Chapter 114: Meaningless Routine Before Leaving the House

Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Meaningless Routine Before Leaving the HouseAfter finishing the vegetable salad, I listened to my old father’s complaints. While my mother was still preparing to leave, Uesugi Sakura went to the Hanamaru household next door. He used the key to open the front door. —— A key given by Mrs. Hanamaru. Out of politeness, Uesugi Sakura still rang the doorbell and only entered when his aunt responded. The entire living room and kitchen had only Mrs. Hanamaru busy with breakfast. "Is Uncle not back?" "He’s been very busy lately, rarely comes back," Mrs. Hanamaru said as she handled the orange salmon on the chopping board, "The last gun incident hasn’t officially ended, it’s quite impactful." "Gun incident?" Uesugi Sakura was a bit surprised; it’s not a minor case in Japan. "Little Sakura didn’t know?" Uesugi Sakura shook his head, he never liked watching the news. "It was near Nishi-Shinjuku, not far from the police station, and since it happened the night after you all went out, I remember it very clearly." Mrs. Hanamaru sprinkled a suitable amount of salt on the salmon and then placed it in a square pan to dry fry with oil. Uesugi Sakura thought for a moment and remembered the call he received from Hanamaru Hiroki that evening, just after he got home from coffee with Hanabi. The call was short; he learned they were home and then hung up directly. Looking back now, something indeed must have happened. "You don’t need to worry, Little Sakura, the suspect was caught that night. It’s just that since it’s the first gun incident of the year, my dad has a lot of things to deal with." The salmon sizzled in the pan, and Mrs. Hanamaru smiled, signaling him not to worry. "Hurry up and get Little Hanabi out of bed. Sigh, she slept so much yesterday afternoon, yet she’s still such a sleepyhead. Why?" Uesugi Sakura quickly went upstairs. Thud thud... Just like yesterday, he lightly knocked twice on the door, and when there was no response, he pushed the door open and entered. The curtains in the room blocked out the sunlight, and the tiny beams that diffused through the gaps fell on the face of the sleeping girl, everything peaceful and gentle. Uesugi Sakura walked to the bedside, watched her calm breathing and rosy cheeks, and wanted to pinch her. Forget it. After thinking it over, he gave up on that idea. "Hanabi, Hanabi." Hanamaru Hanabi, who was curled up under the blankets, frowned slightly under his persistent calls, then slowly opened her sleepy eyes. "Sakura-kun..." The girl’s voice, just like her blurry vision, was very lazy. Even her cute face had a lazy aura. "Time to get up." Uesugi Sakura gave her a little push. "Mmm..." Hanamaru Hanabi tried very hard to sit up from the bed, still in a half-awake state; her loose T-shirt, fair skin, and noticeable collarbone. She squinted her sleepy eyes, her small head nodding forward. "Still very sleepy?" Uesugi Sakura sat by her bed. "Hanabi... still wants... to sleep a bit more..." Her weak voice trailed off as she lay back on the bed. Fell asleep again? "..." Uesugi Sakura looked at the girl who had fallen back asleep, somewhat helplessly. Why didn’t she fall into my arms? Ten minutes later, with repeated urging from Mrs. Hanamaru downstairs, Uesugi Sakura barely managed to wake Hanamaru Hanabi. "Sakura-kun, Hanabi needs to change clothes." Hanamaru Hanabi sat at the bedside, hugging the blanket, her right side facing the glaring sunlight streaming in from the floor-to-ceiling window. Uesugi Sakura glanced at her slightly exposed white shoulder: "I’ll help you get dressed." "No..." Hanamaru Hanabi shook her head cutely, refusing. "I already picked out the clothes for you." Uesugi Sakura suddenly lifted a white dress. "That’s... for outside..." "Can I help with what’s underneath?" "No..." Hanamaru Hanabi’s face suddenly turned red. "How about the socks?" Uesugi Sakura said, setting the dress aside. "No way." Hanamaru Hanabi suddenly pushed his back with both hands, "Sakura-kun, hurry and leave... Hanabi can’t change with you watching..." Uesugi Sakura looked at her ear, red under the sunlight, and continued to ask: "Really can’t? I actually kind of want to help you with your socks." "No, no, Sakura-kun, hurry out." Hanamaru Hanabi’s voice was flustered. "Alright then." Uesugi Sakura could only leave the room. As he went downstairs, he was still thinking about the scene of helping Hanabi get dressed and put on socks. Coming to his senses, he realized some issues. Lately, why have I been acting strange? Always thinking about inexplicable things. Random, chaotic thoughts continuously lingered in his head. Strange, yet also heart-fluttering. Is something wrong with my body? But as soon as I went down the stairs, that thought was mercilessly discarded by Uesugi Sakura. I’m 16 this year. Arriving in the living room, Uesugi Nobuko, who had already changed, had chatted with Mrs. Hanamaru for a while, occasionally covering her mouth with an uncontrollable laugh. "Little Sakura, want some more breakfast? I made extra on purpose." Mrs. Hanamaru said. Spinach with sesame dressing, salt-grilled salmon, miso soup, rolled omelette, tea. Uesugi Sakura’s throat moved, and he unabashedly said: "Then I’ll have some more." Mrs. Uesugi smiled and said, "Meiko, you’ve spoiled this boy; he doesn’t like the food I make." "Haha~" Mrs. Hanamaru waved her hand, "You can’t blame me for that; Little Sakura always comes over for meals. He must like the taste here." "It’s just I wasn’t full." Uesugi Sakura interjected, picking up a piece of spinach. "A-Sakura, I don’t know about being full this morning at home, but yesterday at Meiko’s place you sure were full, right?" Mrs. Uesugi said with a laugh, losing all her motherly demeanor in front of her best friend. Boys, after all, are just conversation tools. "Yes, yes," Mrs. Hanamaru added with a laugh, "Little Sakura spent the entire afternoon sleeping with Little Hanabi. It’s hard for this auntie to believe nothing happened." Mrs. Uesugi was surprised: "You didn’t do anything too excessive, did you?" "No, no, Little Sakura knows his boundaries; it was probably just some cuddling and hugging," Mrs. Hanamaru gave a knowledgeable smile. "For young couples, it’s quite normal. So, secretly, have they kissed?" "I think Hanabi-chan wouldn’t agree," Mrs. Uesugi said. "I think so too, Little Hanabi is too shy, but I bet Little Sakura has those thoughts." Mrs. Hanamaru looked at Uesugi Sakura eating. "After all, they’re young." "Haha~ just young people." The two women chatted freely, causing Uesugi Sakura’s scalp to tingle, unable to handle it. Hanamaru Hanabi walked down carefully, wearing the white dress Uesugi Sakura had picked for her, the collar tied with a big red bow. She noticed the two mothers in the living room, placed her hands between her legs, and politely greeted: "Good morning." "Little Hanabi, come over here." Mrs. Hanamaru waved her over, "Sit down for breakfast first, then head out with Little Sakura in a bit." "Okay." Hanamaru Hanabi nodded in response and sat down next to Uesugi Sakura.