My love index is at its maximum.

Alright~

Half an hour later, Hoshino Hanami arrived carrying two large bags of prizes, her face contorted with a wide smile.

Five or six stall owners, their faces contorted with arrogance, surrounded Tazaki Tsukasa, urging him to fight again tomorrow.

"I'm afraid that won't work," Tsukasa Tazaki explained with a smile. "We have to go back to Tokyo tomorrow."

For a time, shouts of "despicable outsider" and "people from Tokyo are all bad" filled the entire highway.

Hoshino Hanami laughed even more happily.

Aside from being a complete jerk, my ex-boyfriend was practically perfect in every other way!

At 3 p.m., the two finally arrived at the tram station and boarded a painted suburban tram back to Fukuoka.

There were only two people in the carriage, sitting face-to-face on hard seats. The windows were spotless, and the view outside was of the blue sea.

Hoshino Hanami lazily rested her head on her ex-boyfriend's shoulder, her gaze fixed on the sea. Sunlight streamed into the car, landing right on their thighs.

"There are still more than ten days left in summer vacation..." Tsukasa Tazaki asked, hugging her arm around her waist, "Have you made any plans to go anywhere?"

"Where do you want to go?"

Atami?

"No way, why would I go to a hot spring in the middle of summer?"

"I just like places with lots of water."

"Tokyo Bay has more water, do you want to go and sink in?"

"...Haha, how about going to Karuizawa? It's a world-class summer resort town, I'm quite interested in checking it out."

"I'm not going." Hoshino Hanami snorted dismissively, as if deliberately trying to argue with him.

"How about Hakone then?" Tsukasa Tazaki pressed on relentlessly. "It's so close to Tokyo, only a little over an hour's drive away. It has mountains, lakes, and lots of Chinese people who have been tricked into investing in guesthouses."

"...Did they sneak in some strange excuse?"

Tsukasa Tazaki pressed his face against hers: "Then let's go to Hakone?"

"It's too close!" Hoshino Hanami raised her hand and pushed him away in disgust: "As for Hakone, the Sakura family has a villa there, so going there is no problem."

"Big sister is amazing!"

"Then it's settled. I'll go with Shikami and Sakura."

"And me?"

"You? Who cares..."

Back at Fukuoka Station, Hoshino Hanami walked away with both hands full of shopping bags.

They won't even give you a kiss.

Tsukasa Tazaki put on a mask and walked briskly under the shade of the trees by the roadside.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling his face, while a gentle breeze stirred his long bangs that didn't even reach his eyebrows.

I passed by a newsstand and bought a copy of the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper.

The sports section's headline featured a photo of him and Yui Kikawa receiving an award together yesterday, and the news headlines were even more exaggerated.

A bamboo sword connects two hearts.

And you're even organizing this? Do you think this is a barbecue?

Moreover, even though he had already rejected Yui Kichikawa's feelings, how could these reporters' keyboards portray them as a de facto couple?

What do you mean by a handsome and aloof young man and a flawless young woman? They grew up together, went to the same school, and both single-handedly dominated their respective years of competition. If they don't get married, they'll have to apologize to the entire nation!

Looking at the half-truths and half-fictional news reports, Tsukasa Tazaki couldn't help but criticize, "These reporters who are always trying to create a big news story have no professional ethics whatsoever."

I threw the newspaper into the trash can and walked over to a shopping center that looked upscale.

My little cutie's dad... As his spiritual boyfriend, what kind of gift should I give him on our first meeting?

I walked into a men's clothing store, walked out empty-handed three minutes later, then went into a jewelry store, and slipped out again a minute later.

I visited one store after another, and finally bought a watch at a high-end watch store.

Green dial.

It seems to be a Rolex, priced at 180 million yen including tax.

The price is a bit high...

The diving watch on Tsukasa Tazaki's wrist was a gift from the shop owner, costing only 20 yen. However, considering that she was an elder, and that this would put his mind at ease about his little darling's life in Tokyo, he figured it was worth the price.

Leaving the store, I shielded my forehead with my hand and glanced at the sky.

Around 4 p.m., the glass curtain wall of the high-rise building was still reflecting dazzling light.

I found a nearby restaurant on Google Maps and took a taxi there to wait. The restaurant I chose was a Western restaurant; from the photos, it looked like it had light wood dining tables, comfortable sofas, and delicate flower arrangements.

After sending his location to the little cutie, Tsukasa Tazaki pushed open the revolving door and walked into the restaurant.

"Welcome!" The impeccably made-up waitress gave him a professional smile and a slight bow.

Tazaki Tsukasa nodded, picked up a book to pass the time, and sat down by the window. The sofa was very comfortable, and the early afternoon sun was shining brightly on the table.

On the wooden table sits a delicate little bamboo basket containing sugar cubes and condensed milk, while next to it, a vase holds fresh tulips, exuding a sophisticated and bourgeois atmosphere.

The waiter brought over complimentary coffee, smiling as he asked, "Would you like to order now or wait for someone?"

