My love index is at its maximum.

Tsukasa Tazaki got up and went to the balcony. The curtains were half open. The sunrise was late, so it was still dark outside. Fine raindrops kept falling on the dark glass.

"It'll probably rain all day." Tsukasa Tazaki went back to bed.

Neither of them wanted to get up, so they simply lay there lazily, listening to the whistling wind outside.

"Does this mean we'll just have to stay cooped up in the hotel all day?" Kuriyama Sakura quietly leaned closer.

"It's okay, I feel very happy anyway, so it doesn't matter if I'm sleepy for a few more days."

"With so many women around, of course you're happy."

"Don't use that to mock me!" Tsukasa Tazaki laughed and scolded, hugging her tighter. "Why don't you sleep a little longer? I'll wake you up when it's time for breakfast. You're already awake, so you shouldn't have any more nightmares, right?"

"Who cares!"

Kuriyama Sakura laughed heartily.

She turned to the side, gently placing her palm on Tsukasa Tazaki's cheek, and raised one leg with the supple lines of a swan's neck, then resting it on his thigh.

On a cold, rainy morning, the two felt each other's body temperature, closed their eyes to rest, and soon fell asleep again.

After sleeping for an unknown amount of time, Tsukasa Tazaki woke up and turned over, and Sakura Kuriyama also woke up.

"I'm hungry..." she said, rubbing her eyes.

There was not a trace of unease in his eyes; he was as calm and composed as if he had never slept.

It's good that I didn't have any nightmares...

Tsukasa Tazaki glanced at his watch; it was almost eight o'clock.

They took out their phones and called the other three people, then called the hotel staff to request breakfast. Just at eight o'clock, the two left the room.

In the corridor, three other room doors were also open.

The group of people who were supposed to meet at the restaurant all ended up meeting here at the same time.

Chapter 352 The Unfathomable Kurisu Kawakawa...

Yui Kichikawa, holding a tablet, glanced at Tsukasa Tazaki and Sakura Kuriyama, who had just come out of the room.

Wrapped in a coat and a white scarf, Kurisu Kashiwa, as delicate as a snow lotus, greeted them with her breath.

"Good morning! Xiao Si looks so energetic."

With one hand holding a copy of "Remembrance of Things Past," Tsukasa Tazaki raised the other hand to greet her, "Hello, Auntie."

“I underestimated you,” Kurisu said with admiration, her slender eyes frequently scanning his waist. “You were up for so long last night, yet you still have the energy to come see Kuriyama this morning.”

Tsukasa Tazaki: "..."

"Kuri, don't talk nonsense." Tono Sachiko nudged Kuri's side with her elbow and said to Tazaki Tsukasa, "Let's go, let's go to the restaurant to eat. We're going back to Tokyo at noon."

"Going back so soon?"

"Yeah, I'm busy."

Sachiko Tono smiled faintly, turned around and walked away first.

Judging from her attire, she had put a lot of effort into dressing up before going out.

She was wearing a well-tailored black business suit with a brooch at the neckline. The skirt was short, and she wore black thermal tights with delicate embroidered patterns—very attractive patterns.

The black pointed high heels were exquisitely crafted, smooth and shiny, just as radiant and charming as her face.

"Sachiko, wait for me." Kurisu chased after her.

Sachiko Tono stopped, and after she caught up, the two walked away hand in hand, chatting and laughing.

"You look radiant! Was last night wonderful?"

"...It's alright."

"Tsk tsk, let me touch this smooth, supple skin, waaaah, I'm so envious..."

"...Hey, stop putting on that act!" Sachiko Tono laughed and quickened her pace, two rectangular gold earrings hanging from her round earlobes, flashing like signal lights with her steps.

Tazaki Tsukasa imagined this kind of housekeeper, walking with the air of a successful career woman in a marble-paved office building, the sharp heels of her high heels clicking in the corridor—what a wonderful scene that would be!

Qichuan Wei raised her hand and poked his arm: "The person has gone far away, please turn your attention back!"

Tazaki Tsukasa turned his gaze away and said in a casual tone, "Let's go too. If we don't eat something soon, I won't even have the strength to walk."

Kikawa Yui gave a soft hum in a nasal tone.

The three of them walked out of the guest room area and along the corridor of the courtyard toward the restaurant.

Thick gray clouds drifted slowly overhead, and glimpses of the sky peeked out from between the clouds. The trees in the yard were soaked, and raindrops dripped from the branches, splashing ripples in the puddles on the ground.

Because the place was booked out, the cafeteria was empty, and the whole space was filled with the smell of rain. The staff also looked bored with nothing to do. Tsukasa Tazaki carefully looked through the menu and ordered a bowl of hot rice, miso soup and pickles with a fried egg, plus a serving of fried chicken.

Sachiko Tono and Kurisu Kawakami ate much better, ordering not only tuna sashimi but also a whole Alaskan crab.

Under the table, a cute little white cat was looking at the crab legs and meowed twice.

As Kuriyama Sakura gazed at the white cat, a gentle and elegant smile slowly bloomed on her face.

His eyes were as warm as melting snow.

“Minister,” Tsukasa Tazaki leaned closer, a hint of defiance in her voice, “Actually, I’m no worse than a cat, and I can meow too.”

