My love index is at its maximum.

"This hasn't happened yet. If you get shot, you'll be the first one."

"If I die, I'll never be able to be with Hanami-nee again."

"You have a point, hahaha~"

The last three "hahaha" sounds were extremely monotonous and dull, like reciting sentences from a Chinese textbook.

Tazaki Tsukasa fell silent, picked up his wine glass and took a sip. The rising moonlight stretched their shadows longer.

"How amazing!" Kuriyama Sakura said with a light laugh, resting her chin on her hands. "The ice and snow melted, all things came back to life. The war stopped, and mermaids sang, all because of a single sentence from you."

"Oh no, what you've said is getting me all excited."

"Yes." Kuriyama Sakura nodded. "Me too."

Tsukasa Tazaki smiled and said, "It's really a pleasure chatting with you."

"I feel at peace," she replied.

Although their tone was relaxed, the content was extremely serious, so serious that it even needed to be delivered in a joking manner. Whether the method was clever enough was irrelevant; as long as it was a joke, that was enough.

As for how serious it was, only they themselves know.

Tsukasa Tazaki moved back a little and asked cautiously, "You're not going to pick up a bottle and smash it over my head, are you?"

Kuriyama Sakura crossed her arms: "Do you think you should smash it?"

His eyes were clearly smiling, but what greeted you was pure coldness.

Tazaki Tsukasa silently opened the system.

[Hoshino Hana's current stock price: 800]

Current holdings: 2000 shares

Dear sister, although doing this is a bit unfair to you, your stock price is unlikely to rise in the short term. Now, for the sake of my little brother's safety, I have no choice but to ask you to make this sacrifice.

Are all units to be sold?

[Hoshino Hana has sold all her shares, receiving 1600000 yen.]

[Currently available funds: 1646250]

[Super Recovery (Passive Skill): 100000]

[Do you confirm the purchase?]

[Selected skill purchased, cost: 100000]

Current available funds: 1546250

Turn off the system panel.

Tsukasa Tazaki steeled himself and stuck his head out: "If it makes you feel better, then go ahead and smash it!"

“You…” Kuriyama Sakura rubbed her temples in pain, sighing with an expression that said, “I’m really defeated by you.” But she felt that letting him off the hook was not enough, so she moved her gaze to his ears.

Seeing his face contorted slightly with pain, the minister's cold expression softened a little.

Releasing her grip on his ear, Kuriyama Sakura untied the red ribbon from her shirt, twirling it with her fingertips as she asked, "Tell me, how did you get involved with Shimamoto-sensei?"

“That’s easy to understand,” Tsukasa Tazaki answered frankly. “She’s my favorite type. I don’t go out of my way to find her, but once I’ve got her, how could I let her slip away?”

Kuriyama Sakura frowned and thought for a while, still not understanding, and asked, "That's it?"

"How am I supposed to explain this..." Tsukasa Tazaki scratched his head for a while before saying, "You might as well think of the cucumbers in the refrigerator on a summer afternoon."

"..."

What kind of inexplicable association is this?

Kuriyama Sakura frowned and shook her head a few times: "What do you mean? Is it related to your favorite May cucumbers?"

"There must be a connection!"

Tazaki Tsukasa stared at the ribbon twirling on her finger, sketching a cucumber pattern in his mind: "I love eating raw cucumbers from May, they taste amazing, just like Hanami-nee's. As for Shimamoto-sensei, they're from after May, or maybe July or August, they just need to be kept fresh in the refrigerator, otherwise they'll lose all their moisture, you know what I mean?"

Kuriyama Sakura rested her chin on her hand, closed her eyes, and fell into deep thought.

After three seconds, she said, "Why don't you just say that Shimamoto-sensei is past his prime and can't delay any longer? Why are you bringing up cucumbers!"

Tsukasa Tazaki muttered under his breath, "Isn't this just to make it more vivid?"

Kuriyama Sakura glared at him coldly: "Continue!"

"There's one more thing..."

At this point, Tsukasa Tazaki paused guiltily, picked up his wine glass and gulped down half a glass of wine in one go, before speaking again as if he had found the courage: "Before this, I never knew that Shimamoto-sensei was such a gentle passive person, a passive person who was compliant and then guided, and even her body was a passive body that was so warm and intoxicating."

"Absurd, utterly absurd."

Kuriyama Sakura sighed deeply and closed her eyes: "Your story is exactly the same as what my dad said when he cheated on me!"

Tsukasa Tazaki blinked and whispered, "If you don't understand this kind of thinking, you might want to read Junichi Watanabe's 'Paradise Lost'."

"Not interested!"

Kuriyama Sakura seemed to have lost interest in the conversation, yawned slightly, then opened her eyes and asked him, "What are you going to do next? Keep it a secret from Hanami-nee?"

“I won’t keep it a secret forever.” Tsukasa Tazaki shook his head. “I will tell her the truth when the time is right.”

