My love index is at its maximum.

Kuriyama Sakura took off her school uniform jacket and went straight to the bookshelf to look at the books.

Like Tsukasa Tazaki, she was a voracious reader. Stories, novels, biographies, history—anything with a lot of words could be picked up and read with great interest. When she got tired of reading, she would put on her headphones and listen to music.

The most frequently heard names include the Duke of Ellington, the Beetle, and the Zeppelin Red Airship.

Tsukasa Tazaki once called her an "old-fashioned girl," to which she unusually did not refute.

Rows of books contain a wealth of information about the Elizabethan and James dynasties, including history books, drama treatises, literary treatises, and religious treatises.

After searching for a while, Sakura Kuriyama couldn't find the book she wanted, nor could she understand why an Italian restaurant would have so many English history books; it just felt a bit out of place.

But then I thought about it again.

If an Italian restaurant can attract a scumbag like Tsukasa Tazaki, it's not surprising that they might place a few books on English history on the menu.

Just as she was about to leave, Kuriyama Sakura caught a glimpse of a Spanish foreign language book out of the corner of her eye. She immediately pulled it out, picked it up, and went to the sofa to read it.

"Does Sakura know Spanish?" Shiori Ninomiya asked curiously.

“I studied for a while,” Kuriyama Sakura said, her fingers gripping the page foot, reciting the sentence with great emotion, “Está lloviendo mucho.Varios puentes han sido lavados en Barcelona.”

(This was an unprecedented downpour; several bridges in Barcelona were washed away.)

The little cutie turned around and looked at Tsukasa Tazaki with an expectant expression: "Kiki, quickly translate for Shiori-chan."

“…Wait a moment,” Tsukasa Tazaki thought for a moment and replied in a serious tone, “This was an unprecedented massacre. Barcelona suffered a humiliating 2-8 defeat in the Champions League.”

"Pfft~"

Kuriyama Sakura buried her face in the book, her shoulders shaking with laughter.

I tried my best, I really tried my best... Tsukasa Tazaki kept reassuring himself.

He only understood the place name "Barcelona" from that long string of Spanish. It's quite an achievement that he could even come up with a complete, nonsensical sentence.

"Kiki," Shiori Ninomiya narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "Did you just lie to Shiori-chan?"

"I've been translating very seriously," Tsukasa Tazaki swore, raising his hand.

“He is indeed very serious,” Kuriyama Sakura put down her book, a smile playing in her cool eyes. “The reason he translated it like this is simply because of his low level of understanding.”

"Is the translation bad?" Shiori Ninomiya asked.

"It's not bad, it's just a little off-center." Kuriyama Sakura's smile grew wider.

“So what if you speak Spanish?” Tsukasa Tazaki scoffed. “I also speak Italian, unlike you who flaunts it like this.”

Kuriyama Sakura said defiantly, "I know more than one foreign language."

“Languages ​​are very easy to learn once you get the hang of it.” Yui Kawakawa sat down on the sofa, gracefully crossing her white-stockinged legs. “Especially languages ​​from the same family. For example, Spanish and Italian are both Romance languages. If you only need to learn one, you can get a basic understanding of the other just by looking at the textbook.”

“I agree with that. It’s just like a game. Once you understand the rules, everything else will be easy.” Tsukasa Tazaki nodded and continued, “Based on my observation, a large part of the pronunciation of kanji in Japanese is very similar to the pronunciation in Minnan dialect of China.”

“Japanese and Chinese are not from the same language family,” Yui Kikawa corrected him. “The reason why they sound similar is simply because Chinese characters are loanwords in Japanese, so the pronunciation is naturally the original pronunciation.”

"Does Kirikawa-san do that too?" Ninomiya Shiori asked, looking at the blonde girl.

“Yes. The more languages ​​you know, the more useful you are. Besides, I was born with a talent for languages.” Kikawa Yui leaned back on the sofa, one hand supporting her cheek. “Japanese and German are my native languages. In addition to these two, I can also speak English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, and Arabic fluently.”

"Two complete perverts!!!" Tsukasa Tazaki sighed, grabbing the order phone on the counter. "Order, order, please give me a table of dishes that can teach people six languages!"

