My love index is at its maximum.

"what are you thinking?"

"It feels like the relationship has suffered irreparable damage."

"Damage?" Shimamoto Kana asked, narrowing her eyes. "If your relationship is damaged because of this, it means it was never really that fragile to begin with."

“Perhaps.” Tsukasa Tazaki shook his head, explaining, “We’re both pretty good at pretending nothing happened and maintaining a normal relationship.”

Kana Shimamoto smiled gracefully and calmly: "Even so, it doesn't mean that nothing ever happened."

With his hands behind his head, Tsukasa Tazaki slumped heavily against the back of his chair as if venting his emotions.

“You feel like you’re sitting in a car that’s broken down in the forest because it’s out of gas.” Shimamoto Kana reached out and gently touched his cheek, her slender fingers handling him with the care of a fragile object. Then she stood up and paced back and forth in the room, the soft click-clack of her high heels echoing on the wooden floor in the quiet space.

Her back was ramrod straight, and she walked with an elegant gait. Her hair was tied back, and a small pearl necklace adorned her exposed neck.

Nothing superfluous, showcasing impeccable taste.

A warm summer breeze blew in, shaking the potted azaleas on the windowsill.

Kana Shimamoto crossed her arms and walked in unison with the rhythm of her steps, occasionally glancing at Tsukasa Tazaki who was staring at her, her gaze as if searching for a long-lost personal item.

This is a very interesting but also very bad student.

His temperament was somewhat similar to that of another student named Kuriyama Sakura. The two of them were like oil dripping into water, unable to blend into their surroundings.

This doesn't simply refer to their outstanding appearance, but rather to the fact that they each harbor a secret within themselves that they would never reveal to others. Regardless of how the world perceives them, they seem completely unconcerned, possessing a detached and otherworldly quality.

I used to have that too, but when did I lose it?

As Shimamoto Kana gazed at the gently swaying pink petals, her heart remained restless.

Tazaki Tsukasa's gaze followed her every move, watching her snow-white shirt and shimmering stockings, his expression becoming increasingly relaxed.

In this world, there are always things we regret and words we wish we had never said. But since they've already happened, there's no need to waste time dwelling on right or wrong; we just need to figure out how to handle them.

Tsukasa Tazaki was not an indecisive person.

Perhaps he already knew what to do the moment he stepped through that door.

During those few silent minutes, both the teacher and the students were lost in their own thoughts.

In a fleeting moment, Kana Shimamoto suddenly kicked off her high heels, reached out and placed her hand across the table on Tsukasa Tazaki's hand, smiling gently like a ray of soft spring sunshine cascading down from the clouds.

"Come with me."

She pulled Tsukasa Tazaki up and pushed open a small door next to the office.

It was a small room, seemingly a suite for teachers to take a nap. There was a single bed, a reading lamp and an alarm clock on the bedside table, a desk with a lamp, an old-fashioned sofa covered with a white cloth, a low cabinet for clothes, a small refrigerator, and a wine cabinet on top, displaying quite a few whiskeys.

The house was mostly furnished with household items, and the west-facing window offered a view of the oak tree in the courtyard. It was midday, and the sunlight streamed through the branches, shimmering on the floor.

The single bed is a small white wooden bed in the Nordic style, with a large Brown Bear plush toy sitting at the head of the bed.

The two lay down, and the small bed creaked like a park boat under their weight.

?

Wait... a bed?

Tazaki Tsukasa sat up straight, rubbed his eyes hard, and looked to the side. Shimamoto Kana was kneeling beside him, her body slightly bent forward. Her pert buttocks stretched her black pencil skirt, making it look round and taut, so plump and juicy. Her long, beautiful legs were clad in sheer, sheer stockings, her thighs tightly curled inward, her calves gracefully curved, smooth and delicate to the touch.

"This is……"

Kana Shimamoto put her hand on his shoulder, gently pulled him close, and pressed her cheek against his forehead. "This is a treat for you, so please enjoy it."

Tazaki Tsukasa was a little dumbfounded and asked uncertainly, "Wait... is it that the teacher personally gives me a sex education lesson?"

"Stop having such a lewd mind!" Shimamoto Kana poked his cheek hard without any hesitation. "Lie down and leave it to me."

"Teacher, why are you taking off your glasses?"

Kana Shimamoto placed her glasses next to the pillow and squinted at him: "You'll sweat."

"Clam?"

"Let's begin, enjoy!"

"and many more!"

With a "click," a muffled sound came from the small room, like a railway track switch being turned around.

A long, drawn-out "ah" echoed from Tsukasa Tazaki's throat.

"Okay, let's switch to the left arm." Shimamoto Kana's fair and delicate fingers moved from his left shoulder to his right shoulder. "It will hurt just the same, so bear with it."

"Come on," Tsukasa Tazaki said, panting heavily.

Kana Shimamoto joked, "So I don't need to go easy on you then?"

