CHAPTER 461: CHAPTER 323 THE HIDDEN DEEDS

Confidence is a good thing, radiant and full of spirit... Once you take the first step with confidence, it’s only a matter of time before you reach your desired goal.

"Confidence, huh..."

Sekine Sagara looked at himself in the mirror, frustratedly ran his hand through his hair, and then splashed his face with cold water to calm himself down.

After that day, these past few days, no, in fact, half a month has passed with no progress.

The family has already begun collaborating with the Hanamaru family’s hotel. The Sasakawa Hotel is about to be renamed, and both the hotel’s systems and décor have started a reconstruction plan. It’s too late to stop it; his father wouldn’t agree to him disrupting the family business.

But without any pressure from the other family... What leverage do I have now?

Sekine Sagara braced his hands on the marble sink, cold water dripping down his chin, while the air conditioning in the bedroom sent waves of cold air.

Frustration, irritation; maybe I shouldn’t have plotted so much.

But thinking carefully, what was wrong with my approach?

Solved the most troubling issue for her, and the exchange was merely the occasional chat between classmates.

Women are sensitive and have complex thoughts, just as there’s no man who doesn’t like a pretty girl, there’s no girl who doesn’t like a handsome man.

Whether they admit it or not, actions and thoughts will always show preference.

Sekine Sagara considered that his appearance was no less attractive than the other’s, perhaps even more graceful. In terms of family background, cultivation, and the ever-present friendly smile, in which aspect was he inferior?

As a classmate of Hanamaru Hanabi, he even better understood what she liked, her preferred art subjects, styles, color palettes, and even many design and art features about which he had more topics to discuss.

With this understanding, just engaging her in conversation often, speaking in line with her thoughts, letting her realize, "This person understands me," wouldn’t goodwill naturally increase?

Once there’s a topic, gradually grow closer, then the final step...

But now there hasn’t been a change at all.

Feeling a little restless, it’s been almost half a year since he first started pursuing. He felt like he had never put in so much effort.

Feeling a strange sense of humiliation.

Annoyed, very annoyed.

"I wonder what Yuri has been up to recently, doesn’t even come to see me anymore."

He raised his head and looked at the reflection in the mirror under the incandescent light once more, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

—————

Today is July 21st, and for almost two weeks now, Uesugi Sakura has been trying to complete a task.

Unfortunately, lingering around the shrine every morning hasn’t yielded any clues.

"Uesugi, why haven’t you been around in the mornings this past half month?"

"Just taking it easy," Uesugi Sakura answered casually.

Todaka Keichiro didn’t press further, knowing that he wouldn’t attend classes every day:

"Final exams are coming soon, how’s your preparation going?"

From the back of the classroom, Uesugi Sakura glanced at the "Introduction to Life and Death Studies" on his computer and then told him, "Are you sure you want me to tell the truth?"

"Don’t say it, I know you haven’t prepared," Todaka Keichiro pulled out a stack of bound materials from his bag, "These were entrusted to me by Professor Okuno to give to you. You missed many classes during your hospitalization."

Uesugi Sakura took them casually, the cover read "Clinical Life and Death Studies · Ethics."

"Professor Okuno asked you not to fall behind in your studies and to study well."

This sounded like something a middle school teacher would say, but since the professor personally organized the study materials for him, it showed he still cared about him.

"Why didn’t the professor give them to me himself?"

"No idea," Todaka Keichiro shrugged, "He seems quite free these days, even goes to bars occasionally."

Since he didn’t know, Uesugi Sakura didn’t want to delve any deeper into it.

"By the way, do you have any free time this summer to go on a little outing together?"

While casually flipping through the materials, Uesugi Sakura asked, "Why do you keep inviting me? What about your girlfriend?"

"She’ll obviously come too, but the more people, the merrier. Fields full of greenery, vast grasslands, barbeque and beer under the night sky..."

"Lots of mosquitoes." Uesugi Sakura glanced at him once and then looked away.

"Mosquitoes? That’s nothing, once you have barbeque, you’ll forget about them."

"You’ll have mosquito bites all over your legs at night," Uesugi Sakura closed the materials and put them away, "I have a competition in July, no time for trips."

"A competition? What kind? A Kyudo competition? Don’t even mention it, if it weren’t for seeing your name on the recruitment board of the Kyudo Club every day as I pass by, I’d almost forget you were a member."

"Sword Dao."

"You practice Sword Dao?"

"No doubt."

...

At noon, leaving the gates of Tokyo University, Uesugi Sakura hailed a taxi on the roadside heading to Hanamaru Hanabi’s school.

The distance between the Ueno Campus of the Tokyo Art University and Tokyo University was only 2 kilometers on foot.

But she was at the campus in Adachi Ward; if she were often at the Ueno Campus, there would be no need to rent a place requiring an electric train to get to class.

Walking just a little after class, they might happen upon each other.

Remembering the way to Hanabi’s art department, Uesugi Sakura stood under the shade of a tree and sent her a message, but before he could hit send, a smiling young man approached.

"Uesugi-kun."

"Hmm." Uesugi Sakura nodded, acknowledging him, very normally; neither cold nor disdainful.

