My love index is at its maximum.

“That ring is a bit special; it has a calming effect, making it more suitable for Sakura…” Tazaki Tsukasa lowered his voice and explained to Hoshino Hanami, “That’s precisely why I didn’t give it to my sister right away…”

"You've passed, just don't let me catch you again."

Hoshino Hanami raised an eyebrow at him threateningly before reluctantly letting go of his hand.

"Thank you for sparing my life, Your Majesty!" Tazaki Tsukasa smiled at her, then sat up straight, his gaze returning to Lady Kuriyama, where he smiled politely and silently.

Mrs. Kuriyama stared blankly at the beer glass for a long time before suddenly realizing something, picking up the juice on the table and taking a sip. Then she scratched the side of her nose, staring blankly at Tsukasa Tazaki, pondering for a long time.

“Sakura’s current situation is not very optimistic,” she said. “If we let her continue to stay with you, she may deteriorate back to the state she was in when she was six years old.”

“Dr. Kobayashi’s suggestion is,” Hoshino Hanami said, squeezing Tsukasa Tazaki’s hand tightly, “that we, especially you, leave and let her stay for a while as before.”

"And after you've lived here for a while?" Tsukasa Tazaki asked rhetorically.

Mrs. Kuriyama rubbed her temples, her tired gaze fixed on him. After a while, she withdrew her hands, pounded her shoulders hard, and said with a weary expression, "Returning to a normal life shouldn't be a problem, just like when you first met her."

“That’s not a normal life!” Tsukasa Tazaki shook his head.

"This is already the best-case scenario..." Mrs. Kuriyama sighed helplessly, her eyes revealing a sense of disappointment at her unfulfilled expectations.

Hoshino Hanami leaned close to Tazaki Tsukasa's ear and whispered, "That reason isn't enough to convince her."

"I know."

Tsukasa Tazaki muttered something.

"I am very grateful to you for staying by Sakura's side for the past six months." Mrs. Kuriyama pressed her temples as if she was enduring a headache, and said intermittently, "I like Sakura as a child, and I want to see her grow up healthy and make friends. I want to be able to be both a mother and daughter and good friends with her, but unfortunately that is too difficult. I don't have that ability."

After saying that, she stared intently at Tsukasa Tazaki's face.

Tsukasa Tazaki couldn't think of anything to say, but he couldn't remain silent.

“This isn’t Auntie’s problem,” he reassured her.

“This isn’t anyone’s fault,” Mrs. Kuriyama said in an extremely flat voice. “She’s still a child. Someone should protect her, no matter how difficult the situation is. It’s a responsibility as family, understand?”

Tsukasa Tazaki sighed, "I understand."

"You're a very interesting person, I can tell." Mrs. Kuriyama stretched her neck slightly, her tone becoming a little more relaxed. "Although it didn't work out, at least you let her experience some fun, and she did have a romance, which is a pleasant memory. For her mental well-being, please, please stay away from her in the future..."

“This is not a solution,” Tsukasa Tazaki said with a wry smile.

“Of course I know…” Mrs. Kuriyama frowned. “If possible, I would like you to stay by her side forever, but you…”

At this point, she glanced at Hoshino Hanami and said nothing more.

Hoshino Hanami bit her lower lip slightly, remaining silent, and then pinched Tazaki Tsukasa's thigh hard.

Why did you pinch me?

What exactly are your plans?

"I don't have any plans. I'll just try to persuade Aunt Kuriyama with my words..."

Hoshino Hanami stared wide-eyed at Tazaki Tsukasa: "What an irresponsible man!"

Looking into those fierce eyes, Tsukasa Tazaki rubbed his cheeks and gave a handsome smile: "Don't worry, don't worry, I can definitely do it."

Hoshino Hanami nudged him with her elbow with a cold expression.

In less than two seconds, her icy beauty melted away, and a faint smile appeared in her beautiful, slender eyes.

"I believe you, I believe you." She took Tsukasa Tazaki's arm and said sweetly, "Tsukasa-nii-san is the most amazing person in the world!"

Tsukasa Tazaki ruffled her hair and said like she was scolding a child, "Okay, okay, be quiet for me, alright?"

"Humph!"

Hoshino Hanami wrinkled her nose and became obedient.

Mrs. Kuriyama, who had been watching the two of them, did not change her expression. Only after Hoshino Hanami quieted down did she reveal a gentle smile: "See? You two are so close, I can't very well say anything to make you leave Miss Hoshino, can I?"

As expected, Hoshino Hanami smiled with narrowed eyes.

If the other party dared to say such a thing, she would turn on them immediately, even if it was Minister Kuriyama herself.

“Although I can’t be a monogamous person…” Tsukasa Tazaki said thoughtfully, “but since I’m the only guy who can win Sakura’s heart, why doesn’t Auntie let her give it a try with me?”

Mrs. Kuriyama's smile faded, and she gently tapped her cheek with her fingers: "It's not that I don't want to, but Sakura's spirit won't allow it."

"Sakura herself wanted to try it too."

"That won't work either..."

"I can guarantee her physical health and that she will not be affected by mental factors."

"Eh?"

Mrs. Kuriyama was surprised and asked him, "How is that possible? A person's mental state will definitely affect their physical health..."

“I have medicine that can regulate the body,” Tsukasa Tazaki replied simply.

Mrs. Kuriyama shook her head: "That doesn't convince me."

“I can testify that he really did,” Hoshino Hanami replied, then picked up the glass on the table and squeezed it.

With a crisp "bang".

"...?"

