My love index is at its maximum.

"Alas--"

Ninomiya Shiori pouted in disgust and, without looking, snuggled into Kuriyama Sakura's arms next door.

"Sakura, you need to find a way to teach this scumbag a lesson!"

“I can’t do anything about it.” Kuriyama Sakura shook her head in anguish.

“Here, there’s something.” Sachiko Tono held up the box in her hand. “Before Yui left, she had the servants prepare some torture items that can be used to treat him.”

The moment these words were spoken, the eyes of all the women lit up.

"and many more……"

"What is that...?"

Tazaki Tsukasa suddenly sensed a dangerous aura.

Just as he was about to turn around and run out the door, Hoshino Hanami, as if she had expected it, blocked his way out in advance. Shimamoto Kana then joined in, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind, preventing him from escaping.

Sachiko Tono opened the box.

Yui Kirikawa took out the handcuffs from it.

Kuriyama Sakura took out the eye mask from it.

Shiori Ninomiya took out a plush brush from it... What's it for?

Could it be that he was scratching an itch?

As Tsukasa Tazaki had predicted, he was handcuffed, secured to the sofa with ropes, blindfolded, and subjected to nearly half an hour of foot-tickling punishment.

Of course, there was much more in that box than just those things.

There are also some props that will make people blush and their hearts race, so they can only be used at night when there are fewer people.

After toying with the scumbag, the women went out together, saying they were going down the mountain to buy ingredients for Valentine's Day chocolates. This left Tazaki Tsukasa alone, handcuffed to the sofa, his back against it, legs stretched out, gazing at the vast sky outside the window. Of course, he couldn't move, so all he could see was the azure sky.

How many days did you stay at the sanatorium?

I don't remember very clearly.

The concept of date has become blurred in our lives. The day after yesterday is today, and the day after today is tomorrow. The sun rises and sets, the moon rises and sets, and every day seems stable and monotonous.

He turned his gaze to the calendar on the wall.

February is almost halfway through, and there's less than a month left before the end of the first year of high school.

It's time to go back to school, Tsukasa Tazaki thought.

For the past month or so, he had been living a very relaxed life. He enjoyed spending time with Kuriyama Sakura, bickering and enjoying each other's company. Every day was a pleasant experience, and his heart was filled with tenderness. These days were not only fulfilling for him, but also an unforgettable and long-awaited period of bliss for Kuriyama Sakura.

At this moment, Kuriyama Sakura needed it, and he needed it too.

The two of them can think of almost nothing.

Just sunbathing, walking the dog, drinking beer late at night, strolling under the moonlight in the sanatorium while listening to Rolling Stones songs, and borrowing musical instruments from the church to play.

Tazaki Tsukasa knew perfectly well that things couldn't go on like this forever, but he couldn't bear to get up and leave immediately. He thought it was good, and Kuriyama Sakura was happy too. As long as he saw her beaming face every day, Tazaki Tsukasa was even less likely to say something like, "Hey, hurry up and go back to Tokyo."

But ultimately, this cannot be the whole story.

He had many important things to do, for her and for them.

Tsukasa Tazaki believed that the Minister should be ready as well.

Although she said nothing, her subtle facial expressions truthfully revealed to him that something was stirring within her, and that light and warmth emanated freely from her eyes—a radiant and dazzling brilliance.

Lost in thought about random things, I watched as darkness fell and a chill began to creep in.

Several women returned carrying large and small bags, their faces beaming with anticipation for Valentine's Day. Tsukasa Tazaki roused himself and prepared a sumptuous dinner. It was the first time that seven people had gathered around the table to eat together, and the atmosphere was more lively than ever before.

After the meal, we took turns showering.

When only Hoshino Hanami, Tazaki Tsukasa, and Kuriyama Sakura remained in the living room, the girl suddenly rested her chin on her knees, pressed her fingertips against her temples without moving, and gently closed her eyes as if she had fallen asleep, with only her eyelashes trembling slightly from time to time and her lips quivering slightly.

She remained in that position for a long time without moving an inch.

Hoshino Hanami reached out and gently touched her wrist.

"Sister, have I caused you any trouble?" she asked. "If it weren't for me, you could have used this place."

“It’s alright, don’t blame yourself,” Hoshino Hanami said, ruffling her hair. “The only person to blame is Tazaki Tsukasa. If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t have come all the way from Tokyo to get together here.”

A tear rolled down the girl's cheek and onto her knee, but then stopped; she didn't cry out loud.

"What should I do?" she asked.

Hoshino Hanami glanced at Tazaki Tsukasa.

"Well, we can only try the charlatan's stuff," Tazaki Tsukasa replied. "Let's be frank about things that can't be put into words. The body is no secret, and we'll figure out what we can't solve by trial and error. Am I being too profound?"

“A little.” Kuriyama Sakura smiled slightly.

“It is indeed profound,” Tsukasa Tazaki admitted with a smile. “People can die at any time, so while we can still have contact with them, we should not leave any regrets for the future, don’t you think?”

Kuriyama Sakura leaned back on the sofa, gazing at his face for a long time.

“I think this seems very difficult to do,” she said.

“It’s very difficult,” Tsukasa Tazaki replied, “but it’s worth the effort. Even a rotten old man like Biden became president; I think the minister has a much better chance of success.”

