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

Hanabi Hanabi spoke softly, then hesitated for a long time as she looked at his outstretched arm, which he gestured for her to put it on.

Finally, she gently took his arm and put her right hand into his pocket.

"After all... the favorability rating is -40."

Kai Uesugi immediately felt a cool little hand slip inside. It was cool and soft, with a hint of shyness and hesitation. He quickly grabbed her in his pocket, pried open her clenched palm, and held her little hand together inside.

Hanabi Hanabi felt his embrace and her face turned even redder.

The two started from the tram platform and slowly approached the gate of Tokyo University of the Arts.

Her hand was held tightly, and Hanabi Hanabi lowered her head slightly beside him, her face a little red. As she spoke, she breathed hot air from her mouth: "Kai-kun... don't you think Hanabi's hand is cold?"

There's a saying that goes something like this: your girlfriend's hands are your own, so even if they're cold, you should try your best to warm them up.

“It must have been made up by Kai-kun on the spot…” Hanabi Hanamaru didn’t dare to look at him.

"Huh? What are you talking about, Hanabi?"

"N-nothing..."

Hanabi Hanamaru strained to lift her head and look at the diverse crowd of passersby in autumn trench coats.

Walking alongside him on the roadside, I linked my arm with his, and his hand was even squeezing mine...

Yes... there's a tiny bit of warmth...

When he wasn't looking, Hanabi glanced up at him furtively, but quickly buried her face back down after seeing his profile.

Thinking to myself, maybe I should... give him 0 points of favorability...

After walking for most of the way from the tram stop to the campus area, many students passed by here.

Hanabi Hanamaru, who didn't particularly like being watched by others, naturally moved closer to Kai Uesugi beside her.

Kai Uesugi had also enjoyed seeing her shy demeanor around him quite often. He understood that many male students were drawn to her innocent and adorable appearance.

A while ago, a talent scout said she looked like a young Akina Nakamori and wanted to invite her to become a star and take the pure and cute route.

This path is not easy at all, as exemplified by the talent scout's example, Akina Nakamori.

Even after becoming a top-tier star, she lost everything because of a scumbag. She was repeatedly used and discarded, and in the end, heartbroken, she even attempted suicide by cutting her left wrist with a razor.

After her suicide attempt, her career began to decline and she never recovered.

Innocent girls are easily deceived by scumbags who take their feelings away. The other party is just playing around, while the girl treats him as the only one in her life.

Looking at Hanabi Hanamaru, Uesugi Kai thought that she was just as naive as Hanabi. If she entered the entertainment industry, he wondered how she would be fooled.

"How about I stand on the left?"

"what?"

"It means I'll use another hand to warm it for you."

When Uesugi Kai circled around to her left, Hanabi Hanabi hadn't even reacted yet before she blankly stretched out her other hand to him.

Uesugi Kai grabbed her soft, cool little hand and put it in his pocket, warming it up as he did so.

"Kai-kun..."

"what happened?"

"Don't... use too much force."

Did I pinch you too hard?

"Um..."

......

The hand-holding activity was forced to end after the classroom was closed, as Hanamaru Hanabi was embarrassed to have her hands held like that in front of people she knew.

What classes are there today?

“Still life sketch.” Hanabi Hanamaru stood in front of him, her two small hands clasped together, and he could still feel the warmth of his touch on her palms.

"Huh? Didn't we just draw an anatomy yesterday? What about after your sketching class?"

"Perspective".

"This... should be easier to learn."

"Yes, that's right."

......

Perspective is not easy to learn at all.

Kai Uesugi spent the entire morning learning new material, almost starting from scratch, so he had to be extra alert to keep up.

Studying is so tiring.

Although there was only a short 20-minute break in the morning, Uesugi Kai felt that there was no happier time than this.

During breaks, he could take Hanabi to the vending machine downstairs to buy drinks, or take her for a slow walk in the park-like scenery of the school, to see the swans in the lake and the lazy kittens hanging in the trees.

She remained quiet, staying quietly by my side. She would answer my questions and respond when I spoke to her.

She's like a simple girl who just follows you around, pure and beautiful. Just being with her makes you feel much better.

