My love index is at its maximum.

Tsukasa Tazaki collapsed heavily onto the table.

Why was Murakami Mizuiro, that old pervert, the first to notice that he had become handsome?

The first class in the morning was a class meeting, and Hoshino Hanami stepped into the classroom at 8:30 sharp.

"The results of the first monthly test that just passed were both good and bad."

"Some have made progress, while others have regressed quite a bit..." As she spoke, she suddenly clapped her hands: "Young men and women, cheer up!"

Hi~!

The classroom was filled with extremely weak responses; after the Golden Week holiday, everyone seemed completely drained—except for Tsukasa Tazaki.

He sat upright, his gaze was clear, and his eyes shone with wisdom.

Hoshino Hanami nodded with satisfaction. Although she still didn't quite believe that he had gotten such a good score on his own merit, at least his attitude was something that made him hard to dislike.

"In this exam, the teacher wants to give special praise to one person. Do you know who it is?"

"Tsukasa Tazaki!" Murakami Mizuiro shouted excitedly, as if he had taken the exam himself.

“Not bad.” Hoshino Hanami nodded. “Tazaki-san, stand up and say a few words to everyone.”

Despite the teacher's encouraging gaze, Tsukasa Tazaki remained motionless.

From the start of class, he was thinking about a question.

He and Kuriyama Sakura tied, both ten points behind Kichikawa Yui. Kuriyama Sakura's ten-point difference was in English, while his ten-point difference was in Japanese history.

Tazaki Tsukasa had only studied Japanese history for ten days, so naturally he couldn't compare to those who had studied it for several years. However, he was confident that by the midterm exam a month later, he would crush Kikawa Yui.

A blonde, blue-eyed, slim-waisted genius girl who always wears white stockings—I'm really looking forward to seeing how she reacts.

Murakami Mizuiro turned around and nudged Tazaki Tsukasa's arm. "Stop grinning like an idiot... Everyone's watching you."

"Eh?"

Tazaki Tsukasa suddenly snapped out of it and instantly met Hoshino Hanami's furious gaze.

"Sorry..." He quickly stood up and blurted out, "I was thinking about Yui Kawakawa just now..."

As soon as the sound came out, the whole room fell silent, and everyone showed knowing smiles.

Tsukasa Tazaki: "..."

It seems like... I said something wrong.

Yui Sikawa?

Hoshino Hanami suddenly remembered that she seemed to have heard her younger sister mention the rumor that "there is a secret between Shigawa Yui and Tazaki Tsukasa" earlier today.

At the time, she just laughed it off as gossip and didn't think about it too much. Now it seems that the secret is true.

Hoshino Hanami frowned, scrutinizing Tazaki Tsukasa with displeasure: "I've been there too, and I know that kids your age are all thinking about how to date. There's nothing wrong with that, and I don't object. But please don't show that weird laugh that's easy to misunderstand in class."

A burst of laughter erupted in the classroom, and the atmosphere was much more lively than before.

High school students like to talk about relationships between men and women, and Tsukasa Tazaki understands that, but he still feels a bit like he's swallowing a bitter pill, unable to express his grievances.

Teacher, don't get me wrong. Who would like a girl with no emotions like Rei Ayanami?

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Treat Girls Like You Treat Milk Tea

After the morning meeting, Hoshino Hanami went to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building to attend an educational conference, allowing Tazaki Tsukasa to survive for another day.

As noon approached, the sunlight suddenly became unstoppable, and the glass windows of the elevated corridor reflected dazzling light.

As Tazaki walked towards the cafeteria, he glanced outside. In the distance, on a tennis court, two girls wearing white caps were hitting the ball back and forth, beads of sweat flying from their swung rackets.

"Tazaki... what kind of life do you want to live?" Murakami Mizuiro asked from the side.

"Why are you suddenly asking such profound questions?" Tsukasa Tazaki gave him a strange look. "Aren't we going to talk about measurements, panties, or bubble baths?"

“I had a fight with my dad yesterday. He said my greatest achievement in life is being a rich second-generation who just lazes around and does nothing.”

"That's great, many people can only envy that."

"I don't want to live a life where I can see the end from the beginning; that's too boring."

"That's ambitious!"

"But I don't want my life to be full of uncertainty, otherwise I'll always feel uneasy."

"Believe it or not, I'll kill you."

Upon arriving at the cafeteria, both ordered the same meat roll and salad set meal. Tsukasa Tazaki found the mushroom meat roll at the cafeteria quite delicious, while Mizuiro Murakami, suffering from decision paralysis, ordered the same thing. Then, as usual, he went to buy two cups of Hong Kong-style milk tea.

Tazaki Tsukasa found a seat by the window, and as soon as he sat down, Murakami Mizuiro asked, "I have some pictures, do you want me to send them to you?"

"What picture?"

"It's exciting." Murakami Mizuiro waved his phone, which displayed a composite image of many ancient paintings. In the paintings, men and women were intertwined like a series of linked chains, and tentacle-like monsters were coiled around the intertwined parts.

"Am I that kind of person?" Tsukasa Tazaki glared at him unhappily and lowered his head to eat.

After a while, he looked up and said, "Original image, remember to send the original image to my email."