"No need at all~ Ouch, be gentle, ahhh..."

"Haha, it's not too late to beg for mercy now."

"Don't think about it!"

The weight of the two people made the small single bed creak, and a slight smell of sweat wafted out.

After loosening her arm joints, Shimamoto Kana had Tazaki Tsukasa lie face down on the bed.

Start by massaging his shoulders.

The massage wasn't just kneading; it also involved slapping. Although Shimamoto Kana's hands looked as white and delicate as those of a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl, they were surprisingly strong, as she slapped him hard on the back repeatedly.

Tsukasa Tazaki's breathing also became rapid.

"Teacher..." he asked through gritted teeth, "Is this the benefit you were talking about?"

"Yes, do you feel comfortable?" Shimamoto Kana squinted, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

“It’s so comfortable,” said Tsukasa Tazaki. “If anyone finds this uncomfortable, that would be a crime.”

Kana Shimamoto suddenly stopped.

"what happened?"

"No one else gets to enjoy my massage."

"I'm so happy!"

Although he didn't know why this had suddenly happened, he was enjoying it, so Tsukasa Tazaki chose to close his eyes and not ask.

Kana Shimamoto massaged him from his waist down to his thighs, and even massaged the soles and toes of his feet.

"Please turn over and lie on your back..." she said softly after massaging his back, her voice so low it was almost inaudible.

Tsukasa Tazaki rolled over.

The slight warmth emanating from Shimamoto Kana felt like a floral fragrance wafting into his nostrils, a delightful aroma that flowed from his nose into his lungs—a truly wondrous experience.

“Teacher…” Tsukasa Tazaki said, his eyes half-open.

"What is it?" Shimamoto Kana knelt beside him, bending over so low that her chest seemed to touch his face. Upon closer inspection, one could see that her dignified oval face had a slightly classical quality, her hair was tied up at the back of her head, making her neck appear long and slender, her arms were plump, and her skin was delicate and dewy.

"It feels so good... My body feels warm and cozy, like a warm cream cake, I'm not kidding."

"That's good." Shimamoto Kana said, controlling herself and lowering her voice.

“It’s really charming.” Tazaki Tsukasa murmured to himself unintentionally as he enjoyed her abdominal massage. “As pale as moonlight, as faint as the sound of insects. Every time I see you, teacher, I am reminded of the beauties of Kyoto in Jun'ichirō Tanizaki’s works.”

Kana Shimamoto chuckled: "Those who are lustful see the appearance, while those who appreciate beauty see the form. Tazaki-kun always reminds me of the Showa-era scumbags in Jun'ichirō Tanizaki's works."

Feeling guilty, Tsukasa Tazaki didn't reply.

Most of the protagonists in Jun'ichirō Tanizaki's works are scumbags.

There's no way around it; the author himself is a scumbag, the kind who makes up for his lack of character with talent. How serious can the protagonists he creates be? Moreover, Jun'ichirō Tanizaki has SM tendencies and is a submissive, so he has a strong female worship.

His repeated attempts to win over another great writer, Haruo Sato, with his wife led to a dramatic confrontation that even made it into the newspapers, known as the "Sai-kun Arrangement Incident," earning him a place on the list of literary love stories.

Shimamoto Kaori's soft hands moved down Tazaki Tsukasa's body, from his thighs to his calves.

Then she turned around and asked in a soft voice, "Shall I trim your nails?"

Tsukasa Tazaki replied lazily, "Thank you for your help, teacher."

Kana Shimamoto took his hand, her soft fingers tracing his fingertips one by one, gently and carefully.

"teacher……"

"what's up?"

Who is your husband?

Why are you asking this?

"I'll go and kill him!"

Kana Shimamoto turned her face away shyly.

Tazaki Tsukasa opened her eyes and saw the hazy outline of black underwear under her sweat-soaked shirt.

After a while, she said, "He is the Governor of Tokyo."

Tsukasa Tazaki: "..."

The position of Governor of Tokyo, in China, is roughly equivalent to the head of a province, a true regional governor.

“You’re scared…” Shimamoto Kana turned around with a smile and teased, “Go and take him down, I support you.”

"Hmm... I suddenly remembered a book by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki."

"what book?"

"The Mother of Major General Zigan"

After a moment of recollection, Kana Shimamoto read aloud: "The pleasure of love is when wives and husbands do outrageous things behind each other's backs, get through dangerous situations, and secretly enjoy an exciting rendezvous that leaves one breathless."

Tazaki Tsukasa exclaimed, "Shimamoto-sensei has an amazing memory."

"What are you thinking about at such a young age?" Shimamoto Kana pressed her hands against his cheeks and said irritably, "Come on, let's clean your ears and get all the filth out of your head."

How do I do it?

"Sit up."

Tsukasa Tazaki sat up, and Kana Shimamoto gently pinched his earlobe, subtly twisting her little finger inside his ear.

Comfortable.