My love index is at its maximum.

After listening for a while, Tsukasa Tazaki sat up, bent down and gave her a brief kiss on the lips, then looked up and gazed down at her sleeping face once more.

Her long, black hair cascaded down her beautiful face, reminiscent of a Raphaelite painting. Her eyelids were slightly open, not fully closed, making one wonder if she was already awake.

Tsukasa Tazaki did not verify whether she was awake or asleep.

Perhaps it's the way her eyelids are slightly open that sets a harmonious tone for her face, without compromising its inherent beauty. Or perhaps it's just that a face like hers possesses an extraordinary beauty from every angle.

During their time at the sanatorium, the two planted vegetables together, fed small animals, and went to church to listen to the piano, spending many wonderful evenings together. Thanks to the opportunity to spend time together day and night, Tsukasa Tazaki was able to appreciate her warm and lovely appearance every day.

As always, whether she was studying or having fun during the day, she exuded an air of superiority and natural ease.

At night, she would bend down slightly, making herself less unapproachable, like a slender, pale sapling standing gracefully in the hazy moonlight—still noble and aloof, yet approachable and worthy of protection.

Just like it is now.

She fell asleep.

In a state of unconsciousness.

She wouldn't occasionally smirk and utter sarcastic remarks like she did during their daytime conversations. Nor would she turn around and berate herself for being foolish when others said something stupid. She recalled everything she had radiated during the day back into her hidden, closed, and concentrated body.

When Tsukasa Tazaki looks at or hugs her while she is asleep, he feels that he completely possesses her.

Yes.

At this moment, the minister had already entrusted her life to him and was breathing lightly into him.

This mysterious and gentle voice is like a warm breeze at sea, as ethereal as the soft glow of moonlight.

As long as this drowsiness persists, Tsukasa Tazaki can gaze at her, caress her, and kiss her to his heart's content. This feeling will never tire him; it's like a beautiful, fertile land, like a moonlit night, and he hopes to enjoy it endlessly.

In the soft light, Tsukasa Tazaki smiled slightly.

I lay down next to her again, pressed my cheek against her lips, and held her as close as possible, sharing our body heat.

When being embraced, Sleeping Beauty's body will suddenly twitch slightly, like leaves rustling in the wind.

With mixed feelings of wanting to wake her up and wanting to quietly admire her sleeping face, Tsukasa Tazaki reached out and gently brushed the fine hairs on her forehead, his movements fluid and tender.

Sakura Kuriyama's eyelids twitched.

Tazaki Tsukasa thought to herself that she was about to wake up.

But he didn't actually wake up.

This was a time when a person is usually very sleepy. She only twitched her eyelids, crossed one arm over her chest, and then fell silent again.

Her soft little lips were slightly pouting, as if protesting against the bad guy who disturbed her sleep.

Looking at his adorable appearance, Tsukasa Tazaki almost burst out laughing. This kind of serious yet innocent demeanor was very rare on the department head; even he hadn't seen it many times.

A sweet sense of satisfaction welled up inside him, and he wrapped his arms tightly around Kuriyama Sakura's body.

Perhaps feeling unwell, the minister's breathing gradually became heavier, his chest rising and falling rhythmically, and his slender arms, which were protecting his chest, moved in the same rhythm, like a small boat and its ropes swaying under the crashing waves.

The nightmares that haunted her were like treacherous reefs beneath the sea, threatening to cause an accident at any moment.

"Get up quickly..." Tsukasa Tazaki's breathing became increasingly rapid.

At times like this, the minister is an ignorant and helpless being, easily manipulated; even hugging and kissing her cannot wake her.

Tsukasa Tazaki pressed his cheek against the tip of her nose.

With a detached and tranquil love, I felt her breath with great interest, like lingering by the sea listening to the surging waves.

Sensing something disturbing her, Kuriyama Sakura frowned slightly, her eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings; she was about to wake up.

From those slightly parted lips, I could feel her warm breath. This interaction was so pure and interesting, as sweet as feeling the life rhythm of Ms. Kuriyama herself.

"What is that..."

A lazy nasal sound rang out, and Kuriyama Sakura slowly opened her eyes.

What came into view was Tsukasa Tazaki's face, which filled her entire field of vision. For a moment, she didn't understand "what happened." She moved her head slightly and looked around at the furnishings. When she saw the table lamp that was softly illuminating her sleepy eyes, she realized that she was in a guest room at a hot spring inn.

but……

When did this bastard crawl into my bed?

