My love index is at its maximum.

[Tazaki: What books do you have at home? Can you name one I like to read right now?]

[Kuriyama: Here's a copy of Proust's *In Search of Lost Time* for you.]

[Tazaki: ...You can read my mind?]

[Kuriyama: Foolish!]

[Kuriyama: Wong Kar-wai quoted a line from this book in his film *Ashes of Time*: "When a person cannot possess something, the only thing he can do is not forget it." You've used Wong Kar-wai's lines to charm so many women, so how hard could it be to guess you'd like this book?]

[Tazaki: ...Minister, you have such a good memory!]

[Kuriyama: I won't forget anything that interests me after just one glance.]

[Tazaki: I am deeply grateful to be remembered by the Minister forever—I am truly humbled.]

[Kuriyama: ...I'm about to head out. Let's talk more at your place.]

Putting down his phone, Tsukasa Tazaki chuckled softly in the dimly lit room.

"Tazaki..."

A lazy voice sounded in his ear. He turned around and saw Shimamoto Kana gently turn her head and slowly open her eyes: "What time is it?"

"It's almost nine o'clock." Tsukasa Tazaki snuggled back into the covers and wrapped his arms around her waist.

Kana Shimamoto pressed herself against him, letting him hold her burning body tightly. The young wife was now as docile as a kitten, closing her eyes in satisfaction and sweetness.

"It's about time to get up."

"I'm so tired from all this."

"You took the initiative last night..."

"Don't talk nonsense!" Shimamoto Kana reached out and covered his mouth, stopping him from continuing to say those embarrassing things.

Tazaki Tsukasa's mouth was covered, but his eyes and brows were filled with a smile.

In his eyes, Shimamoto Kana seemed to see herself last night, her brows furrowed, her sexy and well-proportioned body frantically swirling like a plum blossom in a raging storm.

Even now, she still feels a sweet, lingering weariness, as if she's been turned upside down.

Tazaki Tsukasa was completely unaware of Shimamoto Kana's subtle inner thoughts, as he was holding her soft, yielding body close at hand.

A woman waking up early in the morning in her lover's arms is at her most defenseless, most vividly alluring, devoid of any tension, reserve, or resistance. Such submissiveness fully demonstrates her complete trust and dependence on him; who could remain unmoved in the face of such a woman?

"Get up and wash up quickly," Tsukasa Tazaki said, gently patting her back.

"I can't get up."

"Do you want me to carry you there?"

Kana Shimamoto glared at him and said with a hint of anger, "It's all your fault for making me like this."

A woman's unique fragrance wafted over with each breath, and Tsukasa Tazaki inhaled deeply, suddenly lowering his head to kiss her. Kana Shimamoto, however, pushed his face away and turned her back to him.

"Hate……"

This was just a reflexive reflex born of shyness, and it didn't mean any refusal. So, as usual, Tsukasa Tazaki used both hands to pull her into his arms, while Kana Shimamoto arched her back and curled her legs like a shrimp, struggling against him.

Having just become a wife last night, she knew about this situation, but hadn't truly realized how terrifying a man could be so early in the morning...

Fortunately, Tsukasa Tazaki was still clear-headed and knew that the department head was on his way, so he only tried a small part this time. Otherwise, Kana Shimamoto would have been bullied to the point of weakness, her legs trembling so badly that she couldn't even walk steadily.

Just after nine o'clock in the morning, Kuriyama Sakura pushed the door open and came in—no one knew when she had secretly prepared a key.

She was holding a cardboard box containing two bags of cookies, some bread, three cups of coffee, a few books, and a chess set. There was also a vase filled with white dogwood berries—a slender little glass vase, its evenly elongated, pale pink body quite charming, reminiscent of the perfect curves of a woman's body.

"You're here, you're here..." Tsukasa Tazaki smiled and walked towards her, reaching out to take her hand: "You didn't bring any gifts, you're too kind."

Kuriyama Sakura practically jumped away from him, clearly wary of the scumbag...

Tazaki Tsukasa scratched his head, feeling awkward.

