My love index is at its maximum.

Tsukasa Tazaki immediately pulled out his wallet and placed all the cash on the table.

The onlookers looked at him in confusion, wondering why he was laughing so happily.

Qichuan Wei stared at her with indifferent eyes: "This is my divination, why are you getting so excited?"

"My brother's business is my business." Tazaki Tsukasa avoided her gaze, whistling happily, and slipped out of the crowd.

A rest area in the commercial street.

Kuriyama Sakura bought a matcha smoothie from the ice cream stand, sat on a bench, and ate it while observing the passersby.

Although it was midday and the sun was warm, she was only wearing a simple autumn uniform, a light jacket and a short skirt.

I still feel a bit cold whenever the wind blows.

"boom!"

Someone at a nearby stall fired a gun, and the balloon burst.

Staff members dressed as mascots danced energetically, while someone played "The Blue River" on an accordion. The lively music, loud shouts, and children's laughter filled the air, and most of the tourists were families or young couples.

A gentle breeze rustled the leaves overhead.

A bright red maple leaf landed on Kuriyama Sakura's lap, its shape beautiful.

She put down the bowl containing matcha ice cream and gently picked up the maple leaf.

Facing the sunlight filtering through the treetops, the girl looked up at the clear sky, where a few tiny gray clouds, like tattered cotton wool, floated in the air.

The noise of people was right in front of her, but it could not affect her detached and beautiful aura.

A young man approached, speaking in a Kansai accent. He looked about seventeen or eighteen years old, with short hair and good looks, and he looked very suitable for wearing a uniform.

Kuriyama Sakura shook her head slightly, raised her hand to reveal her wristwatch, and gestured that she was waiting for someone.

The boy's demeanor and expression were somewhat awkward. He couldn't say anything more, so he could only smile shyly, raise his hand in a salute, and then stand there, not knowing what to do for a moment.

It's annoying when a stranger stands blankly in front of you!

Kuriyama Sakura was just about to tell him to leave.

A pair of hands pushed her aside from behind, and then she heard Tsukasa Tazaki's slightly impatient voice: "She's waiting for me. Please move aside and go back to where you came from."

After shooing the person away, Tsukasa Tazaki plopped down on the other side of the bench.

A gentle breeze caressed the girl's cheek, her black hair swayed softly, and a pleasant fragrance wafted through the air.

"Minister, may I have a bite of your ice cream?"

Kuriyama Sakura looked at her half-eaten matcha ice cream and nodded: "Take it."

Sunlight filters through the sparse leaves of the maple trees, illuminating the distant mountains in vibrant red and yellow hues.

"By the way, how about we get a tarot card drawn?"

"It's boring."

"What's boring about it? Is it the card drawing that's boring, or the prediction that's boring?"

"Neither of them are interesting."

"I think it's really interesting!" Tsukasa Tazaki finished his ice cream in a few bites and threw the plastic bowl into the trash can next to the bench. "The main thing is that you watched me smoke, but I can't watch you smoke. I feel like I'm losing out big time."

Kuriyama Sakura closed her eyes and pressed her throbbing temples.

"You also want to dominate me on a spiritual level?" she asked.

"I was just saying it casually, you're overthinking it..."

"You promised not to lie."

“Alright!” Tsukasa Tazaki picked up a fallen leaf and twirled it gently in his hand. “Of course, this is just a hypothetical scenario, so you don’t need to worry at all, right? Besides, spiritual domination isn’t limited to the Pope. What if you draw the Priestess?”

“That makes sense.” Kuriyama Sakura looked into the distance, a thoughtful expression on her face. “Besides, given my beauty, I’m bound to draw the Priestess.”

Tazaki Tsukasa didn't know much about tarot cards, so he humbly asked, "What does the upright High Priestess card represent?"

"A symbol of an intellectual, conscientious, and gentle woman."

"Aren't you talking about Mrs. Tazaki?"

“I haven’t finished yet,” Kuriyama Sakura tilted her head to look at him, a slight smile playing on her lips. “The priestess has keen observation skills, high comprehension, calmness, and foresight. Moreover, she is steadfast in her heart and always adheres to purity and truth.”

Tazaki Tsukasa exclaimed, "These cards are practically tailor-made for the Minister!"

"Compliments have no effect on me." Kuriyama Sakura brushed her hair behind her ear, revealing a smile somewhere between level five and level six.

