My love index is at its maximum.

"Happy New Year."

Tazaki Tsukasa said to the three of them with a smile.

His cheeks, flushed red by the firelight, were beaming with a happy smile.

"Happy New Year." The three of them returned the same smile.

Starting at midnight, the bells will ring 108 times, during which sparks will continuously burst forth in the sky, as if exhausting all the splendor of the human world, turning the entire sky into a dazzling sea of ​​fire.

"So beautiful!"

Hoshino Shikami clenched her fists and placed them on her chest, gazing longingly at the dazzling fireworks, her eyes reflecting the shimmering light.

The magnificent scene was also reflected in Kuriyama Sakura's clear eyes, but she didn't show much emotion.

Fireworks may be beautiful, but they are nothing more than fleeting moments...

"Sakura, look!" Hoshino Hanami suddenly grabbed her arm excitedly and gestured towards the sky.

As Kuriyama Sakura looked over, a burst of fireworks exploded high in the sky, making Hoshino Hanami's already beautiful face even more radiant.

Looking at her older sister's face, Kuriyama Sakura's lips trembled like ripples, then tilted to one side.

Tazaki Tsukasa, who had intended to squeeze between the two, noticed a small dimple on her right cheek. He remembered that dimple vividly; whenever he was about to flash a high-level smile, that dimple would always appear on the department head's face.

"Your Excellency..."

Tazaki Tsukasa lowered his voice and asked quietly, "You don't actually have yuri tendencies, do you?"

“…Idiot!” Kuriyama Sakura glared at him, then gave him her signature condescending sneer.

The dimples reappeared.

Ok.

Tsukasa Tazaki remembered it again.

Whenever the minister is about to say something sarcastic, this expression will invariably appear on her face.

The New Year's bells rang again and again, the fireworks gradually faded, and when the splendor had completely disappeared and the dark night sky once again filled the view, people vaguely realized that the old year had passed just like that.

"Alright, now I'll take you to the shrine!"

Hoshino Hanami was in a great mood. She put her arms around her two younger sisters' shoulders and walked toward the crowded worship hall.

Tsukasa Tazaki lagged behind, sending New Year's greetings on his phone.

First, I messaged everyone in the class group chat, sending a voice message wishing everyone a Happy New Year.

Immediately, the class group chat was filled with replies of "Happy New Year, Tazaki-kun!" Murakami Mizuiro even tagged him, asking if he was free to play pool together.

He also said that he had been studying snooker with a master for a long time and was determined to beat him so badly that he would call him "daddy".

[Tazaki: @Murakami, let's have a father-son game when we get back to Tokyo and see who's the real dad!]

I switched out of the class group chat and made a video call to Kana Shimamoto.

After the call connected, her half-drunk, half-awake face appeared before him. Tazaki Tsukasa's heart clenched, and he said guiltily, "Happy New Year, Madam."

"New Year ~ hiccup"

"Get some rest, we'll celebrate the New Year together in Tokyo next year."

“Happy~” A gentle smile appeared in Kana Shimamoto’s sleepy eyes.

After ending the video call, he sent New Year's greetings to Shiori Ninomiya and Yui Kikawa respectively.

Sachiko's share and Yui's share were together.

The two of them also sent him their New Year's greetings and photos of their respective New Year celebrations—the little cutie watching TV with her parents, and her older brother and aunt Xingzi having a New Year's party on a yacht.

"Hey, Tazaki, hurry up and come over here, it's our turn."

Hoshino Hanami turned around and greeted him, urging him to come over and pay his respects quickly.

"You're here." Tsukasa Tazaki put away his phone and walked towards the three of them.

The past year has passed, and no matter how incredible or absurd things happened, they cannot affect his determination to move forward.

"What wishes do you make for the New Year?" Hoshino Shikami asked.

"Do you have to make a wish when visiting shrines during the New Year?" Tsukasa Tazaki, who rarely goes to shrines and temples, doesn't know much about this.

“New Year’s shrine visits are not for personal gain, so they are not occasions for making wishes,” Kuriyama Encyclopedia explains.

"Oh my god, Sakura, don't be so boring." Hoshino Hanami pinched her cheeks with both hands and teased, "The gods are sitting right there, what's the harm in us praying? Besides, since they've accepted our offerings, they should work too. And New Year's is a holiday for humans, how can the gods take a break?"

What kind of twisted logic is this?

Kuriyama Sakura couldn't understand and sighed with a headache: "...Okay, make a wish."