Then, the moment the minister kicked off her shoes and entered the room barefoot, she frowned, clearly indicating that something about the smell displeased her.

This image of the empress catching her lover reminded Tazaki Tsukasa of that night in Kamakura, when he was subjected to "beheading" thanks to the minister's incredibly keen intuition.

Thankfully... that scumbag Tazaki told me in advance today!

You can point to the bathroom with a clear conscience and casually say, "Shimamoto-sensei is in there."

Kuriyama Sakura moved her feet, placed the cardboard box on the dining table, and listened intently to what was inside.

There was the sound of a hairdryer, and I could also hear Kana Shimamoto humming a tune; she seemed to be in a good mood today.

Tsukasa Tazaki whistled as he prepared breakfast.

She brewed coffee, baked the bread she bought, and peeled fruit.

When the dish was served, Kana Shimamoto was already seated at the table. She was wearing her school uniform shirt and shorts, and her hair was pulled back high, revealing her fair neck and pink earlobes.

As Shimamoto Kana watched him come out, she looked up and smiled sweetly, "Good morning."

Then, she boldly crossed her beautiful legs, took the coffee from Tsukasa Tazaki's hand, and took a delicious sip, feeling as if her heart had fallen into all the cotton candy in the world.

One more thing: Kana Shimamoto's fair and beautiful legs are really gorgeous.

"What about mine?" Kuriyama Sakura glanced at Tazaki Tsukasa with dissatisfaction.

“Your legs too… cough cough…” Tsukasa Tazaki hurriedly handed over the cup, “Here, here.”

When the minister reached out to serve coffee, Tsukasa Tazaki noticed that both of her fingernails were painted with light pink nail polish, and that her wrists and collarbone were emitting a lovely cherry blossom perfume scent.

"This is the first time I've ever seen you wear nail polish, as far as I can remember."

"Is it strange for a girl to wear nail polish?" Kuriyama Sakura said emotionlessly, as if stating a fact that even a child knows, such as monkeys liking bananas or the Sahara Desert rarely getting rain.

“Yes, that’s perfectly normal.” Shimamoto Kana’s gentle gaze fell on her, and she said with a hint of meaning, “Kuriyama-san is becoming more and more like an ordinary girl.”

“Not ordinary.” Kuriyama Sakura rested her chin on her hand, her tone confident: “I’m pretty, and my legs are beautiful. Otherwise, Tazaki-san wouldn’t have been staring at my legs every single moment since the first day I joined the club.”

Tsukasa Tazaki: "..."

He felt wronged. "You can talk to her if you want, why do you have to find an opportunity to maliciously slander me?"

"Ah~ I'm so tired." Shimamoto Kana yawned wearily and walked back to her bed. "Tazaki-kun is too restless. I need to catch up on my sleep from last night."

?

Kuriyama Sakura paused for a moment, then turned around instantly, glaring at Tazaki Tsukasa with her little tiger teeth clenched in anger: "Since you have so much energy, then please submit the ATF Club's summer temporary research activity report on time, Tazaki!"

Tsukasa Tazaki: "..."

"Don't tire him out." Shimamoto Kana, huddled under the covers with only her face showing, said, "Besides me, he also has to deal with another teacher."

Kuriyama Sakura coldly replied, "Who he has to deal with is none of my business!"

This scene reminded Tsukasa Tazaki of the classic line from "Girl's Apprentice".

Girls are strange creatures. If a man gets involved, no matter how close they were before, they can suddenly become aggressive and cold, like a complete stranger.

that's the truth.

Previously, when her feelings for Tsukasa Tazaki were limited to mere admiration, Shimamoto would actively try to matchmake these two of her favorite students, hoping they would come together to fill the void of her own unfulfilled desires. However, as her feelings for Tazaki Tazaki evolved from admiration to love, and now to possession, her mindset underwent a complete 180-degree shift—Tsukasa Tazaki is my lover, how could I possibly want more people to share him?

For Kuriyama Sakura, Shimamoto Kana, while not exactly a close confidante, was one of the few she could confide in intimately. The usually gentle and intellectual Shimamoto-sensei held a significant place in her heart. However, with Shimamoto Kana and Tazaki Tsukasa truly together, her mindset subtly shifted—"This is me… no, this is Hanami-nee's person, why can Shimamoto Kana get ahead of me!"