Yet it was this normal response that made Sekine Sagara feel he lacked presence in front of him.

"Didn’t expect Uesugi-kun to be here at midday."

Uesugi Sakura put down his phone, looking at the slightly shorter guy in front of him: "No need for pleasantries, we’re not that close. Say what you have to say."

Sekine Sagara’s expression didn’t change much, but his tone shifted slightly: "You’re very clever."

"What am I clever about?" Uesugi Sakura smiled and retorted.

"Appearing indifferent, as if you don’t care, but have you already planned everything out in your mind?"

"I don’t understand what you’re saying."

"I know you understand."

Uesugi Sakura spoke calmly: "Aren’t you the one who helped Hanabi break off the engagement between the two families? I did nothing; she should be thanking you instead."

Sekine Sagara held back, knowing the other was playing with him. Given the other’s typically calm reactions, he understood that Uesugi Sakura definitely knew something.

He lowered his voice:

"You knew all along that this business marriage was hard to achieve."

Uesugi Sakura smiled without saying a word.

Sekine Sagara wasn’t foolish, realizing at this moment that he had been entirely underestimated by him thus far.

The marriage had always been hindered by Hanabi’s father, and for it to happen, those in the Hanamaru family needed a significant amount of time.

Once Hanamaru’s eldest uncle brought conditions to convince the family head, success was certain, but persuasion required time.

A high chance of success, but time was undoubtedly needed.

He thought he could find a breakthrough with Hanabi.

Since persuasion was tough, why not make a timely favor by stepping back and garnering goodwill with Hanamaru Hanabi?

Building the relationship slowly later.

Given her personality, Sekine Sagara was sure that if he helped ease the marriage troubles, she would definitely feel grateful towards him.

However, in reality... Hanamaru Hanabi did not feel any gratitude for the favor he offered, nor did the distance close.

—This issue only indicated that Uesugi Sakura was on guard.

...

With hands in his pockets, Uesugi Sakura looked at him: "In handling this matter, let me say you overestimated yourself."

Upon realization, Sekine Sagara couldn’t maintain his smile any longer, "Originally, I thought you were someone indifferent to everything. Didn’t expect you to have such a strong controlling desire, knowing everything. You’ve guessed my intentions, but how did you know? Aren’t you often out and about doing nothing? That day you even volunteered somewhere."

"Don’t you have a ’sister’ named Yuri?"

Sekine Sagara instantly understood and then asked, "Means?"

"A month ago, on the commercial street, you gave your sister 100,000 yen."

The way he said it suggested more to come, but Sekine Sagara already grasped his intended meaning, feeling some anger:

"Tch, a woman who only looks at money. Fine, you’re good, I know you’re good, but I won’t give up."

"Won’t give up?"

Uesugi Sakura maintained a calm demeanor and tone: "A young lady named Hasezuka Shocho has recently been quite lavish, visiting stores like LV, WCLOSET, GU, and MUJI, yet she’s someone without even a job, a member of the DINK, relying on her elderly parents for everything. Why, would she suddenly acquire a substantial sum of money?"

"What are you saying this for?"

"Nothing much, just that this young lady Hasezuka Shocho has an elder sister who’s married, taking her husband’s surname, which seems to be... Yamane?"

The earlier expression might have been angry, but bearable. Now his expression tilted toward uncontrollable panic.

Several months ago, an arson suspect arrested by the police department had the surname Yamane.

Without looking at him again, Uesugi Sakura took out his phone and looked at the location message Hanabi sent him, "Officers from the Ota Police Station might come to talk to you soon; I hope you’re prepared."

Saying this, without waiting for his stunned reaction, he turned and left.

The day remained sunny as always, shadows of trees swayed gently with the leaves’ movement.

Walking along the road, Uesugi Sakura calculated in his mind.

From what he had gathered in the past half a month, Sekine Sagara wasn’t directly linked to the incident, but there was definitively a connection.

His father-in-law had mentioned something to him two weeks earlier.

The securities company’s executive causing Sasakawa Hotel’s ongoing losses coincidentally bore the same name as Sekine Sagara’s father, Sekine Sosaku.

It was due to those erroneous insights provided by the securities company that Hanamaru Sasakawa (the elder uncle) misjudged.

The hotel was losing money day by day, and that sudden fire was the last straw for Sasakawa Hotel.

Coincidentally, Sekine family’s company had recently innovated hotel systems, and Sekine family desperately needed expansion, having previously intended to acquire a famous hotel but failed due to lack of funds.

During the period Uesugi Sakura was hospitalized, Hanamaru Hiroki had been investigating these matters, gaining a lead two weeks ago.

Uesugi Sakura could almost visualize a commercial scheme by the Sekine family to seize Sasakawa Hotel.

However, lacking substantial evidence at the moment, no definitive conclusions could be drawn.

For Uesugi Sakura, the presence of Sekine Sagara in his life was negligible; he should instead ponder how to prevent his family from going bankrupt.

Brr ring...

The phone vibrated.

Uesugi Sakura paused under the shade, looking at the message from Hanamaru Hanabi displayed on the screen.

[Sakura-kun, Hanabi is at the restaurant.]

He smiled and quickly typed a response on the screen.

[Okay, be there soon]