My love index is at its maximum.

A snowflake drifted down and landed on the tip of her delicate nose, shimmering in the sunlight.

Tsukasa Tazaki extended his finger and touched her forehead, tracing the curve of her nose down to the tip: "Little fairy from the snow country, what is your wish?"

“There are so many.” Shiori Ninomiya rubbed his fingertips, making a soft “hmm” sound.

Tell me, and I'll help you make it happen.

"Are you pitiful Shiori-chan?"

“No.” Tsukasa Tazaki shook her head, her eyes clear. “I’m just very touched and think you deserve better. I admire you and I’m slowly starting to like you. Fortunately, I might have the ability to do so… You can have whatever you want. As long as I can get it, I will definitely get it for you myself, put it in a box, tie a ribbon on it, and deliver it to you.”

Shiori Ninomiya gently tilted her head back, wiped the dust off her face with the back of her hand, and asked, "Aren't you cold?"

"Eh?"

“Silly girl, let me ask you,” Shiori Ninomiya chuckled, her expression shifting from shy to lively, “you just crawled out of bed and are walking barefoot on the snow, aren’t you cold?”

A gust of cold wind swept between the two, and Tsukasa Tazaki suddenly shivered.

"Go put on your clothes quickly," Ninomiya Shiori said seriously, her small hands supporting his chest. "Then we'll cook dinner together, and you can help me start the fire."

"Wait a minute, there's something else I need to do."

Tsukasa Tazaki released his grip, bent down, and scooped up a handful of snow with both hands.

Under the stunned gaze of the Hokkaido girl, he opened his mouth and took a big bite of snow.

"No~"

"It wasn't as delicious as I expected; it was just like a tasteless smoothie."

"By the way, let's bring some snow back with us when we go back to Tokyo, as a local specialty."

Shiori Ninomiya covered her forehead, muttering to herself, "I think I brought an idiot home."

In Hokkaido, the days are short in winter. The sky was bright just a moment ago, but by the time dinner was finished, dusk had already fallen in a chilly chill. Looking out from the kitchen doorway, the distant mountains, covered in snow under the setting sun, were quietly approaching in the vast twilight.

In the blink of an eye, only the faint afterglow remained on the mountaintop, painting a glow on the snow-capped peak.

I carried the steaming hot food back to the living room and placed it on the table.

There was steaming hot radish and mushroom soup, a duck slaughtered in the afternoon, pickled vegetables, and a plate of tofu. But we wouldn't eat it now; we'd wait for Ninomiya's father to come back so we could eat together.

“You take a rest,” Tsukasa Tazaki said. “Let me start the fire.”

"Thank you for your hard work, Kiki~" Shiori Ninomiya nodded, lifted the blanket and put her feet into the kotatsu.

Tazaki picked up a few pieces of firewood, propped them together, and put them into the stove. He then used a fire poker to stir the ash piled up at the bottom to ensure oxygen circulation.

The small flames quickly grew larger, and the room became warm.

"Would you like some roasted sweet potatoes or potatoes?" Shiori Ninomiya asked, looking at his profile, which was reddened by the firelight. "There are some in the kitchen. Go get some and roast them."

After she said that, Tsukasa Tazaki suddenly felt a little hungry.

He was certainly familiar with roasted sweet potatoes, a traditional snack that has been popular for a long time.

Sweet potatoes have an enticing aroma and come in two flavors: sweet and juicy, and soft and powdery. Combined with their steaming hot appearance when broken open, they are undoubtedly the most popular warming item and snack in winter.

"Let me show you my roasted sweet potato skills."

Tsukasa Tazaki put the firewood in his hand into the stove, confidently patted the ash off his hands, and got up to walk towards the kitchen.

As soon as I pushed open the door, a blast of cold air swept into the room.

The sky had completely darkened, the mountain wind howled, and the occasional sound of a ship's horn rang out. Tazaki Tsukasa glanced outside; the mountains were indistinct and dark, and everywhere he looked was a serene and tranquil atmosphere.

After bringing back a few potatoes and sweet potatoes, Shiori Ninomiya was holding various colored ropes and braiding knots, the style of which resembled those at Suga Shrine.

"Why bother with this?" Tsukasa Tazaki asked, squatting in front of the stove.

"Let's pray to the gods." Shiori Ninomiya turned her head to look over, her pretty face showing determination.

The word "futile" resurfaced in Tsukasa Tazaki's mind.

Praying for my mother's health while studying alone in Tokyo—what else could it be but a futile effort?

In the past, he would have immediately told her "futile."

But now, quite the opposite is true. Looking at the flickering light of the fire on her face, Tsukasa Tazaki felt that her presence was very pure, and the tranquility of the snowy night became even more heartwarming because of her presence.

Just as Kawabata Yasunari said, such a girl even has clean toes.

He quickly covered the sweet potato with some ash under the stove, then put his feet under the kotatsu and suddenly reached out to pull the little cutie into his arms.

“How strange,” he asked. “Does Hokkaido have some kind of attribute bonus? It seems like Shiori’s charm has been amplified infinitely as soon as we arrived here.”

"You're so silly!" Shiori Ninomiya pouted and shouted, "This is my home turf, why would I have any attribute bonuses?"

“The handsome guys in Tokyo have already been won over.” Tsukasa Tazaki tilted his head slightly, his chin touching her hair. The fragrance he smelled at the tip of his nose became even stronger, and he couldn’t help but press his face against hers.

Shiori Ninomiya felt a cool sensation on her forehead, and when she came to her senses, he had already kissed her.

"Kiki is bullying me again." She complained, but didn't fight back. Instead, she curled up and snuggled into his arms like a child, grabbing his collar with both hands.

The two of them were pressed very close together, and the kotatsu was so hot and warm that they soon broke out in a sweat.