After careful analysis, I vaguely came to a conclusion.

Looking at Kuriyama Sakura's indignant face, Tazaki Tsukasa said with shame, "I guess I really am a piece of trash..."

"You know that much!" the two women, one big and one small, shouted at the same time.

Tazaki Tsukasa shrank back, silently finished his breakfast, and then played chess with Kuriyama Sakura.

The rain outside was pouring down harder and harder, and the wind was howling fiercely. The trees along the roadside were shaking their leaves wildly, and the water on the asphalt road was already knee-deep. Occasionally, a rumble of thunder would break the silence, making the air tremble.

Kana Shimamoto huddled under the covers, staring intently at Tsukasa Tazaki.

Her face was very pale because she was afraid of thunder.

Tazaki Tsukasa had no choice but to temporarily abandon his battle of wits with the department head. He sat down on the edge of the bed and gently put his left arm around her shoulder. Another flash of lightning streaked across the sky, and Shimamoto Kana grabbed his right arm with both hands. The two of them remained in that position, watching the storm and lightning outside the window.

Kuriyama Sakura remained seated at the dining table, her legs hunched over and her hands wrapped around her knees.

His gaze remained fixed on the open book on the table, occasionally glancing casually at the two people on the bed.

With exceptional intelligence, handsome looks, and a robust physique, Tazaki-san… when you curb your arrogance and become gentle, you truly possess an irresistible charm. Fortunately, aside from a few women who hold special significance for you, you maintain appropriate social distance with other women.

The minister believes your current performance is forgivable.

but.

Please don't keep adding more people who can make you gentle, otherwise, as the empress... cough cough, as the minister, I really will get jealous... no, I'll get angry!

And so, the three of them spent a relatively peaceful day.

As dusk fell, the wind subsided. The air in Tokyo after the rain was exceptionally fresh, and the city lights stood out vividly. Office buildings rose tall against the deep blue sky, their aviation warning lights at the top flickering slowly like a beating heart.

After dinner, Tsukasa Tazaki escorted Sakura Kuriyama downstairs, and the two walked for a while in the messy streets of Higashi Shinjuku, holding umbrellas.

A gust of wind blew, and raindrops fell from the umbrella, wetting the sleeves of her clothes.

"I'm sorry," said Tsukasa Tazaki.

"What am I apologizing for?" Kuriyama Sakura stopped in front of a trash can that had been blown over.

"There are many things," Tsukasa Tazaki said with a smile. "I'd be a little embarrassed to list them all."

The two continued walking. There were very few pedestrians on the road. The only constants were the neat streetlights and the occasional passing car.

Magnolia petals lay scattered all over the roadside, while a few azaleas hidden behind oak trees were fortunate enough to survive, their bright red petals burning as vividly as fire in the night.

Kuriyama Sakura suddenly said, "Hana-nee asked me today what you've been up to lately."

Large raindrops pattered against the transparent umbrella, making a crisp "pitter-patter" sound. Suddenly, Tsukasa Tazaki felt that the sound of this rain was somewhat similar to the rain he had heard in the pavilion at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.

“I’ll talk to her after this is over.” He jumped over a puddle and continued, “The Black Dragon Group has always wanted to replace Sakura’s family in Shibuya and Shinjuku. Since that governor is confident that he can threaten me with the destruction of Sakura’s family, it means he must have some kind of leverage over me. I’ll go to her after I’ve helped Sakura’s family get rid of this trouble.”

“I see.” Kuriyama Sakura nodded. “That makes sense. Otherwise, if I were you, I definitely wouldn’t have the face to see her.”

"Come on, there's no need to be so sarcastic."

"Ahem..." Kuriyama Sakura coughed lightly as if her throat was uncomfortable, and looked at him with a scrutinizing gaze, "You really only know how to marry Hanami-nee?"

"Inevitable."

In his heart, Tsukasa Tazaki believed that there was no room for compromise or concession on this matter.