CHAPTER 435: CHAPTER 310: THE JOURNEY OF THE WISTERIA FLOWERS

"Sakura, how did you take such beautiful photos?"

"Taking photos definitely has techniques." Uesugi Sakura lifted Uesugi Shin higher in his arms.

Mrs. Uesugi held the camera and looked at him, "Then can you tell your aunt and me the technique?"

"Want to hear it?"

"Don’t keep us guessing." Mrs. Uesugi held the camera with both hands, displaying her maternal authority.

"Hmm... but if you force me to say, I can’t really articulate it."

"Then, little Sakura, what technique were you just talking about?" Mrs. Hanamaru asked.

"The technique for taking photos is to shoot beautiful people; when a pretty girl is in the picture, it naturally looks nice," Uesugi Sakura said after a thought.

He was indirectly complimenting Hanabi on her looks.

Mrs. Hanamaru chuckled and teased, "If Hanabi heard this, she’d surely feel happy inside."

As they spoke, Mrs. Uesugi had already picked up the camera to capture Hanamaru Hanabi accompanying Aei to buy ice cream.

She pressed the shutter, and with a click, time was frozen on the screen.

"How is it?" Mrs. Hanamaru leaned over to have a look.

"Eh, not bad, not bad."

"Let me see."

The photo showed Hanamaru Hanabi smiling while holding an ice cream cone.

Mrs. Uesugi commented, "This one is also a side profile."

Mrs. Hanamaru nodded, "Hanabi’s side profile is beautiful."

Mrs. Uesugi asked, "Speaking of which, Meiko rarely takes photos with Hanabi in them."

Mrs. Hanamaru replied, "Did you forget, Hanabi used to dislike being photographed, claiming she wasn’t attractive."

Mrs. Uesugi said, "Seems like it, but now Hanabi is much more cheerful than before."

Mrs. Hanamaru commented, "Ever since Hanabi started dating, she’s been improving."

"Sakura."

"What’s up?"

"Bring Hanabi over here, I want to take a photo of you two together."

"A couple’s photo?"

The irises in front were indeed beautiful, colorful yet tasteful.

Actually, there was no need to call Hanabi over, she came over with her sisters after buying ice cream.

"Here, Sakura-kun’s ice cream." Hanamaru Hanabi handed him a purple cone.

"Vanilla flavored?"

"It’s ’Purple Wisteria Ice Cream’!" Aei chimed in, standing on her toes.

Uesugi Sakura took the cone from Hanamaru Hanabi’s hand without eating it first, "Wisteria climbs high, and has a scent, though it’s faint. It probably doesn’t have much taste when made into ice cream."

"Sakura-kun... how can you know without tasting it?" Hanamaru Hanabi happily nibbled on her ice cream, savoring the sweet taste.

"I’m giving myself a suggestion first, to lower expectations in my mind as much as possible. By the moment it enters my mouth, the resulting fragrance will be more delightful."

"Really?" Hanamaru Hanabi looked at the partially-licked purple ice cream in her hand.

"Not very effective, but it works," Uesugi Sakura didn’t want to deceive Hanabi, "Psychological suggestion requires training for fruitful results."

"Have you tried stinky tofu? The initial impression and its actual taste are quite different, which is why so many find it ’amazingly delicious’."

"No..."

"What is stinky tofu?" Aei curiously asked.

"It’s smelly tofu, but it’s tasty."

"How can smelly tofu be tasty?" Aei couldn’t understand.

"You’ll understand once you try it."

"Alright, no more chat," Mrs. Uesugi interrupted Sakura’s boasting, then beckoned to Hanabi, "Come, Hanabi, let me take a couple’s photo of you and Sakura."

Hanamaru Hanabi obediently walked to her aunt’s side, adjusting the little straw hat on her head, "Where should we take it?"

Although this street had irises, there were too many passersby.

"Let’s walk a little further," Mrs. Hanamaru suggested, gazing forward along the flow of people.

In the Flower Park, there’s bound to be photo opportunities.

Visitors come here primarily to take flower photos and people-watch.

