Living in Tokyo, all I want to do is laze around.

"I'll take my leave now, Superintendent."

"Ah."

Hanamaru Yuuki turned his gaze away from the closed door, glanced at the huge cherry blossom police badge on the wall, and was about to think about the message he had just received when the phone rang.

It's a private phone number.

He answered the phone.

【father in law.】

Hanamaru Hiroki stood up from his chair, turned around and walked to the transparent floor-to-ceiling window, looking out at the gray Tokyo skyline in the rain.

[You're calling me at this time, so you probably need my help with something, right?]

【Um. 】

Tell me about it.

Hanamaru Hiroki's gaze fell on the endless stream of cars below. Raindrops gathered on the transparent glass, sliding down in winding, light-colored streaks.

I want to apply for a visa to the UK.

Hanamaru Hiroki laughed, looked up and said into the phone, "Can't you just handle this yourself? You should have some savings from the competition, so getting an asset certificate and a visa shouldn't be difficult."

[Visas take a month to process, and tourist visas are no exception.]

"Don't come to me with this kind of thing, go find Uncle Hanabi."

【...】

Father-in-law...you agree?

"I have no opinion on whether I agree or disagree; this is your own business."

Hiroki Hanamaru's tone suddenly turned serious, "But please remember your identity, Kai. You are her fiancé now, not her boyfriend—get your act straight. You are going to be responsible for her entire future. I hope you will be prepared to shoulder this responsibility in the future."

No one is obligated to revolve around you.

"Beep—beep—beep"

Hanamaru Hiroki hung up the phone, put it back in his pocket, and stared at the rain-soaked Ome Street outside the window.

"Hanabi relies on you too much for everything, kid."

--------------

Kai Uesugi sat quietly in the room, putting down his phone, which had dimmed and gone black.

In the messy room, he turned around and picked up a slightly yellowed piece of white paper from the bed.

......

Cicadas chirp incessantly, the sun blazes overhead.

"Brother Kai... here, for you..."

Why are you giving me paper?

Uesugi Kai, under the shade of a tree in the park, put down the book she was holding.

"No...it's not paper, this is...this is a picture drawn by fireworks..." the little girl said timidly, as if she was worried about something.

"painting?"

Kai Uesugi took the white paper from the little girl's hand and realized that she had given it to him upside down. "It's been a long time since I've seen fireworks painting."

The little girl didn't speak, but just lowered her head and clutched her white dress with her chubby hands.

The summer breeze in the park was very cool, rustling the green leaves overhead.

Kai Uesugi flipped the white paper over.

......

......

"You drew this?"

"Isn't it pretty?" The little girl struggled to lift her head to look at him.

Uesugi Kai smiled faintly: "Is this a drawing of Dad? He's... quite cute..."

The little girl didn't dare look at him again, staring at her shoes, and whispered in an extremely soft voice:

"This...this is Kai-nii..."

"..."

"..."

The little girl sensed something from his silence and felt a little down.

"...It's okay, I really like it. If I just try harder and draw for a few more days, it will be perfect." Uesugi Kai folded the drawing and put it away, smiling as he said, "Speaking of which, Hanabi has been at the other academy for about three months now, hasn't she?"

"Um......"

Are you getting used to it?

"I'm feeling a bit better..." The little girl was still looking at the drawing in his hand. "Kai, Kai-nii, please give the drawing back to Hanabi..."

"It's alright, I'll accept it."

"Don't you dislike Kai-nii?"

"It's okay, Xiaohuahuo can try harder."

"Is just a matter of trying...?"

Kai Uesugi picked up the book he had put down again: "A little firework that tries hard will look a little cuter."

"Well... Hanabi will cheer on..."

"Okay, don't give up."

......

Now, as Uesugi Kai picks up that yellowed crayon portrait, she realizes that it's a portrait she spent three months revising and redrawing before daring to hand it to her.

Three months is a long time for a small child.

Kai Uesugi can now even imagine that timid little girl staying at home alone, taking out her crayons and carefully doodling with her clumsy hands.

After drawing countless blank sheets of paper in silence, he finally dared to carefully hand them over to himself.

When he returned home, he suddenly realized the promise he made three months earlier.

The promise that the little girl would draw what she considered to be the most beautiful picture and then hand it to him.

now,

Kai Uesugi listened intently to the rain tapping on the door outside the window, then looked up at the self-portrait she had given herself not long ago.

In the painting, she smiles beautifully and radiantly. The colors and scenery complement each other perfectly, and the lively and bustling crowd of the summer festival is vividly portrayed with just a few strokes.

Kai Uesugi couldn't be sure what her dream was.

But in any case, he didn't want to lose the feeling of having her by his side during these three years.

My gaze drifted out the window, where heavy, dark clouds hung in the sky above Tokyo.

This rain should perhaps disappear before my eyes.

------------

September 5th, Friday, Weather: Showers.

Kai Uesugi, who was packing her luggage at home, sat on the edge of the bed, listening to the voice of Katsutoshi Goto on the other end of the phone.

"Hey, Uesugi, why aren't you here today? Are you sick? That loser from the class next door wants to challenge you to another match during PE class."

"I won't be coming to school for the next few days."

"Huh? Why? Are you going to study abroad too?" Goto Iwakatsu asked.

“I told you it would be in the next few days, don’t worry, it won’t be long,” Uesugi Kai said.

"Oh, go ahead and rest assured. Tsubokawa and I will miss you."

Seemingly not understanding, he quickly added, "Where are you going?"

Kai Uesugi: "England."

Goto Iwakatsu: "England? You didn't go to study abroad with Hanamaru, did you?"

"I went to call her back."

After hanging up the phone, the doorbell rang downstairs, and Uesugi Kai got up and walked towards the stairs.

Upon opening the door to the entrance hall, one sees my uncle, Hanamaru Yuzuki, wearing sunglasses.

###Chapter 228 Going to London###

10,000 meters above the ground.

The enormous plane swooped down through the clouds, preparing to land at Heathrow Airport, thousands of kilometers away from Tokyo, after a 12-hour flight.

The airport's grass, runways, and terminals, and even the ground staff below, are becoming increasingly clear to see.

As the plane landed, the cabin lights came on, and soothing music flowed from the loudspeakers above the seats.

After resting with his eyes closed, Uesugi Kai opened them and glanced at the time on his wrist.

10:23:56

I glanced out the window at the helipad one last time.

The sky was pitch black, with only the constantly flashing lights standing out slightly.

He stared intently for a while, until his eyes adjusted to the light, before realizing that the time on his watch was Tokyo time, and that he was now in London, England.

The time was moved forward by 8 hours.

02:24:46

The plane came to a stop and the engines shut off.