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

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

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Backstage, since it's an open-air stage, there's only a fairly large tent covering it.

Kai Uesugi held the guitar he had bought in England, gazing at the signature that Miss Anna had given him more than a year ago.

"Hanabi thinks it's a coincidence that we miraculously ended up in the same school from kindergarten to high school?"

"Kai-kun..."

"Looking back now, it was clearly Hanabi who wanted to go to the same school as me. She asked her aunt, who then told my mother, and that's how we managed to continue going to school together by sheer coincidence."

"Fireworks, silently liking someone for over ten years, don't you ever feel tired?"

"Hanabi knows, Kai-kun understands." Hanamaru Hanabi looked at him in silence for a moment, and her voice was still weak and soft when she answered.

The lingering echoes of the stage performance still resonated in her ears, and Uesugi Kai felt as if they were dancing, outlining the beautiful silhouette of the girl before her.

“I understand, but lately I’ve been worried about losing your smile by my side. I don’t know what I can do to keep you here.”

"That's the last thing Kai-kun needs to worry about... For Hanabi... Kai-kun is the best..."

"What I just said, was that also?"

"Kai-kun... even though he said those things... Kai-kun is still Kai-kun..."

"What if I become someone who hits you?"

"No, Hanabi knows it's Kai-kun."

Kai Uesugi saw her own reflection in her shimmering, violet eyes.

Student council staff members were standing a short distance ahead, signaling that they could prepare to go on stage.

Are you nervous?

"Yes, a little." Hanabi Hanamaru looked at the people in front who were helping to move the upright piano.

"Speaking of which, I've noticed that Hanabi seems to be looking forward to this performance."

"Kai-kun has never participated in an event like this before..."

Kai Uesugi thought for a moment, "Hmm... I've only ever played guitar for you."

Kitagawa Sakakisa walked over carrying her violin case and reminded her, "Get ready to go on stage, Uesugi-kun!"

"Even best friends get jealous when their boyfriends take their best friend away?" Uesugi Kai asked.

“Of course! Although I also like Hanabi-chan to be happy, if you're here, it takes away my time to talk to her, which is definitely not good for me!” Kitagawa Sakakisa emphasized, her black dress and violin case giving her a British feel.

Kai Uesugi was a little curious, and before the student council members called them up, he asked, "What do you usually do when you're together?"

playing what?

Kitagawa Sakakisa didn't expect him to ask this question suddenly, but since he asked, she would answer it.

She raised her head slightly, looked up, and after a moment's thought, replied:

"Tea parties, cake parties, discussion sessions at the family restaurant, shopping for dresses together at the shopping street, watching morning dramas together..."

Uesugi Kai couldn't find anything interesting in what she heard; it was just a normal activity that young girls often did together.

"Nothing meaningful?"

"What's the point of playing!" Kitagawa Sakakisa glared at Uesugi Kai, feeling that he was just there to cause trouble.

“For example, opening a coffee shop or something,” Uesugi Kai said.

"I don't know how to open a shop, but... hehe..." Kitagawa Sakakisa put her left hand on her hip, making a tsundere gesture, and said, "If Uesugi-kun were to open one, I would definitely go and support him."

"I'm afraid you'll deliberately say my coffee is bad in the coffee shop."

"I'm a person who believes in the truth!"

On the other side, Rika Kyuu, who was looking down at her phone, interjected with a reminder, standing up and saying, "Alright, we should get ready to go on stage."

Rie Ayaka took a deep breath, stood up, and asked, "Is everyone alright?"

"Of course not!" These were the words of Kitagawa Sakakisa.

Hanabi Hanamaru nodded in agreement.

Kai Uesugi simply watched the fireworks without responding.

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In the audience seats in front of the stage, the music from the previous performance had stopped for a long time, and two ladies were holding two little ones, waiting for the five of them to enter.

"Mieko, what do you think it will be like if Hanabi and Kai get married?"

Mrs. Hanamaru held Hanamaru Hanayu's little hand and playfully punched her left and right, making her giggle. "Kai must be clinging to Hanabi every day, right?"

"I think so too. When we were kids, it was the other way around. Hanabi followed Kai every day. I guess you could say it was fate."

"Because Hanabi really wanted a friend back then, and Kai was the only one who was willing to care about her," Mrs. Hanamaru said calmly.

Mrs. Uesugi patted the sleeping Uesugi Kokoro in her arms, recalling how Uesugi Kai looked as an infant:

“Ah-chao never cried or made a fuss since she was little, and she never caused any trouble. She was very smart, but she just didn’t like to talk much.”

Mrs. Hanamaru also recalled how Kai once escorted Hanabi home and how he politely said goodbye. "Kai, how should I put it, is very mature, but in return, he has a bit of an air of age. He doesn't seem like a child at all."

