My love index is at its maximum.

Among them was a family traveling with their child; the conservative parents even covered their child's eyes with their hands, while also teaching the child not to do that again.

Kana Shimamoto released her grip, her face still showing signs of anger: "You're angry? Go back now!"

"No, please..." Tsukasa Tazaki smiled ingratiatingly, glancing left and right a few times. Not far away was a flower bush, with dense maple trees growing on both sides, blocking out the light, making it look like a deep tunnel.

Although it's a bit eerie inside, it's a wonderful place if you don't want to be disturbed.

“Let’s go over there.” Tsukasa Tazaki put his arm around her waist and walked towards the dim shadows of the trees in front of the lamplight.

Kana Shimamoto protested quietly, "I'm not going."

"You have to listen to me this time." Tsukasa Tazaki ignored her protests.

He always seemed to be more domineering and assertive in front of Shimamoto Kana than he was in front of others.

This might be because she is too gentle and used to accepting things passively. Naturally, Tsukasa Tazaki would always have the urge to tease her, such as deliberately making her angry now, and then slowly coaxing her back.

The process itself is absolutely wonderful.

"You never care about other people's feelings..." Shimamoto Kana complained.

The school trip was already in its third day, and counting his time in Hokkaido, almost ten days had passed. Tonight could have been a time for some tender moments, and she had even prepared for it for a long time, but this bastard said something so jarring… Hoping for affection but unable to get it, this hazy state of mind left Mrs. Tazaki with an unbearable burning desire.

"There aren't many people there," Tsukasa Tazaki said, turning around.

Kana Shimamoto stared at him with a stern expression, her fair and gentle face conveying a stern look as if she were questioning him, "Who are you?" Her gaze was sharp, as if she were watching a thief intently.

Faced with that penetrating gaze, Tsukasa Tazaki couldn't help but laugh: "If you don't come with me, I'll grab your collar and drag you forward. If you still don't want to, I can slap you and scold you, 'Why don't you listen to me?' How about that, do you need me to be so domineering?"

“Hey, I know, so…” Shimamoto Kana bit her lower lip and didn’t say anything more.

"Know what?"

"You're so annoying!"

The cobblestone path stretched to its end, beyond which stood an insect-attracting lamp. In its pale light, the night-blooming maple swayed gently in the autumn breeze.

Kana Shimamoto walked on reluctantly.

She longed to turn back, to go straight back to the hotel and let him caress her. She felt as if she didn't care whether it was Gion or Higashiyama, or anywhere else. But Tsukasa Tazaki wouldn't budge, and she couldn't shake him off and turn back on his own.

Mrs. Tazaki has a temper too!

Now, she keeps her lips tightly shut, stubbornly sulking and being difficult.

"What should I do?" Tsukasa Tazaki stopped in front of the flower bushes, a mischievous smile in her eyes. "If you won't agree, do you really expect me to be a little forceful...?"

I clearly couldn't object, but I pretended to be a gentleman!

This only made Mrs. Tazaki feel more ashamed and annoyed.

Just as she was about to be pulled into the flower bushes by Tsukasa Tazaki, she finally couldn't help but stop and say, "What are you planning to do? Explain yourself."

Her cheeks were already flushed when she asked the question.

She wanted Tsukasa Tazaki to say "go back" and then take her back to the hotel. Even if it was just a casual remark to coax her, as long as he said that, Kana Shimamoto would be content and walk back home.

"We're already in a secluded place, so I can do whatever I want with you."

Under the bright white light, a happy smile appeared on the handsome face of the boy Tazaki, as if he were showing off his victory.

"Ugh... why in a place like this?" Shimamoto Kana murmured softly. This wasn't what she meant to say; it was just something that was on her mind, but she couldn't help but blurt it out.

"What did you say?"

"nothing."

Kana Shimamoto quickly shook her head.

hateful!

Even if you really want it, you can't let a woman say it out loud. What about her dignity?

"There are some things I want to talk to you about. If I say them now, it won't affect my mood tonight." Tazaki Tsukasa observed her face, and in the dim light, the corners of his wife's mouth smiled beautifully.

Her smile was as gentle as ever; she was intelligent, neat, well-mannered, and very kind.