After class started, Hanabi Hanabu, who was sitting next to him, stopped writing and suddenly asked him:

"Why did Kai-kun suddenly come to school to ask Hanabi to go to school together...?"

"Who said I was definitely coming to find you?" Uesugi Kai said with a smile, looking at her face.

"It was Kai-kun who said it..." Hanabi Hanabi muttered.

"Actually... ever since I started university, I've always felt like something's missing."

Kai Uesugi gazed at the tree branches swaying in the wind outside the art room window. "I've been thinking about what I'm missing, what I'm missing that makes me feel like I have no motivation to study or read... Occasionally, when I look up at the sky, my heart is drawn out there too."

Hanabi Hanabi listened silently to his story.

Kai Uesugi continued, "Now, I've figured it out. What I lack most is having someone I like by my side... I can teach her things she doesn't know, and she'll thoughtfully give me things I don't have. This kind of life where we support each other is something I could never experience alone at Tokyo University."

"Kai-kun...did you say that to increase your affection level...?"

Kai Uesugi smiled and countered, "Hanabi should know whether I said that because of my favorability rating. Just go along with that idea."

"So...yesterday, Sakaki asked you..."

"I definitely can't answer her with something so important. I'll wait for you to ask me before I tell you."

"Kai-kun..." Hanabi Hanamaru stared at his face, mouth agape for a long time, wanting to say something, but unable to utter a word.

"Haha, what's wrong? Do you think I'm being particularly romantic? Come to think of it, no man would go to great lengths to chase someone from one university to another just to study with the person he likes."

"Kai-kun, you're being narcissistic again."

“No, I’m telling the truth.” When Uesugi Kai saw her laugh, he laughed along with her.

No matter when, her smile can touch the deepest chord in my heart.

Kai Uesugi has always felt that way.

"By the way, Hanabi, how do you draw on the surface of this iron kettle? I just asked Kitagawa, but she still won't tell me."

谷偶

"Let the fireworks see."

......

In the afternoon, at a coffee shop.

As soon as Uesugi Kai arrived at the door, there were already customers waiting inside for coffee, and Kohashi Rimi was already too busy to keep up.

He put on his apron, said hello, and started working.

It wasn't until 3 p.m. that we finally had a longer break.

Kai Uesugi saw Hanabi Hanabi sleeping on the balcony, so he manually made a cup of milk coffee and went over to find her with a smile.

"If you slack off here, be careful the manager doesn't see you."

Hanabi Hanamaru, dressed in a maid outfit, propped her face up with her hands, squeezing her chubby cheeks upwards, and laughed.

"Kai-kun really knows how to flirt with Hanabi this morning. Hanabi's heart has been racing non-stop."

"Really?" Uesugi Kai knew she was Kuro Hanabi at this moment.

“Of course,” Hanabi Hanabi suddenly took one of his hands and said to him with affection in her eyes, “Kai-kun doesn’t know, when Kai-kun said those words, Hanabi’s heart almost melted.”

Kai Uesugi pushed the freshly prepared milk coffee towards her.

Hanabi Hanabi continued to smile at him and said, "If I could, I would like to marry Kai-kun again."

Kai Uesugi nodded quickly, agreeing with whatever his wife said.

"Drink it quickly, it won't be good if it gets cold."

......

Inside the coffee shop.

Akane Rina saw the two people sitting on the balcony, chatting and laughing with each other.

She stopped Totsuka Katsura, who was clearing the dishes, pointed to the two people outside on the balcony, and said, "Don't you think their relationship has become closer lately?"

Totsuka Katsura glanced at it and nodded: "A little."

“We shouldn’t have interfered in this matter in the first place. We’ve seen it before but pretended not to... but recently... By the way, do you know what Uesugi did on the day before yesterday?”

Totsuka Katsura knew about this, because Uesugi Kai had given him a heads-up yesterday.

It was supposed to be an exchange program where they would study painting at Tokyo University of the Arts for a while.

He was shocked. How could they switch like that? Uesugi had only been a freshman at the University of Tokyo for half a year. How could he switch to another university?

Of course, after saying hello, Kai Uesugi immediately turned around and went to Tokyo University of the Arts.

He made various speculations afterward.

Totsuka Katsura: "Maybe... he went to apologize to his wife."

"What do you mean?" Akane Rina didn't understand.