Mrs. Kuriyama stared in disbelief at the shattered glass, speechless for a long time.

“From my perspective, I definitely don’t want to create another rival for my love.” Hoshino Hanami released her hand and placed it in front of Tazaki Tsukasa, but her eyes were on Mrs. Kuriyama. “The reason I did this is because I am also very worried about Sakura, and at the same time, to prove that the medicine Tazaki mentioned exists. I took it, and that’s why I have this power.”

Tazaki Tsukasa grabbed her hand, which had two small, shallow cuts from glass. He scolded her with concern, "Are you an idiot? If you wanted to prove something, why didn't you find something else? Why did you squeeze the glass?"

Hoshino Hanami blinked innocently: "A glass is the most convenient thing to use here..."

"Your brain is really..."

Tazaki Tsukasa glared at her irritably and got up to rummage through the drawers.

Fortunately, this was a sanatorium, and each building was equipped with a first-aid kit. He found bandages and disinfectant, carefully disinfected her wound, and wrapped it with bandages.

Everything was done very efficiently.

Hoshino Hanami looked at him with a beaming smile: "How come Tazaki-nii does everything so well?"

“I’m a genius,” Tsukasa Tazaki replied.

Hoshino Hanami laughed twice, then fell silent.

Her mission is complete; now it's up to her boyfriend to say something.

After watching Tsukasa Tazaki finish his work, Mrs. Kuriyama spoke, "Geniuses are extremely rare. To witness one before our eyes is a stroke of luck. I believe what you just said, however..."

After a brief silence, she shook her head. "Even if there's nothing wrong with your body, the mental torment is still a painful experience. The feeling of your brain being pricked by needles is unbearable."

“That feeling was definitely unpleasant, I know it better than anyone.” Tazaki Tsukasa’s eyes were unfocused for a moment, but quickly returned to clarity. “In the ten years from when I was five to fifteen, I suffered a lot of mental torment.”

Mrs. Kuriyama was taken aback.

Then, she remembered Tsukasa Tazaki's background, and her expression gradually softened.

Hoshino Hanami gripped his hand tightly, holding it firmly.

“Although our situations are different from Sakura’s, the torment we’ve endured is the same.” Although sweat was beading on Tazaki’s forehead, his tone became increasingly calm. “I’m afraid to communicate with the outside world because of my inferiority complex and cowardice; Sakura is too proud and sensitive and doesn’t want to lower herself. Our world has no sun, it’s always night, but it’s not dark because there’s a ray of light that replaces the sun. With this light, we can treat the night as day and live on bravely and with difficulty.”

Mrs. Kuriyama sniffed.

"But the light that replaces the sun is not universal or certain; it cannot appear in our world for half the day as consistently as the sun. Suddenly one day, it disappears without warning, leaving only eternal darkness."

Tsukasa Tazaki sighed and said, "Our world has come to an end."

Before the two could reply, he continued, "Whether Auntie can understand or not, that ray of light is the only belief that can keep us going. It's the existence that allows us to embrace each other unconditionally in the dark and lonely night. This is something that a few casual friends can't make up for. It represents a whole world that can completely embrace you."

Mrs. Kuriyama first shook her head in confusion, but then immediately nodded.

I understand, but not completely.

"Please forgive me, it may be hard for people to understand what I'm saying," Tsukasa Tazaki said. "But as someone who has overdosed on sleeping pills, I can say with certainty that one must never lose hope of living. I'm not an unrelated person; I'm speaking from the perspective of someone Sakura likes, from the perspective of her family. That should be clear from the beginning."

Mrs. Kuriyama rested her cheek on her hand and gave a wry smile, somewhat annoyed.

"So handsome..." Hoshino Hanami whispered a compliment in his ear.

“I have a responsibility as a lover to prevent such a thing from happening.” Tsukasa Tazaki approached Mrs. Kuriyama and slowly bowed. “Please, Auntie, let us try.”

Mrs. Kuriyama watched him silently for a while.

She reached for the juice glass, intending to take a sip, but when she brought it to her lips, she realized it was empty. Holding the empty glass, she looked at Tsukasa Tazaki with a blank, refocused gaze—a look that suggested resignation to reality.

“Go cook,” she said. “Can I stay here for the night and leave tomorrow?”

"Welcome!"

Tsukasa Tazaki took a deep breath, straightened up, and smiled brightly.

Instantly.

I felt completely relaxed.

Chapter 338 Before leaving, I transform into a little flower.

I woke up the next day at almost eight in the morning, and it was already bright outside the window.

Birdsong could be heard through the thin curtains. Hoshino Hanami was not nearby, but the white pillow still had a slight indentation, along with strands of her black hair stuck to it.

Tsukasa Tazaki got out of bed with a yawn.

My sister's clothes were neatly folded on the bedside table.

He washed it, and he folded it last night. This morning, my sister will take the luggage he packed and return to Tokyo.

"Ah, whoosh—"

Stretching as if adjusting his schedule, Tsukasa Tazaki turned his head to look at the door.

"Get up," Hoshino Hanami waved to him, half of her body still outside the door. "Come down for breakfast, and then take your sister back to Tokyo."

My sister is still radiant today, with long, straight hair and glowing skin. She's wearing a thin sweater that accentuates her bust and a knee-length skirt.

Tazaki Tsukasa walked over, took her hand like an adult would hold a little girl's hand, and gently pressed his face against hers: "I don't want my sister to leave."

“My sister comes every weekend,” Hoshino Hanami smiled gently, then slowly stroked his hair with her palm. “By the way, does Tazaki-nii like teachers who wear white stockings?”