My love index is at its maximum.

"I miss you." Tsukasa Tazaki nodded. "I miss the auntie who sells lemonade in the cafeteria and I miss you."

"Haha, after all, we sold one less."

Shiori Ninomiya twirled a strand of hair between her fingers and said with a smile. Her delicate silver necklace sparkled under the warm lighting of the coffee shop.

Infected by her lively smile, Tsukasa Tazaki also smiled and said, "You've lost a little weight again."

“Girls, you know,” Shiori Ninomiya replied nonchalantly, shaking the remaining ice in her glass. “It’s okay to be a little thin; many people would love that.”

"It's also gotten a bit darker."

"Hey? That won't do..."

Tsukasa Tazaki scrutinized her face.

She has indeed lost a lot of weight compared to two months ago, and her skin is also a bit darker, though her complexion is healthier than before. Perhaps it's because she's been working at home; her developing body is quite muscular.

Overall, the girl's delicate beauty has begun to show the qualities of a mature woman.

The simple, fresh, and fragrant vitality of the past, and the sharpness that once shone in the eyes of beautiful young girls, have begun to fade away, replaced by a realistic charm that evokes a sense of helplessness.

Tsukasa Tazaki was captivated by this charm.

At the same time, I was also somewhat surprised: in just three months, a girl who had just turned sixteen from fifteen years old had undergone such a significant change, which was truly regrettable.

"Hey, Kiki~" Shiori Ninomiya waved, "What are you thinking about? Why do you look so blank, like you've seen a ghost?"

Oh.

Those bright, clear eyes, those delicately moving lips, that pretty little nose—they were all the same as before. This made Tsukasa Tazaki relax a bit, her expression softening. She picked up her coffee cup and asked, "What happened? Shiori-chan seems to have changed a lot."

Is it big?

The little cutie looked down at her chest, then looked up, her expression serious: "Kiki, want to try it out?"

"Pfft~"

Tsukasa Tazaki covered his mouth and coughed several times.

Coffee spilled from between his fingers, slightly dampening the cuffs of his wrists, before finally settling onto the wooden table.

"Haha~" Shiori Ninomiya laughed happily, her clear eyes sparkling: "Sigh, Kiki, tell me, is this change in me good or bad?"

"How should I put it..."

"Just say it."

Tazaki wiped his mouth with a napkin, pondered for a moment, and then gently clasped his hands together on the table: "This obviously more mature demeanor is indeed more than before, and it makes me feel moved. But even so, I still feel regret when I think about what I have lost from you. That unique Hokkaido girl, which can be called a free and easy way of doing things, seems to have gone from you forever."

"A carefree, independent spirit..." Shiori Ninomiya repeated as if confirming, as if she were writing it down word by word in her mind. While frowning and contemplating what she had lost, she pulled over the box on the log, which contained free candies and other snacks.

Peeling off the candy wrapper was a slow process.

As she popped the candy into her mouth, she said, "Is it because I'm heartbroken?"

Heartbroken?

"Yeah, want some candy?"

"No."

"I've torn off the second piece, you should eat it."

Shiori Ninomiya happily peeled off the candy wrapper, then leaned over and stuffed a milk chocolate-flavored candy into Tsukasa Tazaki's mouth.

The sweet and bittersweet flavor is so delicious that you'll want to peel off another one even before you've finished eating it.

Watching him chew candy, Ninomiya Shiori lay contentedly on the table, a smile playing on her lips: "The best age for falling in love is probably between 16 and 21. Of course, everyone is different, so it can't be generalized. Shiori-chan thinks she should have had a relationship before she turned sixteen."

"At sixteen or seventeen, she looks like a naive young girl." Tsukasa Tazaki leaned on the table, looking into her eyes. "She seems childish and ridiculous. But after 20, people become more realistic. As the years go by, they accumulate 'excess' knowledge in their minds, and they unknowingly change."

Shiori Ninomiya snapped her fingers smartly: "Absolutely right!"

The romance between teenage boys and girls is like a gentle breeze passing by.

They are still young and inexperienced, and their actions are often clumsy and awkward. However, it is precisely because of this that they are filled with a sense of novelty and wonder about everything.

Of course, such days are fleeting.

Perhaps you'll lose everything before you even leave the school gates, leaving only vivid memories. But these emotional memories are incredibly important. Even in old age, it doesn't matter. If you retain these lifelike images deep within your heart, it's like having a warm stove burning inside you, preventing you from growing old in a dull and meaningless way.

"In order to accumulate more precious fuel, I had a platonic relationship with Kiki."

As she spoke, Shiori Ninomiya poured the remaining ice from her glass into her lipstick, crunching it as she chewed: "Let's fall in love while we're still here. So that when we return to Hokkaido, we won't feel cold when we're alone, gazing at the stars or watching ducks in a daze. This experience in Tokyo is far too short compared to a long life, but it's also incredibly precious. It's like accidentally forgetting to turn off the gas or slipping and falling down the stairs—only a few of these experiences in a lifetime make it a complete experience."

Tsukasa Tazaki asked, "What does it mean to be heartbroken?"

