My love index is at its maximum.

Kana Shimamoto squeezed out the words one by one, then looked into his eyes from a little distance: "Whether it's Shiori or Sakura, they both face external or internal challenges to varying degrees. I'm not sure if they have the same resilience as you. If not, perhaps they will give in to the insurmountable reality, just like Kana Shimamoto at twenty-two."

Tazaki Tsukasa took a deep breath and asked, "What do you want me to do?"

"Will you listen to me?"

"Selective listening."

"You bastard..." Shimamoto Kana glared at him angrily, her gaze drifting away as if searching for something to say, looking at the huge floor-to-ceiling glass window.

Tsukasa Tazaki followed her gaze and looked out.

Illuminated by the dim light of the crystal chandelier, the reflections of two people were cast in the glass.

Kana Shimamoto gazed at his face reflected in the glass and said softly, "When you were holding me just now, I said that Tazaki-san is the sun for many people."

Through the glass, Tsukasa Tazaki responded to that sentence with a smile.

Their eyes met through the mirror, and Kana Shimamoto smiled easily.

"Whether Tazaki-san likes it or not, you have become the most dazzling part of many people's youth."

Her voice carried a hint of teasing, her tone light and cheerful, but her pupils, reflected in the glass, seemed to hold a touch of melancholy.

perhaps……

It's probably because of the lighting that it looks like that.

Knowing full well what was going on, Tsukasa Tazaki made an excuse to ignore it and asked, "What does it mean to be someone else's youth?"

"It can mean many things: sweetness, bitterness, resentment..."

Kana Shimamoto spoke calmly, her face turned toward the window, as if she were talking to a ghost in the courtyard.

"It feels so heavy." Tsukasa Tazaki and she were staring at the same spot, the courtyard lights unchanged. There was no wind, and everything in sight was as still as a photograph.

“But it can also become the expectation buried in their hearts.” Shimamoto Kana turned around and looked at him with a very objective gaze: “Life is full of unexpected things, good or bad. As long as you have expectations, you will have the courage to face them.”

"Unfortunately, it can only be a hope." Tsukasa Tazaki shook his head and forced a smile. "If a goal cannot be achieved due to some obstacle, changing the original goal to satisfy the demand is a very cheap way to do it. Just leaving it undisturbed will only depreciate in value, it's hopeless."

Silence descended again, for twenty or thirty seconds.

Both of them had their own thoughts.

It wasn't until the wind picked up and the cedar branches in the courtyard swayed gently that Kana Shimamoto picked up her cup and took a sip of coffee.

"You idiot... are you even listening to me?"

A faint smile appeared on her face. She turned around and poked Tsukasa Tazaki's forehead with her index finger: "Do you remember what I said when I was hugging you just now?"

For once, Tsukasa Tazaki blushed slightly: "I was so busy enjoying that softness..."

"I'm angry~"

Shimamoto Kana angrily raised her foot and stomped on him.

The soles of my feet feel smooth to the touch.

Tsukasa Tazaki sighed, "Could you step on it one more time?"

"I'll stomp you to death!" Shimamoto Kana glared at him and stomped down hard with her foot.

Tazaki Tsukasa immediately pulled her foot back, and when she missed her step and leaned forward slightly, he reached out and put his arm around her waist, pulling her to his side.

"Why not again!" Shimamoto Kana struggled a few times as if she were being difficult.

They were both quite strong, and after a short while, they were both so tired that their faces turned red.

"Listen to me first..."

To cover her embarrassment, Kana Shimamoto bit her lower lip slightly and said, "Like I said, if I could have met you in my teenage years, then when I'm twenty-two, I might have been able to fight against the absurd reality by relying on my expectations of you. Don't disbelieve me, the more outstanding you are, the more unforgettable you will be."

Tazaki Tsukasa nodded thoughtfully.

"The girls around you are all outstanding." Shimamoto Kana reached out and gently massaged his temples. "For example, Ninomiya is cute and strong, and unexpectedly considerate. Sakura, like you, is very good at seeing through the essence of things. Kikawa is even more amazing; she can accomplish everything with ease. You are deeply involved with them. Let me ask you this: can your relationship with them be explained in a single word?"

"I can't figure it out."

"now it's right."

Kana Shimamoto's dignified oval face was adorned with a captivating smile: "Go participate in the kendo tournament, and show everyone your prowess as the world's most outstanding sixteen-year-old."

A slightly warm breath transformed into a gentle fragrance that wafted into my nose. It was a very pleasant scent, somewhat like the fragrance of roses, and it made my thoughts drift away.

"Then they can participate. But you have to prepare them mentally, and make sure they don't get any strange ideas."

Tazaki Tsukasa, with her eyes half-closed, comfortably reclined in her chair and continued in a languid tone, "They're still so young, I can't bear to let them get too deeply involved. Unlike someone like you who's been through it all, I can ruin them without feeling guilty."

