My love index is at its maximum.

He said it was intentional, but not that he acted on intuition.

In terms of this lifestyle, she may be actively seeking isolation. This sense of isolation, like acid that occasionally overflows from a bottle, will imperceptibly corrode one's soul, dissolving and eroding it.

Loneliness is a sharp double-edged sword.

On the one hand, it can protect one's soul from the malice of outsiders, but on the other hand, it can subtly and continuously damage the inner walls of the soul.

Kuriyama Sakura had experienced this danger firsthand and was fully aware of it.

That's why she has to read and paint continuously and periodically, sometimes even exhausting all her energy, in order to eliminate the feeling of isolation and burden on her body.

As lunch break was nearing its end, Shiori Ninomiya left the activity room and headed towards the playground. No sooner had she left than Tsukasa Tazaki walked in and went straight to sit down opposite Sakura Kuriyama.

"Want to play this afternoon?" he asked tentatively.

Kuriyama Sakura replied absentmindedly, "I'm thinking about something, don't bother me."

"What are you thinking about? Let me give you some advice."

"Uh, that's fine..." Kuriyama Sakura took a deep breath, composed herself, and recounted what she had been thinking.

"Sixteen is an age that causes a lot of trouble," Tsukasa Tazaki said, shaking his head as if he had been there. "Especially sixteen-year-old girls, they tend to care about trivial things, and they are unable to objectively grasp their own position; they will have a lot of feelings for trivial reasons."

Kuriyama Sakura puffed out her cheeks unhappily, her eyes shifting from indifferent to terrifying.

Before she completely lost her temper, Tsukasa Tazaki explained in time: "Of course, it's normal to have these kinds of thoughts when you reach a certain age. That's just the rule of the game, just like a river flowing endlessly towards the sea. You can only accept it as part of the natural scenery. Negative people may not find it pleasant, but positive people may find something exhilarating and fully enjoy the fun."

Kuriyama Sakura nodded, her tone indifferent: "I admit, I don't think I have a likable personality, and I'm afraid very few people appreciate me, making it difficult to please the masses. For someone like me who wants to hide in the closet when something happens, I really don't understand why you would have a good impression of me."

"Because you're pretty."

"..."

Kuriyama Sakura's soft lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated, and finally said helplessly, "You'd better not be so honest, and tell me a lie once in a while."

"Minister, you are so beautiful."

"understood……"

"Let's not talk about her face, let's focus on her legs, you wouldn't believe it, every time I see them..."

"Can you stop thinking about legs all the time?" Kuriyama Sakura rubbed her temples, exasperated, and said helplessly, "Please, I'll get tired of hearing it too much. Instead of getting excited, I'll just think you're a pervert!"

“That makes sense.” Tsukasa Tazaki nodded. “The minister’s chin feels wonderful; it’s so lovely to touch.”

"..."

"And then there's her chest; although it's small, it's beautifully shaped."

"...How did you know?" Kuriyama Sakura covered her chest with both hands and leaned back to get away from him.

Tsukasa Tazaki honestly replied, "I accidentally bumped into it on your birthday night. Of course, you might think I did it on purpose, but I swear to all the skyscrapers in Yotsuya, that button really did pop open on its own!"

"...Go to hell!"

A book was thrown at him, hitting Tsukasa Tazaki squarely on the forehead.

"...Minister, I was wrong. Let's get back to talking about the legs!"

"roll!"

Watching Tazaki's bastard figure disappear through the doorway, Kuriyama Sakura stretched out her arms and gave a big yawn.

then.

She stared blankly at her chest, her hands raised.

Is it really beautifully shaped?

Could it be that he said that on purpose to comfort his younger sister?

"Dirty!"

Although that person was truly shameless, his level of vulgarity was so extreme that it was impossible to get angry. The air between them remained thick with a faint, hazy mist, like that of late spring drifting among the mountains, a gentle warmth and a sense of acceptance.

Kuriyama Sakura leaned over the table, quietly closed her eyes, and murmured softly.

"Tomorrow."

"I'll have you play the paper partition maze with me again tomorrow."

Chapter 307 The Last Day of the Sports Festival

The third day of the sports festival.

On the slope leading to the school gate, fallen leaves covered the ground like a golden carpet. Tsukasa Tazaki, head down, stepped on the fallen leaves and used his phone to search for highly-rated restaurants in Tokyo.

"Hey, kiki!"

Shiori Ninomiya caught up from behind, tilting her head slightly as she began to speak, her gaze fixed on his eyes.

"Mom has been discharged from the hospital!"

"Dad finally had time yesterday to build a shed for the ducks, so they don't have to freeze anymore!"

"By the way, you've eaten duck before, it tastes pretty good, right? Do you want Dad to kill a couple and send them over to eat?"

"It's too much trouble to send it over, no need." Tsukasa Tazaki put his hands in the pockets of his school uniform jacket, smiled at the Hokkaido girl, and looked at her with a serious expression. "Anyway, whenever there's a holiday, I'll go home with Shiori-chan. Isn't it fresher to slaughter her on the spot?"

