CHAPTER 420: CHAPTER 302: A CLASSMATE’S REQUEST_2

"No need, no need, it’s nothing." Umezu Nana waved her hand to refuse, but her expression seemed like she had something more to say.

"What are we eating?" Todaka Keichiro placed his tray on the table after finishing ordering and pulled out the chair next to Uesugi Sakura.

"Matsukawa Cuisine." Uesugi Sakura picked up a cherry tomato with her chopsticks and placed it in her mouth.

"Matsukawa? That high-end restaurant in Minato?"

Todaka Keichiro split his chopsticks and immediately smiled, "Uesugi, are you really treating me to kaiseki? It’s not cheap, you know. Besides, you need to book three months in advance, can’t wait that long."

"No problem, as long as you want to eat there, you can go anytime, I’ve got connections." Uesugi Sakura picked up another cherry tomato; she ordered a vegetable salad set, preferring lighter foods lately.

"Uesugi—" Todaka Keichiro dragged out his tone and leaned over to check her calm expression, "You’re not some sort of aristocrat’s child, are you?"

Uesugi Sakura turned her head and gave a slight smile, "Do you think I am?"

"You seem like it, but you completely lack that vulgar taste of money and power." Todaka Keichiro stroked his chin thoughtfully, "Speaking of which, although I don’t want to gossip, there are some law professors who do have that vibe."

Umezu Nana glanced at Seisa Takeshun: "Seisa-kun... Do you plan to go into politics with Professor Kawamura?"

Uesugi Sakura remembered that a while ago he attended some salon gathering for a cabinet secretary.

A salon gathering sounds nice, but bluntly, it’s a talent recruitment event.

Family backgrounds and such are thoroughly understood.

Uesugi Sakura didn’t go, as his good friend Professor Okuno advised him against getting involved before leaving on a business trip.

Apparently, the professor was coming back soon.

Seisa Takeshun said, "No, it’s still uncertain at the moment."

Although many predecessors from Tokyo University have entered Kasumigaseki, it’s better to keep this topic lightly touched upon.

Don’t say much, don’t ask much.

Tokyo University is a web of connections; if there are seniors in future workplaces, they will help juniors from the same institution to rise swiftly.

Because once inside the system, one bears the Tokyo University insignia, and from then on, mostly belongs to the same faction.

Uesugi Sakura: "How about it? Would you like me to treat you once?"

"Matsukawa Cuisine?" Todaka Keichiro tried asking.

"Yes."

"That would be great of course!"

"But you really shouldn’t make Uesugi-kun spend so much." Umezu Nana said.

"It’s just simple food," Uesugi Sakura turned to Seisa Takeshun, "Seisa-kun, are you free?"

"I am, but I feel like it’s troubling the senior."

Matsukawa Cuisine is an entirely referral-based restaurant, with a cost per person of 30,000 yen, making it 120,000 for four people.

It’s nearly a month’s salary for a convenience store employee.

Though the restaurant hasn’t been around for a century, it is immensely popular.

A good restaurant doesn’t need historical accumulation, what it needs is the chef’s skill.

"No trouble, if you have others you’d like to bring, feel free to bring them." Uesugi Sakura said as she picked up food with her chopsticks.

"Really?" Todaka Keichiro didn’t expect her to be so generous.

"As you wish."

Uesugi Sakura thought she couldn’t forget Hanabi while dining well, planning to bring her along too.

Seeing everyone agreed, Uesugi Sakura continued, "Then I’ll check for any available days soon and message you."

"Okay! (in Chinese)"

Umezu Nana laughed, "Why is your Chinese so funny?"

"I think my accent’s fine."

Uesugi Sakura: "Your English is standard Japanese English."

Dining, wherever it is, holds a human touch; they helped, so Uesugi Sakura would reciprocate.

She continued eating her lunch from the cafeteria, finding the vegetable salad refreshing, but feeling it seemed a bit dry and tasteless.

Leaving the Central Cafeteria, Uesugi Sakura planned to stop by the library, aiming to complete her studies for this semester.

"Uesugi-kun."

Turning under the ginkgo trees, Uesugi Sakura was highlighted by sun rays piercing through the leaves, shining on the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose, making his elegant profile appear intelligent and handsome.

"Anything else? If it’s about schoolwork, I’ll try my best to help if I can answer."

Umezu Nana smiled awkwardly, "Haha, honestly, I don’t know if I should be telling you this."

"Mm."

"If Uesugi-kun has things to do, I won’t trouble you."

"It’s fine, go ahead."

After hesitating for a moment, Umezu Nana spoke, "I’m the eldest in my family, with two younger brothers, strict father, loving mother, and a rather harmonious household. My father is a corporate executive, very busy daily, and due to his personality, he’s always had many demands of me. I’m nearing twenty, now he’s becoming more pressing..."

"..."

Uesugi Sakura already guessed where this was going, "Are you asking me to pretend to be your boyfriend?"

"That’s what I meant, haha." Umezu Nana laughed awkwardly, put her hands together in apology, "Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you, amongst all my friends only Uesugi-kun seems suitable."

"And Seisa and Todaka?"

"Seisa-kun wouldn’t work; my father doesn’t like his type. Todaka-kun... I asked him, but his girlfriend didn’t agree."

Uesugi Sakura pondered for a moment, "I’m sorry, I can’t give you an answer right now."

"No problem, I understand, this kind of thing... it’s somewhat awkward... haha, and Uesugi-kun just mentioned going to Matsukawa Cuisine? I thought perhaps during that occasion, I could let my father be a bit reassured about my situation."

Uesugi Sakura pondered it carefully, meeting at Matsukawa Cuisine might be convenient.

Previously, Umezu Nana had helped her, and she had promised that if Umezu needed anything, she’d try her best.

It was a given promise; Uesugi Sakura wasn’t fond of going back on her word.

"Let’s do this, I’ll ask my fiancée about it; as long as she agrees, I can do it."

Accompanying the meal at Matsukawa Cuisine, he’d bring along Hanabi, with her supervising, nothing unexpected would happen.

Of course, provided Hanabi agreed to him pretending to be someone else’s boyfriend.

"Really? Thank you, Uesugi-kun, it won’t take up much of your time, just enough to make my father somewhat at ease, my mother is quite agreeable."

"No problem," Uesugi Sakura smiled, "every family has its challenges, as classmates, I’ll help if I can."

After politely thanking him a few more times, Umezu Nana headed off to her elective course.

Pretending to be someone else’s boyfriend?

Uesugi Sakura guessed little Hanabi might get jealous, whether she’d agree was uncertain.

But just a half-hour meeting outside shouldn’t be an issue.

She made her way to the comprehensive library.

After entering Tokyo University, she realized how profound the knowledge at a prestigious institution is.

In the library, she could borrow books that were difficult to buy outside and see many works by seniors and numerous Nobel laureates’ study notes.

Documents, theses, cutting-edge knowledge, all ready to be viewed and studied.

Upon actually setting foot in the library of a prestigious school, seeing many terms and books never before known, one would then realize how minuscule their knowledge really is, and even the great person portraits on the walls become hard to interpret.

Things people pondered on for a lifetime can be learned within a year if time allows, isn’t that fortunate enough?

Human energy is limited, Uesugi Sakura didn’t plan to learn all these things completely.

The essence of countless human lifelong knowledge is far harder to research and study than imagined.