My love index is at its maximum.

When Tsukasa Tazaki woke up, the outside of the window was filled with milky white smoke.

One person was making breakfast in the kitchen, and then the three of them sat down at the table to eat. The scene was not much different from usual; the atmosphere, the voices, and the people's expressions were all the same as yesterday. The only difference was the dishes.

There is fresh sturgeon soup, vegetable salad, and hamburger steak.

As I ate breakfast, the sun rose, the rain outside the window gradually stopped, the smoke drifted away with the wind, and the lines of the trees and mountains gradually came into view. In the distance, white smoke rose from burning things.

“They are burning household waste,” Kuriyama Sakura said. “This place is relatively isolated, so the waste is burned every few days. The residue after burning is buried in pits dug on the mountain.”

"When will the weather clear up..." Hoshino Hanami grumbled, forking a piece of steak. "I've been cooped up at home for days, I feel like I'm going to rot."

Tazaki Tsukasa said irritably, "Last night you said you wanted the rain to keep falling."

"It's different. I didn't know about Sakura last night. Now I just hope the weather will clear up soon so that Sakura can have a good mood every day."

"It should be soon. The cold air from the Sea of ​​Japan won't stay in this area for long; it will soon drift to the Pacific Ocean."

I've had breakfast.

Kuriyama Sakura sat cross-legged on the sofa, writing on her laptop.

When she buried herself in writing, an unprecedented focus appeared on her face, her small lips were tightly closed like an animal hunting its prey, and her eyes were unfathomable.

Hoshino Hanami sat beside her, her hands behind her head, eyes closed, enjoying a classical piano piece.

Although it's an old record, the performance is warm and touching, making it very enjoyable to listen to.

"The music doesn't bother you, does it?" Hoshino Hanami asked as she listened.

"This level of music is fine."

What should we write?

“Hmm… some letters to Shiori.” Kuriyama Sakura relaxed her lips slightly. “It’s nothing important, just something I wrote down as I thought of it. I might need it later, so I’m writing some drafts in advance.”

"By the way," Tsukasa Tazaki said, peeking out of the kitchen while washing dishes, "when is Aunt Kuriyama coming over?"

“She’ll be there soon. She left an hour ago,” Hoshino Hanami replied. “She should arrive around 10 o’clock.”

Kuriyama Sakura glanced at her watch; it was 9:30.

"I was hoping to stay here comfortably for another week," Hoshino Hanami glanced at the calendar on the wall. "Sigh, my wish has been dashed."

“I hope so too.” With that, Kuriyama Sakura smiled sweetly, “But it’s impossible. Beautiful things will eventually become the past.”

Tazaki Tsukasa came out of the kitchen wiping his hands: "You're using this excuse again."

“That’s just how things are,” Kuriyama Sakura said, turning off the music and beckoning to him. “Come out for a walk with me.”

"Okay~"

Tsukasa Tazaki put on a baseball jacket and followed her out the door.

The rain had stopped, but the weather was still not clear; the air was very humid, and a thin layer of mist still lingered in the mountains and forests.

We left the patients' residential area and arrived at the central street.

Patients in blue hospital gowns and staff in yellow uniforms walked back and forth carrying shopping bags. The shops mainly sold daily necessities such as food and groceries. At the far end was a small square with a pointed church that looked like a Catholic church.

Passing by a fruit stand, Tsukasa Tazaki bought a bag of cherries and ate them as he walked.

Where are we going?

"Let's go for a walk in the hills behind the sanatorium."

What's over there?

"There's a ceramics workshop that I haven't visited in a long time; I'd like to take a look."

Kuriyama Sakura walked briskly with her hands in her coat pockets, her expression revealing nothing amiss.

Tazaki Tsukasa trailed behind by half a step, watching her swaying vertical ponytail. She would occasionally turn around, and when their eyes met, she would smile slightly.

At times like these, Tsukasa Tazaki would feed her a cherry.

"Did you work with porcelain before?" he asked.

“About once a week,” Kuriyama Sakura replied with a smile. “I’m really good at it. You might not believe it, but that sticky clay is one of my favorite things.”

“Well,” Tsukasa Tazaki shrugged, “it’s because you’ve never told me anything about yourself.”

Didn't we talk a lot last night?

Kuriyama Sakura poked the tip of his nose with her finger and smiled sweetly at his face.

That smiling face was completely devoid of any gloom; in fact, it was almost dazzlingly healthy, a stark contrast to the one from last night.

Tsukasa Tazaki couldn't help but laugh along.

And she wondered to herself whether she had any nightmares after falling asleep last night.

The two continued walking towards the area outside the central area, gradually entering a large forest. The trees on both sides of the path were mostly ginkgo trees, interspersed with some pine and birch trees. The pine trees were straight red pines, while the birch trees had branches that drooped low as if they were hanging down.

Through the gaps in the trees, you can see the rooftops of scattered farmhouses.

The fences stretched gently along the hillsides, where cattle and sheep roamed freely. The hay was cut and bundled into large, round bales by machine.

As she walked, Kuriyama Sakura began to sweat, and her steps became heavy.

She took off her coat and held it in her hand, revealing her fair and delicate neck, which was covered with a thin layer of sweat.

"Do you want me to carry you?" Tsukasa Tazaki asked from behind.