“That makes sense.” Shiori Ninomiya nodded. “Anyway, Kiki said she wouldn’t let me go home alone, and she can’t go back on her word.”

After saying that, she lifted her foot and walked towards the school gate without saying a word.

The autumn sunlight filtering through the treetops shimmered and danced on her slender shoulders.

Tsukasa Tazaki strolled after her.

The asphalt road surface was covered with withered yellow beech leaves and branches, dry and itchy, making a crackling sound when stepped on.

Shiori Ninomiya used the tips of her shoes to remove the remaining leaves and looked up at the sky through the gaps in the trees.

The autumn sky was clear and crisp, a deep azure blue hue shimmering in the air. A cool breeze stirred the tree branches, which swayed gently from side to side, while long, narrow clouds clung tightly to the azure sky as if frozen in place.

"Hey, kiki..."

"what?"

No one can protect another person forever!

Why do you say that?

"Listen, let's say you get married and you still have to work, right? Who will protect me then? What am I doing with my life?"

Without asking her why she suddenly brought this up, Tsukasa Tazaki changed the subject: "Didn't Shiori-chan say she was giving a good idea of ​​what kind of life she wanted to live?"

"Of course there are." Shiori Ninomiya nodded vigorously, looking earnest as if to say, "You have to believe me."

"What is it like?"

"I'll dump Kiki after I graduate high school!"

“I won’t let that happen,” Tsukasa Tazaki called out from behind her.

So Shiori Ninomiya stopped, smiling as she waited for Tsukasa Tazaki to catch up, and the two walked the rest of the way side by side.

"What if I insist on dumping you?" she asked softly.

Tsukasa Tazaki replied with a smile, "I will tie your hands and, ignoring your tears, forcibly keep you by my side."

"Didn't I say that?"

"Use the clever tricks of an energetic girl to defeat an energetic girl!"

"Hate!"

Shiori Ninomiya chuckled and punched his shoulder.

The wind blew through the school building, gently caressing her hair, and then disappeared into the bustling Yotsuya district, where the tall oak trees rustled.

On the last day of the sports festival, Kitagawa Academy was still immersed in a lively atmosphere, with men and women wearing autumn sportswear everywhere in the courtyard, corridors, and school paths.

The two arrived at the shoe cabinet, and Shiori Ninomiya took out flat shoes and slowly put them on.

Noticing the gazes around her, she turned her head and made a victory sign with one hand: "Kiki, do your best in today's three-legged race!"

"Don't forget you participated with me." Tsukasa Tazaki looked away and opened his shoe cabinet.

He didn't know if it was because the two young ladies had such strong auras, but he hadn't received any love letters in his shoe cabinet for a long time.

After putting on her shoes, Shiori Ninomiya suddenly asked, "Will Kiki take advantage of me during the match?"

"...Do I need to do it secretly?" Tsukasa Tazaki asked, somewhat exasperated.

Shiori Ninomiya chuckled, tempting him like a little devil: "Don't you think it's more exciting to secretly take advantage of me in front of thousands of students?"

"...What kind of weird stuff is in your head?"

This wasn't said by Tsukasa Tazaki, but by Sakura Kuriyama, who was rubbing her temples and had a terrible headache.

"Oh, it's Sakura!" Shiori Ninomiya opened her arms and pounced on her, hugging her neck excitedly and shouting, "A wonderful day begins with hugging and cuddling Sakura!"

"Who is the boyfriend anyway..." Tsukasa Tazaki sighed dramatically.

He secretly glanced at Kuriyama Sakura.

The minister was just complaining about the little cutie's head, but now the corners of his mouth have turned up slightly, and he seems to be in a good mood.

This is like seeing your own cat, and you're giving that kind of indulgent complaint: "I bought a cat bed, but you little rascal refuse to sleep in it and insist on sleeping on the cardboard box that was used for packaging."

"By the way, will Sakura participate in the competition today?" Shiori Ninomiya asked, shaking her head.

With each shake of her head, her hair would playfully bounce around, as cute as a mischievous kitten. The sight of the two beautiful girls snuggling together made Tsukasa Tazaki feel a sense of comfort, and she couldn't help but smile.

“Let’s participate in one,” Kuriyama Sakura said, frowning and giving Tazaki Tsukasa a disdainful look.

It wasn't that she disliked this kind of contact, but Tsukasa Tazaki's laughter subconsciously reminded her that the scumbag's mind was probably filled with censored images at that moment.

Sensing the disdain in Kuriyama Sakura's eyes, Tazaki Tsukasa quickly spoke up to defend himself: "There's nothing wrong with that. Beautiful things naturally attract each other; it's human nature to chase after similar things. And as an observer, I naturally hope to see beauty enhanced."

"You really think that way?"

Kuriyama Sakura looked at him as if he were a stranger.

"It's a deal then! Let's all work together and win first place in the club competition!"

Shiori Ninomiya looked up and smiled at the two of them. Then, with light steps, she ran towards the playground, her dark hair illuminated by the morning light.