My love index is at its maximum.

The light blue tennis skirt swayed gently in the breeze like a swimming fish.

As the sun rises higher, the colors of the trees and grass seem to become calmer and softer, the birdsong sounds melodious and pleasant, and the small patches of grass that peek out from under the trees and the streams flowing in the shade all bring a sense of comfort.

Back at the training dojo, Tsukasa Tazaki took a shower and went to the cafeteria for lunch. Many members of the kendo club were already sitting there, chatting and laughing in small groups.

The National College Kendo Tournament will begin on August 11th. Tomorrow morning, these students will leave Kamakura for Fukuoka, the venue of the tournament.

Tsukasa Tazaki ordered a bowl of ramen and an extra cucumber, and sat opposite Kana Shimamoto.

Good morning, Shimamoto-sensei.

"Good morning." Shimamoto Kana looked up and glanced at his bruised eyes and mouth. "Does it still hurt?"

"It's okay, I can take a beating." Tazaki Tsukasa said softly while munching on a raw cucumber, "I'm determined to be a henpecked husband, how could this little injury possibly defeat me?"

"You're such a smooth talker." Shimamoto Kana was amused by his words and was about to ask him to come to her room to help him apply some medicine when she saw that Kuriyama Sakura had also ordered food. She called out, "Kuriyama-san, come over here for a moment."

Judging from this, it's clear that the CP leader is planning to proselytize again.

Tazaki silently complained in his heart about the awkward behavior of the married teacher.

Good morning, Shimamoto-sensei.

Kuriyama Sakura greeted Shimamoto Kana and sat down opposite Tazaki Tsukasa, her expression so cold that she seemed to completely not recognize him.

"You two..." Shimamoto Kana's gaze shifted back and forth between the two of them several times before she tentatively asked, "Did you have a fight? Or are you having a disagreement?"

"There was no arguing or quarreling."

Tazaki Tsukasa ate his noodles, glancing up at the curve of the Minister's jawline: "I only scratched her chin a few times."

"How does it feel?" Shimamoto Kana immediately became excited.

“Great, she even meowed.”

Kana Shimamoto turned to look at the minister, a warm smile on her face.

"Shimamoto-sensei!" Kuriyama Sakura's eyes remained cold, but her cheeks began to flush slightly again.

"Kuriyama-san is so cute!" Shimamoto Kana exclaimed.

"Agreed!" Tsukasa Tazaki picked up a piece of pork bone from the soup bowl, his expression drooling: "Especially the leg, it looks just like this piece of pork bone, I want to hug it and gnaw on it."

?

Kuriyama Sakura: "..."

Does this guy usually talk to Hanami like this too?

Thinking about this, the minister began to doubt whether those "witty remarks" were really reliable.

"I'm full, please enjoy your meal."

Before the minister could lose his temper, Tsukasa Tazaki fled the scene of the crime with his tray.

Kuriyama Sakura stared fiercely at his back for a while before turning her gaze to her own bowl.

"You two have a really good relationship," Kana Shimamoto said with a smile. "If someone else touched your chin and teased you like that, you would definitely have gotten angry, right?"

“I’m furious now!” Kuriyama Sakura retorted. “He’s just an extremely vulgar and boring scumbag, not worth my time at all!”

"Ah."

Kana Shimamoto nodded, giving her a "go ahead" look.

"He's just a complete bastard!" Kuriyama Sakura continued dismissively. "I wish I could strangle someone like that!"

"How about beating him to death with an iron rod?" Shimamoto Kana asked.

"Brilliant idea!" Kuriyama Sakura nodded, gritting her little tiger teeth as she said, "But if possible, I'd still prefer to strangle him. Killing him instantly with an iron rod would be too easy."

"Haha~" Shimamoto Kana laughed happily.

Despite being 28 years old, her laughter is still as melodious as a young girl's.

Hearing the teasing undertone in the laughter, Kuriyama Sakura blushed, her confidence instantly wilting. She nervously rubbed her hands together, muttering under her breath, "He's just a little more interesting than the average person. He's incredibly observant, expressive, sometimes sarcastic, sometimes humorous. Talking to him is strange; I always find myself being led astray without even realizing it. Of course, that guy is the same; no one but me can keep up with his leaps of thought."

"Oh my~" Shimamoto Kana opened her mouth in feigned surprise, "Kuriyama-san never used to tell me these things, what's going on today?"

Those beautiful, cat-like eyes gleamed with a light of wisdom and cunning.

"..." Kuriyama Sakura looked up and caught the smile in her eyes, and immediately felt that something was very wrong.

"Let me, your life counselor, guess." Shimamoto Kana lightly touched her glasses frame with her fingertips, scrutinizing Kuriyama Sakura with a very neutral gaze: "Kuriyama-san, is the reason you revealed your feelings because you know about the special relationship between me and Tazaki-san, so you want to emphasize to me that you and he are a special couple?"

"No...no!" Kuriyama Sakura denied vehemently, her face cold.

Kana Shimamoto didn't say anything, but just had an "I understand you" expression on her face.

"...I'm full, please continue eating, teacher."

"It hasn't been touched at all."