Shiori Ninomiya lowered her eyelids, her nostrils filled with the scent of Tsukasa Tazaki.

The rhythmic, continuous beat of his heart reached his ears, even seeping into his bones, and he became too shy to lift his head.

"Oh, you're shy now." Tsukasa Tazaki teased her deliberately. "You were so impressive when we first met, saying you loved seducing aloof and handsome guys. Now you're chickening out?"

"Ahhh~ Kiki, shut up!"

Shiori Ninomiya covered her face with her hands and rolled around in his arms.

Two blushes peeked out from between her fingers.

The way she shyly covers her face and twists and turns is so cute!

Tsukasa Tazaki held her tightly, feeling her vibrant and alluring body, soft and supple.

As she twisted and turned, Shiori Ninomiya suddenly burst into laughter as if she were very happy. Then, she began to talk softly about what happened when she first arrived in Tokyo and her feelings when she first met Tsukasa Tazaki.

"I didn't like Kiki that much at first."

"Of course I know that."

"You know, even though I've had a tough life, I have high standards. I just thought you were good-looking and funny, so I thought I'd give it a try. Anyway, I'm going back to Hokkaido, so how could I possibly be with you?"

"When did you start liking me?" Tsukasa Tazaki asked.

“It was probably around Oma Town…” Shiori Ninomiya nodded, a happy smile on her lips. “We were looking at the stars on the ship, and I talked to you about our hometown, but I didn’t dare to continue because I was afraid you would find it annoying.”

Recalling that night, Tsukasa Tazaki's heart softened, and he couldn't help but lower his head and say, "Back then, I said it wouldn't be annoying, it was as interesting as a bear storing energy before hibernation."

Ninomiya Shiori nuzzled against his chest: "That's when it started, Shiori started to like you a little. But I couldn't figure out if it was liking you or just being touched. I kept thinking about it, but I still couldn't figure it out. I didn't even understand myself. It was really scary. Sometimes I couldn't sleep at night because of it, and I had all sorts of dreams. I couldn't even eat properly."

"Since it's uncertain, what's the point of thinking about it?"

"Girls just like to overthink things."

"And now?" Tsukasa Tazaki asked, "When I was holding you, did you think about what the next step would be?"

"How annoying!"

"Not at all?"

“That’s not how it is…” Shiori Ninomiya shook her head. “I can’t settle down unless I have my daily life arranged perfectly. Right now, I’m not even sure if I can go back to Tokyo, so why am I thinking about the things you’re talking about?”

"Well."

"Kiki, you're too casual."

Tazaki Tsukasa protested, "I protest this statement!"

"Protest denied." Shiori Ninomiya pursed her lips, her clear, bright eyes instantly filling with tears. "Back during the kendo tournament, Shiori truly fell in love with you. My mother's health was already very poor then, and I knew my days in Tokyo were numbered. Your willingness to participate, to leave me with the last bit of memory, was like bringing me warmth and light."

“The light and heat won’t dissipate,” Tsukasa Tazaki rubbed her head, his heart softening the more he rubbed, and whispered, “As long as you don’t mind this scumbag of a man, nothing else matters.”

"Disgusted, disgusted, disgusted~" Ninomiya Shiori leaned against his chest and raised her hand to wipe her eyes.

"It's too late to complain now."

"Where is it late?"

"You already gave me your first kiss, didn't you?"

"Heh, you actually dare to bring this up!" Ninomiya Shiori lowered her head, somewhat embarrassed and angry, and said, "Kissing someone without their consent is indecent. Shiori-chan is going to call the police and have the police take you away for a lesson."

"The police can't interfere with matters of mutual affection, and besides, Shiori-chan doesn't want to?"

"Experience what?" Shiori Ninomiya tilted her face up in his arms, and the two of them felt each other's warm breath.

Tazaki Tsukasa couldn't help but lower his head, getting closer to her breath.

"Kiki~" Shiori Ninomiya was also infected by the enchanting atmosphere, tilting her head slightly closer to him. Although she felt she shouldn't let him succeed so easily, her body wouldn't cooperate with her brain's commands...

Those soft, cherry-colored lips looked even more alluring in the firelight.

When you kiss it, it tastes sweet, like you're kissing pollen, and it feels like spring is really coming back soon.

The snow outside has completely stopped.

The night air was clear and crisp, with a few small stars peeking through the clouds, looking like shards of ice. A Toyota sped along the mountain road leading to the village, its headlights appearing and disappearing as it turned the corners.

Pushing open the door, Ninomiya's father rubbed his eyes and froze for a moment.

The young man from Tokyo was holding his precious daughter, his chin resting on her head, and gently patting her back with one hand. The baby girl was exceptionally well-behaved, resting in his arms with her eyes slightly closed like a puppy.

The scene evokes a very comfortable and tranquil feeling.

Ninomiya's father was happy to see his daughter happy, but he was also a little jealous. He couldn't help but shout in his heart: "You despicable outsider, let go of my daughter! If you have a problem, come at me!"

"Cough cough~"

The coughing startled the two people inside. Shiori Ninomiya hurriedly broke free from Tsukasa Tazaki's embrace, looked at the door with a sweet smile, and said, "Dad, why are you only coming back now? The food is getting cold."

"Hello, Uncle." Tsukasa Tazaki nodded politely in greeting.

Ninomiya's father changed his shoes, sat down at the table with his legs crossed, and glanced at Tsukasa Tazaki: "Everyone's hungry, let's eat."

"I'm starting to eat."

After expressing their gratitude for the food with both hands, the three began to enjoy their dinner.

It's common for a new father-in-law to be jealous of his son-in-law; he gets used to it after a few times. Before long, the honest and kind-hearted middle-aged man had forgotten what had just happened and was happily talking about Ninomiya's mother.