CHAPTER 423: CHAPTER 304: ILLUSTRATIONS, FATHER, AND MATSUKAWA CUISINE

June is the rainy season, and sunny weather is scarce. Although it’s not raining now, the sky is devoid of sunshine.

Fortunately, the air is fresh, and there’s no need for an umbrella when going out, making the morning run much easier.

Uesugi Sakura replaced the water in the vase holding lilies in the living room, hoping they’d bloom a little longer.

It’s a pity those elegant flowers can’t be placed in the bedroom—the fragrance of lilies can easily cause sleeplessness.

After finishing these tasks, Uesugi Sakura pulled the still-sleepy Hanamaru Hanabi out for a morning run. Only after that was it time for breakfast.

Health is the foundation of learning and life, a fact he firmly remembers.

Uesugi Sakura spent the entire morning idling at home, waiting for Hanamaru Hanabi to return at noon.

Today he had no classes, but Hanabi did.

Uesugi Sakura read some miscellaneous books he borrowed from the Tokyo University library and checked the time on his phone screen.

It was still early.

He began casually browsing through social media updates.

A post from "SG Library" caught his attention for a moment.

It was an illustration of a pink-haired girl dressed in a Witch Dress.

She stood confidently beneath a blood-red Torii, her face radiant as jade, barefoot on mossy stones, exuding an extraordinary elegance with every subtle expression.

Upon closer inspection, one could spot a pink fox tail subtly appearing in the serene, quiet cedar forest behind her.

The tail was right behind the Witch Dress, and the beautiful play of light and shadow made it stand out, but the "fox tail" seemed to be shrouded in a mysterious aura as if casting an enchanting, ethereal smile amidst the indistinct cedar forest background.

Anyone could tell at a glance this was the work of an exceptionally skilled artist.

Uesugi Sakura recognized this as the illustration Hanamaru Hanabi completed a few days ago, from the fox tail.

The post was made 5 hours ago, with 632,000 views and 110,000 likes.

There were several highly-praised comments.

"Teacher Hanamaru!!!"

"Teacher Hanamaru!!!!!"

"SG Library finally matured! They understand what light novels are about, much to my relief."

"(screen licking) (screen licking) (screen licking)"

"Wow"

"Wow"

"Wow"

Uesugi Sakura wasn’t really into social media.

He had only registered an account to follow Hanabi’s updates as an illustrator.

Unless Hanabi posted something new, he generally wouldn’t log in to check.

SG Library was the company collaborating with Hanamaru Hanabi.

The praise for her kept Uesugi Sakura scrolling through the comments.

A large portion talked about how surprised and happy they were that Hanamaru Teacher (Hanabi’s illustrator account username) had started working.

The rest were curious about who was depicted, as SG Library hinted it was the protagonist of a particular light novel.

This promotional post was meant to build anticipation among the public, which would significantly boost sales.

Even Uesugi Sakura was curious about the story of this pink fox girl.

He had read the first edition’s first volume but hadn’t yet seen the author’s revised edition.

The more comments he read, the more he realized that Hanabi’s new illustration was incredibly popular.

Uesugi Sakura even considered writing his own light novel.

It wasn’t because he wanted to show off his literary skills.

He wanted to know how Hanabi imagined the characters he created.

Isn’t it fascinating and meaningful for a couple to collaboratively shape a character’s essence and image?

As he idled away until noon, Hanabi returned home.

In the afternoon, they had plans to visit Matsukawa Cuisine, so lunch was kept simple.

"Actually, there’s no need to dress up so much, right?"

Uesugi Sakura leaned against the bedroom door, watching Hanamaru Hanabi fuss about with different dresses in front of the mirror.

"Hanabi just wants to see which one fits better..." Hanamaru Hanabi held up a plaid dress, comparing it to the one she was wearing.

"You’ve been at it for half an hour already. I’d say any dress looks fine."

"Does this one look good?" Hanamaru Hanabi held the plaid dress in front of her.

"Yes, it does."

"What about this one...?" She pulled out a cream floral dress from the wardrobe.

"Yes, it looks good." Uesugi Sakura met her expectant eyes, responding helplessly.

"Look at this one, would you?" She showed him a sea-blue pleated dress.

"Looks good, they all look good."

Hanamaru Hanabi let her hands drop, "It seems like you’re not being serious..."

"I assure you, I’m seriously looking."

"Really?"

"Really," Uesugi Sakura affirmed.

"Don’t lie to Hanabi..."

Seeing her slightly downcast mood, Uesugi Sakura reassured her, "Of course I won’t lie to you, I’d never bear to..."

"Then... the day before yesterday? When Hanabi asked when you’d returned, and you said an hour ago, but you had just come back." Hanamaru Hanabi’s voice grew softer.

"That was just a joke."

At that moment, seeing Hanabi’s profile made Uesugi Sakura recall a lot.

Her childhood smile, her current smile.

Mere moments of gazing at her earnest face brought a sudden wave of emotions, as if over a decade had passed in a flash.

Noticing her tightly clenched hands around her dress, Uesugi Sakura understood why she insisted on dressing up beautifully before going out.

She probably didn’t want to lose to that impostor girlfriend.

Such a jealous little girl.

Sakura approached her, resting his hands on her frail shoulders, "Rest assured, when it comes to matters of the heart, I would never deceive you, Hana-chan."

After a long pause, Hanamaru Hanabi slowly raised her head, her bright purple eyes gazing at him, and softly said in her unique tender voice:

"Even jokes aren’t okay... Hanabi really lacks self-confidence..."

