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

Unexpectedly, it rang again.

It's Goto.

【Hello.】

[Haha, Uesugi, I passed! I passed!]

【Congratulations.】

Hey, you have no idea how tough it's been for me lately. Every night I wait for the envelope to arrive at home.

【Um. 】

Kai Uesugi, phone in hand, gazed at the passersby under their umbrellas as they brushed past him.

[Hey, Uesugi, are you alright? You don't sound very happy. Could it be that you...]

You've passed; don't worry.

[You passed? Haha, that's great! The University of Tokyo... I can't even dream of it. There's a class reunion on Friday, everyone's coming. Are you coming?]

【never mind.】

Hey, no way! The class reunion wouldn't be complete without you! You're a celebrity at our school! Do you know how many girls have asked me for your phone number?

[It wouldn't be much different without me.]

【How can you say that! Every classmate is important! If you don't come, Tsubokawa and I will drag you here!】

There's no need.

"Uesugi, this is necessary. We're worried about you." Goto's tone suddenly became serious.

What do I have to worry about?

[Anyway, it's settled then. 2-6-12 Ginza. Remember to come on time Friday noon, you absolutely have to!]

Kai Uesugi put the phone he had just hung up back into his pocket.

On the way home, the sound of the plastic bag swaying and the rain hitting the umbrella were clearly mingled together.

The words Goto had invited me to the class reunion kept echoing in my mind.

To say it's perfect is an understatement; it's been imperfect for a long time now.

Uesugi Kai continued walking, the sky overcast with rain, filled with an unyielding chill.

......

open the door.

"I am back."

Kai Uesugi spoke loudly because he secretly hoped that a soft, warm voice would reach his ears.

Kai Uesugi spoke loudly because he secretly hoped that a soft, warm voice would reach his ears.

Kai Uesugi spoke loudly because he secretly hoped that a soft, warm voice would reach his ears.

###Chapter 250 Warmth of Everyday Life###

As evening approached, the morning clouds began to drizzle, casting a chilly and desolate shadow over the entire city of Tokyo.

With his guitar in hand, Kai Uesugi could feel the coolness of the rain washing everything away just by glancing out the window.

"You've been practicing alone all afternoon, how about we try playing together?"

"Rika, I feel like I'm completely incapable~" Kitagawa Sakakisa held a bright spruce violin in her left hand, with an open instrument case behind her.

"Didn't you say there wouldn't be any problems when you first arrived?"

"That was just now, and this is now. Sheet music is very difficult."

Although Kyuu Rika learned piano from elementary school, she had also learned some violin, and knew that her pitch was quite good when she practiced.

Her hands left the piano keys, and she sighed, saying:

"I think you just want to slack off."

"Hehe, we've been practicing all afternoon, how can we not take a break, right Hanabi-chan?"

Hanabi Hanamaru, who was memorizing lyrics, looked up with a puzzled expression: "What's wrong?"

Kitagawa Sakakisa casually piled her violin and bow on top of the instrument case, ran over and hugged her: "I said, Hanabi-chan, you've worked so hard, now you can take a break."

"It's just memorizing lyrics...it can't be that tiring..."

"Everyone must be tired. You can ask Uesugi if you don't believe me."

Kai Uesugi: "I agree with taking a break."

"Where's Riei?" She looked at Ayaka Riei behind the drum set on the other side.

"Rest is no problem, of course, but there's still something wrong with how I play the drums."

"Didn't you sound like you were tapping very well just now?"

Rie Ayaka shook her head: "You think I played well because I deliberately made the accents and unaccents very distinct—my biggest problem is still rhythm... For a percussionist, rhythm is always the most important thing."

Kitagawa Sakakisa: "I feel like Riei has changed a lot."

Ayaka Riei: "Really?"

Jiu Shi Li Xiang came out and said, "Alright, let's rest for a while. I'll go prepare some food for you."

