My love index is at its maximum.

As soon as Hoshino Shika opened her mouth, she suddenly felt a powerful gaze slam into her face, a strong warning that she must not speak. She searched for the source of the gaze and, upon seeing Shimamoto Kana's face, realized that her once gentle gaze had transformed into a murderous glare, just like her sister's.

"..."

The little silly boy pouted sadly and returned to Kuriyama Sakura's side, burying his head in her arms: "Waaah... This place isn't fun at all, Shikami wants to go home..."

Kuriyama Sakura patted her head to comfort her, while looking at Tazaki Tsukasa.

Kana Shimamoto has already gone this far; if he doesn't give a positive and encouraging response, he'll likely disappoint many people.

But in contrast, would Hanami allow him to do that?

Under everyone's gaze, Tsukasa Tazaki smiled wryly and said, "Well... whether someone is beautiful or not isn't really important. We're all not that superficial people..."

Before he could finish speaking, he couldn't continue.

It wasn't that he wasn't thick-skinned enough, but his evasive answer not only displeased the two teachers, but also the three girls behind him.

"Okay, if we're talking about something even better-looking, actually, um..."

Hoshino Hanami stared intently at him.

“…Actually, wedding dresses,” Tsukasa Tazaki lowered his head, avoiding her gaze, cold sweat beading on his forehead, “there’s a saying that goes, a woman in a wedding dress is the most beautiful woman in the world, so…”

By the end, the sound had dwindled to the size of a mosquito's buzz.

But on Kana Shimamoto's face, a radiant smile of happiness was already on her lips.

Hoshino Hanami and Kikawa Yui both acted as if nothing had happened. Ninomiya Shiori grinned apologetically, Kuriyama Sakura didn't know what to say and just sighed softly, while Hoshino Shikami was still crying and wailing, "Waaaaah, Shimamoto-sensei is so scary..."

Kana Shimamoto just smiled and didn't say anything, but she was deeply moved.

Her gaze slowly swept across the living room: sofa cushions, game consoles on the TV cabinet, tableware of various sizes, refrigerator, coffee grinder, and so on. Every piece of furniture here, though simple and unadorned, was imbued with the scent of her body and carried the happy memories she shared with Tsukasa Tazaki.

She had thought about her future with Tsukasa Tazaki countless times.

Even if they can't get married, as long as they can live together for a lifetime and have a child, that kind of future is just as happy as she dreams of.

Therefore, we must absolutely not let anyone take him away.

“Tazaki-kun,” Shimamoto Kana’s gaze returned to Tazaki Tsukasa, smiling tenderly and affectionately, “what about the wedding gift for your wife?”

The light illuminated her skin, making her look like a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl who hadn't yet been tainted by the world.

"Luckily I was prepared..." Tsukasa Tazaki took out a ring from the system and slowly handed it over.

This ring was originally meant for Hoshino Hanami.

But having been forced into this situation, there was no other way but to give it to Kana Shimamoto.

His wife has gone to such lengths; it would be beneath him to not respond. Besides, as the person who has been with him the longest, his wife deserves such a gift.

Kana Shimamoto looked at the ring lying in Tsukasa Tazaki's palm. Under the soft light, the diamond ring seemed to be blooming like fireworks. The fiery halo was like tangible, shimmering sparks.

"Put it on for me," she whispered.

"It's my pleasure." Tsukasa Tazaki smiled, took her left hand, removed his white glove, and gently slipped the ring onto her slender, beautiful ring finger.

Kana Shimamoto gazed at her finger, feeling the special radiance emanating from the ring.

The living room fell silent again, almost unnaturally so, as if all sound had been absorbed by the snowflakes dancing outside.

After examining the ring for a moment, Hoshino Hanami smiled and clapped her hands, saying, "It's very beautiful."

"Thank you." Kana Shimamoto gently pressed the ring to her cheek.

She actually wanted to throw herself into Tsukasa Tazaki's arms and kiss his body; just doing that would make her feel happy enough to get through the cold winter.

Under these circumstances, Tsukasa Tazaki would certainly not refuse.

But don't go too far.

Kana Shimamoto understood that she had already gotten what she wanted, and that one should know when to stop and be content with what one has.

"Are you satisfied?" Tsukasa Tazaki asked.

"Satisfied." Shimamoto Kana lowered her hand and gently took his arm. "Let's continue the Christmas party. The others are watching."

"...Phew~"

Tsukasa Tazaki exhaled a breath as if he were almost completely exhausted.

Then, driven by his survival instinct, he looked at Hoshino Hanami with a pitiful expression, blinked his eyes and begged for mercy: "Sister, please go easy on me tonight."

Hoshino Hanami snorted.

After returning to her seat, she remained silent throughout the entire meal, focusing solely on channeling her anger into her appetite.

The girls seemed somewhat distracted while eating.

Their gazes kept drifting towards Shimamoto Kana's hands, where dazzling flames danced at her fingertips, a radiance that symbolized eternity.

"Don't just look at me, it won't help." Shimamoto Kana stroked the diamond ring and addressed everyone across the table: "As a wife, this is what I deserve. If you want it too, you might as well ask Tazaki."

Hoshino Hanami silently broke a spoon in half.

"..." Tazaki Tsukasa was so frightened that his heart skipped a beat.

Clearly, Shimamoto Kana is setting an example by inciting the emotions of others and uniting all forces to challenge Hoshino Hanami's dominance.

really.

