CHAPTER 384: CHAPTER 283: LONELINESS IN WARMTH_2

"Why so formal, it’s just two cups of coffee."

Aei stood on tiptoes and said with an adult-like tone, "The coffee is delicious!"

"Weren’t you scared just now?" Uesugi Sakura smiled at the two little girls, "Let’s go."

"Be careful on the way!"

Saying goodbye always carries a bit of unease, and when Uesugi Sakura closed the door for them, he saw them still watching him, as if keeping vigil over something.

The corridor was wide, a place where wealthy people lived, but in these single apartments full of a sense of nobility, how much warmth could a family of young sisters have?

Just two cups of coffee were enough to earn their fondness and gratitude.

This kind of humility was exactly like Hanabi when she was a child.

They would be very happy with just a little care.

But why is no one willing to give them a bit more attention.

The lingering rain of the monsoon season made the sky’s light become dim under the cover of clouds.

Uesugi Sakura walked with an umbrella down the bustling streets of Tokyo, the rain-damp ground reflecting the neon lights, making everyone here seem lonely, beneath a seemingly dazzling city, there was only loneliness and forgetfulness.

No one can escape.

Back home, Uesugi Sakura opened the door with his key, placed the wet umbrella in the corner stand, changed his shoes, and headed for the living room on the ground floor.

The lights were on, and the scent of food wandered down the corridor.

Stepping onto the light source beneath his feet, he could see Hanamaru Hanabi sitting at the table waiting for him to come home at the corner.

Steam rose from the dishes on the dining table, fresh and vivid.

Uesugi Sakura saw the girl sitting on the stool looking out the window, not really knowing how to describe his current mood.

All he knew was that her face was very bright, that beauty, dazzling like a tree of silver flowers.

Hanamaru Hanabi withdrew her gaze from the rain outside the window, noticed Uesugi Sakura who had just walked over, and blinked: "Sakura-kun is back, why didn’t you say something?"

"So you would come out to welcome me home?"

"Can’t I?"

"Just a little reluctant to."

"Reluctant to what?" Hanamaru Hanabi didn’t quite understand this sentence.

Uesugi Sakura was unsure how to explain, seeing her adorable face looking at him, he forgot how to explain.

"It’s nothing, just consider it my nonsense." He looked down, focusing on the placed bowl and chopsticks before him.

"Sakura-kun."

Uesugi Sakura heard her soft voice, turned his head, and was immediately kissed by her soft lips.

By the time he reacted, he found her bright purple eyes looking at him.

It is said that eyes can convey affection, only when facing the truth, can one realize how much one really likes this person.

"Sakura-kun... today too... can... can..." Hanamaru Hanabi said with a flushed face, her pure white clothes accentuating her collarbone, her small hands clasped between her legs.

Uesugi Sakura smiled and said, "Have you turned naughty?"

"Turned naughty...?" Hanamaru Hanabi immediately lowered her head, "Hanabi... Hanabi meant that we can take a bath together tonight..."

"Is there any difference?"

"Difference... the difference is that Sakura-kun can’t touch randomly..."

"Once we’re bathing together, it won’t be just Hanabi’s decision alone."

Hanamaru Hanabi feared he would do naughty things, making her embarrassed and awkward, "Then, then let’s not bathe together..."

"That won’t do; you just promised me."

"What if I break... and Sakura-kun can’t see Hanabi anymore..."

"Relax, it won’t happen."

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This morning, after waking up, Uesugi Sakura kept wondering if there was something wrong with him.

Seeing Hanabi’s kindness towards him, he would always think about bad things.

Wondering what he would do if she disappeared, passed away before him when they got old, or suddenly got sick or in an accident.

What would he do then?

The first five minutes of "Up" depict the warm life of the protagonist couple from childhood to marriage, then middle age to old age.

After aging, the wife Ellie departs before the protagonist Carl, and back from the church, Carl sorrowfully asks Ellie’s portrait, in the house they lived their entire life: "Ellie, what should I do?"

He worried that he would reach that point, only to sit alone holding a dusty portrait of a once bright smile with silent remembrance.

