My love index is at its maximum.

"Where are you looking?" Kuriyama Sakura crossed her arms, pulled away, and glared at him with a sharp look, saying with disdain, "I feel like I've been subjected to some kind of vulgar treatment in your mind again."

“You look especially beautiful today, Minister,” Tsukasa Tazaki said admiringly.

"Hmph~ You think you can get away with just sweet talk?" Kuriyama Sakura crossed her arms and sneered, "This will only make me think less and less of you!"

"This outfit, Minister, must have been carefully prepared for this special day?"

Kuriyama Sakura squinted: "What do you mean by a special day?"

"For example, going on a date with a guy you like."

"Tazaki-san, what do you take me for?"

"A lovely girl, a charming girl, the only one in the whole world I can call Minister."

“You’ve put your heart out so seriously…” Kuriyama Sakura said weakly, pressing her hand to her forehead, as if giving up, “I don’t know whether I should continue to scold you.”

Tazaki Tsukasa couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth.

It was like a set routine, and I breathed a sigh of relief, as if I were at ease.

He was also somewhat surprised by himself today; he usually tried to avoid saying things that could cause misunderstandings... So why did he say such things today...?

Shiori Ninomiya tilted her head, watching their interaction with a smile.

She didn't feel any displeasure; on the contrary, she found it quite amusing. The way these two communicated and their choice of words seemed rather novel and interesting to her.

"But... Minister, is it really alright that your skirt is so short?"

Looking at Kuriyama Sakura's straight, beautiful legs, Tazaki Tsukasa asked with some concern, "Won't it be inconvenient, for example, when you squat down or take big steps?"

"Kiki is such a big idiot."

Shiori Ninomiya chuckled and playfully scolded, then moved closer to Sakura Kuriyama and lifted her skirt slightly: "Girls always wear safety shorts underneath when they wear short skirts, of course."

Generally speaking, the length of the safety shorts is the same as the length of Kuriyama Sakura's skirt at this time, so if you lift it up a little, you can't see much.

only……

Another kind of pure white suddenly came into Tsukasa Tazaki's view.

It's not very clear; I can only see the lower half of the white background with white lines. However, the texture looks quite high-end, and it has intricate embroidery patterns.

The little cutie, completely unaware, loosened her skirt and said with a smile, "See? With safety shorts, there's no need to worry about flashing."

Tsukasa Tazaki did not answer.

His gaze was still fixed on the skirt as he recalled the scene from earlier.

The pure white color, along with the equally fair thighs, set against a backdrop of black skirts and stockings, creates a striking visual contrast that is particularly memorable.

Kuriyama Sakura: "..."

Realizing something from Tsukasa Tazaki's burning gaze, her expression instantly froze.

Could it be... that I was so busy packing this morning that I forgot to wear it?

The minister gripped the hem of her skirt with both hands, her stiff little face facing Tsukasa Tazaki. Her gaze, though forced to remain calm, clearly conveyed a questioning intent.

Tazaki Tsukasa ignored the signal in her eyes. He casually glanced at his watch, picked up his suitcase, and said to the two girls, "Let's hurry to the meeting point, we're almost late."

"Let's go~" Shiori Ninomiya exclaimed excitedly, pulling her suitcase with her right hand and walking straight toward the school gate, her skirt fluttering slightly with each step.

From behind, she seemed to have grown a pair of transparent wings. She exuded a carefree and smooth aura, with a happiness akin to sunshine after a rainstorm.

Tazaki Tsukasa said to Kuriyama Sakura, "Let's hurry up too."

"You...you just saw it?"

The minister tilted his head, his expression and voice both very unnatural.

Tazaki Tsukasa said with a serious expression, "I swear I didn't see anything white."

"..." Kuriyama Sakura stood there dumbfounded, her entire face turning into a black tablecloth.

"Hurry up, the light's about to turn red."

Tazaki Tsukasa walked onto the zebra crossing with his luggage. A few meters in front of him, the little cutie looked like she had just applied lubricant, her left hand swinging comfortably back and forth with her steps, looking very happy as she strode up the slope.

The rapid footsteps of high heels came from behind.

Kuriyama Sakura jogged after him, gritting her teeth as she snapped, "Forget it!"

Forget what?

"What you just saw."

Tsukasa Tazaki shook her head: "No, I'll never see such a beautiful scene again in my life~ Hey, don't step on me, you're wearing high heels!"

"I'll make you pay!" Kuriyama Sakura threw a harsh remark at him, then quickly caught up with Ninomiya Shiori as if fleeing, and the two walked up to the school gate in hushed tones.

A summer breeze blows, gently shaking the tender green leaves of the trees, and everything sparkles in the sunlight.

Tsukasa Tazaki took a deep breath.

Feeling relaxed and cheerful.

You can clearly hear your own heartbeat, a sound that slowly and rhythmically records the rhythm of life.

