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

Are you sure you want to ask this?

"Haha, just asking, I'm curious."

Kai Uesugi raised his gaze and looked at the street filled with vending machines:

"I've known her since I was a child; her house is right next to mine."

"So you were betrothed by your parents when you were young? Are your families old friends?"

"They weren't family friends; it was just that their parents knew each other."

The July sun was dazzling. Totsuka Katsura glanced up at its reflection behind the glass curtain wall and quickly looked away.

"Actually, I envy you too, Uesugi."

What do you envy?

"I envy you for getting engaged."

"Don't you have a girlfriend too? She's a pretty girl."

Totsuka Katsura laughed and said, "How can that be the same? Although we are close enough, I know that she is just playing around with me."

Uesugi Kai glanced at him: "Don't all men like to have fun?"

"How could that be!" Totsuka Katsura smiled, but the smile quickly faded. "I really like her, but she doesn't seem to want to marry me... Do you understand how that feels...?"

"A little."

"I worry that one day she'll get tired of me and just leave. If that happens... what was the point of our relationship all this time? Was it just to get the feeling of being in love? But if she clearly has feelings for me, what is she worried about if she doesn't want to get married?... I can't figure these things out... It's like... a dream without an ending for us, while you, Uesugi, have already made that dream come true!"

Totsuka Katsura became increasingly dejected as she spoke, as if recalling some fragment of memory, completely abandoning her usual cheerful personality at this moment.

Kai Uesugi really didn't know how to comfort him, because Hanabi Hanabi had always been wholeheartedly devoted to her.

When she was very young, she shyly said that she wanted to be Kai's wife.

From a child's perspective, this is just a joke, simply a way of expressing affection.

Now... those innocent and romantic words have come true like a dream.

In normal circumstances, 99% of girls would say later in life that it was just a childhood joke.

"Uesugi, you have a clearer perspective as an outsider, do you have any good suggestions?"

"I don't know, I don't know your girlfriend."

How did you pursue your fiancée?

Kai Uesugi paused for a second, then said to him, "I never pursued her. I just confessed my feelings at the right time, and she accepted."

"And then they got engaged?"

"more or less."

“Then she really likes you,” Totsuka Katsura said helplessly, turning her gaze away as the little red flag she was using to lead the way drooped down. “It’s right that people put love in words; it has nowhere to go and is hard to find.”

"Don't put it so poetically. Treat your girlfriend well. If she cares about you, you can feel it. If she doesn't want to get married, she's probably still considering whether you're someone she can entrust her life to... Compared to men, girls are more afraid of choosing the wrong person."

Perhaps his words had an effect, because Totsuka Katsura's mood improved, and she replied to him:

“You’re quite right… I was mainly thinking about how she would be held in another man’s arms, wear a wedding dress for another man, and then be pinned down by him… Although by then it would be none of my business, thinking about it now makes our sweet romance seem ridiculous.”

I don’t know if it’s a little awkward to talk about these things in front of a group of kids, but Kai Uesugi patted him on the shoulder to comfort him.

Male students majoring in humanities can sometimes be quite sentimental.

Thank you.

"nothing."

-------

A coffee shop with a simple and cheerful decor inside the Tokyo University of the Arts Museum.

Hanabi Hanamaru's outfit today is a narrow-strapped pleated skirt, a white shirt with a floral bow tie at the collar, and a round beret, giving her a very preppy and girlish look.

Her delicate and adorable profile also drew a lot of attention from her male classmates.

A classmate suggested that she participate in a beauty pageant held annually at a university, with prize money of several million yen.

However, Hanabi Hanabi was too embarrassed to do something that required her to be in the public eye, so the matter was dropped.

"With Hanamaru's looks, I'm sure many studios and art magazines would invite you to be a model, right? Hand model, leg model... I believe Hanamaru could do it all very well... and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she could do it even better."

Sekine Sagara smiled and said this, without glancing at her face or hands, behaving in a proper and gentlemanly manner.

"My family also runs a fashion magazine. If you're interested, Hanamaru, as your classmate, I can certainly offer you a satisfactory salary. I won't say it'll be high, but your university life will definitely be comfortable and free."

"No need for that..." Hanabi Hanabi said softly. Her gentle voice seemed to have a kind of comforting beauty, making people feel comfortable, even though it was a refusal. "Sekine-kun... what important thing were you talking about just now?"

"If there's nothing else, can't you chat with Hanamaru-kun?"

"Well... it's probably better if we don't chat..."

Hanabi Hanabi placed her right hand on the ring finger of her left hand, and Sagara Sekine noticed this small gesture.

