My love index is at its maximum.

Kuriyama Sakura took a deep breath, and after briefly adjusting her breathing, her soft lips began to move as she muttered something.

"Idiot, blockhead, fool, bastard Tazaki..."

It turns out he's updated his long-lost dictionary of insults... Tazaki Tsukasa said with amusement, "So you actually know quite a few insults. I always thought you only knew the word 'stupid'."

"I'm too lazy to scold you... cough cough," Kuriyama Sakura cleared her throat, a gentle smile appearing on her face: "Why did you choose B for the last question?"

After saying that, she immediately turned her head and looked directly into Tsukasa Tazaki's eyes.

“If it were you a month ago, I would definitely choose A.” Tazaki Tsukasa felt her warm and soft waist, his hand found her long ponytail on her back, his fingertips running through her smooth and silky hair. “Even if you are still a little girl at heart, you certainly wouldn’t want others to see that.”

“Yes,” Kuriyama Sakura lowered her eyes quietly, her eyelashes trembling slightly, “Why do you think I’ll choose B this time? You know I’m a very stubborn person…”

“Didn’t I tell you? At heart, you’re still a playful little girl. You just didn’t have the chance before.” Tsukasa Tazaki straightened her up, looking into her captivating dark eyes. “Now, I’ve opened a side path in your life and placed tempting flowers and candies at the crossroads. Kuriyama Sakura is an incredibly intelligent person, I’m quite certain of that. As long as there’s a possibility of success, she won’t give up on her life so easily.”

“I…” Kuriyama Sakura twisted her shoulders awkwardly, her hand instinctively reaching forward, but she pulled it back just before it touched Tazaki Tsukasa, like a cat that didn’t want to get its paws wet. “Fine, I regret it. You’re full of lies and not honest at all… You promised a fair competition, but you secretly changed the questions you drew and colluded with the staff to frame me… In short, you’re a terrible person, don’t talk to me.”

"But you still came, didn't you?"

"...Now I regret it."

“It’s too late.” Tsukasa Tazaki reached out and grabbed her sleeve. “There are many things that are hard to say clearly in a short time. Even if you use all your truths, polite words, jokes, and all your tricks, you still can’t say them clearly.”

Tsukasa Tazaki scratched his head and laughed.

“How can you move me if you don’t say it?” Kuriyama Sakura countered. Her eyes were deep and clear, like the twilight when she first met her. Gazing into Tazaki Tsukasa’s eyes, she continued, “We’re just one breakthrough away. If we don’t think of a way soon, we’ll miss our chance again, and that won’t do. After all, I really do like you, no, I really do.”

The tone of voice was gentle, but if you reached out to touch it, you might get pricked by the thorns.

“Between you and me, it’s not something that can be summed up with just a simple ‘like’.” Tsukasa Tazaki let out a long sigh. “It’s not that simple at all. While it’s true that you can convey all your feelings with just one word, ‘like’ is just a lie if you try to cram all your emotions into it.”

Kuriyama Sakura nodded and waited quietly for him to continue.

"What I'm thinking is to maintain this relationship so that I can continue to change your life. Of course, this isn't about obligation or responsibility; obligation and responsibility alone wouldn't be enough to motivate me to do this. I simply can't accept the fact that your beautiful, youthful, and dazzling appearance will fade after you turn 26. There's something I can do, isn't there?"

You can do a lot.

"Yes, I can do a lot. So please let me keep changing your life, starting now, starting tomorrow, anything. What I can give you includes time, a future, support, and things like that—things that are ambiguous and hard to define. How about that? Doesn't that sound touching?"

"Not moved."

"Well then, since our lives are already intertwined, I can't think of any other way to handle this except to do everything I can to get closer to you. Isn't that touching?"

"Still not moved."

"...I'm running out of words."

"Well then, goodbye."

"and many more……"

After taking a few steps toward the exit of the maze, Kuriyama Sakura turned around, looked at Tazaki Tsukasa's stunned expression, and sighed helplessly: "Please tell Shimamoto-sensei that ATF will only process one email per week regarding her 'trouble-seeking email address,' and ask her to handle the rest herself."

"Eh?"

"What are you standing there for? Come over here!"

"Oh……"

"You represent the ATF department, don't embarrass me, okay?"

"...What did I do that was shameful?"

"The whole school saw how stupid you looked just now!"

"Huh?" Tsukasa Tazaki looked up at the sky.

The drone overhead swayed in the autumn wind, its surface gleaming a dazzling silvery-white in the sunlight. Though blindingly white, it seemed like an ever-changing, transparent object soaring through the autumn sky, imbued with boundless beauty.

……

On the last day of the sports festival, several competitions, including the "triathlon," were held in the afternoon.

When the final total scores were tallied, the ATF division was far ahead.

The second-ranked club is the Kendo Club, which attracted many strong and athletic new members after winning the Yulongqi Tournament.

After Yui Kikawa finished her closing remarks, the three-day sports festival came to a successful close amidst a lively atmosphere.

Chapter 309: Final Exams Amidst the Approaching Christmas.

They will visit in December after the sports festival.

One season opens the door and departs, another season enters through another door.

Before I knew it, I woke up one morning to a news report from the Japan Meteorological Agency announcing the start of winter.