Too lazy to care whether these things should be categorized as fantasies, Tazaki the scumbag only wanted to remember this moment: the two girls were in a good mood, and he himself was in a good mood too.

Footsteps sounded again behind him, sounding slightly hesitant.

Looking back, what comes into view is a cascade of long, golden hair that seems to proclaim, "Golden hair should grow like this."

It's Yui Kiseki.

Today's blonde girl is wearing an elegant light green dress, high-heeled sandals, and carrying a dark green suitcase.

Tsukasa Tazaki greeted her, "You look brand new today!"

"Hmm?" Yui Kikawa turned her head slightly to look at him.

"Very proper, elegant and refined," said Tsukasa Tazaki. "He has the demeanor of a mature adult."

"Thank you."

When are you planning to cosplay for me?

Qichuan Yui gave a noncommittal "uh" and then remained silent.

Tsukasa Tazaki turned his head to look at her.

Despite her lack of expression, she remains a charming and beautiful young woman, exuding an air that could be described as noble and aloof.

"I've said before that I'm a very petty person."

“Hmm…” Qichuan Yui bit her lower lip and nodded with a complicated expression.

"So remember to wash up and wait for me."

After saying that, Tsukasa Tazaki quickly caught up with the two people in front of him.

The conversation has come to an end.

On the quiet, tree-lined path, the wind once again tousled her golden hair, and a light flickered in Kikawa Yui's clear blue eyes. A surge of heat welled up from the depths of her heart, her throat went dry, and her body felt hot. She couldn't tell whether she felt more anger or shame.

As you walk to the school gate, you can immediately see the school bus parked there.

The more than twenty members of the kendo club all had smiles on their faces. The boys pushed and shoved each other, chasing and playing around the school bus; the girls huddled together, and their clear and melodious laughter sounded like singing larks.

If you didn't know better, you'd think they were going on a trip.

As Tsukasa Tazaki walked over, a few people happened to look over.

"Eh? Tazaki-san!"

Someone shouted, and instantly all the boys enthusiastically surrounded him—except for the ugly and aloof Takeuchi Takumi.

"Why are you here too?"

"Are you going to train with us?"

"Great! Let's participate in the national competition together!"

While giving perfunctory "uh-huhs," Tsukasa Tazaki stuffed his luggage into the overhead compartment, then quickly jumped onto the bus, still holding the unfinished copy of "Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage."

Sitting in the front row, Kana Shimamoto, dressed in formal business attire, waved to him: "Hello, Tazaki-kun."

The seat next to her was empty, and not only that, the seat on the other side of the aisle was also empty; the students had all moved to the back.

Generally speaking, sitting next to a teacher is definitely not a comfortable thing, unless that teacher has a very close and improper relationship with you.

"Hello, Shimamoto-sensei." Tazaki Tsukasa sat down next to her, just about to discuss the different ways to wear a bunny girl outfit, when Kuriyama Sakura, who was in the back of the carriage, leaned her elbow against the window and shouted loudly to the front, "Tazaki Tsukasa, come here!"

Her voice was clear and cold, filled with the imposing aura of an empress.

"Go quickly..."

Shimamoto Kana smiled and pushed Tazaki Tsukasa away from his seat, winking at him and saying in a playful tone, "Your queen is unhappy, so hurry up and go coax her."

Her words immediately drew a burst of laughter from the carriage, as everyone seemed to enjoy the spectacle.

Sixteen- or seventeen-year-old boys and girls always enjoy interesting stories about male-female relationships.

I understand.

Who was the one laughing the loudest?

I think his name is Ueda Masao.

I'm definitely going to beat him up during the training camp!

As Tazaki Tsukasa pondered how to vent his anger, he walked towards the back row with a gloomy expression.

The Empress was still angry; she had stopped reading her book and was sulking as she looked out the window. Tsukasa Tazaki sat down next to her, but she remained silent.

The school bus started and sped smoothly towards Kamakura. The further south we went, the lower the buildings became on both sides of the highway, surrounded by small mountains and an unobstructed blue sky, with occasional glimpses of fresh rice paddies—a typical rural scene.

Tsukasa Tazaki leaned back in his chair, watching Tsukuru Tazaki's journey of self-redemption the whole way.

As the bus passed Yokohama, Kuriyama Sakura closed her eyes for a short nap. Before long, her little head naturally rested on Tazaki Tsukasa's left shoulder after a turn, and she didn't change her position.

She pursed her lips tightly, and her warm breath, which she exhaled quietly, sprayed evenly on Tsukasa Tazaki's shoulder blades. The hair that touched his nose would tickle him.

Tazaki Tsukasa closed the book and couldn't help but glance to the side. It was a sleeping face that was completely unguarded and innocent, something she could never have imagined on the usually dignified and beautiful department head.

But she was pretending to be asleep.