My love index is at its maximum.

"Because of Sakura, Kuriyama-kun."

"Isn't it Hanami?"

"...Nouns and verbs can be used together."

"Don't think about it."

"...Hey, wait for me!"

……

Sakura: The Romanized form of Sakura, which means cherry blossom in English.

Hanami: Hanami means "flower viewing". In Japanese, the word "flower" often refers to cherry blossoms when used alone, so hanami usually means cherry blossom viewing unless otherwise specified.

Chapter 256 Sachiko Tono is in Business

On Sunday morning, Tsukasa Tazaki returned home after his morning run.

There was a pair of strapless, buckleless red high-heeled women's shoes in the entryway.

The shoes looked unfamiliar, nestled between Shimamoto Kana's and his own shoes, like Christmas gifts prepared two months in advance, exuding the aura of a mature woman.

Upon entering the room, I saw Sachiko Tono, dressed in a uniform, lying on the table with her forehead resting on her arms. Her straight black hair covered her face, and her fair and round neck was visible through the gaps in her hair.

Tsukasa Tazaki changed into a pair of slippers, sat down at the table, and casually took off his watch.

During this time, she did not move at all.

She seems to be asleep, but it's only a little before eight in the morning. She must have been busy until very late last night, resulting in sleep deprivation.

Tsukasa Tazaki didn't wake her up; instead, he picked up a beauty magazine by Kana Motoshima from the table to pass the time.

As the sun rose higher, bright sunlight streamed in through the glass window, illuminating the tabletop. Sachiko was quietly catching up on sleep in the sunlight, while he absorbed beauty knowledge in the soft shadows, a pot of geraniums separating them.

A water truck passed by outside the window, the sound of water being sprayed echoing on the asphalt road, and the smell of water wafted through the air. The melody played by the garbage truck drifted gently on the breeze from afar.

Around nine o'clock, Sachiko Tono woke up.

"Didn't you sleep well last night?" Tsukasa Tazaki asked, holding a magazine in his hand.

"Ah~" Sachiko Tono yawned, her hair bobbing slightly on the table. "It's mainly because Tazaki-kun's place felt so cozy that I couldn't help but take a short nap."

"I'll make you a cup of tea."

With that, Tsukasa Tazaki got up and went to the kitchen to boil water. Sachiko Tono's head was still resting on her arm, her cheek against his back, a few strands of hair clinging to her damp cheek, and a slight damp breath drifted from her mouth to her nose.

"Is there anything to eat?" she asked. "I came here as soon as I left home this morning and didn't have time for breakfast."

What would you like to eat?

"The refrigerator is in there, right? Let me check first." Sachiko Tono walked into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator and glanced at it. There was nothing in the upper safe, so she bent down to check the lower freezer.

The black bodycon dress was stretched taut, highlighting the alluring curves of her pert buttocks, which were then covered by matte black stockings, revealing smooth and flowing leg lines.

Who could stand seeing this so early in the morning...?

"Make a salad and a fried steak." Sachiko Tono took out the ingredients and placed them on the sink. Then she tucked the hem of her blouse into her skirt, pulling the fabric tight and making her breasts appear higher than usual.

"Then, Tazaki-kun."

With her back to Tsukasa Tazaki, her rosy lips curved into a happy smile. "How about we make breakfast together?"

Looking at her beautiful back and hips, Tsukasa Tazaki walked over, placed his hands on either side of her waist, and gave her a tight hug.

"Sachiko-nee, are you tired these days?"

"It's alright." Sachiko Tono supported herself on the sink with both hands, her buttocks slightly arched. "I'm learning things from your aunt. The thought of using these things to make money makes all the hard work worthwhile."

“Kurisu Kuri…” Tsukasa Tazaki ran a hand down her short skirt to her black stockings on her thigh and said, “What are you trying to learn? That guy just wants to use you to get information out of me and, incidentally, to lock me up.”

It feels smooth to the touch, and you can feel the softness and warmth of the plump thighs even through the stockings.

"Don't speak so badly of your aunt." Tono Sachiko began washing the tomatoes, letting Tazaki Tsukasa caress her thighs and lower abdomen.

"She's not exactly a bad person, but her personality is hard to grasp and she's a real handful."

"We're all family, can't you just treat Chestnut with a normal attitude?"

“Let’s not talk about her anymore,” Tsukasa Tazaki said, sliding both hands down and resting his chin on her shoulder. “Because Sachiko-nee is such an idiot, I lost a precious skincare product. So, Sachiko-nee, how do you plan to compensate me for my loss?”

"……Um."

Sachiko Tono bit her lower lip and looked down at Tsukasa Tazaki's hands. "Shall I make you breakfast too?"

"Go ahead and do it, I'm watching you."

"Wait until I'm done..."

Tsukasa Tazaki kissed her hair and said softly, "How does it feel to be a strong woman?"

"~So impressive, let me go first~~" Sachiko Tono's cheeks were flushed, and her misty eyes were alluring.

"You make your breakfast, and I'll watch you make breakfast." With a snicker, Tsukasa Tazaki asked seriously, "We're not bothering each other, right?"

"How shameless..."