That smile was soft and gentle, like the floating clouds above their heads, flowing like quicksand.

"How are your interpersonal relationships?" Tsukasa Tazaki asked.

"Having close friends with whom you can have heartfelt conversations and mutual understanding."

"Hana-chan?"

"of course."

Do I count?

"Not counting."

Be honest.

"I'm not lying."

"Oh, I understand!"

"What do you understand?"

"I'm not just your friend..."

"Snapped!"

Kuriyama Sakura slapped Tazaki Tsukasa across the face, drawing his gaze to the other side of the bench, where a patch of ornamental shrubs stood. Fallen leaves almost covered the ground, and several children walked among them, their feet crunching crisply underfoot.

"Stop being so presumptuous!"

The minister gritted his little tiger teeth and glared at him fiercely: "To me, you're nothing more than a wall through which I can say a few words and have a little bit of humanity!"

“That’s more than that,” Tsukasa Tazaki turned around, resisting the friction of her small palms, and looked into her eyes through her fingers: “Is there a deeper level of feeling, Yes or No?”

Kuriyama Sakura withdrew her hand, feigning composure as she gently rubbed it on her knee.

It's a delicate question, and answering it is very difficult.

She possessed something that shone naturally. For example, when Tsukasa Tazaki stared at her, he would often think to himself, "It's a pity that such a beautiful girl isn't mute..." Cough cough, that was when they first met. Now, he thought, "It's a pity that such a beautiful girl can't be held in my arms."

Under his gaze, Kuriyama Sakura remained silent, biting her lip and waiting for time to pass.

“Since Minister is shy, let’s continue with the topic of the High Priestess,” Tsukasa Tazaki asked curiously. “How does a High Priestess behave when it comes to love?”

Kuriyama Sakura sighed helplessly, turning her gaze to the dancing bear in front of her: "She leads a relatively rational emotional life, admires Platonic love, and pays more attention to spiritual communication. This manifests as a slightly lukewarm desire for romance, an unclear relationship, and she usually conveys her love through metaphors."

"Go draw cards, girl!"

Suddenly, as if bribed by a fortune teller, Tsukasa Tazaki excitedly urged, "This statement perfectly matches the style of the department head. I'm starting to believe that you'll definitely draw the Priestess card."

Kuriyama Sakura turned to look at him in surprise, her expression as if she were watching ripples on the surface of a small pond.

“The priestess and the pope,” Tsukasa Tazaki said, “aren’t they a match made in heaven?”

"In my dreams, the thing I hate most is a scumbag."

"Even if you hate it, you still have to endure it. That's just how helpless life is."

"I won't feel helpless, since I don't have any expectations of you anyway."

"It's not that you have no expectations, it's just that you know those expectations are impossible to fulfill."

"This statement is truly disheartening."

"sad?"

"Well..."

Kuriyama Sakura turned to look at him, a thoughtful expression on her face: "This feeling is vague, and it's really strange. At first, I didn't realize how different it was, but as time went on, that feeling started to pound violently in my chest. How should I put it? It's like a feeling that I'm not included. Even though you're right in front of me, it feels like we're several kilometers apart."

“A pointless idea,” Tsukasa Tazaki stood up and looked down at her. “Let’s go. We’ll use the gacha as a wager. If you really are the High Priestess, then I will still treat you according to my own feelings. If it’s something else… well… what do you say?”

He looked directly at the girl, a natural and warm smile on his lips.

Believe in this smile now!

This is a very important matter.

right?

Yes.

So, let's move forward!

Kuriyama Sakura also smiled.

Very natural, very gentle.

The red leaves on the branches sway in the autumn wind, and with the help of the sunlight, they look more vibrant than ever.

Back at the fortune-telling booth, a student had just finished their reading.

Kuriyama Sakura casually reached out and flipped over a tarot card.

【II The High Priestess (Upright)】

"My lord minister~"

Tsukasa Tazaki snapped his fingers and laughed, "I won."

“I can’t stand you…” Kuriyama Sakura shook her head, turned around and pulled up the bewildered Ninomiya Shiori, “Let’s go, let’s go to the next tourist area.”

"Oh."

"Is there anything fun to do?"

"Yes, there is a haunted house."

"...?"

"Sakura, what's wrong? Why did your face turn pale all of a sudden?"