CHAPTER 754: CHAPTER 453 ANOTHER HANABI IN THE EARLY MORNING

Since it rained the day before yesterday, the weather has been nice these past two days.

But last night, little Hanabi didn’t sleep well. She crawled into his arms in the middle of the night, sweating and kept calling Sakura-kun.

Uesugi Sakura wanted to wake her up, but found she had fallen into that state where no matter how much he called, she wouldn’t wake up.

But this only lasted for a while, then she quieted down again.

Uesugi Sakura pulled the blanket over her and hugged her small body closer before gradually falling asleep.

When he woke up, it was Hanamaru sitting on the bed greeting him. Her back was against the blanket, and she leaned over his ear, speaking in a voice that seemed scented:

"Sakura-kun, it’s time to get up~"

"Hmm..."

"Ah!? Is that really okay? Can Hanabi do it herself?"

Uesugi Sakura, not fully awake, nodded in half sleep.

By the time he figured out what was going on, it was too late, and he was forced to fulfill his duties.

"I—"

"Alright, alright, Sakura-kun, don’t look so unwilling." Hanamaru Hanabi sat on the edge of the bed, her beautiful legs clad in thin black stockings.

It wasn’t that he was unwilling, but as a man, how could he be so passive?

"Sakura-kun, do you want to help Hanabi put on her socks?"

Uesugi Sakura looked at her small, soft pink foot reaching out to him, half-covered in black stockings.

"Sakura-kun?" Hanamaru Hanabi smiled and lifted her leg, pressing her toe against his bare chest.

Uesugi Sakura felt little sparks bursting in his chest.

"Sakura—kun?"

...

Once more fulfilling his duties, he was hungry, and when hungry, one must have breakfast. However, Hanamaru wasn’t very good at cooking, so they had to make do with two slices of bread toasted on a bread maker.

Since it was the weekend, with nothing to do in the morning, the two of them began working separately at home.

Hanamaru Hanabi held a basket of various clothes, picking out items piece by piece to put in the washing machine. Ordinary clothes were washed with the machine, while intimate apparel was hand-washed.

After a series of such tasks, it was already ten in the morning.

Hanamaru Hanabi took off her sleeves and hung them on the hook beside the washing machine, then stepped out from the small balcony outside the kitchen, and lazily stretched in the living room, watching Uesugi Sakura who was on the balcony outside the living room, brainstorming for a novel.

His fingers would pause for a moment or two on the keyboard, the sunlight outlining the curves of his face, making him look particularly focused.

Hanamaru Hanabi smiled and gently pushed open the sliding door to the balcony. While he was engrossed in his thoughts, she quietly sneaked up behind him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and leaned her weight on him.

"Sakura-kun..."

"What’s up? Why so clingy today?" Feeling her little arms wrapped around him, Uesugi Sakura immediately smiled.

"Hanabi... wants to do it again..." Hanamaru Hanabi playfully bit his ear.

"Later."

"Hanabi hasn’t even started knitting a scarf for Sakura-kun; you won’t be mad, right?"

"Why would I be mad? I would never want to be mad at you."

"Sakura-kun, you’re so nice."

"It’s Hanabi-chan who’s truly nice to me," Uesugi Sakura said to the small head resting on his shoulder.

Hanamaru Hanabi glanced at his computer screen: "Sakura-kun, are you still thinking about your novel?"

"Yeah, there’s still a lot of details to refine in the beginning. The dialogue between the protagonist and the childhood friend female supporting character needs more depth, to make their emotions more profound and clear."

"So... Sakura-kun kills off the protagonist’s childhood friend in Chapter 2?"

"Ahem," Uesugi Sakura coughed seriously twice, "It’s called plot necessity; it’s to bring the female lead into focus to the maximum extent."

"What’s the female lead in Sakura-kun’s book like?"

"Hmm..." Uesugi Sakura thought, "Gentle and considerate, but most importantly cute, because the heroine is based on you, Hanabi-chan, so I want to add a touch of contradictory elements to her."

"What elements?" Hanamaru Hanabi looked at his ear.

"I haven’t decided yet, but the heroine must be positive and ambitious, yet forced by circumstances, facing various hardships."

"Ah? Isn’t that just like Akisuki?"

"No, it’s not the same. Akisuki is someone whose edges have been smoothed; he has given up resisting, whereas the heroine still has enthusiasm. Akisuki sees kindness and vitality in her, but deep down believes she will eventually become like him.

"But the heroine always holds onto her dreams, she’s strong, passionate, lively, aiming for even higher goals. Sometimes, after work, she even brings him two octopus balls; this is called small acts of kindness..."

Hanamaru Hanabi stared at his earnest face.

"What does Sakura-kun think is the core of the love that develops between them?"

Uesugi Sakura answered without thinking: "Support, mutual support. The heroine finds warmth in Akisuki, and Akisuki gains vitality from the heroine, and begins to regain dreams and hope."

Hanamaru Hanabi laughed next to him and said: "Sakura-kun’s stories all seem so cliché."

"No, it’s just that the core theme is like that. If written out, it would feel completely different. It’s like the word ’twist’—even after thousands of years, this core technique is highly applicable in stories, because people expect twists, different situations, and story developments."

Hanamaru Hanabi: "So, Sakura-kun, do you also expect something different?"

"Me? As long as you’re by my side, I’ll accept anything. Just seeing your different yet so familiar smile every day, I will continue to be happy."