My love index is at its maximum.

really weird.

I never imagined that one day my driving skills would be inferior to the boss's wife.

The feeling of being teased in return... is quite nice.

Looking at the happy proprietress on the screen, Tsukasa Tazaki asked cheerfully, "Sachiko-nee seems very happy today. Did something lucky happen?"

“I recently made about 2000 million yen from investing.” Sachiko Tono smiled with anticipation. “If I invest more, our coffee shop might be able to open by the time you start school in September.”

"Around 2000 million?"

Tsukasa Tazaki frowned and asked, "How did you get here?"

"Play with cryptocurrency."

How much money did you invest?

"That means I invested 1000 million, and it doubled in less than a month," Sachiko Tono said proudly. "I plan to invest even more money."

"The risk is too great."

"Don't worry."

"Listen to me, whatever you do, don't use leverage!"

"Okay, okay, I'll go pick out your birthday present now, bye~"

Sachiko Tono hung up the phone immediately.

Then she hugged Tsukasa Tazaki's pillow and buried her face deep in the blankets. Lost in the unique scent lingering there, she giggled foolishly as she planned her future.

As the saying goes, you reap what you sow, and you can only gain depth by raising your standards.

I've really gone all out this time. Once Tazaki-kun comes back, I absolutely can't let him slip away like he did last time!

……

Put your phone away safely.

Tsukasa Tazaki rubbed his temples, but he didn't have any good ideas.

The proprietress is a perfectly normal adult; how she spends her money is her own business. All I can do, given my current position, is offer her some advice. And, when she gets stuck with debts, I'll use my savings from the last time I made in Oma Town to help her out.

Hopefully, the proprietress will lose less money.

Otherwise, I would always feel guilty if I used Da Ke's money on other women.

I continued reading for a while, and then the sun began to slowly set in the west.

Tazaki Tsukasa closed the book, relaxed his body, leaned his head against the pillar, and dozed off in the still-powerful sunlight.

Close your eyes, bask in the sunlight, and listen to the wind rustling through the treetops, the flapping of birds' wings, and the playful squabbles of stray cats. The sun-drenched wood exudes a faint, sweet fragrance. As you inhale it, you feel as if you've been freed from gravity, allowing you to float lightly above the earth's surface.

pat!

A sound came from afar, like something being blown over by the wind.

Tsukasa Tazaki opened his eyes and looked out. Under the empty shade of the beech tree outside the door, his easel lay blown over on the lawn.

Where is the Minister?

Afraid of losing something in that instant, he immediately wanted to get up and go out to check, but then he heard Kuriyama Sakura's cold voice.

"Come with me down the mountain for a stroll."

Turning around in surprise, facing the department head whose eyes were devoid of any emotion, Tsukasa Tazaki smiled and asked, "You forgive me?"

Kuriyama Sakura withdrew her icy gaze, which could kill, and extended her hand towards him: "It's not that I forgive you. That thing was indeed dishonest, and I was very unhappy about it, but for now, let's make peace, understand?"

"clear."

Tsukasa Tazaki extended his hand and let her hold it.

The girl's warm, damp palms had a soft, inviting touch.

"You sometimes suddenly feel like going down the mountain for a stroll?"

"I'm tired of seeing the same scenery, so I'm going to go down the mountain to see if I can find any inspiration."

"You mean you plan to continue painting down the mountain?"

"That's right, why don't you hurry up and get my drawing board?"

"So you just need someone to use?"

Seeing him reluctantly run to pick up the drawing board, Kuriyama Sakura's cool little face couldn't help but break into a smile.

Picking up the easel and scraping off the bits of grass stuck to it with a palette knife, Tsukasa Tazaki noticed a line of text written next to her realistic landscape sketch.

Springtime, as a concept, arrives with the surging waves.

What is "springtime as a concept"?

Tsukasa Tazaki looked at the department head with a questioning gaze.

Kuriyama Sakura only left him with a beautiful back view.

The two walked out of the training camp side by side, and were hit by the intense sunlight and heat.

It was still very hot on a July afternoon.

The asphalt road and the cars on the road were all shining brightly in the sun, and the few pedestrians chose to walk as close as possible to the shade of the green trees.

Kuriyama Sakura, holding an umbrella, walked unhurriedly down the winding mountain path. Many ornamental flowers were planted on both sides of the road, and the air was filled with sunshine, sea breeze, and the fragrance of flowers.

The sea breeze ruffled the hair on her forehead and lifted her long ponytail.

Tazaki Tsukasa's eyes captured that beautiful figure, and he thought to himself that this was truly a delightful moment.

At the foot of the mountain, there are many private courtyards, one of which is preparing for a Western-style wedding. Even through the iron gate, you can feel the luxurious atmosphere inside.

After descending the mountain, the two strolled casually through the bustling downtown area of ​​Kamakura.