Of course, such a dish is impossible.

The waiter who answers the phone will probably think that the customer is sick.

After asking three high school girls for their opinions, they finally ordered raw oysters, braised squid, stewed prawns, four servings of vegetable soup, and pasta.

Less than thirty minutes later, all the dishes were served. There was a small serving window at the entrance and inside, and the dishes were passed in one by one. Tsukasa Tazaki carried each dish to the table, and the four of them began to eat around the table.

Every dish is made with fresh ingredients, tastes delicious, and comes in generous portions.

Both young ladies used their knives and forks with great elegance, putting only a tiny bit of food into their mouths like little birds, as if they were secretly competing with each other in etiquette. Their every move could be used as teaching material for a class on aristocratic etiquette.

After the meal, the plates were cleared away, and the waiter brought out freshly brewed herbal tea.

The four sat around the sofa, talking intermittently.

The music flowed softly; it was Haydn's Cello Concerto. Through the French windows, a full moon could be seen hanging high in the sky, its soft glow enveloping the surroundings.

If we were to describe the word "romance" in a concrete way, it would probably be something like this.

A venue that's been meticulously designed and beautifully packaged—if this isn't romance, then the Nile River isn't flowing with water, but with black oil!

Shiori Ninomiya rested her head on Tsukasa Tazaki's shoulder, her warm, bright black eyes looking directly into his ear: "Kiki~"

"what?"

“kikikikikiki~”

He didn't say anything, he just kept repeating the nickname.

"Fool," Tsukasa Tazaki said with a laugh, looking down at her.

Every time I see the little cutie and her natural, unpretentious charm, I can't help but feel a desire to protect her.

"Hehe~"

Shiori Ninomiya chuckled foolishly, her lips pressed tightly together in a straight line as she looked directly at his face. Her happy expression resembled that of someone watching their own adorable ducks in their pond from a very close distance.

“I miss the ducks,” she said. “It’s getting cold, the pond is frozen, and the ducks will have to freeze again.”

Tsukasa Tazaki put her arm around her shoulder: "With Uncle at home, you don't need to worry about the ducks."

Listening to their conversation, Kuriyama Sakura sipped her herbal tea in small sips, barely making a sound, her expression like that of a wise, all-knowing fox in the forest.

Across from her, Yui Kichikawa remained silent as well.

He barely blinked, seemed not to breathe, and his expression lacked any warmth or life.

After a while, Shiori Ninomiya slowly squinted her eyes, leaning softly against Tsukasa Tazaki as if she were asleep, a satisfied smile on her lips.

The air inside the private room was warm and fragrant with tea, filled with muffled breathing sounds.

"Let's begin, don't waste too much time." Yui Kichikawa held the white porcelain cup of hot tea in her hands as if warming them, and looked at Tsukasa Tazaki with her very deep blue eyes: "While Kuriyama-kun is here, tell me your plans."

“I’m planning to form a band and put on a show at the opening ceremony.” Tsukasa Tazaki turned his head to observe Sakura Kuriyama’s expression. “Kikawa-san will be the drummer, Kuriyama-san will be the guitarist, and I’ll be the lead vocalist. Of course, if there are any objections to the arrangement, we can change it at any time.”

Kuriyama Sakura did not refuse immediately.

After listening to Tsukasa Tazaki's words, she simply held the saucer in her left hand and the cup in her right, bringing it to her lips and quietly taking a sip of the herbal tea. After tasting it, she nodded gently.

This gesture implies a question: "What's the reason?"

“Shimamoto-sensei once said that the four of us are a small group,” Tsukasa Tazaki said silently, taking a sip of tea to moisten his throat. “Since the Sports Festival has been entrusted to us for organizing, we should leave something different behind.”

Kuriyama Sakura put the cup back on the saucer, and the saucer back on the tray: "Didn't I already draw the promotional poster?"

“That’s not enough,” Tsukasa Tazaki said. “Besides, drawing posters is only part of the job, far from enough to involve you.”

"So you're letting me go on stage and show my face?" Kuriyama Sakura gently pressed a napkin to the corner of her mouth and placed it on her lap.

These movements are as graceful as a fairy sucking the morning dew from a flower petal, Yui Kikawa thought to herself.