Mrs. Tazaki is undoubtedly a haven for scumbags.

Looking at the insect-attracting lamp at the front, she said gently, "I will do my best to help you."

So the two bent down in front of the dark flower bushes and crawled inside.

What she had hoped for was to spend a cozy evening with Tsukasa Tazaki and make up for the emptiness that had passed. Just a moment ago she was annoyed by Tsukasa Tazaki's inappropriate joke, but now she was completely focused on what he was about to say.

Tazaki was secretly pleased with her compliance, but at the same time felt a little guilty and remorseful.

Mrs. Tazaki may appear gentle, but she is inherently weak. She was a little stubborn a few seconds ago, but now she has returned to her usual docile self.

This dramatic change is the fundamental reason why Tsukasa Tazaki went from simply lusting after her body to truly falling for her.

Once inside the flowerbed, the lights were blocked, and visibility became dim.

Tsukasa Tazaki took off his coat and spread it on the ground, and the two sat down close together.

"Alright, let's continue with the previous question." He placed his hands on Shimamoto Kana's rounded shoulders, lowered his head, and greedily inhaled the rich fragrance emanating from her neck: "Tell me quickly, where does this scent come from?"

Kana Shimamoto gently stroked his hair with both hands: "Do you like it?"

"I love it so much." Tsukasa Tazaki opened his mouth slightly and couldn't wait to kiss her neck.

As Shimamoto Kana listened to his rapid breathing, her body trembled slightly: "Since arriving in Kyoto, every night when I take a shower, I apply cream all over my body, from my neck to my toes, leaving no inch of skin untouched. I've been doing this for three days in a row, all to give you a surprise."

It's really well marinated...

Tazaki Tsukasa thought to himself, then looked up and gently called out "Madam," before kissing her lips and sucking on them.

Kana Shimamoto hugged his neck tightly and responded passionately.

Outside the flowerbed, the footsteps of tourists could be heard incessantly. A child carrying a lantern ran past, and the warm light shining through illuminated half of her rosy cheek before fading away.

Lips and teeth separated.

"I like you, I like you!" Shimamoto Kana whispered in Tazaki Tsukasa's ear, her emotions burning.

Tsukasa Tazaki hugged her and said, "Me too."

The sky grew even darker, and the moon disappeared from sight. The maple trees by the flowerbeds appeared pitch black. Gazing at their shadowy forms for a long time, he briefly recounted the events of the past few days, from Hokkaido to Kyoto.

After listening, Shimamoto Kana nestled in his arms and fell into thought.

The atmosphere after their intimacy was sweet, and both of them looked very natural.

After a while, Shimamoto Kana reached out and gently touched his cheek: "Hearing you say that, I feel like I can see Ninomiya-kun living in Hokkaido."

"What kind of?"

"A dilapidated little wooden house, a harmonica on the oily table, a glowing fire in the stove, and steam rising from the kettle. The moonlight streaming through the window remained still for a long time, and a naked girl knelt on the floor, her body outline slightly faint."

Tazaki Tsukasa thought about that scene and sighed, "As expected of someone who guards the library, even the scenes he imagines are so sentimental."

“I was a literary girl when I was young.” Shimamoto Kana’s face showed a slight smile of reminiscence as she felt the warmth of Tazaki Tsukasa’s cheek with her fingertips. “I warned you before that you should either not get involved at all, or get involved to the end. Now that you have chosen to get involved to the end, it is ultimately more happiness than unhappiness for her, which is a good thing. You don’t need to worry about it.”

“It’s not that I’m conflicted…” Tsukasa Tazaki shook his head, “It’s just that compared to my previous calm attitude, I feel an invisible pressure on me now. She’s just a sixteen-year-old girl in the prime of her life. The thought that her life will depend on me from now on makes me feel so pressured. I’ve never felt this way before.”

"Pressure also means motivation." Shimamoto Kana's stern tone had a hint of amusement in it. "What's your biggest flaw? It's that you're too much of a troublemaker. You avoid things you don't like, but that won't do. Life is full of disappointments, you can't keep running away from them forever, right?"

“I’m making changes,” Tsukasa Tazaki said, sounding unsure of himself.

