My love index is at its maximum.

"I guess you're just kidding me."

"Good to know!" Kuriyama Sakura snorted contemptuously and pulled her leg back.

After putting their shoes back on, the two walked out of the school gate and headed back towards Qian Tuo Valley.

As Tazaki Tsukasa regained his strength, his steps became increasingly lighter.

As they walked, they even started humming a song.

No one can compare

Nothing can compare

I only want to protect you.

Anywhere, anytime

I only want to protect you.

He was gesturing wildly, talking and singing all by himself, having a great time.

Kuriyama Sakura lagged behind, smiling as she watched his retreating figure, and nodded gently.

As we walked, the person in front of us suddenly turned around and stood with their legs spread apart.

"...What's wrong?" Kuriyama Sakura looked at him, puzzled.

"I wanted to get along with you as an ordinary person, but now the Earth needs me!"

"Clam?"

Goodbye, Minister!

"Ok?"

Meeting Kuriyama Sakura's astonished gaze, Tazaki Tsukasa slowly sighed, gripped his student ID in his right hand, raised it high, and roared with full force, "Dyna!"

"...?"

Kuriyama Sakura was completely dumbfounded.

This person probably has some serious illness.

Ignoring the strange looks from those around him, Tsukasa Tazaki leaned close to the department head and asked expectantly, "Wasn't that transformation move cool?"

The damp breath blowing on my face added a touch of warmth to the cold night.

Kuriyama Sakura blinked in confusion at first, but then smiled. Even as she smiled, she still glared at Tazaki Tsukasa with utter contempt, offering no reply.

"Please, I can transform in public for the first time, okay?!" Tsukasa Tazaki persisted. "Seriously, saying something like that in a situation like this is the worst thing ever. I'm so embarrassed I want to scratch my head and clutch my chest. Can't you give me some positive feedback?"

After speaking with a face full of anticipation, Tsukasa Tazaki heard a sigh containing a smile.

"...Sigh. He really is a fool."

The voice was unexpectedly gentle, and Tsukasa Tazaki blinked reflexively, trying to confirm its authenticity.

Ms. Kuriyama's eyes revealed a hint of loneliness, but her lips were adorned with a gentle smile: "...When saying things like that, you need to make your movements even more dashing."

Tsukasa Tazaki quickly turned around and walked forward.

However, even without seeing his facial expression, one could guess that he was smiling from his slightly bent back.

Kuriyama Sakura followed half a step behind him, maintaining the same pace.

And so, for a long time, the two of them simply walked on in silence. Although there were many bus stops and corners along the way, they never looked at them, nor did they even glance at the pedestrians passing by. They just kept moving forward along the straight road.

As they walked, Kuriyama Sakura suddenly started humming a song, the ending theme of "Ultraman Dyna" that Tazaki Tsukasa had sung earlier.

No one can compare

Nothing can compare

I only want to protect you.

Listening to her beautiful voice, Tsukasa Tazaki felt exceptionally happy and her mind became very clear.

What needs to be done and what needs to be considered is obvious.

There's no need to think about anything else now.

Just work like a machine, working towards a set goal.

As long as this goal can be achieved, everything else can wait. Now that the goal has been set, it's time to explore various means to achieve it; that's what Tsukasa Tazaki should be doing now.

Even if there is only one way, even if it is not clever, it is far better than having nothing at all.

We returned to Qian Tuo Valley at 6:30 p.m.

It was completely dark, and the residential area was quiet. Autumn was coming to an end, and there was a hint of winter in the air.

“Last Saturday, I swept the fallen leaves in the yard together, put them in a plastic bag and threw them away.” Tsukasa Tazaki said as he opened the yard gate and walked in. “I put a ladder up to the eaves and swept up the leaves that had accumulated in the trough. You know, if you don’t sweep, the wind will blow the dead leaves all over the yard. I can’t let Mr. Shimamoto do this kind of thing, right? So I had to do it myself.”

“This kind of work is not a hardship.” Kuriyama Sakura stood on the eaves, looking at the neat courtyard. In the neighboring yard on the right, there was a large tree with red fruit hanging on it, and several crows were perched on it.

“It’s really not that hard,” Tsukasa Tazaki replied. “Working hard under the afternoon sun, time just slips by unnoticed. When I’m tired, I sit on the veranda, drink lots of black tea, and play with Mei.”

Mei refers to the Maine Coon cat that Sakura Kuriyama keeps here.

Although it is not very old, it is already as big as two sardines.

I went inside and turned on the heating.

Kuriyama Sakura looked around the room, sat on the sofa, and tugged at the hem of her skirt repeatedly. She then sighed and said it was her break time.

"Wouldn't you like something to drink? Coffee, juice, and black tea are all available."

"No need, I'm a little tired, let me sit down first. By the way, what do you usually do at home on weekends?"