"I--"

"Hanabi, your foot is injured, don't push yourself, I can go by myself."

After saying that, Jiu Shi Li Xiang turned around and walked towards the door, her light purple short skirt swaying gently.

Kai Uesugi walked to the French windows. A thin layer of rain and mist danced in the air above the garden, blurring his vision, like life itself moving in the pattering raindrops.

Standing here and looking out at the Tokyo Skytree, you get a feeling of having Tokyo under your feet.

Soon after, Jiu Shi Li Xiang brought out fruit and a specially made milk coffee.

Kai Uesugi knew immediately upon tasting it that this was not her work; such a rich and smooth flavor could not be achieved without more than a decade of coffee expertise.

As they ate and drank, they started chatting again. The girls were particularly interested in their clothes and appearances, discussing shower gels, perfumes, dresses, and outfit combinations...

Kai Uesugi sat quietly to the side, not interrupting.

Afterwards, everyone familiarized themselves with their own scores and learned a little bit.

As dinner time approached, in order not to disturb the ninety families any further, they said goodbye one by one, and then driver Hezheng drove them back to their respective apartments near the school.

Uesugi Kai and Hanabi Hanamaru returned home, turned on the hot water, filled the bathtub, and prepared to take a bath together.

"You won't refuse this time, will you?"

"No, I won't..." Hanabi Hanamaru said shyly, but she still agreed.

After all... it wasn't the first time they'd showered together...

Since her feet were still bandaged and she couldn't soak in water, Uesugi Kai let her lie on him with her feet raised high on the edge of the bathtub.

Under the soft, warm light, the girl's raised legs were graceful and slender, faintly gleaming with a crystalline light.

Do you need help?

"don't want......"

The sound of the drizzling rain outside and the dripping water in the bathroom mingled together, sometimes near and sometimes far.

......

The next morning, the rain stopped and the sun came out.

Kai Uesugi, a student at the University of Tokyo, missed class once again.

It wasn't that he intended to do it this way, but with the May Festival approaching, most of the time was set aside for the students to use on their own, so there weren't many classes to attend at school.

He was fast asleep in bed, completely unaware that a little creature had crawled onto his face.

"Sister~ Sister~ Sister~"

In his sleep, Uesugi Kai felt a sharp pain as his face was being pulled by an extremely small hand, forcing him to wake up from his dream of being ravaged by mischievous fireworks.

"Sister~"

"It's my older brother."

Kai Uesugi opened his eyes and found a pair of large, violet eyes looking at him, their pupils gleaming with curiosity and joy.

He lifted the little Hanamaru Hanayu off his face and sat up on the bed.

Mrs. Hanamaru stood at the door, smiling at him: "Don't you have school today? Why aren't you up yet?"

Kai Uesugi lifted his sister-in-law up so she couldn't grab his face—to be honest, a one-year-old child is surprisingly strong.

The sister-in-law is just a tool sent by the mother-in-law to wake her up.

How annoying! They disturbed my sweet dream; even the fireworks in my dream were forcing me to...

Kai Uesugi turned to look at the pillow and found that Hanabi was not there.

"There are no classes at the University of Tokyo these days, so it's very relaxing."

"I heard from Hanabi that you're going to perform on stage. Can your mom and I come?"

"Yes, the campus will be open during the May Festival."

Rather, it's more accurate to say that the University of Tokyo is open all day long; he often saw children playing there in the afternoons.

Uesugi Kai supported his sister-in-law's upper body. Children's body temperatures are generally higher, and he could feel Hana's warm body temperature even through a layer of clothing.

She also had a milky scent.

She babbled and called out things like "Sister...kiss..."

Mrs. Hanamaru smiled kindly and said, "I don't know why, but Hana always calls you 'older sister'."

While listening to his mother-in-law's words, Uesugi Kai was caught off guard and his sister-in-law took advantage of the situation, grabbing her face.

My little hands are a bit sore from pulling.