CHAPTER 399: CHAPTER 291: RAINBOW IN THE PLUM RAIN_2

Very soon, she replied to the message.

Hanamaru Hanabi: [Looks great! (A cute shark hugging a chili, eyes full of hope)]

Uesugi Sakura: [Didn’t you see it?]

Hanamaru Hanabi: [No... Hanabi just finished class and is getting ready to have lunch.]

The couple’s avatars drawn by Hanabi were done, but she was too shy to change hers, saying it was too embarrassing.

We’ve been like an old married couple, what’s there to be shy about.

Uesugi Sakura: [That’s really a pity, but to thank Hanabi for cooking for me every day, I want to repay her in some way.]

Hanamaru Hanabi: [(Expectant expression)]

Uesugi Sakura: [How about we go see a movie? A horror movie.]

Hanamaru Hanabi (a bit anxious): [No, no, can’t watch that.]

He remembered, Hanabi has never dared to watch horror movies since she was young, not even once.

When she gets up at night to go to the bathroom, she has to turn on the light.

After returning, she would cautiously turn off the corridor light and then frantically run back, burrowing into the bed, finally curling herself up.

Because of this, she has never been to a haunted house once.

It’s a pity really, horror movies and haunted houses are clearly essential events to strengthen a couple’s bond.

Uesugi Sakura tapped his fingers on the screen: [I miss you, when are we meeting up?]

In the chat box, Hanamaru Hanabi’s reply bubble quickly appeared: [Even so... even so, you can’t watch those...]

Uesugi Sakura: [Then what to watch?]

Hanamaru Hanabi: [Shark Jaw versus Squid Girl]

Uesugi Sakura: [(Cover face and shake head) Such a terrible movie.]

Hanamaru Hanabi: [It’s really good!]

Uesugi Sakura: [You just want to see sharks! But if you want to see sharks, why not go to the aquarium?]

Hanamaru Hanabi: [(Mumbling softly)... Because Shark Jaw can fly....]

Uesugi Sakura: [’Sharknado’ sharks can even go to space, why not mention that?]

Hanamaru Hanabi: [That movie is also really good.]

He understood, anything with sharks is automatically good.

What’s so good about those problematic cartilaginous fishes.

Uesugi Sakura simply gave up on taking her to see a horror movie: [Forget it... I’ll just take you to the aquarium for fun.]

[... Is it a date...?]

Uesugi Sakura smiled at the screen and then replied: [Is little Hanabi looking forward to a date? If we get tired, I can also take you to a couple’s hotel to rest.]

Hanamaru Hanabi replied with a red cross inside a circle, then said she was going to eat.

Sleeping every day next to a soft and fragrant body... he’s a normal man... feeling uncomfortable is inevitable.

Before going on the aquarium date, let’s finish up some papers first.

Perhaps because there was a plan in place, his mood was cheerfully anticipating the coming week.

Study motivation grew stronger.

Staying at the library until eight in the evening, only eating some sweets, Uesugi Sakura felt his eyes were tired, so he packed up, carrying his computer on Tokyo’s ginkgo-lined street.

Exiting the Akamon, he caught a cab home amidst the neon lights of Tokyo.

— After earning money, he rarely takes the train.

Is this considered being corrupted by money?

Uesugi Sakura turned the key in the lock, pushed open the door and walked in, finding Hanabi’s small leather shoes neatly placed at the entryway, then tiptoed quietly inside.

No one in the kitchen, no one in the living room, no one in the bathroom but there was steam.

Only the bedroom is left then.

As he approached, he noticed a strip of light sneaking from the door gap, he quietly peered through, seeing little Hanabi changing clothes inside.

She was dressed in a bathrobe, her hair pinned up, her cheeks fair and pinkish with water, her skin looking gently cherry-hued.

This moment should be just after her bath, highly likely there’s nothing worn under the robe.

Silent outside the door crack, Uesugi Sakura patiently waited for her to change clothes, just as the ribbon on her waist was about to be untied, Hanamaru Hanabi suddenly turned her head, spotting him.

