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

“That’s true,” Kai Uesugi said, looking ahead. “That’s just Hanabi’s personality, and that’s what makes her so adorable.”

Kai Uesugi smiled at her, his gentle and familiar face making her heart flutter.

"Right?"

Hanabi Hanamaru pursed her lips and cautiously asked:

"Kai...Kai-kun, do you like fireworks like this?"

"I like it."

Kai Uesugi answered immediately without hesitation, staring intently into her beautiful eyes, "Hanabi has always looked the same to me."

Same appearance...

Hanabi Hanamaru suddenly recalled the question Ayaka Rie had asked her before, and asked somewhat fearfully:

"It's been so long, aren't you getting impatient with these fireworks, Kai-kun? Fireworks... they've always been so useless..."

Uesugi Kai paused for a moment, then laughed and said, "You silly girl, you're talking nonsense again."

He reached out and gently stroked her head:

"I don't need to explain these things; Hanabi will find out later."

"Um..."

Hanabi Hanamaru looked down at her small hands. Although she didn't know why Kai Uesugi would say that, she could only accept the feeling of her head being gently rubbed.

Stroking her obedient head, Kaito Uesugi continued to smile at her and said, "Let's go quickly, your uncle and aunt are still waiting for us to come back for dinner."

After saying that, he immediately and tightly grasped the bewildered little hand.

"Kai-kun!?"

"Follow me!"

Uesugi Kai smiled slightly, took her hand, pulled her right hand, and moved his legs forward.

"棣,棣君!"

Hanabi Hanabi's slender body was pulled forward by him, her steps faltering, and the shoulder bag she was holding in her left hand swung backward.

A panicked expression, a pleated skirt fluttering in the wind, and black leather shoes making a series of chaotic footsteps.

"Follow!"

Kai Uesugi turned to look at her, smiling warmly.

Hanabi Hanamaru felt the smiles in front of her, the night wind whistling past her face, and the warmth from her right hand.

Gradually, I took my first steps.

She began to run hand in hand with the person holding her tightly in front of her, along the quiet path.

Under the beautiful night sky, the anxious figures of the two stirred up countless fallen cherry blossom petals at their feet.

###Chapter Sixty-Seven: It's Because He's a Father That He Feels Heartache###

It happened after dinner that day; Uesugi Kai had another meal at Hanamaru's house.

"You've made rapid progress." Hanamaru Yuuki put down the bamboo sword in his hand.

The phrase "made rapid progress" refers to the fact that Uesugi Kai didn't get beaten much today.

In the courtyard of the Hanamaru family home, at night, Uesugi Kai received his first kendo instruction of the week from Hanamaru Yuuki.

He seems to have been quite busy these past few days.

Setting down the aching bamboo sword in his hand, Uesugi Kai sat on a small wooden platform extending from outside the living room.

After he couldn't help but yawn, Hanamaru Yuuki sat down next to him.

"I heard from Hanabi that you're going to participate in the national archery tournament?"

"Hmm." Uesugi Kai tried to keep his tired nerves awake.

"It's a difficult goal, but since you want to persevere, then keep going."

"Uncle, have you been very busy lately?"

"uncle?"

Hanamaru Yuuki's expression suddenly changed, and he said sternly, "You brat, you've gotten so used to calling me 'Uncle' these days? In a few days, will you be able to call me 'Father-in-law' so casually?"

"..." Uesugi Kai didn't know what to say at this moment.

“I’ve been a bit busy lately,” Hanamaru Yuki continued, picking up where he left off. “Some restless things have started to stir. It’s not a big deal, but it’s not good for ordinary people if those kinds of people become active.”

"So, you and Hanabi had better not wander around. The Shinjuku area is still quite unsettling at night."

"Very dangerous?"

"It's very dangerous."

As the police chief, Hanamaru Yuuki naturally knew many things hidden in the shadows.

He spoke so cryptically because he didn't want Uesugi Kai and Hanamaru Hanabi to have too much contact with these things.

However, Hanamaru Hiroki's past experiences still prompted Uesugi Kai to ask:

"Uncle, you said you came from the First Investigation Division, right?"

“Yes,” Hanamaru Yuuki looked up at the night sky, “especially in the beginning, that period was very busy and tiring. When I got home, I would just fall asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, but when I woke up I had to think about those subtle clues.”

Hanamaru Yuuki remarked, then turned to look at Uesugi Kai:

Why are you asking this? Do you want to be a policeman?

“No, it’s not.” Uesugi Kai shook his head.

However, becoming a police officer is indeed a path that Uesugi Kai can choose.

As long as he gets into the University of Tokyo and passes the national Class A civil service exam to become a professional, his future will be bright under Hanamaru Hiroki's guidance.

But the hectic life of a police officer, especially in the Criminal Investigation Department, was too exhausting for Uesugi Kai.

He doesn't want to spend his whole life striving; his current efforts are just a way to prepare for a carefree life later on.

Can you call it hard work if you're not striving for a more comfortable life?

Uesugi Kai continued, "Aren't the First Investigation Division all responsible for major criminal cases? Uncle, your position is so high, I'm worried..."

He didn't finish his sentence because he knew that Hanamaru Hiroki had already understood what he meant.

"Are you asking if the guys I arrested will try to retaliate?"

Kai Uesugi nodded.

"meeting."

Hanamaru Yuuki picked up the bamboo sword beside him and stared at the Xian Ge above. "Although there aren't many people like this, there are still some."

His tone suddenly became heavy.

"Twelve years ago, he tried to use this to threaten me into stopping the investigation."

There was a moment of silence, then Uesugi Kai pressed on:

"And then what?"

The voice trailed off, clearly indicating that Hanamaru Yuuki didn't want to reveal any more.

"There's not much to say about these things. You just need to know that these dangerous people exist. They're hiding in the shadows, and the police can't monitor them all the time or know what they're up to."

"It is called a criminal case precisely because it will not be known to the public."

Hanamaru Yuuki patted Uesugi Kai on the shoulder.

"Most people don't have that kind of courage, but I've faced many criminals that you can't even imagine."

"Because of the nature of my job, there are certain potential dangers associated with Hanabi. I can't protect her all the time. When I'm not around, you'll have to take care of her."

Don't forget.

Kai Uesugi nodded.

"I see."

The glass door behind them was pushed open, and Hanabi Hanamaru, dressed in casual clothes, stepped obediently and placed the barley tea in her hand between the two of them.

"Dad, here you go."

"Ah."

Looking at his daughter's smiling face, Hanamaru Yuuki smiled and took the warm teacup from her hands.

"Kai-kun".

"Thank you."

Take a sip of tea, and the warm, wheaty aroma lingers on your lips and teeth.

"Kai-kun..."

Under Hanabi Hana's tender gaze, Uesugi Kai could feel a warmth different from that of barley tea heating up in his heart, but he dared not meet her eyes for too long.

Hanamaru Hiroki, who had just taken a sip of tea, suddenly frowned slightly.

Immediately afterwards, Hanabi Hanamaru felt a tap on her head.

She turned back to look at Hanamaru Yuuki in confusion: "Dad?"

Hanamaru Yuuki looked at her little face and gently scolded, "You little brat, how dare you look at this brat like that in front of your father?"

"Fireworks...not available..."

Hanabi Hanamaru didn't dare to look at her father, but when she turned around, she met the gaze of Kai Uesugi in front of her, and could only lower her head shyly.

This scene caused Hanamaru Yuuki's heart to twitch slightly.

Mingming was such a well-behaved daughter when she was little...

Ugh...

After letting out a silent sigh, he saw Uesugi Kai and seemed to suddenly remember something; his face became unusually serious.