CHAPTER 502: CHAPTER 344: WHY ARE YOU SO BAFFLING?

The crimson Shrine Torii, with trees stretching along both sides of the road.

Uesugi Sakura stood here, looking up the stairs towards the mountain, only to see Hanamaru Hanabi in her Witch Dress, gently sweeping the fallen leaves on the ground.

Her figure was graceful, and every sweep of the broom made her short hair, dress, and face gently sway.

Coincidentally, the direction up the mountain was illuminated by sunlight, making her appear dreamlike under the green trees.

"Stop!"

Uesugi Sakura turned towards the voice; it was the group of Yakuza he’d previously shaken off.

They were sweating profusely and panting heavily but still managed to spew some threatening words like "We definitely won’t let you get away with this."

Uesugi Sakura stood under the Torii, scanning the group, recognizing none, and asked, "What do you want with me? Chasing me on such a hot day."

"You—! You—!" One guy was so out of breath, "How dare you say that, running up the mountain on a hot day!?"

Uesugi Sakura glanced sideways, "So, what’s your business with me?"

A lackey seemed to want to say more, but the boss in sunglasses stopped him.

He walked to the front of the group, leisurely took out a packet of crushed cigarettes from his pants pocket, flicked his hand to get a lighter, clamped the cigarette in his mouth, grinned, lit it, took a deep puff, and exhaled sharply before saying:

"I heard you’re about to go to court."

"Court?"

The boss in sunglasses withdrew the cigarette from his mouth, rudely flicked the ash to the ground, looked up to blow smoke, and said, "To make it short, don’t proceed with the lawsuit, and we won’t bother you again."

"What lawsuit?" Uesugi Sakura asked.

"Stop pretending you don’t know!"

Uesugi Sakura calmly said, "Just tell me, and I’ll know what you’re talking about."

The man paused for a second, then emphasized, "Stop pretending not to know, you know what you did."

Uesugi Sakura said helplessly, "Seems like you also have no idea what lawsuit it is. If you’re not clear, and I’m not clear, maybe your boss is just using this lawsuit as an excuse to hassle me?"

The man in sunglasses said nothing, merely staring at him with a peculiar look.

Uesugi Sakura was thus convinced that they were here purposely to cause trouble.

What kind of day is this everyday?

"Is your boss a woman?" Uesugi Sakura asked.

"Who told you that?" The man in sunglasses replied with neither affirmation nor denial, ambiguous.

"Heard it from one of the younger ones who troubled me before, that I offended a woman? Of course, I’m not sure and don’t even know how."

"Alright then!"

Uesugi Sakura suddenly clapped his hands, "Since you came with a purpose, just state your demands."

They exchanged glances.

"As mentioned, you just need to drop that lawsuit, and we won’t cause you any further trouble."

"But I don’t have any lawsuits filed in court," Uesugi Sakura said.

They exchanged more glances.

The man in sunglasses glanced at his phone, took a puff, and signaled with his gaze for one of them to respond.

A younger member stepped forward and said:

"We are sure we found the right target."

"But I really don’t have any lawsuits," Uesugi Sakura said.

"Ha! Who knows if you’re lying!"

"I’m responsible for what I say; whether you believe it or not, that’s your issue."

"You’re quite arrogant! I think you’re—"

"Hey."

The man in sunglasses stopped the younger one who wanted to go forward, stomped out the cigarette, and said to Uesugi Sakura, "As long as you can ensure if there is any dispute, you stop it immediately from going to court. But! If you don’t do what you’re supposed to, I guarantee there will be an extra big block of cement under Tokyo Bay."

Uesugi Sakura smiled and said, "Although I really don’t have any lawsuits recently, I have no obligation to do things according to your demands.

"In other words, why should I listen to you?"

The man in sunglasses’ expression instantly cooled, "So you’re saying no?"

Uesugi Sakura smiled silently.

"Alright then."

Just as the man in sunglasses was about to signal to the group behind him, one young member urgently stopped him.

"What’s wrong?"

"Up there, up there." The young member kept signaling with his eyes towards the stairs behind the Torii.

After listening, the man in sunglasses also looked over.

In no time, his expression changed; he quickly lowered his voice, threw a final threat "We’ll come for you again" at Uesugi Sakura, and turned to leave.

They came quickly and left just as quickly.

Uesugi Sakura watched their hurried departure, deeply feeling that life as Yakuza wasn’t easy.

Turning back, he saw Hanamaru Hiroki standing in front of Hanamaru Hanabi behind the second Torii.

Earlier, they probably left after seeing the father-in-law, right?

The summer shadows were mottled.

Uesugi Sakura turned and passed through the first Torii at the Shrine entrance, climbed the stairs, and came in front of the father and daughter.

"Why is Uncle here?"

"Just took some time to check on Hanabi."

After Hanamaru Hiroki answered, he immediately asked, "Who were those people just now?"

"Not sure, seemingly Yakuza members."

"Did you provoke them?"

"I have no idea what’s going on; they just came out of nowhere, even brought me to the police station once."

Uesugi Sakura recounted what happened the night before in detail.

"The officer who received me said I had offended a woman."

"A woman?" Hanamaru Hiroki glanced at the broom-holding Hanamaru Hanabi, "Have you been messing around outside?"

"Sakura wouldn’t..." Hanamaru Hanabi weakly said from the side, her voice very small.

"No, not at all, I have no idea about this."

Hanamaru Hiroki stared at Uesugi Sakura, saying, "Soon you and Hanabi will be married, don’t stay out all night."

"Understood."

"I hope you understand that marriage means taking responsibility. I don’t want to see Hanabi crying and running back home one day."

"And what if we argue in the future...?" Uesugi Sakura asked.

Hanamaru Hiroki said, "With Hanabi’s personality, it would only be your problem!"

After a few more admonitions in his father-in-law role, he descended the mountain and drove away.

As he walked down the steps, Uesugi Sakura could see a feeling of reluctance labeled on his back.

This emotion compelled him to give reminders whenever he saw him.

Is this the feeling when a daughter is about to get married?

"Sakura... Don’t take my father’s words to heart,"

"Just listening to a few elder’s nags, it’s nothing."

Uesugi Sakura took the opportunity to kiss her forehead, and as expected, she became shy.

"Sakura, you can’t do this now."

"Why?"

"Because Hanabi is now a miko at Shayu Shrine; you can’t do this in front of the deities."

"A little kiss on the forehead to show affection, I’m sure the gods would be glad to see such a loving couple about to marry."

A blushing Hanamaru Hanabi looked just like an anime heroine.

"Why did you come this afternoon, Sakura?"

"Just like Uncle, I just wanted to see you. You don’t know, missing seeing you even for a second makes my heart itch with longing."

"Really?"

"Of course it’s true." Seeing her slightly pleased, Uesugi Sakura responded with a smile.

"Hearing Sakura say that would make Hanabi very happy."

"Does happiness come with a reward for me?"

"No."

"Ah, none?"

Hanamaru Hanabi lifted onto her tiptoes, and her soft lips lightly brushed his cheek, then she shyly lowered her head. Under the sun-dappled trees against the summer sky, holding onto the broom, she softly said to the fallen leaves beside her feet:

"Hanabi is the reward for Sakura."