"Are you afraid of misunderstandings? Hanamaru-kun, you're overthinking it. We're just chatting as classmates for a while. Besides, Uesugi-kun, didn't he have female classmates before? I remember it was about two weeks ago... They were having dinner together, and afterwards they saw another girl off... I guess it was probably her parents or some kind of elder."

Upon hearing his words, Hanabi Hanamaru subconsciously gripped the diamond ring on her left hand even tighter.

Sekine Sagara then smiled and said, "Hanamaru-kun, you don't know about this?"

"Know......"

"Haha, that makes sense! So it's perfectly reasonable for us classmates to chat. After all, love shouldn't restrict the freedom of life, right, Hanamaru-kun?"

Hanabi Hanamaru didn't want to discuss these things anymore, and simply said softly, "Sekine-kun, let's get back to the important matter we just discussed."

Upon her reminder, Sekine Sagara immediately laughed and said, "Look at me, I almost forgot. When Sasagawa came to see you this morning, he talked to you about those forced wishes again, didn't he? I know he will put it in a very tactful way, saying that it's for your own good, but I personally don't like this kind of forced change of will at all. The engagement was entirely my mother's decision, and I absolutely did not mean to make things difficult for Hanamaru-kun."

"Therefore, I specifically told my mother that there is no need for a marriage alliance. Helping Sasakawa Hotel would also benefit us. It is a good place where investments are guaranteed to make money. Where there is profit, there will be cooperation. There is no need for a so-called marriage alliance to consolidate the relationship between the two families."

“I came to see you because I want you to know that you don’t need to feel pressured about this at all. After I mentioned this to my mother, your uncle should stop coming to see you so often.”

Hanabi Hanamaru thought a lot after hearing these words.

She was naturally happy to be relieved of the pressure from the Hanamaru family.

Although her uncle and aunt couldn't completely interfere with her choices, she didn't want her relationship with her father to become too strained.

After all, we're all family.

Since the arsonist at the hotel was caught, he has confessed honestly. The reason is that Hanamaru Hiroki caught him once before, and after being released from prison, he was unhappy and had the idea of ​​revenge.

Having somehow gotten wind of the news, he assumed the hotel belonged to Hanamaru Hiroki and, in a fit of rage, set it on fire.

Ultimately, it was because of his father that his uncle's business faced bankruptcy.

Hanabi Hanamaru didn't want to worsen the situation, but she also didn't want to agree to her uncle's request to break off her engagement with Kai Uesugi.

Sekine Sagara's words eased the tension between her and her uncle.

"Is it okay?" Hanabi Hanamaru stood on the balcony of the coffee shop. A gentle breeze blew, the sunlight shone through the azure sky, and the flowers and plants decorated by the shop all accentuated her beauty.

Sekine Sagara paused for a moment, then smiled:

"Of course, Hanamaru-kun, don't worry. I'm not the kind of person who takes advantage of others in their vulnerable state. I don't have any conditions to do this kind of thing. Here—"

He pointed to the menu in the coffee shop.

"Buying me a cup of coffee would be perfectly fine."

------

Inside the art museum's café.

Kitagawa Sakakisa, dressed in a black dress, glanced at the balcony, then turned to ask Kyuuji Rika, "What do you think Sekine asked Hanabi to say?"

"I don't know, I'm not sure."

"That's no good either! I know that guy's a playboy!"

Rie Ayaka asked, "Sakakisa, you keep saying Sekine is a playboy, but Yuna and the others say Sekine is a very nice person."

"Tch," Kitagawa Sakakisa said dismissively, arms crossed, "It's all an act."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

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.

The whispers of raindrops hitting the umbrella's surface filled my entire body with a chill.

Kai Uesugi didn't react much, letting the chill invade his body as he continued walking through the rain-soaked streets of Tokyo.

He answered the phone, carrying a clear plastic bag containing two cup noodles.

It is the mother.

【Akai, the letter from the University of Tokyo has arrived.】

【Um. 】

[It says on the sign that the entrance ceremony will be held on April 1st!]

That's really lucky.

[Yeah, yeah! I can't believe you actually got in, A-Zhao! This past year must have been tough, right? What do you want to eat tonight?]

Kai Uesugi glanced sideways at the two packs of Nissin Cup Noodles in his plastic bag.

The pattering raindrops continued to fill my ears.

I've already bought some instant noodles.

[Instant noodles? No way! That's unhealthy. When you get home, just wait for me to go grocery shopping; it'll be ready in a minute.]