After Shimamoto Kana said that, the others all turned their attention to Tazaki Tsukasa.

Even the idiot Shikami looked over.

“…Wait a minute,” Tsukasa Tazaki said seriously, “you’re all still students!”

“Did you hear that?” Shimamoto Kana leaned on his shoulder and explained to everyone with a smile, “He means that he will give them to you all after you graduate.”

Silently, Hoshino Hanami broke off the second spoon.

"...Deliver it." Tazaki Tsukasa's scalp began to tingle.

The real danger lies in not being able to refute this statement.

Once anything has started, the rest must be treated equally.

"The future seems to be getting interesting..." Kuriyama Sakura's clever little brain had already started to wander into a whirlwind of thoughts.

"Take this opportunity, you two, to take a photo together!" Shiori Ninomiya said with a smile, taking out her phone and pointing it at Kana Shimamoto.

With a happy and sweet smile, Shimamoto Kana hooked her arm tightly around Tazaki Tsukasa's right arm.

"Get ready, time for a photo!"

"Crack!"

The moment the shutter clicked, Tsukasa Tazaki grabbed Hoshino Hanami with his left arm, stopping her from flipping the table.

……

By the end of the meal, nothing tasted good anymore; it was like eating a last meal before death.

After dinner, under the arrangement of the hostess Kana Shimamoto, everyone played games for a while. Around 11 p.m., Tsukasa Tazaki was sent to the kitchen to wash the dishes, while she continued to arrange everyone's sleeping rooms for the night as the hostess.

Kuriyama Sakura and Ninomiya Shiori have a room in the attic, Kikawa Yui has a guest room on the first floor, Hoshino Shikami has her own room, and Hoshino Hanami sleeps with her.

This is how it's arranged.

But in reality, everyone's eyes were gleaming, and each person was full of their own little schemes.

It doesn't look like the atmosphere one would expect for a peaceful and safe Christmas.

When Tsukasa Tazaki finished washing the dishes and came out, the living room was empty except for trash all over the floor.

He wasn't in the mood to clean, and after glancing around a few times, he slipped into Shimamoto Kana's room intending to apologize to the two of them.

The lights were off in the room.

Then, through the faint light reflecting off the snowflakes outside the window, one could see Kana Shimamoto lying on the bed, her long, black hair scattered on the sheets, her cheeks flushed, and her red lips slightly parted.

She hadn't taken off her wedding dress, but for some reason, her chest was disheveled, and the dress was wide open, revealing her snow-white, slender neck and the faintly visible cleavage. It was as if she was not subject to gravity; even when she was lying flat, her breasts were still so round and perky, rising and falling with her breath.

"Where's Hanami-nee?" Tsukasa Tazaki asked.

"She went to take a shower..." Shimamoto Kana replied lazily, her voice a little slurred, perhaps because she had just drunk some wine.

Tsukasa Tazaki locked the door from the inside and went to the bedside.

“Tasaki…” Shimamoto Kana stared at him intently.

She still wore pure white pointed-toe stiletto heels, her beautiful legs under the wedding dress were tightly closed and curled inwards, the soft curves of her calves revealed by the tight white stockings were indescribably alluring.

"Why don't you take your shoes off when you sleep...?"

Tazaki Tsukasa felt his mouth and tongue dry and involuntarily swallowed.

Staring at his wife lying drunk on the bed, he felt a strong urge, but he didn't dare to make a move, afraid that Hoshino Hanami might suddenly come back.

"Come here quickly," Shimamoto Kana urged him in a hoarse voice.

"Oh~"

His already dwindling rationality seemed to vanish instantly. Tazaki Tsukasa leaned closer, carefully lifting her beautiful legs, muttering "Don't get the bed dirty" as he gently removed her high heels.

"Does Madam look beautiful today?" Shimamoto Kana asked with a smile, her eyes narrowed.

"So beautiful." Tsukasa Tazaki held her round, adorable, stockinged feet and gently pressed them to his lips. "Next time, could you please tell me in advance if you have anything to say, so I can be prepared..."

"No, no..." Shimamoto Kana squinted and shook her head from side to side. "After you marry into the family, will you move out of here? I don't want to see anything like that happen."

"It's not necessary to move," Tsukasa Tazaki quickly explained.

Before he could finish speaking, Shimamoto Kana grabbed his arm and pulled him onto the bed, face to face with him, almost touching.

The alcohol mixed with the scent of her body lotion wafted into her nostrils, making Tazaki Tsukasa feel increasingly oxygen-deprived.

Kana Shimamoto squinted her eyes, her expression hazy, and laughed, "Didn't she forbid you from being affectionate with other people in front of her? Today, not only did you not get affectionate... you even wore a wedding dress, haha..."

Tazaki Tsukasa didn't know if she was truly drunk or faking it, but her voice gently tugged at his heartstrings, like the soft rays of the sun drifting down from the sky onto his heart.

Her soft body swayed with her breath, her lower abdomen contracting rhythmically. Holding her felt like embracing my own skin.

"Right now, I'm the first person to marry you." Shimamoto Kana's eyes were hazy, and a strange smile appeared on her lips. "No one can change that fact, there are photographic proof!"

"Yes Yes."

Tazaki Tsukasa's cheek was pressed tightly against her neck, smooth as jade, and his nose was filled with her rich, womanly fragrance. Just as he was about to get up to adjust his breathing, Shimamoto Kana suddenly put one of her white-stockinged legs on his thigh and hugged him even tighter.