"I dumped you unilaterally." Shiori Ninomiya pouted slightly. "I hate heartbreakers like Kiki the most."

She said this without any expression on her face.

From her adorable appearance to her unfathomable inner self, and her deep, penetrating eyes that seem to hold something hidden within, everything about her inspires fear.

"I feel like I need to know you a little more," Tsukasa Tazaki said.

"So," Shiori Ninomiya raised her head slightly, asking with considerable curiosity, "if we knew each other better, you would impose yourself on me?"

“The possibility exists,” said Tsukasa Tazaki. “Besides, in this world, people are supposed to impose on each other and harm their neighbors; this is the primal survival law of social animals.”

“But I don’t think Kiki would do that,” Shiori Ninomiya said, her voice muffled as she spoke with an ice cube in her mouth. “You and I are different. I’m good at imposing my will on others, and I can do it without caring about what others think, making a fuss and enjoying it. But Kiki isn’t that kind of person, unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

“It has to be this way…” Tsukasa Tazaki murmured, rubbing his cheeks a few times. “It has to be this way. To be honest, I did it before you.”

Shiori Ninomiya winked playfully: "Is it Sakura?"

"Well."

"Oh, no wonder."

After a moment's hesitation, she continued, "Only someone as divine as Sakura could make everyone willingly change for her."

“It’s not just her…” Tsukasa Tazaki’s cheeks felt hot, and he felt himself about to blush. He hurriedly looked out the window.

Thick clouds covered the sky, obscuring the moonlight, but the streets of Yotsuya were still as bright as day, with streetlights and car headlights creating a dazzling sea of ​​light.

Shiori Ninomiya scratched the tip of her nose, and the boy's face quickly turned red under her gaze.

His face turned red, and the whole world blushed.

He looked so handsome that it was hard to believe he had actually been sitting right in front of you. You might find yourself staring into the air and talking to your own voice in the blink of an eye.

"Kiki wants to know me better?"

"I'm interested, more or less."

"What~" The little cutie frowned in dissatisfaction. "I was asking very seriously. Your answer is too cold."

“I’m sorry…” Tsukasa Tazaki took a deep breath, “I want to know more about Shiori-chan, especially the difficulties she’s facing right now.”

"really?"

"really."

Even if I don't want to?

"What the heck~" This time it was Tsukasa Tazaki's turn to frown in dissatisfaction. "I'm asking this very seriously. Why are you making it sound like I'm forcing a respectable woman into the adult entertainment industry?"

"Sorry, sorry~" Shiori Ninomiya clasped her hands together, tilted her head cutely, and pressed her cheek against the back of her hands to look at him, her clear eyes shining with an alluring light.

"Are you free tonight?" she asked.

"some."

"Then, come keep me company?"

"Uh……"

"Can't?"

"Yes, absolutely."

"Hey, Kiki, do you know what I want to do right now?"

"This..." Tsukasa Tazaki thought to himself, how could anyone imagine such a scene that was all pixelated?

“I want to lie on my little single bed,” Shiori Ninomiya said, staring intently at him. “While I’m asleep, you’ll slowly undress me, as quietly as if you’re stealing something and afraid of being caught by your owner.”

"Clam?"

"When I was halfway through undressing, I suddenly woke up."

As she spoke, the little cutie made a splashing water gesture with both hands, "No, Kiki, no. I put my hands on your chest and cried and begged you that I am very conservative in this area and absolutely cannot give it to you. But you wouldn't listen to my pleas and insisted on doing it your way, stripping me naked."

“Hey!” Tsukasa Tazaki protested, “I’m not that kind of person.”

“I know you’re not, but please don’t disturb my fantasy,” Shiori Ninomiya continued. “Then you tied my hands, ignored my tears, and forced yourself on me!”

"...Please, I don't want to go to jail."

"Haha, let's go." Shiori Ninomiya stood up and walked out with light, airy steps.

Tsukasa Tazaki slung his backpack over his shoulder and followed behind her.

The clouds that had been obscuring the sky had all dispersed, and the gentle moonlight poured down on the street, mingling with the artificial lighting and making the asphalt road sparkle.

The music that filled the ears of the passersby seemed to come from nowhere.

The two wandered aimlessly through the streets, slowly making their way towards Shinjuku.

Shiori Ninomiya suddenly said she wanted to climb a tree, but unfortunately, climbing trees along the streets of Shinjuku would result in a fine, and several other large parks had already closed.

“What a pity,” Shiori Ninomiya said, shaking her head. “I love climbing trees. I can even climb those smooth pine trees in Hokkaido.”

Tsukasa Tazaki noticed that her eyes were clearer and more transparent than before.

"Knowing you made me realize just how wonderful life can be," he said.

Shiori Ninomiya stopped and looked closely into his eyes: "Hey, you've gained a lot from dating Shiori-chan, haven't you?"

“A very fruitful harvest,” Tsukasa Tazaki replied.

The two walked side by side, like ordinary friends, following the crowd towards West Shinjuku.

On the sidewalk, a street musician was singing while playing guitar, and quite a few people were watching. My little cutie also pulled on his sleeve and squeezed in.

My love for the City of Flowers

Greater Tokyo