My love index is at its maximum.

Given Hoshino-sensei's prestige, the other students stopped making trouble and started recommending their favorite candidates again.

Tazaki Tsukasa breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, although Da Ke'ai spoke sternly, she still cared about me.

By the time all the candidates were decided, the class meeting had just ended.

Hoshino Hanami quickly tidied up her lesson plan and left the classroom.

Tsukasa Tazaki packed his schoolbag and followed.

Chapter 235 The Golden-Haired Brother Becomes the Perfect Tool Once Again!

The sunlight gradually dimmed, and dusk approached.

Passing by the oak tree at the school gate, Hoshino Hanami looked up at the sunset glow, the autumn colors deepening and the leaves slowly turning yellow.

"Aren't you going to drive first, teacher?" Tsukasa Tazaki asked, tilting his head.

"I'm hungry and don't want to drive." Hoshino Hanami clapped her hands. "Let's go get something to eat first."

"Where?"

"Hmm... nearby, there's a really nice izakaya, I've eaten there a few times."

The two walked out of the school gate together.

The sun sets, the streetlights come on, and the temperature slowly drops.

The birds gathered in flocks and flew back to their nests, chirping all the while as they flew overhead.

After walking for five minutes along the bustling Shinjuku Avenue, I turned onto a small uphill alley and came to a restaurant with dim yellow lights.

From the storefront, it's hard to tell that this is a restaurant—a white cloth curtain with the shop's name printed on it, potted chrysanthemums on both sides of the steps, and no other decorations.

Hoshino Hanami took Tazaki Tsukasa's hand, and the two walked into the store together.

On the hallway, 15 centimeters higher than the entrance, a woman in a kimono greeted guests. The kimono's base color was a light blue, similar to the sea, and the obi (sash) was made of white striped cloth, giving it a fresh and elegant look.

"Ah, you've come." The woman in the kimono greeted the two of them by placing her hands on the wooden floorboards as they entered, saying, "Thank you very much."

A very soft Kansai accent.

“I brought my boyfriend here to try Kyoto cuisine,” said Hoshino Hanami, sounding like a regular customer. She then turned to Tazaki Tsukasa and said, “This restaurant is owned by one of my dad’s high school classmates. This is the proprietress.”

"Hello, nice to meet you," Tsukasa Tazaki greeted politely.

"Boyfriend?" The proprietress looked at him in surprise. "He's so young! So Miss Hoshino is into younger men?"

“No, I’m a Tazaki fan.” Hoshino Hanami smiled slightly, like the only camellia blooming in a vast grassland.

The moment she answered, Tsukasa Tazaki smiled.

Led by the proprietress, the two walked through the entrance hall and circled half of the corridor of the central courtyard and Japanese-style garden.

"President Hoshino hasn't been here for a while. How have you been?"

"Dad is very energetic every day."

“My husband said he’d like to invite me to go fishing at sea these days.”

“That won’t do,” said Hoshino Hanami. “He’s such a grown man, all he thinks about is fishing. I have to talk to him tonight.”

The proprietress smiled faintly.

It seems she has also learned about Xiaoying's family situation.

After circling around the artificial hill, pond, and maple trees in the courtyard for a short while, we entered a private room.

Wooden walls, paper sliding doors, a hearth at the entrance, and walls decorated with straw raincoats and hats, along with alcoves. Tazaki Tsukasa surveyed the decor of the private room, while Hoshino Hanami tugged at his hand and gestured for him to sit in front of the alcove.

According to Japanese custom, the alcove is the seat of honor. It is the seat of the head of the household during family meals and the seat of the leader during company meals.

Tazaki Tsukasa understood and sat down in the main seat, while Hoshino Hanami obediently knelt beside him.

The proprietress, who had just taken out the menu, looked surprised again, almost wondering if she had seen a ghost—was this still the strong-willed young lady from the Xiaoying family that she knew?

After ordering, the proprietress tactfully said, "I won't bother you two any longer," then bent down, took a few steps back, and turned to leave the private room.

Warm yellow light shone overhead, casting a soft, warm glow on the tatami mats.

Hoshino Hanami lay down on Tazaki Tsukasa's lap, her gaze fixed on his face, the light in her eyes flowing like a clear stream.

"Are you satisfied?" she asked.

“It’s not necessary to do that.” Tazaki Tsukasa was very touched, but said, “I told you that you’re in charge at home, so you’re in charge. I don’t care about these things.”

"I'm asking you if you're satisfied!" Hoshino Hanami said irritably, reaching out to pinch his nose.

"Satisfied, very satisfied," Tsukasa Tazaki replied in a deep voice.

Hoshino Hanami smiled smugly.

Her expression was as cunning as a mother fox passing through a forest shrouded in morning mist.

"Your older sister's smile is so beautiful," Tsukasa Tazaki couldn't help but praise.

How good-looking is it?

"Beautiful enough to illuminate even the darkest and saddest days."

"The darkest and saddest days?"

