Chapter 543: Chapter 361: Sumida River Hanabi Festival (2)_2
Uesugi Sakura walked with Hanamaru Hanabi along the park’s perimeter, strolling and pausing occasionally, buying some dazzling trinkets, a few round fans for breeze, and taking a chance at a lottery organized by a roadside stall owner, finally arriving at a takoyaki stall.
"One extra spicy, one not spicy, please."
-2000 yen.
The man behind the stall handed over two servings with a big smile on his face.
While eating, Uesugi Sakura said, "Today’s business will definitely profit; earlier, I bought two candied apples for Aei and Chiaei, and the guy definitely made ten times his money from me."
"Sakura-kun, your luck was really bad just now, not winning a single prize after twenty tries!"
Yes, each lottery was 300 yen.
"My luck was stolen by you; didn’t you win 5000 yen on your first try?"
"It’s clearly Sakura-kun’s bad luck, losing the prize money won by Hanabi in return."
"I’m definitely having my luck sucked away by you. But don’t worry, the present I’m giving you today will make you happy."
"What present has Sakura-kun prepared?" Hanamaru Hanabi asked cautiously, swallowing a whole takoyaki ball and blowing on it to cool.
"What about the present Hanabi prepared?" Uesugi Sakura countered.
"I can only tell you when the fireworks start."
Uesugi Sakura wiped the chili from the corner of her mouth, "Then... later, can I kiss you for a while?"
"There will be too many people later..."
"It’s okay, I will do it secretly."
In the heat of August, hundreds of thousands of visitors gathered on the banks of the Sumida River.
The best spot to view the fireworks, of course, was by the riverside.
This needed to be reserved early, although there were also fee-paying spots available.
But spending money to buy one is not as fun.
Uesugi Sakura pulled Hanamaru Hanabi, Aei, and Chiaei along with him, relying on his strength to push through the crowd.
As the sky grew dark and the city lights began to shine brightly, riverfront spots were nearly all taken.
The picnic mats were spread and filled with people in yukatas; Uesugi Sakura scanned from a high point for some time, unable to find a good spot.
"How about... we just pay for a spot to watch? I thought if we squeezed in earlier, we could get one. Where’s Aei?"
Uesugi Sakura realized Aei was missing, and the riverbank was pitch black, with only the lights from everyone’s phones illuminating the area.
The crowd moved past like flowing water, with police using megaphones to maintain order.
In such a chaotic place, getting lost would make it hard to find one another.
Hanamaru Hanabi and Chiaei hurriedly looked around, but couldn’t find the petite little girl.
They were just about to call her phone.
"Brother! Over here."
Uesugi Sakura heard the voice, realizing Aei had emerged from somewhere within the crowd.
"Found a spot?"
"Yeah."
They found a pretty good place, although slightly on the side, but against a tree where the entire river could be seen from an angle.
Uesugi Sakura opened the bag Chiaei had brought, taking out the picnic mat and prepared snacks.
The picnic mat spread across the grass, secured with packing tape—it was quite windy here by the river, and if not careful, it could easily be blown away.
The last of the sunset disappeared, revealing a clear blue night sky, unclouded, except the subtle lights across the Sumida River on the opposite bank giving off a dim glow.
In front, paper lanterns began to drift, covering the river’s surface; their candlelight turned the water red, floating gently on the undulating waves.
"What’s this?" Aei hadn’t seen them before.
"Wishes," Uesugi Sakura said, "Everyone writes their wishes on slips of paper and lets them float on the river. Hey, didn’t you celebrate Tanabata in kindergarten?"
"Hehe, I forgot."
Chiaei, looking at the river adorned with lanterns, said, "...Mom used to take Aei and me to see these little lights."
Aei asked, "Really?"
"Yes, you were too little to remember clearly."
"What’s mom doing now?"
"I don’t know....."
Uesugi Sakura took this time to ask, "Do you also want to release a small lantern?"
