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

"Pervert..." Hanabi Hanabi blushed deeply, pursed her lips, and bit his neck. "You pervert."

"Hanabi-chan, it hurts..."

"That scoundrel Kai-kun, how could he do such a thing to his own sister?"

"Haha... After all, she's the little sister next door. As a teenage boy, it would be abnormal if I wasn't curious. I have to thank my mother-in-law for letting me in during the summer."

"Mom doesn't know that Kai-kun was peeping, does she?"

"She probably doesn't know, and even if she did, she probably wouldn't say anything."

Speaking of her mother, Hanabi blushed and recalled what happened a few nights ago. "That day... I hope Mom didn't hear me? Hanabi felt like she knew what she said to her that morning."

"Well, Hanabi-chan, you managed to keep your voice down, but people downstairs can still hear you."

"You're so mean!" Hanabi Hanabi clenched her little fists in shame and anger, slamming them down on his back.

"Hanabi-chan, don't worry about it so much. We're married now, it's nothing."

"But...Mom heard us!"

"I don't think it's a big deal. I heard it, so what?"

"If it were my mother-in-law, I reckon she'd be eavesdropping and laughing at me from outside the door."

"Mom is so mean!"

"Right? Your mom and my mom were both well-known gossips in college. Now that they're housewives, of course they can only peek into our lives out of boredom."

We chatted like that all the way, and before we knew it, half an hour had passed.

Looking at the intersection not far from her home and the endless stream of cars, Uesugi Kai couldn't help but say, "Time flies so fast."

"Aren't you tired, Kai-kun?"

“How could I get tired carrying you?” As he spoke, Uesugi Kai lifted the girl onto his back a little more. “Hanabi-chan is so light. Even through so many layers of clothing, I can feel how slender and petite her body is, and her skin is so soft and smooth, as if she has no bones.”

"That's an exaggeration..."

"How can I make you blush if I don't exaggerate? Hanabi-chan, why don't you give me a hickey on my neck?"

"what happened?"

"I just want you to leave a mark for me, so that it shows I'm yours."

The light turned green, and the two continued walking home.

Trees on the street, people on the street, cars on the street, vending machines on the street.

As Uesugi Kai carried her on his back, listening to her talk about one topic after another while she leaned on his shoulder, it felt as if he were carrying his entire life on his back—it was both light and heavy, and he didn't want to let go.

She promised to cook for herself when she got home today, and for some reason, even though it was the most ordinary thing in the world, Uesugi Kai felt a lot of anticipation.

"Firework Sauce..."

"What's wrong?" Hanabi, wearing a hood, leaned on his shoulder.

"Please don't be so good to me, okay? I'm afraid that if I get too used to you because you're so good to me, I'll forget that you exist."

“Kai-kun… has fallen into love syndrome again,” Hanabi Hanabi leaned against his back and smiled. “It feels like we complement each other. When Kai-kun becomes sentimental, Hanabi comforts him; when Hanabi becomes sentimental, Kai-kun comforts her.”

"Indeed, Kai-kun and Hanabi are like the sun shining on each other."

"Hanabi was thinking that she had already said enough sweet words to Kai-kun, like 'forever,' 'I will always be with Kai-kun,' 'I would even be with him in the next life'... But... she always felt that it wasn't enough, and she wanted to say more."

Hanabi Hanamaru paused for a long time after saying this, then closed her eyes quietly, her face filled with happiness and peace, and said:

"Hanabi likes Kai the most."

Kai Uesugi was deeply moved, even to the point of feeling choked up, but wanting to lighten the mood, he smiled and said to her:

"Has Hanabi forgiven Kai-kun?"

"No."

"That firework said you like me so much."

"I may like him, but Hanabi never said she didn't love Kai-kun."

"The phrase 'fireworks' is contradictory."

"No... It's like some girls say they don't like their brother, but deep down they still like her the most."

"This kind of thing, it seems, is generally called tsundere."

"Isn't being arrogant good?"

"It's not that it's bad, it's just..."

The silhouettes of the two people, leaning on each other, were gradually lengthened by the setting sun on the city skyline along the city streets lined with skyscrapers.