Upon entering, off to the right, there’s a flower market decorated with a multitude of flowers; the display can only be described as a feast for the eyes.

The flower shop naturally attracted Uesugi Sakura’s attention.

"Want to buy flowers?" Mrs. Hanamaru was the first to notice where her son-in-law’s attention was.

"Sakura loves flowers the most," Mrs. Uesugi also smiled.

Every year, the small garden at the Uesugi home is covered with roses planted by him.

"They say men who love flowers are more romantic. How is little Sakura romantic with Hanabi?" Mrs. Hanamaru restrained her daughter Hanamaru Hanami from trying to pick the shop’s flowers.

"Me? That’s a secret, of course."

Since Uesugi Sakura wouldn’t say, Mrs. Hanamaru turned to ask her daughter.

"Hanabi, tell us."

"Ah...?" Hanamaru Hanabi looked a little embarrassed.

The shyer the daughter, the more the mother wanted to inquire.

"Come on, tell us."

"Sakura-kun gives really nice gifts..."

"Mainly flowers, because I feel lilies suit Hana very well," Uesugi Sakura chimed in.

This was a pun since the Japanese word for flower is pronounced "hana".

"What else, romance isn’t just about giving gifts," Mrs. Hanamaru felt there must be something more to cause such shyness in Hanabi. "Come on, Hanabi."

"Sakura-kun... Sakura-kun... Sakura-kun also gives good morning kisses..." Under her mother’s urging, Hanamaru Hanabi lowered her head as she spoke.

"Good morning kisses? Haha."

"Where does he kiss?"

Hanamaru Hanabi was too embarrassed to answer, especially with so many people around.

This was a private matter between the couple, which made the two mothers exchange a knowing smile.

"Alright, no more teasing, go in and find your Sakura-kun."

After Hanamaru Hanabi went into the flower market, the two mothers stood at the entrance, reflecting on her changes.

Recalling Hanabi’s childhood often brought up unpleasant memories.

Mrs. Hanamaru:

"In the past, Hanabi’s birthdays were just with me and her dad. She was like a forgotten child, only able to blow out her candles alone and silently wish herself a happy birthday when every other girl was at her happiest.

"At that time, her father and I stood behind her, dearly hoping that a friend would wish her a happy birthday. From birth, she’s always been alone...

"After knowing little Sakura, at least there’s someone her age willing to accompany her; they went to and from school together, went shopping, bought snacks, and on her birthday, he would wish her a happy birthday and sing her a birthday song, though he sang quite off-key back then.

"Now that she’s willing to follow little Sakura wholeheartedly, I, as a mother, can fully understand. Childhood memories are always the most lasting."

Mrs. Hanamaru’s eyes reflected the lively back view of her daughter inside the store. She was holding a pot of flowers and discussing with her beloved which lily looked better.

"Nobuko, you really need to keep a close eye on your Sakura. If he betrays Hanabi, she’ll be like a ship severed from its mooring in a storm, drifting farther from the harbor until she is carried into the storm’s center, broken and fragmented."

"Saying that, I think Sakura can’t live without Hanabi either," Mrs. Uesugi, also looking at the two of them, agreed.

"Haha, that’s certainly the case," Mrs. Hanamaru chuckled softly, "After all, it’s rare for a girl to say ’happy birthday’ to the same boy for over ten years and give gifts every year."

"Even though Hanabi doesn’t dare to express herself, her confession is already imprinted in her actions."

"It’s Hanabi’s sincerity that moved Sakura," Mrs. Uesugi remarked with a sigh.

"Sakura-kun... how about this flower?"

In the store, Hanamaru Hanabi held the pink-and-red flower next to her little straw hat, trying it as an accessory.

"That’s a Rhododendron Fujiyama," Uesugi Sakura smiled as he told her. The girl in front of him was as delicate and charming as the flower, "It’s not an accessory; it’s a pot plant. You need to buy it and transplant it yourself."

Although there were other customers in the shop, to him, all the flowers seemed to be gathered around her, embracing her, highlighting the dreamy beauty of her little face.

"Don’t move."

"What’s wrong...?" Hanamaru Hanabi was a bit puzzled.

