My love index is at its maximum.

I'm such a lazy time traveler... I've accomplished nothing so far, I've let down my country, I've let down my people...

Feeling guilty, Tazaki Tsukasa opened the trading market and went all in on his sister-in-law's stocks.

[Hoshino Shika's current stock price: 5]

[Purchase of 1000 shares of Hoshino Shika, confirmed.]

Current available funds: 15000

Although my sister-in-law seems difficult to communicate with right now, it doesn't matter. For the sake of family, I have to make sure she's well-fed.

It's a small amount of money, I can afford to lose it!

As for Hazuki Yajima, Tsukasa Tazaki thought about it and decided to give up on this stock. He'd rather spend his time at the ATF department having tea and reading with his tablet than trying to boost her stock price.

After all, compared to Hazuki Yajima, although Kosuke is always asking questions, she's prettier!

On the way to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, the sky was cloudless, and the sun poured its new sunlight onto the street, making the glass curtain walls of the high-rise buildings sparkle and shine brightly.

I heard a buzzing sound in my ears, and when I looked up, I saw news helicopters hovering in the sky like flying insects, sending images of the congestion on the capital's highways to the television station.

Crossing the arched bridge over the lake, you come into view a forest filled with cedar trees, and the towering spire of the Yoyogi Radio Tower seems even more majestic than it was yesterday.

At the corner of the tree-lined path, the pavilion hidden in the greenery gradually came into view. Hoshino Hanami held up her coffee cup and waved it at him, wisps of steam rising from the rim.

"Good morning, come and eat something."

Today's treat was a bag of colorful macarons, and Tsukasa Tazaki ate a few. They were crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, with distinct layers. One bite revealed a thin but crisp outer shell, followed by a soft and fluffy creamy inner layer. The almond cookies were chewy, adding a satisfying texture to the creamy filling.

Hoshino Hanami ate a pink macaron, took a sip of coffee, and squinted her eyes as she let out a long sigh: "To be able to eat such a delicious macaron on a summer morning... is truly blissful."

This is a happy expression, as bright as a rainbow after a storm.

Tsukasa Tazaki stared at her for a while, then suddenly stood up: "Teacher, I've made up my mind!"

"What decision?" Hoshino Hanami asked, biting into a macaron.

"Starting today, I will become a better person."

"Good, that's ambitious. How exactly will you do it?"

"I get up at six o'clock every morning to do morning exercises at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden and use my commute time to learn a language other than Chinese, Japanese, and English. During my lunch break, I go to the library to read some professional books and broaden my horizons. Starting at 3:30 pm, I use my club activities to learn a skill, including but not limited to music, art, handicrafts, appliance repair, knowledge about pregnancy care, and postpartum care, which can make me better."

"Very good." Hoshino Hanami nodded, an encouraging smile appearing on her delicate oval face. But then, she frowned slightly: "What do you need knowledge about pregnancy maintenance and postpartum care for?"

"You can never have too many skills..." Tsukasa Tazaki looked at her chubby cheeks and said with a smile, "After you finish reviewing your lessons at home tonight, take an hour to practice your cooking skills and try to make dishes that will earn your teacher's praise."

Hoshino Hanami took a small sip of her coffee, then asked, both amused and exasperated, "Was this specially designed for the teacher's romance strategy?"

“That’s right.” Tsukasa Tazaki nodded honestly. “Since you love food so much, I certainly can’t miss this opportunity. Also, every weekend from now on, I’ll go to Sakura’s house to accompany you during practice and be your free punching bag. I’ve even given this whole plan a name: Artemis.”

"Artemis? Isn't that the Greek goddess of the hunt? Why would she have such a name?"

"Because in my heart, teachers are like the goddess of the hunt, they are nature, a symbol of beauty and chastity."

Hoshino Hanami stared at his face for a while, then gently shook her head: "Alright, alright, stop talking. I really don't know what kind of nonsense is going on in your head at such a young age."

“Actually, I didn’t install any random stuff…” Tsukasa Tazaki paused for a moment, then continued, “I want to be a source of pride for my teacher.”

The wind blows across the lake, bringing with it a moist mist.

Hoshino Hanami's sensual lips trembled slightly as if in response to something, a fleeting tremor lasting only a tenth of a second.

Then, she closed her eyes as if listening to some faint sound.

Tazaki Tsukasa looked at her with some trepidation.

After a while, Hoshino Hanami slowly opened her eyes and smiled gently. The beautiful curve of her lips seemed to be a promise.

"Become a good adult."

She took a bite of the macaron and said, "The teacher is really looking forward to it."

Tsukasa Tazaki pressed his advantage, implying, "Actually... there are some things you can do without having to be an adult."

"for example?"

Hoshino Hanami squinted her eyes like a cat: "Tell me about it."

"As you know, the road to becoming strong is always lonely... If possible, please give me a hug every day so I can feel it... I'm going for a run now, teacher, please enjoy your meal!"

Tazaki Tsukasa fled the pavilion in a disheveled state. A flock of crows foraging for food near the roadside trash cans were startled and took flight, their glossy black wings gleaming in the rising sun.