"I don't really do anything; I mostly just waste time. Reading, playing with Mei," said Tsukasa Tazaki as she took a can of juice from the refrigerator and poured it into a glass.

What books have you been reading lately?

"The information on the Spanish Civil War is written in great detail and contains a variety of insightful information."

"Where is Shimamoto-sensei?" Kuriyama Sakura asked.

“She went to buy humidifiers,” Tsukasa Tazaki said, walking toward the sofa. “Hasn’t the weather been super dry lately? So, after school, she went to the mall and said she wanted to buy several humidifiers, one for each room, including your attic.”

“Yes, it’s necessary.” Kuriyama Sakura nodded.

She's not a talkative person to begin with, so her brief response wasn't surprising.

Tazaki Tsukasa sat down next to her with a glass of juice, handing it to her: "Drink up. Remember to take a shower later. I'm going to make dinner."

"I want to take a nap first." Kuriyama Sakura stood up, silently took off her school uniform jacket, and neatly folded it on the cabinet next to her to avoid wrinkling it.

Then he walked back to the sofa and sat down with his legs together.

After taking off her coat, her slender body appeared somewhat frail.

"Want me to lean on for a bit?" Tsukasa Tazaki asked, pointing to his shoulder.

"Yes, but direct contact is not allowed."

Kuriyama Sakura grabbed a cushion, placed it on his shoulder, and then leaned her head against him.

A refreshing fragrance wafted over, and Tsukasa Tazaki looked down at her. Her delicate, white nose was so lovely that one wanted to reach out and touch it.

The two remained in the same position, completely still.

The night outside the window was deep, with only the faint light of streetlights floating in the darkness.

Kuriyama Sakura leaned against the shoulder of a cushion, her eyes closed, breathing quietly as if she were fast asleep. The cold autumn wind rattled the windows, and the glass windows of the living room blocked out all sounds from the street, leaving the surroundings completely silent.

After a while, Tsukasa Tazaki couldn't resist and quietly reached out to hug her slender shoulders.

After drawing for nearly two hours straight, the department head was probably really tired and wanted to find a place to rest. Tsukasa Tazaki was like a tree to lean on, providing her with a sense of security.

Her tired face made Tsukasa Tazaki feel a little sorry for her.

It's unreasonable and unfair to make such a smart and lovely young lady like the Minister so tired!

But then I thought, fatigue has nothing to do with beauty or ugliness, right?

Besides, what's a little fatigue if all I can do is turn her into an ordinary girl? Tsukasa Tazaki felt he needed to step up his efforts and make the department head even more tired!

With a "click".

The door opened, and Kana Shimamoto, still in her uniform, walked in and immediately saw the two people on the sofa.

The sound of the door opening startled Kuriyama Sakura awake. She looked up, moved away from Tazaki Tsukasa, got up, picked up her clothes, put them on, and sat back down on the sofa, unconsciously rubbing her fingers together.

It's clear she's a little nervous and trying to project an air of unfamiliarity.

"What are you two doing?" Shimamoto Kana walked over and sat on the other side of Tazaki Tsukasa, directly pointing out: "When you came in, I think I saw Tazaki's hand on Kuriyama's shoulder."

Tsukasa Tazaki glanced at him sideways.

The minister bit his lip slightly and frowned: "That's not true, Mr. Shimamoto must have seen wrong. You can ask Tazaki-san if you don't believe me!"

"Really?" Shimamoto Kana pushed up her glasses, transforming into Conan: "Tazaki-san, is what Kuriyama-san said true?"

"..." Tsukasa Tazaki remained silent.

Kuriyama Sakura stared at him intently, her eyes wide.

So, Tsukasa Tazaki avoided those menacing eyes, but on the other side, Kana Shimamoto's beautiful and dignified oval face revealed a faint smile, as innocent as a child who had solved a puzzle.

"I'll go cook!"

Of the thirty-six stratagems, running away is the best; Tsukasa Tazaki made a quick getaway.

Watching his retreating figure, Shimamoto Kana smiled gently and nodded, lightly patting Kuriyama Sakura's shoulder: "There's no need to hide it like this. What Tazaki is up to is an open secret to us. Someone as smart as you couldn't possibly not know."

"Shimamoto-sensei..." Kuriyama Sakura hesitated, resting her chin on her hand. "He seems to be getting serious. How should I refuse?"

"There's something I'd like to ask."

Kana Shimamoto suddenly stopped smiling and brought her hand to her mouth: "Have you two kissed?"

“…What?” Kuriyama Sakura stared at her blankly, watching her slender, white fingers slowly caress her luscious, sensual lips. The scene was full of sensual allure, and could be described as extremely seductive.

Even though she is also a woman, she felt some difficulty breathing.

Have you kissed?

Does it count if there's a finger between them?