Therefore, no matter how stubborn the Carl in the animation was, he could understand, agree.

He even hoped that Carl could do that.

A house that holds a lifetime’s memories, how could anyone let it go.

Hanamaru Hanabi wasn’t in good health, and still caught a cold after returning from the rain to bathe, unlike Aei sisters.

With this thought, Uesugi Sakura decided to take Hanabi out for morning runs.

He turned, looking at the girl sleeping on the pillow beside him, reaching out to nudge her:

"Lazybones, lazybones, time to get up."

Still sleeping, Hanamaru Hanabi didn’t open her eyes, just responded with a lazy nasal sound, "Mmm..."

Knowing her well, Uesugi Sakura understood just calling wouldn’t wake her up.

In that case...

Uesugi Sakura lay back down, pulling the blanket over himself, snuggling into the quilt completely.

...

...

"Sakura-kun...?"

"Awake?"

Groggy, Hanamaru Hanabi wasn’t clear of the situation yet and only felt ticklish all over, her face flushing with an inexplicable pink.

"Sakura-kun... just now... what were you doing...?"

"Just scratching your feet to wake you up." Uesugi Sakura said with a slight smile.

Hanamaru Hanabi found it strange, doubting it was just that, but her sleep-foggy brain didn’t want to think further, so she rested her head back on the plush belly of the shark toy, muttering softly: "Sakura-kun... just likes feet so much..."

"It’s not liking feet, it’s liking you."

Uesugi Sakura reached out to pinch her cheek, "Alright, go running with me."

"Why run..." Hanamaru Hanabi was obviously not fully awake, speaking lazily, her entire face sinking into the shark’s white belly.

Seeing her about to close her eyes, Uesugi Sakura hurriedly stopped her.

"You need to exercise; look at your belly."

He reached out, lifted her pajama, and patted, the white flesh was very soft and elastic.

Of course, she wasn’t overweight, rather very beautiful, Uesugi Sakura deliberately wanted her to think she was chubby, all belly.

Her flat belly outlined an enticing waistline from the navel, making him unable to resist pinching a few more times.

In her groggy state, Hanamaru Hanabi voiced weakly and foolishly: "Sakura-kun... really likes touching Hanabi’s belly..."

"Who likes, it’s all fat." Uesugi Sakura tried grabbing some flesh on her little belly to demonstrate, but her skin was too smooth and tender, the belly too flat to grab any.

Feeling around a few times, he ended up massaging her belly because it felt so comfortable.

"Sakura-kun just likes touching Hanabi’s belly..."

"Talkative."

Seeing the blissful look on her face, Uesugi Sakura continued to whirl his hand down on her belly.

"Why does your belly feel a bit cool, is your period here?"

Hanamaru Hanabi drowsily confirmed with closed eyes, clearly in a half-awake state: "Mmm..."

"How many days?"

"Three..."

"Three days, why so early this month?" Uesugi Sakura suddenly remembered the monsoon rain yesterday upon seeing her soft face, "With your period, why help me make dinner, just rest well?"

"Sakura-kun said he wanted to eat when he left this morning..."

That was something he had casually mentioned while leaving.

Uesugi Sakura remained silent, continuing to massage her belly.

"Hanabi."

"Mmm..."

"I like you, you know that, right."

"Mmm... I know... Sakura-kun likes Hanabi... Hanabi likes Sakura-kun too..."

"That’s why I’m so afraid you’ll disappear, afraid you won’t like me anymore, and most afraid of some kind of you losing your memory, even though you still look the same, but say to me ’Who are you?’..."

"Sakura-kun... that’s from... the TV drama..."

"Stories need material, meaning it could very likely have happened, if it happened to us, would you still remember me?"

"I would..."

"See, the heroine in the TV drama also responded like this."

Hanamaru Hanabi opened her eyes, moved her neck, and looked at him sitting beside her:

"Sakura-kun doesn’t need to think about these things, Hanabi will always be here."

Uesugi Sakura gently massaged the girl’s soft belly, trying to recognize this feeling:

"I just fear that it will really happen one day."