Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard

The sunlight pierced his face, the smell of earth filled his nostrils, with a faint aroma of ripe rice grains.

A whispering breeze rustled in his ears.

Uesugi Sakura struggled to lift his body, groggily opening his eyes, and was instantly stunned by the scene before him... an endless plain, an infinite warm golden wheat field, swaying with the breeze, raising waves of golden fragrance.

A gentle breeze blew from the front, ruffling Uesugi Sakura's hair, with waves of grain rolling from ahead, brushing past him, his gaze following the golden waves backwards.

At the horizon, the glaring sky, a whale swam through the clouds.

Its gigantic form intertwining the white clouds, the tail soaring high, made a sound echoing from the deep abyss of the ocean.

Uesugi Sakura averted his eyes from the glaring sun, looking up towards the sky.

The wheat field, the warm sun, the breeze, the whale drifting in the sky, the dreamlike scene gave Uesugi Sakura a strong premonition, this is a beautiful beginning.

He turned back, the waves of grain stretched far away, disappearing beyond his sight without a pause.

He couldn't help but wonder, how vast was this wheat field?

He didn't know.

Uesugi Sakura gazed into the distance, the horizon where the wheat field and the sky met formed a perfect straight line without a hint of curve.

Where was this place?

He didn't know.

Perhaps it was a dream, or maybe the Netherworld, or the intersection of life and death.

Uesugi Sakura glanced up at the bright and splendid sun overhead.

He felt dazed because everything before him was very similar to the scenes he had dreamed about.

In his dream... Hanamaru Hanabi stood in the wheat field, her white dress fluttering, standing in front of a wooden house, her face against the child sleeping in her arms, smiling warmly at him.

Her smile carried a hint of warmth and sweetness.

Now, the dreamlike wheat field was right here.

Then... where is Hanabi...?

Hanabi... Hanabi...

He felt inexplicably restless, looking around aimlessly, taking steps forward without stopping.

But there was nothing around, only the golden wheat field.

He could only move forward.

...

He didn't know how long he walked, an hour? A day? Three days?

Perhaps there's no time here at all.

The whale disappeared, the floating clouds remained, the sunset still signaling its presence on the horizon.

Exhausted...

Uesugi Sakura's legs felt as heavy as lead, his mind and body utterly weary, darkness overwhelmed his dwindling spirit like a tide... finally, he seemed to trip over something, slipping and crashing heavily into the wheat field...

His spirit and thoughts gradually detached, breathing sounds became distinctly audible...

Uesugi Sakura's blurred vision faded, the last image stopped at the tightly packed wheat stalks in the ground.

...

Through intermittent moments, it seemed like someone fed him water...

When his consciousness returned, it seemed he was lying on a warm bed.

Uesugi Sakura groggily opened his eyes, realizing he was not on a bed.

But there was warmth, kind... and relaxing...

He realized... this was Hanabi holding him...

Uesugi Sakura discovered... he was lying on the lap of a girl.

Hanamaru Hanabi was kneeling in the wheat field, looking down at him with a sweet smile.

Almost in an instant, the moment he clearly saw her face, his heart trembled.

Real...?

Dreamlike...?

It didn't matter anymore...

Uesugi Sakura reached upwards, touched her face.

His hand was warm, and she leaned into his hand, closing her eyes like a child sleeping.

"Sakura-kun..."

This soft voice... this warmth spread instantly from his hand to his entire body, although she said nothing more, just this gentle call made Uesugi Sakura's eyes blur to tears...

This is fine... just fine...

——————————

This was a dream, an immersive dream.

Uesugi Sakura stood before the tombstone, picked up a fallen lily flower.

The dream came at a cost, but he believed it was worth it.

Because with just ten times, only ten times... Hanabi could return.

Uesugi Sakura looked at the name on the tombstone, a power named hope and desire burning within him.

Strangely, just for a moment... his mindset had changed completely from the previous second.

He held the umbrella, placed the lily down, reached out to touch the rain-soaked name on the stone:

"Hanabi... I will bring you back..."

————————

The sunset.

"Today, brother will come to pick me and sister up, right?"

Uesugi Nobuko rubbed Chiaei's head, smiling as she asked, "Do you like him that much, Aei?"

"Brother is very nice." Aei replied with a smile.

"What's so nice about him?"

"Hmm, I can't really say, just like him, sister must feel the same."

"Yes... your brother is indeed nice... but Hanabi sister's matter... it hit him very hard, so Aei and Chiaei must help mother keep an eye on him, okay?"

Aei felt a bit sad, "Hanabi sister... is she really no longer here?"

Uesugi Nobuko paused, as if recalling something, nodded stiffly, "Yes... she's not here."

The doorbell rang.

Uesugi Sakura turned the lock, coming in from outside.

"Sakura, where have you been these past few days?"

Uesugi Sakura seemed a bit slow to respond, taking a while before answering, "Just... went out to clear my mind, and look for some writing inspiration."

Aei ran up to him, looking up, her little face full of curiosity.