“I can still manage, but you…” Kuriyama Sakura glanced back at him, and said to herself, “You’re always hanging out with women, are you still in good shape?”

"I'm fine!"

Tsukasa Tazaki rolled up his sleeves, showing her the muscles in his arms.

“I want to take a bite,” Kuriyama Sakura said, poking his biceps with her finger.

But when Tsukasa Tazaki offered her his arm, she pushed it away with a grin and scolded him in a disdainful tone: "It's all sweaty, don't you even smell how smelly it is?"

Tsukasa Tazaki simply shoved a cherry into her mouth.

One bite, and your mouth is filled with a sweet and refreshing taste.

Kuriyama Sakura leaned closer and took his arm: "Mmm, delicious."

I don't know why...

Her posture always gave Tazaki Tsukasa a premonition that they were about to part ways.

The path continues to extend deeper into the mountains and forests, giving walkers a sense of oppression as they feel about to be swallowed up by the dense forest.

Fortunately, as noon approached, the sun finally remembered its duty after a long absence, the sky began to clear, and a breeze carrying the fragrance of earth after the rain rustled the trees, making the ridgelines of the mountains clearly visible.

As they approached the exit of the mixed grove, a short, middle-aged man on a bicycle rode from the opposite direction. Upon seeing the two of them, he came up to exchange pleasantries, and his first question was about their views on the situation in Eastern Europe.

Tsukasa Tazaki chatted with him for a while.

The topics discussed were nothing more than whether a war would break out, Russia's chances of winning, and whether the West would intervene directly or indirectly, among other things...

As they parted, he gave Tazaki a warm hug: "Your insights are truly unique. I always thought no one else would think this way. It seems we're kindred spirits. What's your name again? Tazaki, right? Great, from now on, you'll be my first secretary!"

Kuriyama Sakura couldn't stop smiling.

She hadn't seen such an interesting scene in a long time, and she even hoped that Tsukasa Tazaki would chat with this person for another hour or so.

After the man left, Tsukasa Tazaki remarked with a sigh, "The people here are quite warm and friendly, and I actually got along surprisingly well with them."

“That guy has a minor malfunction here.” Kuriyama Sakura poked her head with her finger and smiled meaningfully at him: “It’s a mental issue. About twenty years ago, he firmly believed that he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan.”

Tazaki Tsukasa then remembered that the person was wearing a blue hospital gown, and couldn't help but cover his face: "...I didn't say anything."

"Ha ha……"

Kuriyama Sakura laughed heartily, a rare occurrence for her, and shook his arm a few times: "Strictly speaking, even the club president has some mental issues."

"Wait, what do you mean? Are you saying I can only get along with mental patients?"

“Isn’t it?” Kuriyama Sakura stared at him intently with her clear eyes.

Tazaki Tsukasa had no choice but to feed her another cherry, while also giving in: "I'm mentally ill too, that should be alright, right?"

"If the illness is detected and treated in time, it can still be saved." Kuriyama Sakura patted his shoulder earnestly, then couldn't help but laugh.

Soft light, a gentle breeze rustling the shadows of the trees, they smiled at each other in the shade.

Beyond the thicket of mixed trees lay a vast lawn, resembling a sprawling pasture surrounded by a fence. Beneath the fence grew many withered reeds, and at the edge lay a small, mirror-like artificial lake, fed by a crystal-clear stream whose cool, refreshing sound filled the air.

There was a small yellow boat on the lake; it was a simple fishing boat.

Strolling along the lakeside, Sakura Kuriyama looked at the clear lake surface and said with a smile, "In the summer, you can catch delicious ayu in the lake."

Judging from her tone alone, one might think she had an extremely pleasant six years here.

But that's not actually the case at all...

Looking at her beautiful profile, Tsukasa Tazaki sighed inwardly, realizing that as a proud and sensitive person, he could never be as honest and straightforward as the little cutie.

On the other side of the lake stands a small wooden building with a veranda on the front.

The walls were painted white, neat and elegant. Two birdcages and a string of wind chimes hung under the eaves, and a rectangular brick chimney extended from the roof.

Kuriyama Sakura took a deep breath and looked at the small wooden building: "There's a terrace over there by the lake, with tables and chairs. I often sit there gazing at the lake and watching people row boats and fish."

Tsukasa Tazaki also took a breath.

The air here is much cleaner than in Tokyo, as if it were freshly drawn. A gentle breeze rustles the birch leaves, and birds sing elsewhere, their calls clear and ethereal.

“Actually, fishing is also a great way to relieve stress,” Tsukasa Tazaki said earnestly, looking at her face. “Would you like to try it?”

"Hmm, I'll consider it."

Kuriyama Sakura answered just as earnestly.

Stepping on the withered grass, she walked towards the small building first. The dog that was taking a nap on the porch stood up and looked in her direction.

It's an old German Shepherd.

After hesitating for a long time, as if recalling something, the German Shepherd came running over, wagging its tail, sniffing around Kuriyama Sakura's feet a few times, and then barking.

“Jiro is sixteen years old this year,” Kuriyama Sakura said, stroking the dog’s head as she introduced it to Tazaki Tsukasa. “He’s very smart. When I used to come here, he would always fetch my slippers for me.”

"Sixteen years old?" Tsukasa Tazaki looked at the German Shepherd in surprise.

The German Shepherd looked at him and then rubbed against his legs.