Then they perched on the treetop, their dark eyes staring at Tsukasa Tazaki, emitting mocking "quack quack quack" sounds.

As Hoshino Hanami finished her last macaron, she looked up at the lake. A rhododendron perched on a cedar branch hummed a cheerful morning song. The sky, shimmering above the treetops, was so clear and bright, like a vast, expansive blue sea.

The boy's figure came into view, running along the lakeside, like a snow-white sailboat floating in a gray ocean, shining brightly.

A puzzled smile slowly spread across Hoshino Hanami's fair, oval face... Why did this ordinary artificial lake seem so much more beautiful today?

As Tsukasa Tazaki was jogging, a notification flashed before his eyes.

[Oh no... I'm actually enjoying this situation! The Hoshino Hanami Stock Index is up 50 points. Current stock price: 180]

Chapter 43 Because I am her future husband

"Hey, Tazaki, have you decided which one you want?"

"what?"

"Are you planning to date Ninomiya-san, or are you planning to continue pursuing Kuriyama-san?"

"Uh... I haven't thought about that."

“That’s true. It’s really hard to decide between these two.” Murakami Mizuiro smiled and patted Tazaki Tsukasa on the shoulder. “Let me help you analyze it.”

"Need not."

"As for Ninomiya-san, I'd give her an 8 for looks, an 8 for legs, and an 8 for breasts. All together, that's 24. Kuriyama-san, on the other hand, gets a 9 for looks, a 9 for legs, and a 5... um... for your sake, a 6. All together... oh no, how come the scores are the same? Well, with Tazaki's looks, why don't you try dating two at the same time? I've read a lot of doujinshi, and the plots in them all involve two people together..."

"Actually, I think... Xiang Nae is quite good."

"You actually want all three of them together?"

Tazaki Tsukasa glanced at Murakami Mizuiro and shook his head.

From the moment a person becomes aware of the world, their edges are gradually worn away by time, blurring the shape they had when they first came into this world. Thus, people change from being all kinds of people to being all kinds of people.

Murakami Mizuiro is probably one of the best among those who are lewd.

The setting sun shone slowly through the oak trees in the courtyard, casting dappled light on the corridors of the student union building. Irregular patches of light were briefly broken as people walked by, only to quickly regroup.

Why are you still following me?

"I didn't come with you. I need to go to the soccer club to change into my training clothes before I go to the field to train."

"Which floor is the soccer club on?"

"Fourth floor."

"This is the fifth floor."

"Oh... haha, I got so engrossed in chatting with you."

Tsukasa Tazaki placed her hand on the doorknob of the ATF department and turned to look at him: "You don't mean to come in and take a look, do you?"

"How is this possible..."

Murakami Mizuiro quickly waved her hand: "I'm not interested in those rich girls. They have bad tempers, weird personalities, and are incredibly demanding. I'd rather not try to please them than... Hey, by the way, Tazaki, are you free this weekend? Let's go fishing and play pool. I asked you out last week, but you ignored me!"

"goodbye!"

Tsukasa Tazaki pushed the door open and entered, then closed it behind him.

Kuriyama Sakura stood with her back to the door in front of the two tables by the window. From behind, you could see her slender waist, her long ponytail that reached her hips, and her shapely legs beneath her pleated skirt.

The tiny pink ears, like shy little animals, peek out from under the hair, observing the outside world.

Tsukasa Tazaki moved a chair over. There was no mechanical pencil or writing paper on the table. He placed his schoolbag on it. A thin layer of pink clouds covered the sky outside the window, and he could not hear the cooing of pigeons in the courtyard.

Meow~!

The "sardine" stretched out its claws, trying to push his schoolbag to the ground.

The expression is super fierce.

Kuriyama Sakura flicked its ear: "If you're hurt, don't make a fuss, be good!"

Meow~!

Their expressions are so cute.

What bad intentions could a kitten possibly have, right?

It's just that it's unhappy with Tsukasa Tazaki.

Tazaki Tsukasa glanced at the fat cat and noticed that its left foreleg was wrapped in gauze and there was a scratch on its face. Kuriyama Sakura was carefully cleaning its wounds.

Perhaps it hurt, because it struggled to free its head and looked at Tsukasa Tazaki: "Meow (#`O′)."

"What's wrong with it?" Tsukasa Tazaki asked.

"It probably got into a fight with other stray cats."

"You're so fat, yet you still got beaten up so badly. You're really useless."

Meow~!

"You're the only one who can meow, I can't, meow~!"

Meow~!

Meow~!

Kuriyama Sakura glanced sideways at Tazaki Tsukasa and glared at him. "Can you two wait until I've finished treating my wounds before you continue arguing?"

The person and the cat quieted down. She examined the cat's face again, carefully wiping away the congealed blood on its fur with rubbing alcohol and cotton swabs. She then carefully examined the rest of the cat's body with her fingers. It seemed that she did this often, and her movements were surprisingly skilled.

Perhaps she would do this whenever she encountered an injured stray cat on the street?

While thinking about these things, Tsukasa Tazaki stood up and went to the coffee table to boil water and make coffee.

Would you like some coffee?

"A drink, please."