Kuriyama Sakura lowered her gaze to her untouched breakfast, and after a long silence, sighed with a headache, "Shimamoto-sensei, just say what you want to say."

Kana Shimamoto smiled with satisfaction.

The girl before me was very intelligent and had a keen eye for observation. But she was still too young, and her emotional life was practically a blank slate. How could she possibly be a match for me, her psychological counselor?

"Kuriyama-san." She cleared her throat and said seriously, "Although I very much hope that you and Tazaki-san will get together, from now on, I will not take the initiative to match you two up."

"Mmm," Kuriyama Sakura responded, and began to eat her breakfast slowly.

"I hope to see him and Hoshino-sensei reconcile."

"Huh?" Kuriyama Sakura tilted her head slightly, looking puzzled, and asked, "Why would you think that?"

Kana Shimamoto leaned back in her chair silently, her fingers pressed against her temples. After a moment of thought, she clasped her ten slender fingers together in front of her chest: "It hurts, after all, he's my favorite student. Isn't it normal to want him to fulfill his wish?"

"What about the teachers themselves?"

"It's alright, as long as he's happy." Shimamoto Kana smiled gently, a tender charm lingering in her eyes for a moment, reminiscent of the dew that hadn't yet evaporated on the grapes in the early morning in a vineyard.

The last day of training flew by outside the window in the blink of an eye.

The next day, August 10th.

Temperature 22℃-28℃, light breeze.

Early in the morning, everyone packed their armor and bamboo swords, boarded the school bus back to Tokyo, and then took the Shinkansen to Fukuoka Prefecture in northern Kyushu—the venue for this year's National High School Kendo Tournament.

After getting on the bus, Tsukasa Tazaki automatically and consciously sat down next to the department head, with Shiori Ninomiya and Yui Kikawa sitting in the next seat.

"Kikawa-kun...look." The little cutie, dressed in a pretty dress, huddled together with Kikawa Yui, discussing the contents of her phone.

Tazaki Tsukasa turned to look at her. The blonde girl had been training and adjusting her condition very hard during this period. She looked quite energetic, and even her perpetually icy face had softened a bit.

Kuriyama Sakura gave him a disdainful look: "Stay away from me."

"What are you looking at?" Tsukasa Tazaki turned around and looked at the tablet in her hand.

The screen displays an electronic travel magazine with information about Fukuoka Prefecture.

With a population of approximately 500 million, it is the sixth largest city in Japan and the largest city in Kyushu. It is about 880 kilometers from Tokyo and about 890 kilometers from Shanghai.

Kuriyama Sakura turned her face slightly away: "The National Tournament is five days from the 11th to the 15th, we'll have a day of sightseeing on the 16th, and then we'll return to Tokyo on the 17th."

"There's still a holiday!" Tsukasa Tazaki said with delight. "I heard that Fukuoka melons are very good. I'll buy some and you can bring them to Hanami-nee for me."

"Bring it yourself!" Kuriyama Sakura rested her elbow on the car window, propped her cheek up, and started to sleep.

The Shinkansen carriages are usually very quiet, with only occasional soft coughs, whispers, and faint footsteps, creating a comfortable atmosphere where it's easy to fall asleep.

But not long after, Tsukasa Tazaki shook her shoulders: "Look, it's Mount Fuji!"

"What's the big deal?" Kuriyama Sakura ignored him, turned around, and continued sleeping facing the window.

"I heard that Mount Fuji is private land, right?" Tsukasa Tazaki leaned forward, staring intently at the distant, green landmark mountain.

"The land ownership of Mount Fuji is held by Asama-ji Temple."

A soft, feminine voice came from beneath him. Tazaki Tsukasa shook his head and sighed, "Damn capitalism! Even national symbols are private land!"

"Hello, you've left me!"

Tazaki Tsukasa looked down and saw that the section of her thigh between her black stockings and skirt was just below his lower abdomen.

"So white."

"what?"

Tazaki pointed to the green Mount Fuji outside the window: "I said the mountain is so white!"

"Snapped!"

Kuriyama Sakura gritted her teeth and shoved him back into his seat: "You better behave, or I'll have Shimamoto-sensei call the police right now!"

Amidst the strange looks from everyone on the bus, Tsukasa Tazaki put on his headphones and calmly closed his eyes.

Everyone only has two hands; even an embrace cannot truly possess you.

To gain something, you must first understand how to accept losing it.

I once wandered along the snowy road.

Why shed tears for good things?

Who can claim Mount Fuji as their own simply out of love?

A: Asama-ji Temple.

He tui, the sad charm of the whole song was completely ruined.

Five hours and five minutes later, the NOZOMI Nozomi train stopped at Fukuoka Station.

Tazaki Tsukasa stood on the platform, yawning and rubbing his sore shoulders. A strand of the department head's hair was still stuck to his white shirt.

"Kiki~ Come take a picture." Shiori Ninomiya hopped over and held up her phone, pointing it at their faces.

"Hey, give me a smile!"

Tsukasa Tazaki covered his mouth and yawned, then smiled at the camera.

"Huh..." The little cutie's eyes sharpened, and she turned around, pointing at his shoulder: "Is this strand of hair from Sakura?"

"Uh...actually, me too."

"Everyone, look this way."