Kuriyama Sakura gave a mocking smile.

"Please give me some time," Tsukasa Tazaki said.

Kuriyama Sakura closed her eyes again, resting her hands on her forehead: "I don't want to talk to you anymore."

“I can’t believe it…” she continued in a weak, dry voice, “I just can’t believe you would actually do this… Why didn’t you lie to me? What’s wrong with lying? Lying is often an expression of joy and happiness; it’s a kind of creativity. A person who can lie is often relaxed and energetic, able to ignore stubborn facts, and feel capable of joking with the current situation. Couldn’t you lie to me? At least then I would think you were confident you could handle everything…”

Tsukasa Tazaki silently looked out the window.

A bright moon floated on the sea, the night breeze was unusually warm, and the surroundings were filled with a languid atmosphere, with insects chirping in the grass.

Kuriyama Sakura remained silent for a long time before looking up at him: "This is unethical, absurd, and shameful. Don't you think so?"

“That’s true,” said Tsukasa Tazaki.

She reiterated: "It's extremely shameful."

"Yes."

"This is utterly ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous!" Kuriyama Sakura said, her voice trembling with tears, slamming her fist on the table several times. "I don't want to talk to you right now, but this isn't over yet! Also, I'm going out for a walk by myself to calm down, so don't expect me to forgive you so easily!"

After saying that, she ran to the door, put on her high heels, and hurriedly left.

Should we chase after them?

Tsukasa Tazaki thought for a long time but did not make a move.

"Forget it," he thought. "The minister is incredibly stubborn; it's hard for anyone to persuade her unless she's willing herself. Besides, I don't have the nerve to do that right now..."

I stood up and stretched my body a few times.

Tazaki Tsukasa stood by the bed, staring blankly at the Shonan Sea.

The coastal road, illuminated by streetlights and car headlights, winds its way forward, its brightness particularly striking. The lighthouse atop Enoshima shines in the darkness, its light flickering slowly on and off.

"Hello~kiki!"

A cute, lively, and crisp cry came from behind him. Tsukasa Tazaki rubbed his cheeks and turned around with a smile.

Chapter 188 The Little Cutie Got Up Again

Tsukasa Tazaki turned around with a smile.

The first thing that catches the eye is a cute girl in a white dress. Her slightly damp hair is gathered at the back of her head with a hairband, revealing a section of her fair neck.

"Just finished showering?"

Shiori Ninomiya smiled and said, "Yes, I couldn't wait to come over."

The Hokkaido girl was unusually excited, and her slightly mischievous and cute smile seemed to Tazaki Tsukasa as if she were plotting some kind of conspiracy.

Good-looking boys must know how to protect themselves when they're out and about...

Tazaki Tsukasa silently repeated it to himself, making up his mind that no matter what, he would protect his innocence tonight.

The Empress might suddenly turn around and make a surprise attack. If she happens to see something inappropriate for children, that little cutie will probably rush to Kamakura tonight to stab herself a few times.

Shiori Ninomiya locked the door behind her, went to the chair, sat down in a standard girlish posture with her fists neatly placed on her knees, and stared at the things on the table, asking, "Why are there two cups here?"

"Kuriyama-kun and I had a little drink just now."

"Ah~ Why didn't you two invite me?"

Tsukasa Tazaki: "..."

Why did I call you?

Shall we criticize scumbags together?

"Forget it, the concubine wouldn't dare interfere in the affairs of the main wife." Ninomiya Shiori smiled mischievously, picked up Kuriyama Sakura's cup with both hands, took a small sip, and then frowned, pushing the cup aside with disgust: "It tastes awful."

With her cheeks puffed out and her pink little tongue sticking out slightly, her expression was just as adorable as her charm.

“Alcohol isn’t really a pleasant drink,” said Tsukasa Tazaki. “Adults like to drown their sorrows in alcohol, and if alcohol were palatable, it wouldn’t be able to mask their sadness.”

"You're quite the smooth talker." The little cutie grinned and put on an innocent look. "I'm just a teenager, but you always seem a whole generation older than me."

You might not believe it, but I'm actually a full twelve years older than you.

"Nonsense, Tokyoites love to lie!" Shiori Ninomiya smiled like a Persian cat, staring into his eyes. "Especially handsome guys from Tokyo, I hate them the most!"

"Yes, yes, yes, Tokyoites are the worst." Tsukasa Tazaki chuckled in agreement, then got to the point: "What brings you to me tonight?"

Let's date!

Tsukasa Tazaki opened his mouth and uttered a questioning sound: "Huh?"

I said, let's start dating!

Ninomiya Shiori met his gaze and stood up, supporting herself on the table with both hands. In the dim light, her posture appeared incredibly strong.

Tsukasa Tazaki stared at her blankly.

After the little cutie finished speaking, she didn't rush for an answer. Her two small, rosy lips closed tightly, the remaining wine on them shimmering red and looking exceptionally moist.