"Just wait a moment."

With that, Uesugi Sakura walked around the other customers to fetch the camera from his mother’s hand at the door.

"Is this for a photo?" Hanamaru Hanabi still held the rhododendron in her hand.

"You can put it down when I’m not here," Uesugi Sakura couldn’t help but smile at her holding the flower pot so naively.

"But, isn’t that what you just said, don’t move..."

"Silly!"

Uesugi Sakura flicked her forehead lightly, "That’s why I say some people don’t know how to adapt."

Her forehead stinging a bit, Hanamaru Hanabi reluctantly put down the flower pot carefully, looking quite aggrieved.

"Now don’t put it down, I’m ready to take the picture."

"Hmm..."

Hanamaru Hanabi softly replied, picking up the rhododendron again.

Although she posed as before, it didn’t have the same dreamy beauty.

She was not very happy, and the surrounding colorful flowers seemed to dull with her mood.

Uesugi Sakura smiled, took the ice cream cone she had half-finished from her left hand, and offered it to her lips.

"Sakura-kun...?"

"Eat it."

A bit puzzled, but Hanamaru Hanabi still did as told, her soft lips taking a bite of the purple ice cream.

"What does it taste like?" Uesugi Sakura asked.

"Sweet," Hanamaru Hanabi replied softly, curious violet eyes looking at him.

Uesugi Sakura showed his most charming smile, "Since it’s sweet, then Hanabi should smile; it looks prettier when you smile."

Seeing his handsome smile, Hanamaru Hanabi blushed slightly, feeling a sweet pounding in her heart.

The sweet taste of the ice cream seemed to rumble through her mouth energetically.

"Come on, let’s see a smile."

Uesugi Sakura held the ice cream cone in one hand, using his thumbs to gently pull up the corners of her lips.

A girl’s smile was thus coaxed out forcibly.

Not bad.

He quickly raised the camera, with a click, capturing this slightly odd moment.

In the photo, Hanamaru Hanabi wore a small straw hat, held a rosy rhododendron, her face displaying a silly yet blissful girl’s sweet smile.

Uesugi Sakura lowered the camera, confidently admiring the screen:

"Quite nice."

He turned the camera screen to Hanamaru Hanabi, "Hanabi, take a look."

"So silly," she commented softly upon seeing her image in the photo.

"But it’s Hanabi’s own smile."

"That’s because Sakura-kun forced it!"

Uesugi Sakura dodged her attempt to grab the camera, "If I hadn’t, your face would have been sullen, and a bitter smile isn’t nice looking."

Hanamaru Hanabi looked at his height, giving up on taking the camera from his hand, speaking softly:

"Bitter still sounds better than silly..."

"Silly girls have the most happiness."

Hanamaru Hanabi didn’t know how to refute him, finding comfort in the delicious ice cream.

Taking advantage of the moment, Uesugi Sakura snapped another photo of the girl munching on ice cream like a prairie dog.

"Sakura-kun, you’re so sneaky," Hanamaru Hanabi pouted, baring her teeth to mock him.

Other girls might be fierce, but hers was a cute, fierce expression.

Uesugi Sakura laughed heartily, "Little kitten."

The kitten-like Hanabi was unexpectedly adorable.

Just as he lifted the camera for another shot, Hanamaru Hanabi quickly ran away, not wanting to play along anymore.

"The little kitten runs quite fast," Uesugi Sakura smiled as he put down the camera.

Little Aei had been standing at his feet, raising the ice cream cone in her hand to him:

"Brother, your ice cream will melt if you don’t eat it soon."

Uesugi Sakura laughed as he took it, "The ice cream isn’t as sweet as your sister Hanabi."

"Is sister Hanabi sweet?"

"She’s the kind of sweet that life can’t do without. Let me teach you something ahead of time: sugar is the most basic nutrient for the body, vital for most bodily functions, especially the brain. Without sugar, it doesn’t want to function."

Aei, being clever, extracted the correct information from his words:

"So if brother doesn’t have sister Hanabi, you’ll have no sugar and your brain won’t work."

Uesugi Sakura ruffled her hair, "Quite smart."