"Wait someone."

"Okay, please enjoy your coffee."

The waiter politely poured him a cup of coffee, and when Tazaki Tsukasa pulled down his mask, she froze. His captivating, aloof features, his defined jawline, his Adam's apple exuding a mature aura… how could someone be so handsome?

Back at the counter, she tried to get back into work mode, but she just couldn't seem to concentrate. After struggling several times, she finally gave in to her desires, staring blankly at the boy's back, lost in her fantasies.

Tazaki Tsukasa sipped his coffee while flipping through the book in his hand.

It's a manga, "The Landlady and I," created by Taro Yabe. It tells the incredible daily life of a comedian and his 87-year-old landlady. This friendship that transcends age is depicted in great detail and humor, always bringing a smile to your face. It's an excellent reading experience.

It feels like finding a treasure when you go out.

After watching it from beginning to end, Tsukasa Tazaki stopped drinking the free coffee that was starting to get cold. Instead, he propped his cheek up and looked out the window. Suddenly, a beautiful girl walked past him.

Thirteen seconds later, the beautiful girl came to his side.

"Hello~ Kiki looks as handsome as ever today!"

Tazaki Tsukasa turned around with a smile, scrutinizing the Hokkaido girl for the day. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, and she wore a white sleeveless T-shirt that revealed her two fair arms. She wore a cream-colored long skirt, and perhaps because the fabric of the clothes was thin, she looked exceptionally frail, making one worry about her health.

"He seems to have lost weight again..." Tsukasa Tazaki felt a pang of sympathy.

“You haven’t lost weight, Shiori-chan is perfectly healthy.” Ninomiya Shiori sat down next to him, her lips pursed cutely, her big eyes staring at his face from left to right, her expression very lively and expressive.

"Kiki accompanied me to meet my dad today as my boyfriend, right?"

"Of course it's my boyfriend." Tsukasa Tazaki nodded and took out a beautifully wrapped gift box. "You've even prepared a gift. You won't scold me for being irresponsible now, will you?"

"Haha, I like Kiki the most."

The little cutie leaned against the sofa with a big smile on her face, looking radiant.

She looked so adorable that Tsukasa Tazaki wanted the whole world to see her. Two minutes later, Shiori Ninomiya took out her phone to answer a call, then turned around and waved towards the door: "Dad, I'm here, come quickly!"

Tsukasa Tazaki turned around and looked over.

A burly middle-aged man walked over, wearing a simple, faded suit. He had curly hair, tanned skin, and thick, bushy eyebrows. Most striking of all were his large, dark hands, the skin so rough that it was clear at a glance they were hands that had toiled outdoors year after year.

"Shiori, Dad bought you a present."

Upon seeing his daughter, Ninomiya's father rushed over and took out two small boxes from his pocket, one containing a blue hair tie and the other a sunflower-shaped hair clip.

"Wow~ Thank you, Daddy!" Shiori Ninomiya happily accepted it. "I love it!"

Ninomiya's father proudly raised his chin: "No need to thank me, it's nothing."

The little cutie insisted, "Thank you, Daddy."

"I said you're welcome!"

"I just wanted to thank you... thank you, thank you, thank you..."

"I said you're welcome...you're welcome, you're welcome..."

If there hadn't been someone else nearby, the father and daughter might have argued about this little issue for an entire day.

“Oh, right…” Shiori Ninomiya turned around with a show of pride and pointed at Tsukasa Tazaki: “Dad, look who this is?”

Ninomiya's father stared wide-eyed at him, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He immediately made a fist with both hands, adopting a sword-wielding posture: "I am the third-generation successor of the Potato One-Sword Style. In Hamaka Town, there has never been anyone worthy of my drawing a second sword."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Tazaki Tsukasa quickly stood up and clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute: "I am Linghu Si from the Huashan Sword Sect."

?

Shiori Ninomiya: "..."

You two, stop fooling around! If you keep this up, everyone in the restaurant will think we're idiots!

Chapter 212 Shiori-chan strides confidently on the road to victory!

Ordering food takes a long time, and the waitresses in aprons patiently take notes while bending over.

"I'd like a shrimp salad and some raw oysters for the cold appetizers..."

"Three servings of grilled abalone, and three servings of steak..." Tsukasa Tazaki looked away from the menu. "How well-done would you two like it?"

After much rambling discussion, they added a serving of roast duck slices and ordered macaroni as their main dish. Just as they finished ordering, Tsukasa Tazaki asked, "Do you have any fresh fish?"

"We have fresh sea bass in today," the waitress said. "How about braised sea bass with soybeans?"

"Steam it."

"No problem, do you need any drinks?"

Tsukasa Tazaki looked at Ninomiya's father: "Uncle, would you like a drink?"

"No, no need," Ninomiya's father quickly waved his hand. "I don't drink alcohol, water is fine with me."

"Okay." Tsukasa Tazaki looked at the little cutie, "Where's Shiori-chan?"