"It was those days of drizzly autumn days, when my soaked tennis shoes slapped against the asphalt, and the streetlights tirelessly illuminated the way to school."

"That's amazing!" Hoshino Hanami gave an incredible smile. "You really know your stuff! How did you come up with such touching and romantic words?"

"Actually, I only know a little bit." Tsukasa Tazaki put his arm around her waist and pulled her up to lean against him. "The reason you think I know a lot is just because I only told you."

"That statement deserves a reward!"

Hoshino Hanami ran her fingers through a few strands of hair by her ear, then slowly leaned in and kissed Tazaki Tsukasa's lips. She then lowered her head, her nose brushing against his neck affectionately.

"Big sister..." Tsukasa Tazaki hugged her, a warm feeling washing over him.

This woman is amazing!

Mature, calm, generous and proper. Although she may seem fierce on the surface, she always reveals her gentle and considerate side in some unintentional little things.

It can be sweet or savory.

Her smile is sweet, but she tastes salty.

Even if he were to be completely under her thumb for the rest of his life, Tsukasa Tazaki would still willingly fall at her feet.

The food was served quickly, and it had a light, Kansai-style flavor.

Pickled mackerel, thick slices of egg crepe, grilled mackerel, fried tofu, and rice sprinkled with sesame seeds and dried radish.

The dishes were served in exquisite lacquered ceramic bowls and chopsticks, just like the fine utensils used by famous generals in ancient times when entertaining guests.

“These are dishes my family used to eat often when my mother was alive,” Hoshino Hanami said as she ate, the dishes disappearing at an incredible speed.

"It's a real pity I didn't get to meet my mother-in-law."

Hoshino Hanami squinted her eyes and said nostalgically, "Even after so many years, she exists in every moment of my life. When I see a movie, I think she might like it; when I hear a song, I think she might sing it. On a sunny day, when I smell the fragrance of a woman passing by, it also reminds me of her."

"I will love you for her sake..." Tsukasa Tazaki said to himself, looking into Hanami Hoshino's clear and bright eyes.

After dinner, the two snuggled together to aid digestion.

"What's the deal with Sakura's maid outfit?"

"We agreed to wear the same outfit on her birthday."

"It's Sakura's birthday, so I'll let you off this time."

The two are currently in a perfect relationship where they know each other well, so many things don't need to be explained too clearly. As long as they know that the other person isn't lying, that's enough.

After a moment of tenderness, Hoshino Hanami suddenly looked up and asked with certainty, "Did she also send you to the school festival executive committee?"

“That’s right, otherwise I wouldn’t be so diligent.” Tsukasa Tazaki lowered his head and gently bit her earlobe: “I’m going to propose adding a ranking rule of ‘points for challenging others’ at the executive committee meeting. Just wait and see, big sister, I’ll dominate the whole school!”

Having her sensitive spot attacked, Hoshino Hanami curled up against him with her sexy body, and said coquettishly, "If Class F doesn't get first place, you'd better be prepared to face your big sister's punishment."

"What punishment?"

"You're punished by having to copy 'I love my older sister' ten thousand times!"

"This is a reward." Tsukasa Tazaki wrapped one arm around her chest, which rose and fell gently with her breath, while the other hand reached under her uniform skirt to caress the soft skin of her absolute territory.

"Hmm~ Don't move..."

Hoshino Hanami comfortably half-closed her eyes.

The warm light shone down, and a blush of happiness appeared on her beautiful face, making her look incredibly charming.

Standing on the podium, she wore a clean and neat suit, looking intelligent, capable, and radiant; nestled in her lover's arms, she possessed the innocent and lovely sentiments of a young girl, while also exuding the sexy charm of a mature woman.

This is Hoshino Hanami, admired by thousands; this is the woman who dotes on him the most; this is the woman he loves the most—whenever he thinks of this, Tazaki Tsukasa feels a blissful happiness that makes him want to faint at any moment.

……

The next day, Saturday, the temperature was pleasant.

Morning run, then shower.

Tsukasa Tazaki changed into his school uniform and took the tram back to school.

On a weekend morning, the winding streets of the Yotsuya residential area are mostly deserted, with only early-rising crows perched around the various trash cans, their eyes darting around as they survey the surroundings.

The sun is shining brightly today, occasionally filtering through the gaps in the trees.

As you walk through the school gate, you can hear the shouts of the baseball team training, the sound of the soccer team kicking the soccer ball against the goalpost, and the brass music flowing from the courtyard.

Oh, the rosy glow of high school life.

Tazaki Tsukasa suddenly felt that the air in Tokyo had been dyed a delicate pinkish-rose color.

On his way to the student council meeting room, he bought a can of coffee from a vending machine and pondered a question while drinking it.

Lately, I've been becoming more and more like an ordinary person, or rather, gradually becoming mediocre. But this feeling isn't bad; in fact, it's quite relaxing. So... how can I drag the minister into this mess?

What if she doesn't want to go into the water?

This is so troublesome...