?

Kana Shimamoto: "..."

No, what do you mean by that, Tsukasa Tazaki?

Just because I'm not a high school girl doesn't mean you can treat me like this.

The hands that were pressed against her forehead froze and stopped.

Tazaki Tsukasa opened his eyes, feigning panic as he explained, "No, what I meant was that when I'm with you, I can be a scumbag without feeling guilty... Damn, why did I blurt out my true feelings!"

Kana Shimamoto stared at him stiffly, her deep, captivating eyes reflecting the light, slightly moist.

Her usual composed and intellectual demeanor vanished in an instant, leaving only a tearful expression that was truly heartbreaking to see.

"Tazaki-san, let's go back."

Kana Shimamoto sighed softly and turned away to put on her shoes.

The sound, tinged with a hint of loneliness, gradually dissipated into the quiet air of the room.

Tazaki Tsukasa leaned back in his chair and watched her silently.

After putting on her shoes and gently tidying her disheveled hair with her fingers, Kana Shimamoto looked at him with a soft smile: "What a pity. When the waltz was playing just now, I was thinking of making up for the disappointment of the last ball and trying to dance with you."

After saying that, she waved her hand gently, and her beautiful back straightened as she walked towards the door.

"Click~"

The doorknob opened easily with a gentle twist. Shimamoto Kana hesitated for a moment, then turned around to say a solemn goodbye when Tazaki Tsukasa suddenly stood up, ran to her side, wrapped his arm around her slender waist, pulled her tightly into his embrace, and asked in a low voice, "Are you just leaving like this?"

Once again, she was embraced, and a faint blush quickly rose on Shimamoto Kana's cheeks.

She struggled slightly and said, "What do you want to do now?"

“I should be asking you what you want to do.” Tazaki Tsukasa took a step forward and pinned her against the door in a wall-slamming motion. “From the moment you entered the house, every word you’ve said has been intentionally or unintentionally setting the stage for your purpose, even when I was holding you. This makes me wonder if you’ve been making up stories all night?”

"I don't!"

Kana Shimamoto cried out in distress, her sexy lips trembling as she said, "Let go, I want to go back..."

“Go back? Sure.” Tsukasa Tazaki raised an eyebrow, looking into her eyes with an intense gaze. “But there’s one thing I need to make clear before I let you go.”

Kana Shimamoto sniffed: "What is it?"

"I prefer women with straightforward personalities, you know?"

"I don't want to know!"

"Logically speaking, I should be the one who benefits from your kindness, but I still don't like the idea of ​​two people having to go through all sorts of guessing each other's thoughts when they're together."

Shimamoto Yoshimi pursed her lips and turned her head away to avoid his gaze.

Tazaki grabbed her chin, forcibly turning her gaze back to himself: "I grabbed Kuriyama's chin like this last time, and Kikawa schemed against me once and still owes me a cosplay bonus. What are you planning to do this time?"

Kana Shimamoto said with a wronged expression, "You were pinching my chin too..."

"Impressive, you really know how to express all kinds of emotions."

"I don't!"

"I won't pursue those two high school girls too much, but you and I won't let them off so easily."

"What do you want?" Shimamoto Kana gritted her teeth, her expression gradually becoming stubborn.

"I'll participate in the kendo tournament, as for you..."

Tazaki Tsukasa chuckled as he opened the system.

[Exploding Candy: 100]

Quantity purchased: 10

[Expenses: 1000]

[Currently available funds: 46250]

Enjoy using it!

A small packet of candy appeared in his palm. Tsukasa Tazaki held it between two fingers and waved it in front of her eyes: "If you stuff the whole packet into your mouth and eat it, I'll be over it tonight."

Kana Shimamoto blinked: "Huh?"

"Take it, tear it open and see for yourself."

"Humph~"

Left with no other choice, she had to tear open the packaging with both hands and stare at the small, colorful candies inside for a long time.

?

Kana Shimamoto frowned: "What is this?!"

“Just some fun snacks…” Tsukasa Tazaki looked her up and down, his tone inexplicably cheerful: “With your physique, I don’t need to resort to any tricks, right?”

"asshole!"

Kana Shimamoto cursed under her breath, thinking she would never talk to him again. With a determined look, she poured the whole bag of candy into her mouth.

The thin sugar coating melts when heated, releasing the carbon dioxide trapped beneath, which propels the candies into a series of leaps.

Kana Shimamoto chewed on the candy, her voice muffled: "This candy tastes awful~"

As the voices rang out, there was also a series of crackling and bouncing sounds.

"Let me eat some for you."

"Eh?"

Meeting her astonished gaze, Tsukasa Tazaki quickly lowered his head and kissed her luscious red lips.