"Sakura-kun..." the girl pouted, clutching the edges of her robe with both hands to cover herself.

"Yeah, I’m back." Uesugi Sakura pushed the door, acting like nothing happened.

"Sakura-kun, you were peeking." Hanamaru Hanabi looked wary.

"I just happened to come back at the right moment."

Uesugi Sakura slowly approached her, wrapped his arms around her soft waist.

As she was deciding whether to resist, he quickly planted a kiss on her forehead as a peace gesture, then gently let her go.

Yet... it seemed useless, she was still a bit angry.

"Alright, alright, I admit I’m wrong, it’s my fault."

"Sakura-kun... is always acting weird... why did you peek...."

"Why?" Uesugi Sakura thought for a moment, "Perhaps it’s psychological, maybe I wanted to see you embarrassed and flustered when caught."

"Sakura-kun just wants to see Hanabi make a fool of herself..."

"How could that be called making a fool? It’s just wanting to see you shy, you know, a girl blushing shyly is exponentially cuter."

"So... Sakura-kun likes to grope around at night..."

"That’s called affection, isn’t it?" Uesugi Sakura gazed at her delicate face, smiling as he spoke.

Perhaps recalling the ticklish touches, Hanamaru Hanabi blushed fiercely, twiddling her little hands, too shy to speak.

As summer arrived, the covers got thinner, but the past few days, with the rainy season, nights always held a bit of chill in the wind.

Feeling chilly, Uesugi Sakura often helped her adjust the covers in the middle of the night.

Occasionally, he would even prop himself up to admire her sleeping form under the moonlight, her disheveled hair reflected in the window’s night, glowing softly in the faint moonlight.

Hanamaru Hanabi slept with even breaths, her hands tucked in front of her chest, her face delicate and soft.

Looking as gentle as a bird, just a few seconds of watching made one unintentionally smile.

After adjusting her blanket again, covering her shoulder, Uesugi Sakura smiled softly, leaned over to lightly touch her forehead, gazing at her sleeping face for a moment.

"Good night."

Morning of June 27th, with no class for little Hanabi, Uesugi Sakura decided to skip class for another day.

It’s just freshman year, he can catch up with make-up lessons later, there’s no rush.

Experiencing life and enjoying dating time with his girlfriend, isn’t that wonderful?

No need to pursue studies like a beauty called Yan Ruyu, even someone as lacking in romance like Uesugi Sakura understands the choice.

After waking up, Uesugi Sakura moved to open the window.

The sky still gloomy, fine rain continued unendingly pouring down on the earth.

Where would they go?

According to science, most would evaporate directly, some seep into the soil becoming nutrients, some collect into rivers flowing to the sea.

With life so leisurely, the mind thinks of such pointless, yet leisurely things.

In the previous life, the routine wasn’t daily life but all mechanical repetitive work.

Back then, would he have even wondered about where the rain went?

Just indulging after being full and looking for something to do, indeed is quite a profound saying.

Brushing back to reality, Uesugi Sakura glanced at little Hanabi still asleep, being together with her, even just watching each other in a daze didn’t feel boring, conversation felt like it could go on forever.

Her eyes, her expressions, her shyness, all seemed to emit a warming glow in his heart.

Love is simple companionship, and gaining hope for life through it.

Uesugi Sakura felt that seeing her made the repetitive routine look forward to it every day, as long as she was there, everything was fine.

Life was entirely occupied by her presence.

He walked into the kitchen, after waking up without washing up, he was preparing to make a cup of coffee with the tools on the counter.

Selecting beans, grinding, brewing, extracting, flavoring...

Since little Hanabi likes milk, he added extra in.

The milk bought was mid-temperature, with a shelf life of about ten days.

Usually the boxed ones are room temperature milk, made by heating at 135~150℃ for 2~3 seconds, then cooled rapidly to room temperature.

Longer shelf life, but correspondingly, the taste is compromised.

This reminder made Uesugi Sakura think of the glass bottle milk drunk in early days, delivered door to door by milkmen in the morning, still warm in hand, a few coins for one, sweet and fragrant.