Even though they are talking about completely repeated topics, they still keep repeating them with great enthusiasm.

While answering the girl's questions, Uesugi Kai was also thinking to herself that what she longed for most was someone who could respond to her at any time, regardless of how many times the topic was repeated.

As long as she was by her side... she responded to herself.

Everything had the warmth of the sunset painting the evening glow.

"Kai-kun, let the fireworks go down."

"Aren't you going to say it anymore?" There was a hint of disappointment in Uesugi Kai's voice.

"We're home." Hanabi Hanabi looked at him with her violet eyes and said softly.

Looking at the familiar road in front of her house, Uesugi Kai gave a wry smile and said, "Now I feel guilty when I walk home with you. I keep thinking about how you made the cake and were waiting for me at home."

"Kai-kun, it's good that you understand that feeling." Hanabi Hanamaru didn't blame him.

Does this feeling have a name?

"Yes, it has been around for a long time, and it's very simple."

"What is it?"

"abandon."

"Hmm...Hanabi is right." Uesugi Kai felt even more guilty. This word was the one that made Hanabi feel the most pain, and yet he had made her feel it even after they got married.

This is no longer a matter of whether someone is careless or not.

Hanabi Hanabi stretched out her little hand and grasped his hand. She smiled, a bright and radiant smile.

"But Hanabi-chan knew that Kai-kun didn't mean it, so after she was a little angry for a few days, she stopped feeling that way."

"Did Hanabi-chan forgive Kai-kun?"

"No," Hanabi Hanamaru replied. "Even if Kai-kun did it unintentionally, he still did it, and since he did it, he has to bear the consequences."

Even so, Hanabi, you still came home with me?

"There's nothing I can do... Kai-kun is such a grown man, yet he can't even cook for himself. I can only rely on Hanabi, this weak woman, to help him. After all, no matter how much I hate him, I don't want to see him starve to death at home!"

Hanabi Hanamaru smiled again.

She said these words quite casually, as if she were joking with him.

Kai Uesugi glanced at the hand she was holding... Her hand was still a little cold, small, and soft.

In all her life, besides her parents, she's probably only ever held hands with someone she's ever taken the initiative to do so.

Could this be considered a signal of reliance?

Kai Uesugi had never felt so guilty as he had recently. Although he appeared to be the same as usual, his heart was already filled with the disappointment of his beloved Hanabi.

All I could think about was, how could you have let her down? How could you have let her down?

And she's still willing to come back and cook for herself.

The two got into the elevator and remained silent for a moment.

"Firework Sauce".

"Ok?"

"Once we've truly made up, we must be like before, flirting and teasing each other, okay?"

Why not now?

"Because all I can think about right now is that I'm sorry to you, haha. I wanted to tease you and make you shy, but I don't even have the guts anymore, haha."

"Therefore, between Christmas and the year-end performance, Kai-kun must first adjust his mindset."

Hanabi Hanamaru deliberately kept everyone in suspense.

"As for Hanabi, she's always waiting for Kai-kun to return to normal. Although he's a little mischievous, Hanabi still likes him very much!"

Hanabi is definitely different now; she's become braver than before.

However, if she's shy, like just now, she'll still become charming and adorable, right?

###Chapter 524 Happiness is Really Simple###

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

Happiness is really simple.

This is what Uesugi Kai is thinking now: being able to sit on the sofa in the living room and see her busy cooking in the kitchen makes her feel a sense of satisfaction.

Since all they had at home were the ingredients they had just bought from the supermarket, Hana Maru Hanabi simply made him a stir-fry. Although there was no meat, she thoughtfully made a Mapo Tofu dish, along with a bowl of light miso soup.

She busily placed a few simple dishes on the table and looked at Uesugi Kai in the living room.

"Kai-kun, dinner is ready, come and eat."

It's hard to describe this feeling, but when someone invites you to dinner, that feeling of being cared for is really nice.

Kai Uesugi got up and went to the dining table. Hanabi Hanamaru had already started serving him rice and handed him a pair of chopsticks.

"Give."

Kai Uesugi took the chopsticks, only to find that there was no bowl for her on the other side of the table.

"Doesn't Hanabi eat dinner?"

"I want to eat."