The road was crowded, with scantily clad tourists frequently brushing past. The shops lining the street were a diverse mix: ice cream parlors, specialty shops, secondhand bookstores, and old record stores, all lined up side-by-side. Passing a cheap and delicious restaurant, I saw two elderly men playing shogi (Japanese chess) at the entrance.

"Hey, Tazaki." Kuriyama Sakura stopped and pointed to a convenience store by the roadside: "Let's buy some food and drinks and go sit by the sea."

Tazaki Tsukasa breathed a sigh of relief.

After carrying the drawing board for so long, his body was covered in sticky sweat.

He walked into the convenience store, stood under the air conditioner vent for a while, bought a few bottles of pineapple soda and some sandwiches, and then walked slowly with Kuriyama Sakura along the seaside sidewalk toward Fujisawa, occasionally brushing past locals walking their dogs.

We walked to a less crowded beach, lay down side by side, and watched the sea and the sky until dusk.

During this time, neither of them spoke, but simply lay quietly, letting time slip away.

It's common for two quiet people to get together.

They've always been like this in the ATF department; neither of them feels awkward, and they're even quite satisfied with this way of getting along.

A delightful afternoon.

The wind was barely perceptible, and the beach was quiet. Ignoring its owner's calls from behind, a husky dragged its leash past them in a flash.

As if remembering something amusing, Kuriyama Sakura turned to Tazaki Tsukasa and said, "Hasiki, could I have a bottle of soda?"

"Take it yourself!" Tsukasa Tazaki replied lazily, his hands behind his head.

"Oh?"

Kuriyama Sakura crossed her arms, her voice even colder than the iced soda she had just bought.

"Can't I use the nickname my concubine gave you?"

With his eyes closed, Tsukasa Tazaki answered her, "My little wife calls me Kiki, so why don't you call me that a couple of times, Minister?"

"You've got guts!"

"Wasn't it like this from the beginning?" Tsukasa Tazaki opened his eyes, smiled, and turned to her, saying, "Don't forget, I'm the one who grabbed your chin and threatened you."

"Hmm..." Kuriyama Sakura stroked her chin, seemingly lost in thought, and said, "That feeling was quite nice."

"Ok?"

Tsukasa Tazaki blinked in surprise: "Minister, you... do you really have masochistic tendencies?"

"I'm talking about that kind of relationship!" Kuriyama Sakura sighed, saying helplessly, "Can you please stop steer the conversation towards those inappropriate topics!"

“Kuriyama-san…” Tsukasa Tazaki suddenly sat up and stared intently into her eyes: “There’s something I’ve been keeping to myself for a long time, and I have to tell you today.”

"You want to confess your feelings to me? Sorry, that's impossible."

Kuriyama Sakura tossed her ponytail and said nonchalantly, "My heart might race for a moment when I see you, but once I calm down, I feel absolutely nothing for you!"

"No no no..."

Tsukasa Tazaki quickly clarified, "I just wanted to say that your chin feels really nice."

"..." Kuriyama Sakura puffed out her cheeks, clearly dissatisfied with his uncooperative explanation.

"The day you wear the cat-eared maid outfit," Tsukasa Tazaki said, taking out a can of soda and placing her hand on the pull tab, "I'm going to scratch you like I'm scratching a cat's chin."

With a flick of the finger, the pull ring is opened.

He gulped down a mouthful of pineapple soda, then rolled the still-cold aluminum can against his face, letting out a comfortable sigh.

Kuriyama Sakura quietly watched his prominent Adam's apple.

He subconsciously swallowed.

The western sun generously cast its last rays upon the ground, illuminating the beach. A gentle, intimate sea breeze occasionally caressed our faces, gradually dispelling the summer heat.

The two sipped their sodas and munched on sandwiches filled with fresh shrimp. Soon after, the crimson sunset touched the horizon, turning the seawater the same vibrant red as the tomato sauce in their sandwiches. Then, the sunset dipped below the horizon behind Enoshima, and the lighthouse shone brightly.

Kuriyama Sakura remained lying on the beach, unwilling to get up, as if she didn't want to miss even the last ray of sunlight.

“Let’s go back,” said Tsukasa Tazaki. “It’s getting dark, and if we stay here, we’ll only be a freebie for the mosquitoes.”

The minister nodded, stood up, but did not stand up completely. He remained squatting motionless, as if savoring the last vestiges of the sunset.

Tazaki Tsukasa finished cleaning up the trash, stood up, patted the sand off his butt, and said to her, "That's enough. Today may be over, but there's tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow. Why are you looking at me like today is the end of the world? Let me tell you, if you don't get up, believe me, I'll sing 'The Wind Is So Noisy Today' to you again."

Kuriyama Sakura lifted her eyelids, her gaze lingering on his face for two or three seconds, a very slight smile appearing on her lips.

She has a beautiful smile, the kind that makes your heart flutter.

"Alright... consider it repayment for what happened earlier."