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

Is there a problem?

"It's nothing, but those are schools for rich people."

###Chapter 230 What is the long-cherished dream?###

Life in London is leisurely, at least for now.

Ding-a-ling~

The doorbell rang.

"Welcome." Uesugi Kai, inside the Soho coffee shop, put down her phone and looked up.

Two young girls entered, carrying black cylinders filled with paintings and carrying art bags on their backs.

One wore a white dress, the other a light green dress.

The girl in the white dress had a blue shark charm dangling from her backpack.

After they closed the door, they sat on the bar in front of Uesugi Kai.

"Uesugi, I'd like a cup of Blue Mountain coffee."

"Hmm, a Blue Mountain," Uesugi Kai noted, then turned to the girl in the white dress and asked, "What would Hanabi like to drink?"

Hanamaru Hanabi carefully looked at the price list in front of her, hesitated for a while, and then looked up and said:

"An iced latte, please."

Although Hanamaru Yuuki is the younger sister, she is actually taller than Hanabi.

"Uesugi, are you the only one in the shop today?"

Kai Uesugi grinded the coffee beans with a grinder, then took out a filter paper and placed it on a cone-shaped transparent cup:

"The store manager has gone to buy coffee beans; Mr. Bryce is off today."

Since there were no outsiders present, they communicated in Japanese.

“I remember Mr. Bryce didn’t take many breaks before.”

Hanamaru Yuuki recalled the gentleman who was holding the British Shorthair Blue cat. "Is it because Uesugi, after you came here to help, that Mr. Bryce started slacking off? Just like his cat."

"Maybe so, but coffee shops aren't always busy."

Kai Uesugi poured boiling water at 94 degrees Celsius into the freshly ground coffee powder. "There aren't many people who can sneak out for coffee on a weekday."

Speaking of the head barista, Hanabi Hanamaru kept thinking about the cat in his arms:

"Hanabi thinks Mr. Bryce's cat is cute."

Hanamaru Yuuki wholeheartedly agreed, nodding repeatedly: "That's right, that short, round, chubby blue one is so cute, and it's so lazy!"

Cats are creatures that girls generally like.

Kai Uesugi prefers dogs to cats.

After talking about cats, he listened to them chatting about their painting skills and artistic concepts.

He didn't understand any of this, but he quickly prepared two cups of coffee and handed them to the two girls.

"Come and try it to see if there's any improvement."

The aroma of coffee wafts through the air.

Hanamaru Yuuki sniffed it, then raised the cup in her hand in a serious manner and took a small sip:

"Hmm~~ It tastes good, but I can't really taste it."

"Hanabi thinks it's pretty good..."

Hanamaru Yuuki glanced at the latte art in her cup and said curiously, "Hey, why does it seem like there's more milk foam in Hanabi's coffee?"

Kai Uesugi chimed in, "You're Blue Mountain, and she's Mocha."

The milk flavor in the Hanamaru Hanahana cup is indeed stronger than that of a regular mocha.

"What's wrong with Blue Mountain? You're discriminating against Blue Mountain. You should put chocolate and milk in Blue Mountain coffee too!" Hanamaru Yuuki suddenly felt that the coffee in her hand didn't taste so good anymore.

After spending these past few weeks together, Uesugi Kai learned that Hanabi's younger sister really likes sweets.

But if you like it sweeter, why order Blue Mountain coffee?

Perhaps it's to experience something different.

Kai Uesugi asked and answered his own question.

“By the way, Uesugi,” Hanamaru Yuuki said, lifting her head with a butterfly hair clip, “Hanabi and I recently opened Twitter and pixiv accounts. We have artwork to show you, so feel free to follow us.”

“Okay.” These were all minor matters, and Uesugi Kai readily agreed.

"When does your competition start?" That was actually what he was more concerned about.

Hanamaru Yuuki answered irrelevantly, instead asking, "Are you really going to take Hanabi away?"

The coffee shop plays soothing music, and its rustic decor gives it a unique charm.

Kai Uesugi stood behind the bar, glancing at Hanabi Hanamaru, who was quietly sipping her mocha:

"Ah."

Hanamaru Yuuki was reluctant to let Hanabi leave, because having a companion was very important in this foreign land.

She looked at him and asked, "You know my sister's personality. You agreed to let her study here, but why did you suddenly come here and ask her to go back after only half a month?"

“She’s settled in here and is starting to adapt. You just suddenly come and interrupt her future. I think that’s extremely irresponsible—I’m just stating my opinion beforehand.”

Kai Uesugi did not answer her, because he knew that what he was doing would indeed be detrimental to Hanabi's future studies and growth.

But every time she lies on her own bed, holding her favorite shark, she recalls her bright, still somewhat childlike smile.

The scene of people sitting together and feeding each other on small boats during the fireworks festival in Matsuyama that day touched my heart.

Gradually, I wanted to follow in her unhurried and even pace.

I want to stay by her side and see her go to school.

She used to pursue me; now I'm the one pursuing her.

"N-It's okay," Hanabi Hanabi said, lifting her little face. "Hanabi also wants to be with Kai-kun, and going back to Tokyo is perfectly fine."

Hanamaru Yuuki: "But didn't you tell me that drawing is your dream? Your teacher is a professor at the academy, a very famous contemporary painter. He must be able to help you achieve your dream!"

"..."

Hanabi Hanamaru, like Kai Uesugi, remained silent, simply looking up at him as he quietly cleaned the coffee utensils.

She recalled the little girl who wasn't very good and liked to cry.

—When Hanabi Hanamaru was little, her crying would always annoy many of her classmates. Only Kai Uesugi didn't find her crying annoying and would even listen to her stories from her books.

He even taught her half of the words she knows.

Many times when I see the words I write with my pen, I recall the way he held my little hand behind me.

Hanamaru Yuuki looked at her stunned sister with some concern and patted her shoulder: "Sister, are you alright?"

"N-nothing."

Hanabi Hanamaru snapped out of her reverie, but she was still thinking about him and the gifts he had given her time and time again.

I wonder... if he's kept the gifts and paintings I gave him...

----------

September 26th, Friday.

Kai Uesugi was still making coffee at the Soho coffee shop, knowing that Hanabi was willing to go back with him.

But it seems there are many things that neither he nor she has figured out.

Let's stay here temporarily before Hanabi participates in the competition.

Mr. Bryce seemed quite confident in his skills, spending much less time at the shop and praising him as a very talented person.

Although many customers liked him, Uesugi felt that his skills were just average.

And it seems that Mr. Bryce really did have more time to ask Mrs. Anna for leave and rest because of his presence.

The bell rang.

A young male office worker walked in.

Just as Uesugi Kai was taking out a booklet to serve coffee to customers, a very noisy commotion suddenly broke out outside, which grew louder and louder over time.

It's clearly moving in that direction.

"What...what happened?"

Kai Uesugi looked outside but didn't see anything. At the same time, he asked the customer ordering coffee in front of him in English.

"The demonstrations come every year."

The British white-collar worker in a suit seemed unfazed by this and ordered a cappuccino.

###Chapter 231 Saturday, The Park###

--------

......

"Kai-kun, Hanabi actually wants to go back, but she already promised the teacher..."

"Kai-kun...it's been three years...I wonder how you've been..."

"Kai-kun, Kai-kun, Kai-kun..."

"Kai-kun... Hanabi is still here... Please don't forget Hanabi, okay?"

Uesugi Kai woke up with a start, opening his eyes abruptly.

The deep, dark mist severed my memories, like threads pulling at my brain, creating an indescribable sense of oppression.

My heart was pounding as I looked out at the Western-style ceiling in the villa's bedroom.