On the bustling street, vehicles were weaving through.
Uesugi Sakura led a group of children towards Ueno Park, his job being to look after them to prevent them from lagging behind or sneaking off.
"Uesugi, how did you meet your fiancée?"
"Are you sure you want to ask that?"
"Haha, just curious."
Uesugi Sakura lifted his gaze, looking down the street lined with vending machines:
"We’ve known each other since we were kids, her family lives right next door to mine."
"So, were you guys engaged since childhood by your parents? Are the families close?"
"Not close, just that our parents know each other."
The July sun glared brightly, Todaka Keichiro glanced at its reflection off the glass curtain wall and quickly looked away.
"To be honest, I envy you, Uesugi."
"I envy that you’re engaged."
"But don’t you have a girlfriend? She’s quite a pretty girl."
Todaka Keichiro smiled and said, "That’s different, although we have a close relationship, I know she’s just having fun with me."
Uesugi Sakura glanced at him, "Don’t all men enjoy having fun?"
"Well, not really!" Todaka Keichiro chuckled, but his smile quickly faded, "I really like her, but she doesn’t seem to want to marry me... Do you understand that feeling?"
"I’m afraid that one day when she gets tired of being with me, she’ll just leave, and if that happens... what was the point of our relationship? Just to experience love? But if she clearly has feelings for me, what is she hesitant about when it comes to marriage?... It’s difficult for me to understand these things... It’s as if our relationship is... a dream without an outcome, whereas you, Uesugi, have already had your dream come true!"
The more Todaka Keichiro spoke, the more dejected he became, as if some fragment of memory had surfaced, completely abandoning his usual cheerful demeanor.
Uesugi Sakura truly didn’t know how to console him, Hanamaru Hanabi had always wholeheartedly and sincerely given her heart to him.
When she was very small, she shyly said she wanted to be Sakura brother’s wife.
From a child’s perspective, it was just a joke, a way to express affection.
Now... those innocent words have fantastically come true.
In most cases, 99% of girls would say when they grow up that it was just a childhood joke.
"Uesugi, as an observer, do you have any good advice?"
"I don’t know, I don’t know your girlfriend."
"How did you pursue your fiancée?" He immediately asked.
Uesugi Sakura paused for a second, then said to him, "I never pursued her, I just confessed at the right time, and she agreed."
"And then you got engaged?" surprised.
"Then she must really like you," Todaka Keichiro reluctantly withdrew his gaze, the little red flag he held drooped, "People are right to put love into words, because it’s elusive and hard to find."
"Don’t be so literary, treat your girlfriend well, if you mean it, she can feel it, not wanting to marry might be because she’s still considering whether you’re worth spending her life with... Compared to men, girls fear following the wrong person more."
Perhaps his words had an effect, Todaka Keichiro’s mood improved somewhat, and he replied:
"You’re quite right... I mainly think about how in the future she might be held by another man, wear a wedding dress for another man, and then... Although by then it would have nothing to do with me, thinking about it now makes our sweet love feel ridiculous."
Talking about these emotional matters in front of a crowd of children might seem awkward, but Uesugi Sakura still patted his shoulder in comfort.
Liberal arts students, sometimes they are more emotional.
In the Tokyo Art University Museum’s cafe, which was simply and elegantly decorated.
Hanamaru Hanabi’s outfit today was a narrow-strap pleated skirt, with a floral bow tie at the collar of a white shirt, and a round beret on her head, giving off a girlish academic vibe.
Her delicate and cute profile also drew much attention from her male classmates.
A classmate suggested she participate in the university’s annual beauty contest, which offered a prize of several million yen.
But such public appearances made Hanamaru Hanabi shy, so the matter ended without any action.
"With Hanamaru’s looks, you must have many studios and literary magazines inviting you to model, right? Hand model, leg model... I’m sure Hanamaru would excel... more than enough."
Sekine Sagara smiled, and his eyes did not wander inappropriately, displaying a gentlemanly demeanor.
"My family also works in fashion magazines, if Hanamaru is interested, as a classmate, the remuneration would surely satisfy you, not excessively high, but it would make your university life affluent and free."
"No need for that..." Hanamaru Hanabi said softly, her gentle voice carried a caring beauty that soothed emotions, even though it was a refusal, "Sekine, what important matter were you talking about earlier?"
"Can’t I just chat with Hanamaru?"
"Well... maybe not chatting is better..."
Hanamaru Hanabi placed her right hand on the ring finger of her left hand, a small gesture noticed by Sekine Sagara.
"Afraid of causing misunderstandings? Hanamaru, you’re overthinking it, we’re just classmates chatting, and besides, wasn’t Uesugi with a female classmate before? I remember it was about two weeks ago... They ate together, and afterward, he took another girl... I guess it must be a parent or relative."