My love index is at its maximum.

Her long, golden hair was clearly defined, swaying gently as it fell down her back.

The two stared at each other, wide-eyed.

A blush of shy blush spread from her cheeks to her neck and ears, like a bottle of sweet sauce spilled on her skin, giving her an alluring, irresistible charm.

Tazaki Tsukasa's throat went dry, and he awkwardly looked away. Then... he saw a video of him and his girlfriend playing on Yui Kikawa's computer screen.

"Pfft~" He couldn't help but laugh several times.

Qichuan Wei took a deep breath, forcing herself to suppress the shame of wanting to dig a hole and crawl into it: "Get out of here!"

"It's just shipping your own CP, what's there to be shy about?" Tsukasa Tazaki said nonchalantly, sitting down next to her. He kept a serious expression for more than three seconds, then couldn't hold back anymore, clutching his stomach and slumping onto the table, his body trembling.

"You mere Tazaki!" Yui Kikawa bit her lower lip, both ashamed and anxious, and raised her foot, stomping hard on Tazaki Tsukasa's foot with her flat shoe.

"it hurts……"

The sudden pain made Tsukasa Tazaki cry out. Yui Kikawa, still feeling unsatisfied, raised her fist to punch him again. Due to the suddenness of the incident, she instinctively grabbed the blonde girl's hand and pulled hard.

The two of them fell to the ground together.

Tsukasa Tazaki was on the bottom, and Yui Kikawa was lying on top of him.

He was intimately familiar with her body; it was incredibly soft yet surprisingly heavy. The soft moans she let out in surprise tickled Tazaki's ears, and her fragrant hair accidentally brushed against his neck and face, causing him to hesitate even in his breathing.

"You're utterly rotten..." Qichuan Yui slowly propped herself up from their intimate embrace, sat on the ground beside her, and used her hand to comb her disheveled hair behind her ears.

"Stop making personal attacks." Tsukasa Tazaki sat up cross-legged, shrugged, and pretended to be innocent.

"What a nasty man!"

As she spoke, Yui Kikawa sighed helplessly, tilted her head back, and rammed it against the wall as if she wanted to die together with him.

Tsukasa Tazaki nimbly dodged, causing her to bump into his arms.

The soft, long hair tickled the tip of his nose. Under the combined effect of the tingling sensation and the pleasant fragrance, he twisted his body, looked down at the girl in his arms, and a mischievous smile appeared on his face: "Xiao Wei, why don't we settle our bet at the school festival right here?"

"here?"

"Yeah, they're not coming that fast anyway."

"..." Yui Kichikawa covered her face in despair.

There is nothing more shameful than showing off your youthful and beautiful body to the boy you have a crush on.

Why did I agree to his request in the first place?! I really want to die!

Seeing her slightly embarrassed reaction, Tsukasa Tazaki smiled for a moment and asked in a gentle tone, "Ten years have passed. Yui has grown more and more beautiful. Compared to the past, do you feel that your growth over these ten years makes you proud and without regrets?"

Kikawa Yui covered her face and thought for a long time.

She slowly lowered her hand, revealing her sapphire-blue eyes as she looked at him: "...There's nothing to regret, is there?"

To reflect on this extremely short yet exceptionally long decade, Yui Kikawa paused briefly before slowly answering.

But this answer didn't seem to satisfy the boy in front of him. He reached out and ruffled her hair: "Let me ask you another question... You'll continue like this in the future, right?"

This thought process didn't take too long.

Because from the day she became the heir, she embarked on this path.

She had thought it through, struggled with it, and felt overwhelmed by worries... Qichuan Yui's attitude was already clear. So, she smiled slightly and said, "Of course, I will never give up, no matter what."

"This is so troublesome... Please don't be so realistic. On another note, when you feel tired and lost, do you hide in an unseen corner and secretly wipe away your tears?"

"Maybe." Yui Kikawa shifted her waist, finding a more comfortable position to rest her head on his chest. "You're suddenly bringing this up because you want me to give up my status as heir and elope with you?"

"What are you talking about?" Tazaki Tsukasa chuckled, shaking his shoulders, before looking down into her most beautiful eyes in the world. "I just wanted to discuss with my aunt whether I could help you with some of the clan affairs once you start taking over."

"I understand, you're planning to secretly take back what rightfully belongs to you, right?"

"Yeah, you can't?" Tsukasa Tazaki chuckled, grabbing her cheeks with both hands and kneading them like dough. "Everything in the Kikawa family originally belonged to me, including a certain blonde girl."

"Please don't be so gentle!"

"You mean you want me to hang you up and do bondage play?"

"What are you thinking about?" Yui Kisaki glared at Tsukasa Tazaki with annoyance, then quickly reached out and roughly ruffled his hair, making a mess of it.