Wednesday morning.

Tsukasa Tazaki opened his eyes, looked at the ceiling, and yawned.

The sky outside the window was clear and cloudless, and gusts of cold wind made the glass vibrate. The room was so warm that one wanted to stay in bed a little longer.

After lying in bed for another ten minutes, I slowly climbed out of bed and dragged myself into the bathroom to wash up.

Standing in front of the mirror, I looked at the person in the mirror with sleepy eyes.

...Well, it looks pretty much the same as usual.

The more subtle difference is that he has grown quite a bit taller, and his features also look much more mature.

He's a grown man now!

Tsukasa Tazaki gave his reflection in the mirror a thumbs-up and left the bathroom.

As soon as I entered the living room, I saw Kana Shimamoto carrying breakfast to the dining table, and I could hear the sound of water boiling in the kitchen behind her.

Kana Shimamoto put down her breakfast and turned around to look at her: "Good morning."

"Good morning, madam." Tsukasa Tazaki pulled out a chair and sat down, amused, and asked, "Why are you up so early today?"

"It's final exams, so I'll let you sleep a little longer. I'll prepare breakfast." Shimamoto Kana smiled sweetly, pattering in her slippers as she ran into the kitchen, took out the kettle, and brewed two large cups of black tea.

On chilly mornings, hot black tea paired with Western-style pastries has become a staple on the Tazaki family's breakfast table. The intention behind preparing these is, of course, to ensure that both of them are warmed up before heading off to school or work.

Most of the time, it was Tsukasa Tazaki who did it.

However, after entering December, he had to spend some time every night working on the operational processes of the Qichuan family business, which affected his sleep time to some extent.

Feeling sorry for his health, Shimamoto Kana had no choice but to give up her habit of sleeping in and try to get up earlier to make breakfast.

Tazaki Tsukasa ate a fried egg and blew on his tea to cool it down. Looking up, he saw Shimamoto Kana across from him also blowing on her teacup. Noticing his gaze, Shimamoto Kana put down her teacup and slowly spoke.

"Tazaki, there's something I need to tell you."

"Ah."

Tazaki gave a brief reply, signaling her to continue.

"About the Christmas party..."

"what happened?"

"You must come home on Christmas Eve."

"If there's nothing else, I'll definitely go home." Tsukasa Tazaki picked up another fried egg and put it in his mouth.

Speaking of fried eggs, is it considered a Japanese breakfast or a Western breakfast?

"Oh..." Upon hearing his reply, Shimamoto Kana let out a murmur, whether unintentionally or intentionally.

Then, she stood up slightly, leaned forward, and stared at Tsukasa Tazaki's face: "If someone invites you, will you not go home?"

The warm, milky scent kept wafting into his nose. Tazaki took several deep sniffs, but it wasn't enough, so he simply pulled his wife over and made her sit on his lap.

Nestled in his arms, Shimamoto Kana bit her full lower lip with her bright white teeth, her round breasts bulging beneath her thin home sweater.

Tsukasa Tazaki's gaze was drawn to her.

"Don't wander off on Christmas Eve, I have a surprise for you." Shimamoto Kana smiled, her gaze gentle and meaningful.

"What surprise?"

"Sensory stimulation..."

"This is a great opportunity that we can't miss."

Tazaki Tsukasa smiled, his hands tightly around her slender waist, the feel of which was astonishing.

"What do you want to do now?" Shimamoto Kana wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling as she looked down at his handsome face.

"nothing."

"Why are you holding your wife so tightly?"

"Just everyday intimacy." Tsukasa Tazaki slowly slid one hand down, feeling her firm, round buttocks through her pants.

It has a silky smooth texture and is also very elastic.

Kana Shimamoto hugged his neck even tighter, their bodies pressed together, her full, amorous lips slightly parted, and moist, warm breath escaped from between them.

Tsukasa Tazaki opened his lips, and the two exchanged kisses.

Ten minutes later, the passionate kiss ended.

“That’s all,” Shimamoto Kana tapped Tazaki Tsukasa’s forehead with her finger and pushed his head away. “Hurry up and eat breakfast. After you finish, go back to school and prepare for your exams.”

"Wait a little longer..." Tsukasa Tazaki held her waist tightly with both hands, as if he wanted to break her slender waist.

Kana Shimamoto's fingernail slid down his nose bridge and finally stopped at the tip of his nose.

"On Christmas Eve, you can do whatever you want. Your Hanami-nee will be there too. And you can invite all the other girls over so we can all celebrate together."

Hearing her alluring murmurs, Tsukasa Tazaki's body trembled.

He was breathing heavily, and a burst of explosive power was quietly building up inside him, waiting to be unleashed on Christmas Eve.

……

He left home at 8 a.m., parted ways with Kana Shimamoto at Sendagaya Station, and Tsukasa Tazaki went to the Chuo Line platform alone.

The tram pulled into the station, and I boarded with the flow of people.

As usual, the tram was packed during rush hour, filled with office workers in uniforms and a small number of students in school uniforms who were squeezed in the middle and unable to move.

As December drew to a close, the train carriages were filled with Christmas shopping advertisements, creating a strong festive atmosphere.