"I won’t joke about our feelings. Haven’t you noticed I treat all our emotional matters seriously?"

Uesugi Sakura rested his forehead against hers, warming her small head, "Just like I said before, Hanabi is the only girl I would go all out to chase."

"Hmm..."

Hanamaru Hanabi’s eyes wandered to her hands clenched around her dress, and weakly she asked, "Is that classmate of yours pretty...?"

"Although it’s not nice to judge others, Hanabi will always be the most beautiful in my heart."

"Sakura... don’t forget this... Hanabi will remember it until our wedding..."

"What about after we get married?" Uesugi Sakura laughed and said.

"After we get married..." Hanamaru Hanabi lowered her head gradually, "It’ll still be... the same..."

This morning it was overcast, but by afternoon, the sun, which hadn’t shown up all day, suddenly became unstoppable.

Uesugi Sakura and Hanamaru Hanabi went out.

As soon as they stepped out of the air-conditioned room, the outdoor heat typical of June set in.

Only in the air-conditioned train did the cool air feel more comfortable.

The train swayed leisurely along the city’s tracks, bringing an inexplicable sense of ease, even sparking a desire to tour all around Tokyo by train.

"Has anyone bothered you lately?"

"No... why do you ask, Sakura-kun?"

"Oh, nothing much, I’m just a bit concerned about that classmate you met the other day."

Matsukawa Cuisine is located in the Akasaka district of Minato Ward, a completely referral-based restaurant.

In referral-based restaurants, you need to be vouched for by a regular or acquaintance to get in.

The purpose of such restaurants is to limit visits from new customers.

Why avoid new customers?

Once a restaurant becomes famous, what they lack isn’t customers, but the energy of the head chef.

The head chef can make perfect meals for six people but can’t perfectly cook for six hundred simultaneously.

To better take care of regular customers, Matsukawa Cuisine rejects reservations from new patrons.

You need an acquaintance to barely secure a spot at this top-ranked traditional Japanese restaurant months in advance.

"To get a reservation here," Umezu’s father glanced at the "Matsukawa" sign before turning to his daughter, "What school did he attend? What major? What are his future plans?"

"Dad!"

Umezu Nana stomped her foot in Matsukawa Cuisine’s hallway, "Why ask all this now? Can’t you ask later inside? I already told you before."

"I only know you’re from the same school. Why did you suddenly tell us you started dating? Before, we urged you to find someone, and you were silent, and now suddenly someone appears? Do you think many men would be willing to date someone with your Tokyo University status?"

"What kind of talk is that!"

"I’m just stating facts." Umezu’s father gave his daughter a glance, using an unwilling tone fit for coaxing a child, "Let me ask again, is he a scion of some family business?"

"No! Just an ordinary classmate."

"Then how does he manage to snag a reservation here with Matsukawa Cuisine?"

"How should I know? Maybe he knows people here..."

"You’re his girlfriend, who else should know if not you?"

"Excuse me, please let us through." A smiling young man and his female companion approached from the entrance.

After making way for them in the narrow hallway, Umezu’s father returned his attention to his daughter.

"What’s his last name?"

"I already told you... it’s Uesugi."

"Do you—like him?"

"Get inside, get inside, I’ll go meet mom!" Umezu Nana shoved her dad towards the private room.

Watching his daughter’s retreating figure, Umezu’s father turned around and observed a young man sitting alone in the private room through a crack in the door.

Though he couldn’t get a clear look at his face, he did notice the young man’s remarkably handsome appearance.

Umezu’s father tidied the collar of his shirt a bit and then pushed the door open.

——————

Meanwhile, in the next private room.

A male server in a simple kimono served the first course: Taiza Crab Rice.

The dish used large crabs fished from the Capital City Taiza Port, hailed as the crab of dreams, costing 60,000 yen each alone.

The Taiza Crab Rice, served in a crab shell, had sticky rice, crab meat, and crab roe placed on top. The little bit of sticky rice in the shell highlighted the crab’s sweet flavor, and with a bite, the crab roe and meat melted instantly in the mouth, offering a rich yet refreshing culinary experience.

A mouthful, full of crab meat, and the word "satisfying" was the only way to describe it.

Todaka Keichiro finished it in two bites, still craving more, even eyeing the crab shell on his girlfriend’s plate.

Kitagawa Sakisa tried it, though she found it delicious, her expression and actions barely changed.

"Hanabi-chan, why did you suddenly invite me to a kaiseki meal today?"

"Hmm... I wanted Sakisa-chan to come... You used to invite me often for meals too..." Hanamaru Hanabi ate gracefully and slowly, this kind of fine dining restaurant with individual dishes suited her eating pace.

"Hehe, actually Hanabi wants me to accompany you, right?" Kitagawa Sakisa crafted a smile, moving her upper body slightly toward her, close enough to catch her scent, "Where’s Uesugi?"

"In the next room." Hanamaru Hanabi focused on the plate in front of her.

Kitagawa Sakisa cast her eyes over the faces of the few in the private room, asking Hanabi, "Why isn’t he here eating? As I recall, he’s inseparable from you."

Hanamaru Hanabi leaned in and whispered a few words to her.

Kitagawa Sakisa listened, nodding, but suddenly froze, then turned to Hanabi in surprise:

"Fake boyfriend!?"

"Hmm..." Hanamaru Hanabi gently replied.

"What’s going on? You agreed to this?"