CHAPTER 495: CHAPTER 341: THE STREET NEXT TO THE IZAKAYA

The night’s wind always carries an inexplicable chill.

Uesugi Sakura walked down the street, carrying cakes he bought for Aei and Chiaei, two little lolis, in his hand.

They just love eating this.

In the morning, before Aei left the house, she kept telling him, "Brother, remember to buy cakes when you come back."

He, Uesugi, is a good person. A little girl’s wish, if he can fulfill it, he will.

He moved forward, crossed the traffic lights, and reached the platform.

After waiting for a few minutes in the evening breeze, he boarded the train, listening to the clattering of the tracks as he advanced.

"Yo, little junior!"

Just as he was looking out the window, Uesugi Sakura suddenly felt someone pat his shoulder.

He turned around and found it to be Senior Brother Kusunoki, whom he had met this afternoon.

"Senior Brother."

"Haha, what a coincidence! Little junior, I never expected we’d be on the same train home, considering you left much earlier this afternoon," Kusunoki Kubomaru said with a laugh, raising his arm to wrap it around Uesugi Sakura’s neck.

"I took some time to go to AWORKS to buy some cakes."

"For your girlfriend? Or for yourself to eat?"

"For my sister."

"I’m envious, I’m the only child at home."

Kusunoki Kubomaru didn’t continue on that topic, but instead asked, "Little junior, what do you think of that guy Koshin?"

Uesugi Sakura held onto the train’s strap with one hand, letting his body sway with the train, recalling for a moment before saying:

"He’s pretty handsome."

Kusunoki Kubomaru was momentarily stunned upon hearing this, then immediately laughed and said, "Hahaha, handsome indeed, but definitely not as handsome as me!"

Uesugi Sakura didn’t reply, only gazing at the city nightscape through the window.

To be honest, Koshin Kagami was indeed much handsomer than Kusunoki Kubomaru.

And in terms of height, he completely outclassed--Koshin Kagami was even taller than Uesugi Sakura.

As for Senior Brother Kusunoki, just previously he still had to raise his arm to wrap around Uesugi Sakura’s neck.

"Little junior, because of your sudden arrival, one of the original five in our team now has to drop out."

"I only signed up for the solo event, this wasn’t my intention, don’t be mad."

Kusunoki Kubomaru laughed and said, "I have no intention of blaming you."

Suddenly, he changed the subject.

"However, someone will blame you."

Until before getting off, Uesugi Sakura was dealing with the cheap chatter from his senior brother.

To say, there really was a lot of talk.

Exiting the station, walking down the street.

By now, it was even later at night, and the moonlight began to appear.

This whole area was full of izakayas.

A place where office workers often gathered, the smell of alcohol was strong and could be smelled from the street corner.

Large white flags with bold ink writing and exaggerated exclamation points hung outside the storefronts, with content that was quite edgy and some shops even hung two traditional Japanese lanterns at the entrance, giving off a bit of an Edo Period style.

"Is senior brother walking this way too?" Uesugi Sakura asked Kusunoki Kubomaru who was walking beside him.

"I have to go straight until the crossroad ahead."

...

Going further, the street full of izakayas became increasingly dim

In the shadows of the street lamps, a staggering drunk uncle emerged.

His steps were unsteady, muttering drunkenly:

"Deputy Chief... can’t drink anymore... really can’t drink anymore..."

As he passed by, Uesugi Sakura deliberately avoided him, but didn’t expect to still be bumped by him stumbling around.

The bloated body almost crashed into his arms.

This wasn’t a pretty girl, and there was a stench of alcohol.

Thankfully, with quick reflexes, Uesugi Sakura reached out to support the uncle from falling towards him.

Seemingly coming to his senses after realizing he bumped into someone, the uncle quickly put his hand to his ear and bowed his head in apology:

"Ah~~ sorry, sorry."

"It’s okay."

Only when he managed to regain his balance did he leisurely leave.

"Would this count as a chance encounter?" Kusunoki Kubomaru teased Uesugi Sakura after glancing at the uncle’s dejected back.

"If it was a pretty girl, then maybe."

"Ha~ you must be dreaming then."

Continuing to walk forward.

In the shadowy light, a drunken young man emerged from the dark bushes.

The man held a bottle in his right hand, a demonic tattoo on his neck, also in a staggering and dazed state.

Uesugi Sakura still walked around him, not expecting the man to directly bump into his side.

The young man stopped behind, raised his chin, narrowed his eyes, and turned carelessly to say:

"Ah~ sorry sorry."

Unlike the previous uncle, this guy’s tone was cheeky, revealing disdain.

Kusunoki Kubomaru glanced at this guy, and Uesugi Sakura didn’t want to bother, continuing to walk forward.

"Wait a minute."

Suddenly,

The young man called out to Uesugi Sakura, and his action of carrying the bottle abruptly shifted to gripping the bottle’s neck.

"You, are you Uesugi Sakura?"

In front, three more people appeared, blocking the intersection.

The circle of light cast by the street lamp became the most visible source of light amongst the six people present.

Kusunoki Kubomaru glanced at the group from front to back, sensing their ill intent:

"Looking for trouble?"

Uesugi Sakura calmly replied to the young man:

"I am."

A smile curled up at the young man’s mouth: "Haha, then there’s nothing more to say."

Just as he spoke, the young man, who was just in a drunken state and unable to move, suddenly swung the bottle directly at Uesugi Sakura’s head.

It was fast, and very sudden.

Full of aggression.

With a snap, the bottle shattered.

However, it didn’t shatter against his head, but in mid-air.

The young man stared at the shattered glass bottle in his hand, paused in disbelief.

Just now, it seemed like something flew by in front of him.

"Hey hey, what are you doing, what are you doing." Kusunoki Kubomaru now held a wooden sword wrapped in a cloth bag in his hand.

Clearly, he was the one who had just smashed the glass bottle.

How come he hadn’t noticed before...?