The peaceful silence lasted for a while; in the highly private private room, no outside sounds could be heard.

“Tazaki-san, I don’t know where you got this idea from, but I feel that kind of thing is not suitable for you and is not in line with your personality.”

Kuriyama Sakura shook her head and said.

Her hand rested on the table as she stared intently at Tsukasa Tazaki.

“Yes,” Tsukasa Tazaki replied, “I think so too.”

"Then why did you do it?"

“Sometimes I ask myself that question,” Tsukasa Tazaki confessed. “I guess I just can’t do anything with you. I have no choice but to try to be a little vulgar and drag you down with me.”

"That's the gist of it," Yui Kichikawa interrupted. "Although he's outwardly asking for my approval, I know that the core of this matter is still you. He can let me off the hook and just cause trouble at the opening ceremony, but if you don't participate, there's no point in him doing so."

“But,” Kuriyama Sakura countered, “even if I’m not participating, you’ll still be there.”

“I don’t seem that important,” Yui Kichikawa shook her head, her expression still lifeless. “From the beginning, it seems that the only person he considered and cared about was you.”

"Stop, stop!" Tsukasa Tazaki quickly interjected, "I didn't say that, brother, don't talk nonsense!"

Kichikawa silently swirled his teacup.

“I have a lot in common with Tazaki.” Kuriyama Sakura stared into Kikawa Yui’s eyes with a penetrating gaze: “He and I are only interested in our own things, so we can separate ourselves from others when considering things. That’s what I admire about Tazaki Tsukasa. But you can’t do that yet, so even though you appear strong and proud on the surface, you still feel lost and hurt in secret.”

"Who doesn't feel lost and hurt?" Yui Kichikawa said dismissively. "Do you think you've never felt lost or hurt?"

“Of course I have.” Kuriyama Sakura also crossed her legs, pressing all her weight onto the sofa cushions. “But those feelings can be reduced through training. Not to mention humans, even mice can be trained. American behaviorist psychologist B.F. Skinner trained mice with electric shocks to study the theory of operant conditioning. Mice that were shocked knew to choose the path with a lower chance of injury.”

“But,” Yui Kichikawa smiled calmly, “mice don’t know how to fall in love.”

Kuriyama Sakura was stunned for a moment, her lips twitched slightly, but she couldn't say anything.

"Mice don't fall in love!" Tsukasa Tazaki repeated, then looked at the two of them. "I think this statement deserves a Nobel Prize. What do you two think?"

"Don't joke around, I'm serious!" Yui Kikawa glared at him, displeased.

"Come on, you two, can't you talk like normal people for once!" Tsukasa Tazaki rubbed his temples with a headache. "Neither of you is strong enough to not care if no one understands you, so why do you act like nothing matters? If Ninomiya wasn't sleeping on me right now, I'd really like to go over and kick you both."

"Ok?"

The two girls simultaneously glared at him with murderous intent.

"Just kidding, just kidding..." Tsukasa Tazaki chickened out, shrinking his neck and giving a fawning smile: "It's just a way to ease the tension, don't take it seriously."

Kuriyama Sakura first turned her gaze to Kichikawa Yui: "Tell me your opinion."

“I think it’s feasible,” Yui Kikawa replied. “There’s no rule that says bands can’t perform at the opening ceremony of a school sports meet. Personally, I also have the idea of ​​organizing an unforgettable sports festival that’s driving me to agree.”

"But you seem more inclined to refuse."

"Of course, he did this for your sake, how could I do it willingly?"

Big brother is so frank... Tsukasa Tazaki couldn't help but glance at her a few more times.

Her dazzling golden hair was as straight as if each strand had been drawn, and the shape of her eyebrows perfectly complemented her face. What lay hidden beneath her expressionless exterior remained a mystery.

But it is precisely because she hides herself so well that the blonde girl possesses an aura that attracts attention and makes people want to explore her.

Kuriyama Sakura pondered silently for a moment, then looked at Tazaki Tsukasa: "Give me the reason that can convince me the most."

The voice was very soft, so soft that it would be blown away if the air from the heater vent were even slightly louder.

"Should I excuse myself?" Yui Kichikawa asked.