Mrs. Uesugi thought for a moment, "I think Hanabi probably liked his maturity before, unlike the other classmates who were mischievous."

“Noriko, you’re wrong.” Mrs. Hanamaru shook her head and said, “What Hanabi really lacks is care. She needs the care of someone her own age, and Kai is the one who can give her that care. Her mind is very simple and pure. Whoever is good to her, she will always be good to that person.”

It's easy to say, but extremely difficult to do.

Who can always feel grateful to someone?

"It's very rare to find a girl as wonderful as Hanabi," Mrs. Uesugi remarked.

Mrs. Hanamaru smiled faintly: "So Noriko, you should thank me."

Mrs. Uesugi laughed jokingly, "Yes, I thank you on behalf of Kai, Mieko!"

Mrs. Hanamaru shook her youngest daughter's hand: "Alright, alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Love is something that the two children will develop on their own."

“But,” Mrs. Uesugi sighed, “I think Kai can’t live without fireworks anymore.”

Mrs. Hanamaru laughed and said, "This shows that my family's fireworks still have some charm."

After a long break since the last performance, the lively discussions in the audience suddenly fell silent, including those who were still immersed in the cross-dressing dance by the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Tokyo and had not yet recovered.

Their gazes all turned to the five people who slowly walked out of the stage.

The senior students from the University of Tokyo were puzzled when they saw the girls on the stage, and they started whispering among themselves.

Which department is this?

"Never seen it before."

"You're overlooking one crucial point: how could Tokyo University have such beautiful girls?!"

The boys didn't recognize him at all, but a few students from the third category, seventh group of liberal arts students recognized Uesugi Kai from their class.

Totsuka Katsura was also among their group of boys.

"Isn't that Uesugi? I've never heard of him going to participate in a stage performance. Totsuka, you're close to him, do you know what's going on?"

Totsuka Katsura knew what these guys were up to; they just wanted to find out information about pretty girls.

When they enrolled in April, this group of students were full of enthusiasm. They wanted to learn everything, never missed a class, and took whatever electives were available.

By May... everything had deflated. Being a student at the University of Tokyo was particularly useful; it gave people a sense of being highly regarded, and almost every day was a university social gathering.

"Totsuka! If you don't tell me, I can go ask Uesugi. It's rare to have a few pretty female classmates here, which will cleanse my eyes that have been polluted by the cross-dressing dance of the Department of Community Affairs!"

Totsuka Katsura glanced at him: "Didn't you realize you weren't from our campus?"

"I know that. There are only a few girls on our campus. I've never seen them before. Are they from the Komaba area?"

Totsuka Katsura pointed to Hanabi Hanabu in a white dress on the stage; she did look a little nervous. "Uesugi's fiancée."

After a long silence, the other party didn't seem surprised, but rather somewhat discouraged.

“…All the pretty girls belong to other people.” He said, looking down, then continued, “What about the others in the back?”

"Then I don't know her. She must be that girl's classmate." Totsuka Katsura then realized that she didn't know Uesugi Kai's fiancée's name.

The other party seemed unwilling to give up.

"Totsuka, tell me, why is there such a big difference between the two of you, both students of Tokyo University? Uesugi is a national archery champion, has been on NHK, and is both famous and handsome. You don't know how many girls inside and outside the school have secretly given him love letters."

Totsuka Katsura patted him on the shoulder, signaling him not to be discouraged: "You and the beggars in Africa are both human beings, yet the difference between you is so great, isn't it?"

*

It's natural to feel nervous when you're being watched from above on stage for the first time.

Because all eyes are on you, it creates a feeling of being expected.

Kai Uesugi sat not far behind Hanabi Hanamaru, holding a guitar. He didn't seem that nervous; perhaps it was because he was thick-skinned and could handle more pressure.

I don't care whether people see me or not, as long as I play with all my heart.

Hanabi Hanamaru, however, stood at the very front of the group, and her beautiful appearance and cute outfit attracted even more attention.

The increasing pressure from the gaze inevitably caused her to experience feelings of tension.

Hanabi Hanamaru clasped her hands together in front of her skirt, looking adorable while also making it clear to the audience that she was very nervous.

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A street scene in Tokyo at 1:39 p.m.

Cold rain sprinkled across the transparent umbrellas that were being used to walk between the high-rise buildings.

"Welcome to 7 Days Convenience Store."

"Hi, Seunghye, 300 yen."

"Sir, starting in September, you'll be charged for plastic bags. Here's your change: 190 yen. Please keep it safe."

Thank you for your patronage. We look forward to welcoming you again.

After leaving the convenience store, Uesugi Kai, whose chin was now covered in stubble, walked home alone, holding an umbrella.