"I'm sorry... Uesugi-kun..." Hanamaru Hanabi looked at the bowl and chopsticks in her hands, speaking softly.
"Because my mom just said those things again, it must have troubled Uesugi-kun a lot, please don't take it to heart, Uesugi-kun..."
"Hanabi... will properly apologize to Uesugi-kun..."
The weak voice grew quieter and gradually disappeared, but Uesugi Sakura could sense her sincere apology from her words.
Many times, she's , and she would take appropriate actions on her own.
Hanamaru Hanabi gently bit her cherry lips, "For a long time, I've been bothering Uesugi-kun, if... if Hanabi made Uesugi-kun feel impatient... Hanabi will....."
Uesugi Sakura directly interrupted her words.
"Why did Uesugi-kun... call Hanabi an idiot..."
Uesugi Sakura chuckled, "Saying these things again, you're still the same as when you were a child, haven't grown up at all, if not an idiot, what are you?"
"Hanabi is not an idiot... Hanabi is sincerely apologizing..."
"Because you're apologizing, that's why you're an idiot."
"No... I'm not! Hanabi is being serious!"
"You're just an idiot."
The voice suddenly halted.
Hanamaru Hanabi buried her head again, remaining silent for a moment, seemingly accepting this statement,
"I'm sorry... Uesugi-kun... Hanabi is an idiot."
"Alright, now the idiot has become a big idiot."
"Wh... why?" Hanamaru Hanabi couldn't understand why she had gotten that much more foolish.
"Because you're still that foolish," Uesugi Sakura smiled again, "didn't understand what I meant."
"I'm sorry, Uesugi-kun... Hanabi didn't get what Uesugi-kun meant... I'm sorry..."
His smile, however, made Hanamaru Hanabi really believe she was getting dumber, her small head drooping even lower, and her tone growing softer.
Uesugi Sakura's pupils shrank.
He suddenly realized he might have bullied her too much, his gaze constantly flicking towards the couple in the living room, wanting to stop her quickly, quietly moving a bit closer:
"Hanabi, calm down, it was my fault, I apologize to you."
After speaking, Uesugi Sakura silently sighed in his heart, how come he was still playing like a child just now and forgot about Hanabi's naturally timid personality.
Back in kindergarten, she would cry at the drop of a hat.
She was pretty scary back then.
Hanamaru Hanabi calmed her mind, nodded in response, wanted to say something else, but ultimately didn't speak.
Seeing her gradually stabilize, Uesugi Sakura breathed a sigh of relief and continued washing dishes.
If Hanamaru Hiroki saw Hanamaru Hanabi in this state, wouldn't he make sure I can't get out of bed tomorrow?
It's better to quietly finish washing the dishes.
"Little Sakura, really not thinking of staying here to rest?"
At the entrance, Hanamaru Meiko was smiling brightly at Uesugi Sakura who was changing his shoes below.
"If little Sakura is willing to stay and rest, I might consider letting you and Hanabi share a room tonight, okay?"
"Mom....." Hanamaru Hanabi tugged at Hanamaru Meiko's clothes with her small hand.
"What's the big deal."
Hanamaru Meiko nonchalantly waved her hand.
Uesugi Sakura didn't expect Auntie to care about him to this extent, but still shook his head, refusing:
"No need, Auntie, I haven't watered the potted plants in my yard today, I must go back first."
"Really not considering? Share a room with Hanabi tonight, okay!"
Uesugi Sakura was both laughing and crying, quickly saying:
With repeated refusals, Hanamaru Meiko sighed, waving her hand:
Uesugi Sakura bent slightly to her, saying:
"Sorry for the disturbance tonight."
With a creak, the door was gently closed by Uesugi Sakura as he left.
Meiko suddenly extended the index finger of her right hand and flicked Hanabi's forehead, producing a crisp sound.
Hanamaru Hanabi stumbled a step backward, covering her head with both hands, her eyes reddening, showing great confusion in her eyes.
"You two kids just don't understand what 'precious' means. You clearly have feelings for each other but always fail to move forward."
Saying this, Hanamaru Meiko pulled Hanamaru Hanabi's slender arm and walked into the living room.
"Dad, go upstairs first."
In the living room watching a Sword Dao match, Hanamaru Hiroki was immediately sent upstairs by Hanamaru Meiko.
The noisy TV was turned off, and Hanamaru Meiko, pulling Hanamaru Hanabi, sat on the sofa, gently stroking her hand.
"Hanabi, what do you think of little Sakura."
"What do I think... I..."
Hanamaru Hanabi looked at her mother's earnest and serious expression, lowered her head, quickly withdrew her hand, her fingers uneasily fidgeting on her leg, too embarrassed to respond.
"Think carefully again."
Blushing for a long time, as if holding back for a long time, she finally said:
"Hanabi... doesn't know..."
Hanamaru Hanabi dared not look at her mother's eyes but still nodded.
Hanamaru Meiko looked at her shy appearance, shook her head, and said softly to her:
"Hanabi, when you were three, we moved here. You had this same personality even back then, maybe even more so, rarely taking the initiative to seek anything, leading you to always be forced to accept and often bullied by other kids.
"At that time, the first friend you made was little Sakura, since he was different, very mature, like a little adult, and he was the only one who would care for you so much at that tender age."
"Every time you went out with him, you'd bring back some snacks and excitedly tell me that Sakura-chan bought you something delicious again today."
"Did... did I...?" Hanamaru Hanabi asked quietly, now only remembering that Uesugi Sakura never really liked eating snacks since childhood.
"Maybe you forgot about these things, but I remember them very clearly."
Hanamaru Meiko looked softly at her daughter, the myriad small memories, she clearly remembers them; they are the unique recollections of a mother.
"And because of that... you followed him around every day..."
"After so many years, as your mother, don't I know how deep your feelings for little Sakura are?"
Hanamaru Hanabi opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but the words were stuck in her throat.
"You grew up together as childhood friends, school, play, company, over ten years of emotions are the invaluable treasures between you."
"This kind of fateful bond, formed from a young age, is a special, unbreakable connection in life."
"You met the right person at the right time, and Aunty Nobuko and I both hope you can cherish these rare emotions well."
Hanamaru Meiko looked at her daughter, whose lively purple eyes were identical to her own:
"Let me ask you, Hanabi, if after you and Sakura graduate, you separate due to different goals, can you still maintain this kind of relationship amidst various life's troubles and obstacles?"
Hanamaru Hanabi kept her head down, various images of his back flashing through her mind, she stammered softly, "Hanabi... doesn't... know..."
"Precisely because you don't know, you have to make sure," Hanamaru Meiko shook her head disappointedly, "Even after clearly hinting to that boy Sakura, he still remains the same."
Hanamaru Meiko suddenly paused, looking at the timid Hanamaru Hanabi in front of her:
"He wouldn't, actually not like you, would he?"