As she massaged him, the blonde girl's hands slid down to his cheeks and gently pressed against them.

The air was filled with a faint scent of cologne, her face was covered in gentle fingertips, and her moist eyes were like a clear mirror that could see right into one's soul.

“Hurry up and graduate high school,” she said, “so I can leave you.”

“Hmm…” Tsukasa Tazaki nodded slightly, gently stroking her hair: “So, only when we can’t be separated, can’t be apart, and even if distance grows, even if time passes, we will still be attracted to each other… that can be called true love, right?”

Is that so? I'm not quite sure.

Yui Kikawa shrugged, a mocking smile on her face: "If you feel affection, curiosity, a desire to be close to a boy, jealousy, and feelings beyond that, is that what love is?"

"How would I know?" Tazaki Tsubeku's gaze...

Qichuan Yui smiled slightly, looking at his profile: "Before graduation, please let me never leave you, okay?"

That's really heartwarming.

What will happen next?

This vague apprehension lingered in Tsukasa Tazaki's mind, much like the tidal waves and river crests colliding and pushing against each other at the river mouth.

Footsteps sounded outside the door; it was almost time for the executive committee's final meeting to begin.

Yui Kawakawa suddenly stood up and extended her hand to Tsukasa Tazaki.

It looks like they're planning to help him up.

Tsukasa Tazaki smiled and shook his head, then stood up using his own strength.

Yui Kikawa smiled somewhat forlornly, intending to lower her outstretched hand.

But before that, Tsukasa Tazaki held that hand tightly and bowed: "Perhaps I'm still making mistakes. However, even if someone suddenly gave me the only correct answer, I would probably have to try it myself before I would believe it."

Kikawa Yui seemed a little bewildered and was speechless for a moment. When someone came in, she realized that her hand was being held, so she quickly pulled her hand back into her pocket and pretended to be idly staring at the scenery outside the window.

Tazaki Tsukasa's lips twisted slightly, and he tried to put on a mature smile.

Everyone smiled knowingly.

After its final meeting, the executive committee announced its dissolution.

Instead of leaving immediately, everyone held a small celebration banquet.

The table was piled with various snacks and drinks. While eating snacks, people tapped their feet and hummed along to music that someone had played. Occasionally, a strange shout could be heard from a boy, followed by a girl's disgusted yelling.

As the sun began to set, its fiery red rays shone into the conference room.

The festival has ended.

Although life can never be rewound and relived, these special memories of youth are worth savoring again and again.

At five o'clock in the afternoon, Tsukasa Tazaki left the school and strolled leisurely towards the Fourth Station. The sunset shone on him, giving his handsome profile a faint blush. Many female office workers on their way home forgot how they got home because of his gaze.

Occasionally, crows would fly overhead and land on a rooftop, making the autumn atmosphere even more profound.

Upon entering Yotsuya Station, Tsukasa Tazaki called Hanami Hoshino.

"Have you cooked yet?"

"not yet."

“I’ll go do it.”

"Oh."

"I'll sleep at your place tonight too."

"Go sleep with the navy!"

"What a cruel idea..."

"Your sister will bring you a blanket."

"No way, I want to see the black-stockinged catgirl..."

"du~du~"

Putting his phone away, Tsukasa Tazaki waited quietly for the Chuo Line train.

The platform was bustling with people at dusk, with trams occasionally whizzing by, stirring up gusts of cool autumn wind.

After squeezing onto the tram and returning to Sendagaya, Tsukasa Tazaki walked towards Sakura's family.

As October approaches, the streetlights gradually illuminate the roadside trees, casting warm hues of red and yellow. Upon arriving at Sakura's house, Hoshino Hanami, without a word, tossed her a pair of gardening shears.

"Clean up the yard before you come inside!"

"..."

In front of the brightly lit villa, Tsukasa Tazaki stared blankly at the dozen or so tall oak trees lining the path leading to the courtyard, his face extremely depressed.

like……

I personally said I would help renovate the yard.

Ugh.

I hope I don't overwork myself.

Otherwise, Hoshino Hanami, who has the upper hand tonight, will definitely ravage him, and he might not even have the energy to go for a morning run tomorrow.

Chapter 152 Unlocking the Cat Girl Hanami

【Ding】

Gardening skill proficiency +1

Current skill level: Proficient (1000/1000)

[Gardening (Skilled) → Gardening (Professional)]

The system popped up a skill upgrade notification. The clock had just turned six o'clock, and the sun slowly drew an arc, sinking into the horizon where the city met the sky.

Tazaki wiped his sweat, looked back from the ladder at the two sisters playing tennis not far away. They were both quite good at tennis, and the lights cascaded down like mercury, illuminating their two white thighs.

At the edge of the tennis court, "Navy" excitedly chased after the green tennis ball, running back and forth.