"Sure."
The place for releasing lanterns was by the river, where people were organizing it.
Going there didn’t cost anything; they could get a lantern, write a wish on a piece of paper, and release it on the river with others.
"The wishes are very effective."
Uesugi Sakura asked Hanamaru Hanabi, "How do you know?"
"I just do; the wishes I made last Tanabata all came true, oh."
"Last time?" Uesugi Sakura set down the pen, "What did you wish for the last time?"
"I can’t say; if I say it, it won’t come true."
"Didn’t they already come true? Saying it shouldn’t be a problem."
"No, this wish needs to keep going."
"Alright."
Uesugi Sakura wanted to see what Aei and Chiaei wrote, but the two little girls showed no intention of letting him see their wishes.
When the organizer gave the go-ahead, everyone took turns placing the small lanterns on the river’s edge.
They glowed softly, but the entire river was covered in bluish-red candlelight, creating a dreamy effect.
"So beautiful, but do you think these wishes can really come true?"
"I don’t know," Uesugi Sakura said, "But it’s beautiful if they do, and if not, there’s no big deal."
His lantern, along with the others, drifted further away.
Standing by the riverbank, hearing the crowd’s chatter, Uesugi Sakura felt the gentle breeze, feeling refreshed and at ease.
He hoped to always be with Hanamaru Hanabi.
He wished for his illness to heal.
He hoped little Hanabi’s health would improve.
He wrote all these on his little paper slip.
Though a bit greedy to make three wishes, each was what he really wanted.
A simple life wasn’t bad at all, as long as he could be with Hanabi, see her warm smile for him, feel her tender coquetry in his arms; calm and simple, it was more than enough.
The breeze swept the bank, the candlelight drifted further out, like souls merging into the boundless sea.
Within the candle flame, Uesugi Sakura seemed to see his past life.
That memory so vague it was almost forgotten...
Forget it... Stop thinking about those, living in the present was enough.
...
After releasing the lanterns, they returned to the previous picnic mat to await the beginning of the fireworks festival.
Uesugi Sakura saw Hanabi eating snacks, cautiously taking steps over, placing his hand on her waist.
Seeing her not resist, he proceeded further, slipping his hand into her newly changed yukata, holding her smooth belly.
"Sakura-kun."
"Shh, don’t move, Aei and the others will hear. If you don’t want to be found, just lean on me; it’s very dark now, hard to see."
Her stomach felt soft under his touch, and Uesugi Sakura kneaded it, causing Hanamaru Hanabi’s face to flush with a hint of red.
"Sakura-kun..."
"Feels good, right? It was like this when I helped her during her periods."
His right hand moved in circles under her clothing, with Hanamaru Hanabi’s head resting on his shoulder, softly exhaling.
Uesugi Sakura gently scratched her small belly button.
"Sakura-kun... it tickles..."
"If it tickles, that’s good; just relax a bit, alright?"
Uesugi Sakura gently bit her ear, this tenderness ensnaring the girl.
"Hanabi, you smell so nice, let me have you, alright." He whispered lovingly in her ear.
Unable to resist for a moment, Hanamaru Hanabi rolled over to face him, her eyes glistening with tears.
"You’re so cute."
Uesugi Sakura leaned down to catch her, letting her heart, from her white neck through their connected lips, merge into his body.
For a moment, Hanamaru Hanabi’s thoughts scattered.
Uesugi Sakura held the girl on his lap, patiently asking, "Do you want me to help you today?"
Hanamaru Hanabi twisted her little hands against his chest, lowering her head shyly, then nodded slightly, her face flushed.
"Hanabi is so obedient in this way."
Uesugi Sakura was so close that he could smell her faint fragrance.
He tilted his face, once more capturing her restrained girlhood.
Hanamaru Hanabi shyly closed her eyes, and at the moment they met again, it felt like her heart was melting into him.
Subconsciously, she became a bit proactive.