Kuriyama Sakura turned around and glared at him.

His eyes became quite helpless.

The two gazed at each other from very close range.

The girl's glossy lips parted, exhaling a warm breath like a faint white mist; her eyes were clear and captivating, her legs long and beautiful—the kind you could look at for a lifetime and never get tired of.

"Dong dong~"

Kurisu tapped her fingernails on the table twice while biting a crab leg: "You two should sit down and eat quickly. Don't show off your love so early in the morning."

Tazaki Tsukasa then sat down with his plate.

Just then, Yui Kichikawa also brought over a bread and coffee, and the five of them sat together, eating breakfast and chatting.

"Does Sachiko-nee have official business today?" Tsukasa Tazaki asked, taking a sip of soup.

“Okay, I’ll go check if there are any famous directors making animations for you,” Sachiko Tono said, stretching out her chopsticks and taking a piece of fried chicken from Tsukasa Tazaki’s plate. “I’m not very familiar with this area, so I need to contact them in advance and find out what’s in the market.”

Kuriyama Sakura was playing with the cat and didn't notice the conversation among the others.

Looking at the little white kitten, her beautiful face was completely focused.

"Animation director?" Yui Kikawa turned her head to look at him.

“I plan to give it a try,” Tsukasa Tazaki replied. “At my age, writing novels or drawing comics and then having them filmed seems like a more practical approach.”

"Where's the funding?"

"Your mom gave it to you."

"...?" Yui looked up at her mother.

“Let’s check out the goods for Xiaowei in advance,” Kuriya Kirikawa said, stretching out his chopsticks and taking the largest piece of fried chicken from Tsukasa Tazaki’s plate. He chewed on the fried chicken and said, “If you can’t afford it, dump him when you go to college and find someone better.”

“Where could you find something better…” Yui Kichikawa shrugged.

“That’s not necessarily true,” Kurisu Kawakami shook her head a couple of times. “Relationships between people are the most unpredictable thing. Don’t be fooled by how inseparable you are from Tsukasa right now. You might get tired of her before you even get to college. On the other hand, someone you used to find annoying and boring might suddenly become pleasing to the eye one day.”

"Ahem," Tsukasa Tazaki cleared his throat, "My aunt is really dishonest; how could she advise someone to break up!"

What difference does it make if someone who's juggling multiple relationships breaks up with someone else?

“Sachiko-nee,” Tsukasa Tazaki turned to Sachiko Tono and complained like a child, “your chestnut is scolding me again. Please ask her to tone it down.”

"Be quiet and eat your breakfast properly." Sachiko Tono took a sip of soup, pursed her lips, and then smiled gently. "Kuriko, you too, it's a fact that Tazaki-kun is a scumbag, so don't bring it up all the time. He'll be unhappy if he hears it."

"Waaah, Sachiko actually betrayed us!" Kurisu Kawakami cried out insincerely.

Kuriyama Sakura, who was teasing the cat with a crab leg, suddenly spoke up and interjected, "This person has a thick skin; it's okay to scold him a few more times."

"Okay, okay, it's my fault." Tsukasa Tazaki picked up a piece of fried chicken and fed it to the department head. "Open your mouth. Don't just focus on the cat. You need to eat something too."

"...I'm not a child!"

"You're the youngest here. If you're not a child, then who is?"

“I am, I am,” Kurisu Kawakami leaned closer, “Auntie is still a child, Tazaki-nii-san, please feed me.”

Just as Tsukasa Tazaki was about to turn around, Sakura Kuriyama opened her mouth and ate the fried chicken on his chopsticks in one bite.

Seeing her mother open her mouth expecting to be fed but failing to do so, Yui Kikawa couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Auntie is still a...!" Kurisu Kawa maintained her leaning posture, her eyes fixed on the fried chicken on Tsukasa Tazaki's plate. "Hurry up and feed Auntie, or Auntie will cry for you!"

Tsukasa Tazaki suppressed a laugh: "Go ahead and cry."

Kurisu pouted, her expression turning pitiful: "How could you bear to let your aunt cry?"

"Why can't you bear it?"

"Don't you love your aunt anymore?"

"...When have I ever been in love?"

"What a scumbag! What a complete scumbag! He broke his promise, toyed with my aunt's girlish heart, and deceived her pure feelings!"

Tsukasa Tazaki then asked Yui Kikawa in a serious tone, "Is your mother still innocent?"

"At least not in your eyes," the blonde girl commented incisively.

After he finished speaking, four people at the table couldn't help but laugh.

“They ganged up on the oldest one,” Kurisu buried her face in her rice bowl, shoveling food into her mouth as she muttered, “I’ll remember this grudge. Tazaki Tsukasa, you’ll have to pay for it all by yourself someday…”

After dinner, Kurisu suggested that they take a walk in the mountains near the hot spring inn, enjoy the scenery, and then head back.

It was all wet outside, and Kuriyama Sakura had no interest in going out for a stroll. She simply took her book and went back to her room.

Sachiko Tono didn't want to go either.

Having put on her formal attire, she didn't want to bother taking it off, and she also needed to take advantage of the time to arrange her trip back to Tokyo that evening.

So, only Tsukasa Tazaki accompanied the mother and daughter out.