My love index is at its maximum.

?

Tsukasa Tazaki: "..."

what!

Fuck!

Call it a surprise?

To be honest, although he has been looking forward to the two beautiful girls playing maids for a long time, could we please change the time?

A short while later, Sakura Kuriyama and Kana Shimamoto also came out of the store carrying shopping bags.

Three women walked along the shopping street.

"Kiki, let's go! How long are you going to stand there daydreaming?"

Shiori Ninomiya turned around and greeted him.

Tazaki Tsukasa then chased after him.

The four walked for a few minutes and came to a store that sells cosplay costumes. The little cutie dragged the reluctant department head inside to try on the clothes.

Tsukasa Tazaki quietly tugged at the hem of Kana Shimamoto's clothes.

The married teacher glanced at him, who seemed hesitant to speak, and followed him a few steps towards the shop door, secretly plotting something.

"Teacher, about the bunny girl..."

"Tazaki-san, the teacher already knows!"

Before Tsukasa Tazaki could even open his mouth, Kana Shimamoto interrupted him, tapping his forehead and saying irritably, "The clothes were bought the day before yesterday. I'll be wearing them in your room from this afternoon until you go to bed tonight, okay?"

"no……"

Tazaki Tsukasa gritted his teeth, thinking that he absolutely couldn't miss seeing Shimamoto Bunny Girl, so he swallowed back the words "I'll wear it next time" and changed his words to "In your room!"

"How can this be?" Shimamoto Kana glared at him. "How are you going to make Kuriyama-kun feel?"

"She's fine."

"What do you mean, nothing's wrong?"

"I told her she wouldn't stay in the room that afternoon..."

Kana Shimamoto looked at him hesitantly: "How did you know?"

"Just trust me!" Tsukasa Tazaki clenched his fist and said with a determined expression, "I will definitely arrange the time well for this birthday."

"That's kind of like setting a flag, isn't it?" Shimamoto Kana smiled meaningfully, placing her hand suggestively on his chest: "For your sixteenth birthday, Tazaki-kun, are you secretly going on a date with another girl behind my back?"

"I only have one-on-one dates with the teacher!"

Kana Shimamoto withdrew her hand with satisfaction.

When answering this question, Tsukasa Tazaki's face didn't turn red, his heart didn't skip a beat, and his facial expressions didn't change at all, so it was clear that he wasn't lying.

That's for sure.

Of course, Tsukasa Tazaki wasn't lying.

How can a three-person date be called a date where you spend time alone with two beautiful girls in one room?

After Shiori Ninomiya and Sakura Kuriyama came out, the four of them continued strolling along the shopping street. Every now and then, a breeze carrying the scent of the sea would brush past their faces, and the branches of the green trees would rustle coolly.

Tazaki Tsukasa was left behind, replying to Hoshino Hanami's message on his phone.

[Hanami: Happy birthday, the most amazing sixteen-year-old in the world!]

[Tazaki: Is the teacher coming over?]

[Hanami: I really want to go, but it sounds a bit strange for one of my homeroom teachers to make a special trip to celebrate your birthday; people might misunderstand.]

[Tazaki: Should I go back to Tokyo?]

[Hanami: You stay here and train in Kamakura. I'll come find you openly and honestly after the national tournament.]

[Tazaki: Teacher, please come to Kamakura. I can sneak out.]

[Hanami: Alright, it's only been a few days. I'm taking Shikami to walk Marine, and later I have to take Marine to the vet for a checkup. Then I'm going shopping with Shikami this afternoon. I don't have time to go to Kamakura.]

Put down your phone.

Hoshino Hanami stood up to ease the soreness in her joints from sitting for so long, then sat back down on the bench in the pavilion.

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden was packed with visitors from the morning onwards, including foreigners with cameras, students with sketchbooks, and couples strolling hand in hand.

Whenever someone passes by the pavilion, their eyes are drawn to it.

Wearing a white tank top under a light blue cardigan, a green wavy skirt, and wedge sandals.

With her cool and stylish simple outfit and flawless beauty, this woman, enjoying reading alone, has unknowingly become the most beautiful sight in Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden this summer.

Hoshino Hanami seemed oblivious to the stares and cameras around her, sitting alone in the pavilion with her gaze fixed on the open book in her hand.