"Haha, that's more like it." Just as Murakami Mizuiro was about to say "I have a lot more," she suddenly noticed a girl staring at them, seemingly intentionally or unintentionally.

The girl had short hair and was holding a plate as if waiting for someone. Murakami Mizuiro felt she looked familiar, but couldn't quite place where she had seen her before.

"Tazaki, at nine o'clock..." He tapped the table, "there's an absolutely gorgeous girl there!"

Tsukasa Tazaki turned around and saw that it was Kanae Kasuga. She still had that neat and tidy short hair like a primary school girl, with one side held back perfectly with a hair clip.

This hairstyle suits her petite and adorable appearance perfectly, giving her the feeling of a beautiful girl like the little angel next door.

Kasuga Kanae also spotted Tazaki Tsukasa and smiled at him from afar.

Tsukasa Tazaki was about to nod in response, but Shiori Ninomiya suddenly appeared from the far side of his view. Without saying a word, he turned around and focused on eating his meat roll.

"Hey... Tazaki, she smiled at me." Murakami Mizuiro clutched her chest, looking ecstatic. "I think I'm in love."

"If you like someone, just confess." Tazaki Tsukasa picked out the free spinach with a look of disgust before continuing, "Maybe they're just waiting to reject you."

"Look, there are two more beautiful girls... two more, they're walking this way!"

Tazaki Tsukasa rubbed his temples beforehand, hoping he wouldn't faint from the noise later.

Murakami Mizuiro quickly wiped the oil off her lips and straightened her posture: "Hi~!"

"Hello, kiki."

"Hello... Kiki?"

Under Murakami Mizuiro's dumbfounded gaze, Ninomiya Shiori suddenly sat down to Tazaki Tsukasa's left. She turned sideways, propped her cheek on her left hand, and leaned closer, saying, "Second in the grade, huh? How are you so amazing?"

"Hello, Tazaki-kun." Kasuga Kanae, holding a tray, sat on the outermost side and smiled gently. "When we saw the results list this morning, Ninomiya and I were both shocked."

Murakami Mizuiro silently picked up his plate, his mood gloomy as he prepared to leave, when Tazaki Tsukasa kicked him.

"Ouch..."

Shiori Ninomiya glanced at him: "And who is this?"

“He’s in the same class, his name is Murakami,” Tazaki-kun introduced, then said to Murakami Mizuiro, “These two are Ninomiya and Kasuga from Class D.”

"Hello..." Murakami Mizuiro had no choice but to stay, and said as if to change the subject, "Judging from your accent, Ninomiya-kun is from Hokkaido?"

"Wow, that's amazing, you recognized it right away."

"It's so obvious... surely no one can't tell?"

Shiori Ninomiya reached out and poked Tsukasa Tazaki's arm: "This guy just didn't realize it."

Tazaki Tsukasa silently ate his mushroom and meat rolls and potato salad without saying a word.

"Oh, right, let me show you a photo." Shiori Ninomiya took out her wallet from her pleated skirt pocket, pulled out a photo, and handed it to Tsukasa Tazaki.

The photo was taken when she was eleven or twelve years old. The adorable little Ninomiya is wearing a ski suit, wearing skis, and smiling beautifully on the snow.

"Is it pretty?"

Tsukasa Tazaki nodded: "Quite cute."

Shiori Ninomiya smiled as she put the photo into her wallet and began eating her pasta.

Murakami Mizuiro smiled kindly.

Excuse me, Ninomiya-kun, if you only intend to show this to him, please refrain from using the word "you all." If you do, please don't ignore the others present!

Kasuga Kanae chuckled and eased his embarrassment, saying, "Murakami-kun and Tazaki-kun seem to be very good friends."

“Ask him yourself.” Murakami Mizuiro lowered his head and shoveled rice into his mouth in frustration.

Tsukasa Tazaki replied, "I have very few friends, but he is one of them."

Murakami Mizuiro glanced at him—You have few friends, but a lot of harem, right?

"Hey, Kiki, what are you eating? It looks delicious!"

"Mushroom and meat rolls and potato salad."

“Okay!” Shiori Ninomiya brushed her slightly curled hair aside with her fingers and said to him, “Next time I’ll order the same thing as you. I’ve already ordered something else this time.”

"Oh." Tsukasa Tazaki nodded as he ate his salad.

"Aren't you going to look at what I ordered?"

Tsukasa Tazaki glanced back; it was macaroni.

Shiori Ninomiya flicked a strand of her hair in front of his eyes and waved it vigorously. Tsukasa Tazaki dodged and picked up his plate, saying, "I'm full. You can continue eating."

Kasugami smiled wryly. Her best friend had gotten a perm yesterday to surprise Tsukasa Tazaki. Turns out, he hadn't even noticed.

Murakami Mizuiro glanced at the back of the handsome Tokyo guy, then at the Hokkaido girl with puffed-up cheeks in anger. He carefully analyzed their relationship and encouraged Ninomiya Shiori, "Keep it up. Even the most aloof boy has a warm heart."

After saying that, he picked up the untouched milk tea from the table and ran towards Tsukasa Tazaki.

"Tazaki..."

"Tazaki, wait a minute..."

The strong afternoon sun poured down on the school buildings, and in the green courtyard, many couples lay on the lawn, leisurely basking in the sun.

Tsukasa Tazaki stopped and turned around to look.