Sachiko Tono suppressed her embarrassment, washed the tomatoes, and then leaned over the sink to wash the long asparagus, her beautiful long black hair swaying gently in front of her chest.

"Tomorrow at noon after school, you, Sakura, and Koichi should come to the coffee shop to take promotional photos."

"Ok."

"Also, please come and sit in the store more often when you have time."

"Does the store have a room reserved for the store manager to rest in?"

"some."

That's fantastic.

"Tazaki-kun is amazing too."

Hugged from behind by a pair of warm, strong arms, Sachiko Tono gritted her teeth the whole time. She really enjoyed this close contact. Faced with his sunny good looks and thoughtfulness, the shop manager genuinely wanted to possess him and couldn't resist.

“Sachiko-nee, turn around.”

Sachiko Tono removed her hands from the sink and turned around in his arms.

“You don’t have to change yourself because of me,” Tsukasa Tazaki said. “It’s okay to be an ordinary person. It’s nice to cook at home every day and wait happily for the doorbell to ring when your loved ones come home. It’s also nice to take the train together on weekends and go for a walk on the beach.”

"I don't want to be treated as Tazaki-kun's weakness like last time..." In Sachiko Tono's misty eyes, a complex light flashed, containing a mixture of sweetness, annoyance, and shyness.

Tazaki felt a warmth in his heart and smiled, saying, "A gentle and beautiful older sister like you is truly hard to refuse."

"So you've been with so many, haven't you?" Sachiko Tono pouted and scolded, "You're just a womanizer. Just let me take care of you peacefully. When you grow up, I'll be pretty much tired of you, and then I'll give you your freedom back, okay?"

The widow's aggrieved and resentful expression was so adorable that Tsukasa Tazaki couldn't resist and leaned down to steal a kiss on her sexy lips.

Sharing each other's warm, sweet breaths, Sachiko Tono wrapped her arms around his neck, responding passionately. Warm memories, buried deep in their hearts, burst like bubbles rising from the water's surface.

"Okay, let's continue making breakfast."

"You won't bother me?"

"of course."

"I don't trust you..."

Sachiko Tono smiled resignedly, then turned around and started washing the asparagus she had only half-finished.

"Sachiko-nee is so warm." Tsukasa Tazaki wrapped his arms around her warm waist and pressed his face against her back affectionately, as if he had returned to his childhood when he was loved by his mother.

This kind of gentle, submissive woman can best satisfy a man's desire for tenderness from an older woman. Tazaki Tsukasa was very fortunate to have met her; although Shimamoto Kana was also a gentle older sister, she was different from Sachiko.

Take a chestnut.

Kana Shimamoto is like a sheep, outwardly dignified and elegant, every move full of charm. But her inner self is hidden by a thick layer of white wool; only by removing that disguise can one see her fragile nature.

Sachiko is like a white rabbit. Without any sense of security or disguise, she will only choose to stay obediently and gently with people who can give her a sense of security. Moreover, her mind is a bit silly, just like a rabbit's.

Ah, no...

How could you think about other women at a time like this!

Tazaki Tsukasa leaned against Tono Sachiko's back, his eyes comfortably half-closed. The leaves extending to the window swayed gently in the wind, and the vast sky above was a deep blue, as if it had been painted.

In the spacious and bright kitchen, there were sounds of chopping vegetables on the cutting board and sizzling sounds of steam rising from the pot lid. The two people were doing their own things, yet they cooperated seamlessly, naturally and intimately.

Sachiko Tono blushed.

Water gurgled out of the pipe, and the clean asparagus, still wet, looked crystal clear in the morning light.

With fine beads of sweat on her cheeks, Sachiko Tono held the water-soaked asparagus in her hands as if it were a precious treasure, and looked at Tsukasa Tazaki with her lips lightly touching her skin: "Such fresh asparagus, is it alright to eat it raw?"

“Sachiko-nee, you can eat whatever you want.” Tsukasa Tazaki gently stroked her hair.

Sachiko Tono smiled sheepishly: "I was going to make you breakfast, but I ate it myself first."

"I'll give it to you later."

The dry autumn wind blew into the room, and the flickering flames reflected a faint luster on the wooden floor.

Bathed in this warm light, Sachiko Tono smiled gently and put the clean, emerald-green asparagus into her mouth to savor it.

Click.

It's crisp and juicy, and much sweeter than regular asparagus.

Emerging from the kitchen, Tsukasa Tazaki lay on the sofa, lazily turning on his desktop computer to browse the student council work schedule sent by Miho Chiba.

Sachiko Tono was eating the vegetable salad and fried meat patties that had just been made. The bright green asparagus and her bright red lips seemed out of place, but when she took a bite, the scene was very alluring.

However, in his sage-like state, Tsukasa Tazaki had no worldly desires. He was so preoccupied with whether or not to join the student council that he completely ignored Sachiko's frequent 'try again' signals to him.

"Tazaki-kun!"

Sachiko Tono angrily raised her foot and kicked his lower abdomen with her toes, which were covered by black stockings.

"What's wrong?" Tsukasa Tazaki glanced at her, his expression completely like that of someone trying to appease their girlfriend after the fact.

"My mom called me a few days ago."

"How to say?"

"She asked me if I had found someone to marry."