"Come on, you can't fool me at all." Shimamoto Kana tapped his forehead in annoyance. "If it weren't for those three high school girls, you wouldn't have participated in any kendo tournaments or school festivals."

That's right.

"Being with Ninomiya means you'll really have to grow up a bit more. The older women don't mind because we've all gone through our own independent stages of life, but young girls are still blank in this respect. They come directly from their parents to you, without any gaps in between, so you'd better not lead them astray."

Tsukasa Tazaki nodded: "Understood."

"You're teachable." Shimamoto Kana teased in a joking tone, "Being able to sense that you're under pressure means you're genuinely thinking about Ninomiya's future life, so you're not completely a scumbag yet."

"Ah, that's true," Tsukasa Tazaki admitted with a smile. "We can't be as casual as before, can we?"

Kana Shimamoto said with a straight face, "Still as casual as ever!"

"where……"

"Can you just casually say something like, 'I'd give up someone else for Hanami'?"

"..."

"Even I'm so angry I want to yell at you." Shimamoto Kana closed her eyes, leaning against him, a faint smile appearing on her lips: "Ah, Tazaki-kun, and I've always praised you for knowing how to please women..."

She paused, seemingly choosing her words carefully.

Tsukasa Tazaki waited quietly for her to find the sentence.

The atmosphere between the two remained natural, gentle, peaceful, and seamless.

After a few seconds, she opened her eyes: "Even if you're confident that you won't let that happen, don't say things like that again."

"I..." Just as Tazaki Tsukasa opened his mouth, she reached out and covered it with her hand.

“I know you’re a very self-centered person, and your personality also contains elements of arrogance. You feel that as long as you stick to your own thoughts and ideas, nothing else matters. But these words really hurt me.”

At this point, Kana Shimamoto paused, buried her face in his chest, and breathed in his scent. Then she changed the subject: "However, only in this way can one become the most amazing sixteen-year-old in the world, and I agree with that. You are very brave and open, and you can tell us everything, including your secrets. That is really touching."

"Thank you for your understanding, Madam." Tazaki Tsukasa hugged her tightly, taking a deep breath. "Ah, Madam, I also feel that I'm living a more and more relaxed life these days. I really think so, from the bottom of my heart. Do you understand what I mean?"

"I understand."

Kana Shimamoto nodded: "You've truly found yourself again. You're using your brain to think, to consider where to go from here. You're not stupid, you won't say anything annoying for no reason, and you've expressed your thoughts. Kuriyama and Kikawa's reactions were exactly what you expected. You seem quite confident that they won't escape your control in the future. In that case, I have to give you a good compliment for your shamelessness in eliminating the potential for jealousy and rivalry in your harem in advance."

"Don't portray me as so bad!" Tsukasa Tazaki protested with a laugh.

"Yes, yes, you're not bad!" Shimamoto Kana reached out and pinched the tip of his nose, sighing resignedly, "You're such a good judge of character. You're domineering and forceful with me, but you go to great lengths to please your Hanami-nee. As for those two high-and-mighty young ladies, you pretend to be a gentleman on the surface, but secretly you've dug traps and placed tempting things on them, waiting for them to willingly fall into your trap."

"How likely do you think there are to success, ma'am?"

"It's not small."

Tazaki Tsukasa lowered his head and nuzzled her neck with the tip of his nose: "Mr. Shimamoto, who is best at analyzing people's hearts, please help me, your student, analyze this."

Kana Shimamoto gave him a charming glare, then squinted her eyes as if amused: "Well, you've always been the kind of handsome guy that people like. You're clean-cut, tidy, well-groomed, and well-mannered. You never say anything silly. Not to mention female students, countless female teachers and parents at our school are waiting for you to graduate."

"Such a good thing?" Tsukasa Tazaki was immediately delighted.

“Don’t get your hopes up…” Shimamoto Kana gently patted his cheek, then continued, “As for your group, let’s just say you’re in a little clique with three high school girls. Ninomiya is key to keeping things lively and maintaining harmony among you, Kuriyama is the clear-headed intellectual, and Kikawa is the one who devises the plans and takes charge of everything. And you…”

Tsukasa Tazaki asked curiously, "What am I?"