You walked through fields where dark red purple grass grew, lingering in the hunting grounds.

Did the guards at the hunting grounds see you wave your sleeve at me?

The book is Yasushi Inoue's "Queen Nukata," which tells the tragic story of two imperial brothers who both fall in love with a court lady, the famous and talented Queen Nukata.

In order to openly display their affection in class, Hoshino Hanami once went to great lengths to select this waka poem from a book to test Tazaki Tsukasa.

Recalling her little brother's smug expression when answering her questions, the older sister couldn't help but cover her face with her book and giggle like an idiot.

She suddenly heard footsteps and reflexively turned her head to look.

"What should we have for lunch? Steak over rice?"

"There seems to be a panini sandwich shop nearby; I've heard the sandwiches are really good."

It was a young couple, walking hand in hand under the shade of a tree. The scene was so harmonious, so sweet and peaceful. Even though Hoshino Hanami was disturbed, she couldn't help but smile kindly.

"Oh, I'm sorry." The girl smiled carefree and nodded apologetically at her.

"You're welcome."

Hoshino Hanami nodded in response, crossed her legs and sat down to one side, listening to the young couple's intimate conversation. She picked up the iced latte next to her, which had already gone lukewarm, and gulped down a big mouthful.

"It's okay."

"I have it too."

After speaking softly, Hoshino Hanami spun out her right high-heeled sandal.

With a "thud," the shoe rolled into the middle of the pavilion, like a sulking child refusing to return to its owner.

You're such an idiot!

Hoshino Hanami cursed under her breath, put her shoes back on, and left the pavilion, walking alone in the increasingly scorching sun-drenched courtyard.

Since the start of summer vacation, time seems to be passing much more slowly.

Every morning, she would spend her time reading in the pavilion of Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, while in the afternoon she would wander aimlessly around Yoyogi, Harajuku, and Jingu Gaien. When she felt hot or tired, she would stop at a roadside ice cream shop.

July passed in almost the same way.

"Sister~"

"Woof~"

Hoshino Shika, leading a Border Collie, excitedly ran across the artificial lake.

Since summer vacation started, without that awful guy Tsukasa Tazaki bothering her older sister all day, the younger sister's life has gone from hell to heaven in an instant.

"I was covered in sweat and filth from playing."

Hoshino Hanami took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped the sweat from her younger sister's forehead and neck.

"Hehe~" Hoshino Shikami laughed cutely, "Shikami is thirsty, let's go buy some drinks, we're going shopping together this afternoon!"

"Let's go."

Hoshino Hanami nodded and led her younger sister toward the vending machine at the park entrance.

The bright summer sun pierced through the lush foliage, casting dappled light onto the sisters' cheeks.

At the entrance of Shinjuku Gyoen Sendagaya, there are three white-painted vending machines, each with the words "5 in 1000 chance of winning" printed on it.

Hoshino Hanami has bought drinks here many times, but has never won a prize.

Just as she was about to put the coin into the coin slot, her hand paused, and then she clutched her chest tightly.

The little penguin felt its soft flesh being squeezed.

She thought to herself, "If I win this time, I'll go to Kamakura right now to see the giant penguin!"

Hoshino Hanami silently repeated these words to herself several times.

I chose a bottle of Pocari Sweat and then put a 500 yen coin in it.

"Clanging and banging"

The change and two plastic bottles fell down together.

"This is a gift he gave me!"

Hoshino Hanami whispered, looking at her younger sister with a beaming smile, "Shikami, I won't be keeping you company today."

"Eh?"

The younger sister, who had just been fantasizing about going shopping and watching a movie with her older sister today, was suddenly stunned: "Why? Is something wrong, sister?"

"Yes, that's right."

Hoshino Hanami waved her hand: "My sister is going to Kamakura to see Tazaki. Shikami, remember to study tonight, even if you're alone."

?

The younger sister stared blankly at her older sister's retreating figure as she rushed towards the park entrance.

"Oh, right."

The older sister turned around in the sunlight, smiling brightly: "I'll be staying in Kamakura for a few days, so Shikami should bring a couple more sets of her school uniform to change into."

Hoshino Shika stood there dumbfounded, holding two bottles of Pocari Sweat, her small body trembling.

I feel terrible and want to cry.