Hoshino Hanami smiled, took out four five-yen coins from her wallet and put them into the money box. Then the four of them took turns ringing the bell, bowing twice to the statue, clapping twice, and finally gently closing their eyes.

Making a wish before the gods is a very solemn matter.

Following the proper shrine visit procedures, Tsukasa Tazaki clasped his hands in prayer.

"God above, please don't let the lack of a New Year's holiday give you the motivation to go on strike. You must grant those three wishes! Also, regarding my own wish... if possible, could you please let me touch Kuriyama-san's leg right now?"

This should also be considered a wish, right?

During the shrine visit, Tsukasa Tazaki turned his head to look at the other three people.

Hoshino Shikami closed her eyes tightly, interlaced her fingers into a fist and placed it near her mouth, her small lips moving: "Mmm~ Bless Shikami..."

It's clear that the little fool is very devout, and he must have some unfulfilled wish in his heart. Maybe he wants his brother-in-law to disappear from the earth the next day.

Beside her, Kuriyama Sakura's expression remained completely calm, her slightly upturned chin carrying a hint of irresistible pride.

This gesture is less like making a wish and more like issuing an ultimatum to the gods.

I wish all living things in the world could turn into cats!

'Ms. Kuriyama, this is a bit difficult, perhaps you could choose another one…'

'Then let Tsukasa Tazaki only love me!'

'Let's talk about how to turn all living things in the world into cats...'

Ok.

That's the feeling!

The image inexplicably popped into his head, and Tazaki Tsukasa couldn't help but smile strangely. After finally managing to control his expression, he turned to look at Hoshino Hanami.

Hoshino Hanami didn't pay her respects; instead, she looked at him.

To the older sister, her little brother was a living god, and she didn't need to worship those cold, lifeless idols.

Tsukasa Tazaki blinked and smiled.

She laughed too.

There was light in both of their eyes.

After the shrine visit, the four went to the fortune-telling booth and paid 100 yen to draw a fortune slip, which corresponded to the wish they had just made.

"May I see the deer! May I see the deer!"

The little fool held a hexagonal wooden bucket in his hand, shaking it and muttering to himself.

After the bamboo sticks fell out, the shrine maiden gave the corresponding sticks to her based on the numbers on the sticks.

Hoshino Shikami opened the fortune slip she had drawn.

[Great Evil]

"Wow, waaaaah~"

Instantly, she burst into tears, feeling wronged.

"What happened?" Hoshino Hanami hurriedly hugged her younger sister, comforting her repeatedly, "Making a wish doesn't necessarily mean the final result... Even if you get a bad fortune, it doesn't matter. As long as you work hard enough, you can still make your wish come true. I'll always help you, don't cry, don't cry."

“Yes, don’t be so discouraged,” Kuriyama Sakura comforted him. “We will all help Shikami.”

Silly deer looked up at her tear-streaked face and asked, "Really?"

"Of course." Hoshino Hanami wiped away the tears on her face.

Kuriyama Sakura patted her head and said, "Definitely."

The little fool stopped crying and started laughing.

"What did you wish for, Shikami?" Tsukasa Tazaki leaned closer and gently patted her shoulder. "Tell me, and your brother-in-law will do everything in his power to help you."

Hoshino Shikami cheered, "Shikami's wish is about love!"

In an instant, Kuriyama Sakura lifted her foot and stepped on Tazaki Tsukasa's shoe.

"...?"

Tsukasa Tazaki's face contorted in pain.

Why are you stepping on my wish?

"Humph!"

Kuriyama Sakura gave him a proud look, then turned around and drew a fortune stick as well.

[Daikichi]

Then, the girl stared blankly at the fortune slip in her hand with a complicated expression.

Imagining the department head who had just given the gods an ultimatum, Tsukasa Tazaki couldn't help but laugh again.

Seeing the strange smile on his face, Hoshino Hanami frowned and asked, "Why are you smiling so weirdly?"

"I've figured out what Sakura would wish for..." Tsukasa Tazaki told the three of them the image she had just imagined.

Kuriyama Sakura's face flushed red instantly, and she snapped like an angry cat: "Who would make such a silly wish that you only like me? You're so silly!"

Hoshino Shikami stared blankly as she bit her hand.

She wouldn't grant the wish that Tazaki only liked herself; if she were to grant it, it would be to include her sister.

“But you would actually make a strange wish like the whole world turning into cats…” Hoshino Hanami reached out and patted Kuriyama Sakura on the shoulder, her expression saying, “You’ve grown up now, it’s time to make some more mature wishes.”

"Hana-chan!"