad leg and lifted her up, making the petite girl nestle in his arms.

Her adorable appearance lay completely visible in his embrace.

"Do you want me to help tonight?"

Hanamaru Hanabi immediately averted her gaze, her face reddening, her shy voice murmuring like a whisper, "Sakura... is always thinking about that..."

"Ha, but Hanabi enjoys it, not me."

"Ugh, you’re awful!"

Hanamaru Hanabi gently tapped his chest in an apparent protest, her weak voice even softer, "Obviously, it’s Sakura’s fault..."

Lying in his arms, Uesugi Sakura noticed the delicate curve of her silk-clad leg as he lowered his gaze, the little ice-cream-like foot slightly revealed a faint blush, curling slightly, as if it too was shy.

"But... it feels good, right?"

Uesugi Sakura’s voice was like a whisper in her ear, causing the girl to blush adorably, her mind filled with vague fantasies.

Consequently, the more she thought, the more embarrassed she became.

Uesugi Sakura noticed Hanamaru Hanabi making small, animal-like sounds in his arms, her closed eyes seemingly signaling her shame.

Seeing her embarrassment, he smiled even bigger and asked:

"Hanabi, have you ever tried it alone before?"

Her face turning crimson, Hanamaru Hanabi suddenly pressed her hands against his chin, tightly shutting her eyes as she pushed his face away, turning her head in an attempt to avoid him:

"Sakura, you’re awful!"