This time, Kuriyama Sakura smiled faintly, nodded, and said, "I think I understand what you mean."

"Good comprehension." Tsukasa Tazaki snapped his fingers.

"Just consider this a psychological buff." Hoshino Hana untied the knot on her wrist, tying one end to Tazaki Tsukasa's wrist and the other end to Kuriyama Sakura's wrist.

After completing this step, she gently patted Kuriyama Sakura's head.

"This is my sister's blessing. You can definitely do it, Sakura."

As the older sister's face blossomed with an affectionate smile, the scent of the evening breeze changed, the hue of the lamplight shifted, and even Kuriyama Sakura's breathing began to carry a strange charm.

Chapter 374 Minister, It's Dawn

Moonlight scattered across the tender leaves of the beech tree, creating a serene atmosphere in the sanatorium.

In the small room, Tsukasa Tazaki was grinding coffee beans with a crunching sound, while Sakura Kuriyama was boiling water to scald the cups. Soon after, the two sat in a row on the floor in front of the window, drinking hot coffee.

The minister's stockings and underwear were neatly stacked on the wicker chair by the window, and a finely made white dress was draped over the back of the chair. The sound of old jazz music came from the record player.

“A huge crow just flew by,” Kuriyama Sakura suddenly said. “It stared at us from outside the window for a while.”

“That crow comes every evening, just ignore it.” Tsukasa Tazaki put his coffee cup on the ground and smiled. “Just treat it as a courtesy visit.”

"Uh, how about we invite the crow in as a guest?" Sakura Kuriyama said playfully.

"No, no, no," Tsukasa Tazaki quickly shook his head, "No one is allowed to disturb me and the Minister tonight."

Kuriyama Sakura stared at her toes and remained silent for a moment.

Tazaki Tsukasa didn't want to say anything for a moment, and just kept drinking his coffee.

His gaze kept drifting towards the minister.

She was wearing a men's shirt, with nothing underneath but her underwear. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, exposing her ears and the back of her neck. In that position grew a pair of soft, small, pink ears.

Those ears were created purely for aesthetic purposes.

At least that's what Tsukasa Tazaki thinks.

He quietly moved a little over.

The girl's slender and graceful neck resembled a newly sprouted vegetable, and her pure and flawless skin shone with the radiant glow of life.

The scene was miraculously intimate and beautiful.

Her appearance, almost surpassing that of any woman completely naked, deeply shocked his soul.

Why would someone with such a beautiful body have a sick mind?

Tsukasa Tazaki remained silent for a long time.

He simply reached out and quietly took her hand in his.

“Oh, right, while I was soaking in the bathtub just now, something suddenly came to mind,” Kuriyama Sakura said, turning to look at Tazaki Tsukasa with a serious expression, “Could you tell me again about the mermaid you met in the Pacific Ocean or something?”

"When did I say that?" Tsukasa Tazaki asked, puzzled.

"Yes, you must have said that."

"You must be mistaken."

“Absolutely not, I remember it very clearly.” Kuriyama Sakura stared stubbornly at his face with her clear eyes. “Later you swam away, leaving me alone in the sea, and you still say you didn’t?”

“Hmm, I remember.” Tsukasa Tazaki reached out and touched her little ear. “The ship I was on sank in the Pacific Ocean, so I grabbed a lifebuoy and drifted alone on the night sea, watching the stars. In the quiet, beautiful night, I suddenly saw a mermaid drifting towards me from the opposite side.”

“Yes, that’s it.” Kuriyama Sakura nodded vigorously. “I even asked you if the mermaid was pretty back then.”

Tsukasa Tazaki chuckled: "If she wasn't pretty, could she be called a mermaid?"

“That’s true.” Kuriyama Sakura rarely showed such a goofy expression.

"Just listen quietly and don't interrupt." Tsukasa Tazaki flicked her smooth forehead. "For the next while, the mermaid and I squeezed into the same lifebuoy, drifting with the current and chatting away."

Kuriyama Sakura squinted intently, like a fisherman listening to a ghostly song on the beach.

"We talk about where we come from, where we're going in the future, our hobbies, TV shows, our dreams from yesterday, and so on. Every night we drink beer and count stars together, and occasionally we count how many fish are in a school of fish."

"Wait, where's the beer?"

"Canned beer drifted in from the ship, along with canned sardines."

"Ah."

"While we were drinking, the mermaid asked me what to do next. I said there was an island ahead and I should swim to it. But the mermaid thought there was no island and it was better to stay where we were." At this point, Tsukasa Tazaki paused to take a sip of coffee and continued, "I swam alone for two days and two nights and finally climbed onto a large island. I was rescued by Hanami Hoshino, who was flying by in a plane. When I went back to look for the mermaid, the sea was already empty."

"Yes, that's it."

Kuriyama Sakura bent her legs and rested her chin on her knees, as if trying to completely separate the outside world from her own.

From Tazaki Tsukasa's perspective, she looked like a child, no more than ten years old. A clear rumble of thunder came from outside the window, an untimely winter thunder. Looking out, the moon seemed even bigger and brighter than before.

"Hey, what happened after that?" Kuriyama Sakura asked. "What happened after you couldn't find me?"

"Who knows?" Tsukasa Tazaki replied with a smile. "Maybe many years from now, we'll meet at a bar on a street corner and have a beer together."