CHAPTER 719: CHAPTER 437 EVERYTHING, BECAUSE I LIKE YOU_2

With her back leaning against his chest, Hanamaru Hanabi truly felt the concern emanating from him, feeling grateful while also being more harsh and strict on herself.

While stirring the curry with a ladle, she lowered her head and said:

"Sakura... Hanabi is actually quite useless, isn’t it?"

"How could that be? Hanabi is so wonderful, so diligent, you are busy cooking, washing clothes, going to school every day, I can truly feel how great you are, your existence."

"Sakura..."

"Hanabi-chan, don’t worry about whether you’ve grown or not; many girls don’t even like growing up, always eighteen, forever eighteen. I really like the way little Hanabi is now, I like you, the past you, the future you, the current you."

"Sakura..."

"Alright, alright, I still like you, right?"

"Yeah..." the girl weakly responded.

Uesugi Sakura placed his chin on her shoulder, whispering in her ear: "As long as Hanabi thinks that I still like you, then you should have confidence, thinking that someone still likes Hanabi, that Sakura still likes Hanabi, Hanabi has already done well, already done well..."

His gentle and tender words quietly drifted into her ears.

While Hanamaru Hanabi’s heart was surging, she couldn’t express her fondest feelings for him, and could only silently repeat her love for him and the goodness he showed her, over and over in her heart.

In the end, even her eyes became wet, and she wiped them with her bent arm, saying somewhat chokingly:

"Sakura, Sakura... you still remember Hanabi... right?"

"Yeah, I remember, I remember, I always remember."

"Thank you, thank you, Sakura... really... thank you..."

"It’s okay, it’s okay."

In life up to now, Uesugi Sakura did not believe that Hanabi’s affection for him was without basis.

She always said that she felt a warm sense of security from him, a sense of security that would never hate her, no matter when.

The feelings of gratitude, love, and the desire for dependence all found relief with Uesugi Sakura.

...

After dinner, Uesugi Sakura said he would help wash the dishes, letting her take a bath first.

While washing, he thought about Hanabi’s earlier look of insecurity.

Hanabi was not perfect, having flaws, possessing a constant feeling of self-doubt.

Uesugi Sakura knew not to criticize her as overly fragile when her insecurity emerged but instead to reassure her with gentle words and ease her mind.

Otherwise, she would only lower herself further amidst criticism, shrinking her identity to insignificance, and by then... this delicate flower would really vanish before his eyes, like a dandelion blown away.

The tenderness she displayed, her brilliant, adorable smile would be nowhere to be found.

...

Uesugi Sakura turned on the faucet, constantly washing the dishes, eyes fixed on the white foam.

Everyone has flaws.

Never saying anything hateful to her while Hanabi was young might also be one reason she is now so attached to him.

Even if she needed someone to rely on, Uesugi Sakura still believed her contributions outweighed his.

It was merely a few caring words said during her childhood.

That alone made her devote her entire life and all of herself to Sakura.

And now, she married him, became his wife, cooking meals at home, warming his bed at night, dressing him in the morning.

All of this,

is simply because Uesugi Sakura never hated her flaws nor the mistakes she inadvertently made.

...

After dinner, the night deepened.

Uesugi Sakura drew the blanket over her shoulder, gazing at the little face lying beside him in bed.

He recalled the events occurring during this period, and her dependence on him when he returned home that afternoon.

Perhaps the emergence of the "dark Hanabi"... was a result of her excessive affection for Sakura.

...

Before marriage, Uesugi Sakura also went through some kind of anxious uncertainty.

- Afraid Hanabi would disappear, afraid she was just a dream, afraid that such a good Hanabi-chan was just his fantasy.

Whenever he thought these things might happen, he couldn’t help but feel disheartened.

Yet Hanabi... perhaps loved him even more fiercely than he loved her.

If she experienced such feelings of insecurity, due to more intense love, stronger dependency, the disorder might become even more terrifying.

In countless assumptions, Hanamaru Hanabi, unable to bear the scene due to overwhelming emotions, led to the birth of "dark Hanabi," a personality stemming from within her.

Everything seemed to become clear at this moment.

...

Right hand stroking her soft little cheek.

Uesugi Sakura connected all the dots, suddenly realizing his chronic obtuseness.

Perhaps there never was any parallel world, nor any second Sakura.

These strange things had always been what little Hanabi feared the most.

She feared Sakura would abandon her.

Feared Sakura would forget her.

So... she was desperate for Sakura’s love.

She wanted Sakura to focus on her.

She wanted Sakura to understand just how much she liked him.

Uesugi Sakura counted all the things she had done.

Overreactive kidnapping, intense dependence, sudden departure.

And today, when she sat on the back of his bicycle in the afternoon, hugging his waist, she said that if she could have this feeling, she would be willing to wait even for ten thousand years.

...

So, all behaviors have roots; it’s all because Hanabi wants Sakura to recognize her existence, she needs Sakura’s care, wants to show her importance in front of him...

Uesugi Sakura’s eyes focused on the girl’s even breathing beside him, finally realizing how oblivious he had been.

All of it stemmed from Hanabi-chan’s affection for him... her admiration...

Uesugi Sakura couldn’t help but move his hand from stroking her cheek to her petite back, pulling her sleeping form into his arms, letting her nestle against his chest as she slept.

The soft feeling melted in his chest.

Uesugi Sakura whispered in her ear:

"Hanabi... I will always remember you..."

The girl slept soundly, while Uesugi Sakura leaned forward and gently kissed her beautiful forehead, closing his eyes.

The moonlight gradually dimmed...

————————

"Sakura, Sakura... breakfast is ready."

With his arms gently nudged by the girl, Uesugi Sakura suddenly opened his eyes, startling her as he flipped over, pressing the apron-wearing Hanamaru Hanabi onto the bed.

"Sakura, Sakura!?" Hanamaru Hanabi tried to move but found her shoulders pinned firmly by him.

"We didn’t have any intimate time last night, how about this morning?"

"No, you can’t," Hanamaru Hanabi hurriedly pushed Uesugi Sakura away, her face flushed, "no intimate time."

Then Hanamaru Hanabi, feeling that completely rejecting him was not good either, turned her face to the side, averting her gaze and said:

"Only... only kisses."

"Alright, let’s have a kiss."

The next second, Uesugi Sakura lowered his head to seal the girl’s lips, exuding sweet scent.

Gently biting her cherry pink upper lip, then slowly probing deeper, entwining her fresh sweet air.

After five full minutes, they parted.

Hanamaru Hanabi panted heavily, her little face blushing.

Uesugi Sakura smiled, "When kissing, you don’t need to hold your breath."

"Because... because..." Hanamaru Hanabi stammered for a long time, failing to find the right words.

"Because it was so comfortable, so instinctively did it?" Uesugi Sakura supported himself above her head, looking at her shy little face sideways on the bed.

"Yeah... and very nervous..."

"Still nervous? We’ve almost been married for a month."

"Today feels different..."

"Really?"

"Sakura, Sakura should hurry up and eat breakfast; it will get cold soon..."

"Alright," Uesugi Sakura caressed her somewhat heated cheek, "my wife is really cute."

"Sakura..."

"Yeah, I’m here."

"Please love Hanabi forever... will you?"

"Sure, sure," Uesugi Sakura’s voice grew more resolute, "I’ll always remember the adorable you, never give up, nor forget."

Hanamaru Hanabi closed her moistened eyes, responding with a weak, endearing voice as always:

"Thank you, thank you..."