"I’m back." Aei stood at the entrance, hands behind her back, tiptoeing, looking at the person outside the door.
"It should be me saying ’I’m back.’" Uesugi Sakura stood outside the door and said helplessly, holding a bag as he walked into the house.
"You’re Nohara Shinnosuke, right?" Uesugi Sakura knocked on her head.
Aei hugged her smooth hair with both hands, pouting as she looked at him: "Aei isn’t Hanabi sister, you can’t knock my head."
"For disobedient kids, I knock their heads as a punishment." Uesugi Sakura saw Hanabi’s small leather shoes, knowing she was home.
"Didn’t you wear your hat today?"
Aei usually wore a little round hat.
"Hanabi sister helped me wash it."
"Hmm, it’s rare to see you without your round hat."
"Brother, who was that just now?" Aei looked up at him with her head tilted at a 45-degree angle.
Uesugi Sakura put on his slippers and stepped onto the hardwood floor, "Nohara Shinnosuke?"
"A kid even more mischievous than you, often gets his pants pulled down for a spanking."
Aei immediately hugged the skirt behind her.
"Teacher Imanishi said spanking is domestic violence and should be reported to the police."
Uesugi Sakura chuckled: "I didn’t say I would spank you."
"This is for you to eat," he took out a strawberry cake from the bag he was holding, "Where’s your sister?"
"Thank you, brother," Aei took the cake, her eyes full of stars, "Sister is doing her homework."
"You’re not doing yours?"
Aei didn’t answer him, instead, she hugged the strawberry cake and ran with her little slippers clattering into her room shared with Chiaei.
Returning to the bedroom, when Uesugi Sakura first got back, he thought Hanamaru Hanabi wasn’t home at this time, but she was already sitting in front of the computer starting to work.
Today she wore the same white shirt with a red bow at the collar.
Standing at the doorway, seeing her familiar yet focused side profile gave a sense of peace.
"Want a cup of coffee?" Uesugi Sakura leaned against the door frame, smiling.
Hanamaru Hanabi, who was seriously drawing a fox’s tail, turned her head and found a smiling handsome face, his features outlined like a drawn face instantly brightening with a smile:
"When did you get back, Sakura-kun?"
"I’ve been back for an hour, just been standing at the door watching you."
"Of course, it’s true."
Just then, Aei came running up from downstairs, carrying a plate into the room, and ran to Hanamaru Hanabi: "Hanabi sister, have some cake, brother just came back and bought it."
Hanamaru Hanabi looked at Aei, then looked up at Uesugi Sakura, who was still calm and composed.
"Even a minute can feel like a millennium when I’m looking at you," Uesugi Sakura smiled softly, "so an hour is naturally nothing."
"Hehe, brother’s love talk is so cheesy. Hanabi sister won’t like it." Aei said with a grin.
"Aei got it wrong, Hanabi sister will like it." Uesugi Sakura extended his curled finger into the air, and Aei, afraid of getting her head knocked, immediately ran away.
"Sakura-kun, you can’t bully kids."
No matter how much Uesugi Sakura argued, it was futile. He had used the tactic of knocking heads on Hanabi too many times; she caught onto it.
Actually, he learned this trick from his mother-in-law, and for Hanamaru Hanabi, it served as a reminder.
"Don’t be angry," Uesugi Sakura pulled a chair and sat beside her, took her small hand and gently rubbed it in his palm, "I have something to discuss with you."
The smooth and tender touch felt like caressing a flower petal, making one reluctant to let go.
"Sakura-kun... is there something you want to ask Hanabi...?"
Hanamaru Hanabi didn’t pull back her hand, but from this brief contact, she sensed he seemed to have something to say.
"Didn’t I ask some classmates to help give suggestions to an author before?" Uesugi Sakura picked up her slender forefinger, maybe owing to hand cream, it carried a faint, fresh scent.
"Yes." Hanamaru Hanabi was aware of this; Uesugi Sakura had mentioned it to her.
"From the author’s feedback, those suggestions and notes were very helpful to him. They helped me out, so I plan to invite my classmates to Matsukawa Cuisine for a treat, and I want you to join us."
Hanamaru Hanabi asked: "Just to have some cuisine?"
Uesugi Sakura caressed the warm, jade-like soft hand in his palm, then looked up at her: "Yes."
Hanamaru Hanabi became puzzled: "If it’s just for cuisine... why is Sakura-kun being so cautious in his words."
"Actually, one female classmate wants to ask me for a favor," Uesugi Sakura paused for a moment, "she wants me to pretend to be her boyfriend."
The air remained silent for a few seconds.
"...Why would she ask you to do that?"
Uesugi Sakura explained the details to her thoroughly.
After explaining everything, Hanamaru Hanabi fell into silence again.
Uesugi Sakura: "Unwilling? If you don’t want it, it’s fine, I’ll just refuse."
Hanamaru Hanabi said softly: "No, it’s not that I’m unwilling... just feels strange..."
"Strange in what way?"
The purple eyes shimmering softly looked at him, the beautiful light carrying a girl’s very complex thoughts.
"For example... if Hanabi went to be another guy’s girlfriend, even if it’s fake, what would Sakura-kun think...?"
Uesugi Sakura answered without hesitation: "I’d feel uncomfortable. I don’t know the guy, and even if I did, it wouldn’t be okay."
"That’s exactly what Hanabi thinks..."
"So, it’s a no, then?" Uesugi Sakura gazed at her adorable little face.
Hanamaru Hanabi turned her face away, giving off a shy vibe.
She has always been very generous, empathetic, and willing to help others.
Now, there’s only one reason for her not being so generous.
Uesugi Sakura held her hand and replied: "If Hana-chan disagrees, I will refuse."