Her small, delicate face immediately tensed up, and Kuriyama Sakura crossed her arms and looked at him warily: "When did you come in?"

“Just now,” Tsukasa Tazaki replied with a smile.

"Breaking into someone else's room without permission, Tazaki-san, do you want to go to jail?"

"We're already so familiar with each other, so don't try to scare people."

Looking at his helpless little face, Kuriyama Sakura immediately took out her phone and dialed 110.

"Hey, wait..." Tazaki Tsukasa grabbed her slender wrist with his agile movements. "Please, Captain, give me a break since I'm your only male member, okay?"

“It is possible, but Tazaki-san,” Kuriyama Sakura said calmly, “you must give a proper reason for why you crawled in, otherwise you will bear the consequences.”

A suitable reason?

What other suitable reason could there be? It's just that I'm lusting after your body when you're sleeping, isn't it?

The two glared at each other.

“Tazaki-san,” Kuriyama Sakura raised an eyebrow, mocking with a smile, “aren’t you usually so good at explaining things to people? Why are you speechless now?”

Tsukasa Tazaki's eyes darted around.

It's not like she hasn't snuggled into the minister's bed before, so why is her reaction so strong today...?

Could it be that I didn't stay with her last night, so she got angry?

Ok.

possible.

So how do we coax them?

“My patience is limited.” Kuriyama Sakura’s face turned cold.

"Wait, let me explain!"

Looking around, the cover of "In Search of Lost Time" came into view. Tazaki Tsukasa remembered the female character Albertine in the book and knew what to say.

"Watching the Minister's sweet sleeping face is a great pleasure, and it is full of warm and sweet feelings."

Kuriyama Sakura nodded: "Go on."

“Looking at the Minister under the lamplight is a completely different feeling from during the day. More importantly, there’s the joy of seeing you wake up; it’s a deeper, warmer, and sweeter feeling.”

"How to say?"

"This makes me realize that I live under the same roof as the minister."

Kuriyama Sakura shrugged: "Silly~"

"You passed the test?"

"Barely."

"Hmm." Tazaki Tsukasa smiled slowly at her.

That smile...

This reminded Kuriyama Sakura of Fitzgerald's Gatsby.

"You'd better not smile at me like that..." She slowly rubbed her temples, her sleepy, dazed eyes revealing a hint of weariness.

"why?"

"There aren't that many whys..."

"Is it because you're too charming that you, Minister, can't resist?" Tsukasa Tazaki held her waist tightly, nuzzling his head against her forehead. "Why don't you ask me for help?"

"...Please?"

"Yes, just say that I'm too charming and that you're bewitched by my good looks, and beg me to let you go. If you beg, I promise I won't laugh like that again!"

Kuriyama Sakura paused for a moment, then muttered, 'What a disgusting man…'

The sleepiness in his eyes disappeared, and his eyes became clear and transparent again.

Then, the girl tilted her head back, and the corners of her lips slowly turned up, revealing a beautiful smile that surpassed all others. This smile contained warmth, joy, and purity; it came unexpectedly like a volcanic rain mixed with sulfur and lava.

That smile...

It's a bit scary.

Tsukasa Tazaki didn't know whether to categorize him into the sixth gear or to create a separate seventh gear.

"Tazaki-san?"

"Ok?"

"Stunned?"

"……kind of."

Kuriyama Sakura put away her captivating smile, replacing it with her usual arrogant curve: "Looking at your dazed expression, I win."

"I haven't given up yet!"

After uttering those words with a slight pout, Tsukasa Tazaki suddenly leaned down and kissed her lips.

"Well……"

Separate with a light touch.

Kuriyama Sakura gritted her little fangs and glared at him fiercely.

Those clear eyes now held a more complex range of emotions, sometimes gentle, sometimes expressive, and in the blink of an eye filled with anger at being slighted.

The increasingly complex emotional changes pleased Tsukasa Tazaki.

The vivid image he wanted to help her find seemed to be nearing completion—a truly existing image, not the lonely Kuriyama Sakura dancing in an unknown world.

The sound of waiters' footsteps could be heard outside.

Kuriyama Sakura snapped out of her daze and asked, "What time is it?"

Tsukasa Tazaki glanced at his watch and told her it wasn't even six o'clock yet.

"Is it still raining outside?"