My love index is at its maximum.

I don't feel sad.

"perhaps."

"At least in reality you won't abandon me and swim to an island alone, right?"

"Inevitable."

"I feel much better now." Kuriyama Sakura chuckled, leaning closer to Tazaki Tsukasa's chest, poking his chest with her fingertip as she said, "I like being with you. Sometimes when I can't find you, I wish I could drop everything and go find you."

"Mmm." Tsukasa Tazaki hugged her.

“Sometimes,” Kuriyama Sakura emphasized, pausing for 30 seconds. She continued, “I really enjoy being with you, but it doesn’t mean we have to be together forever. Why is that?”

“That’s what Xiaowei said too.” Tazaki Tsukasa thought for a moment. “Perhaps, you two are always proud at heart and unwilling to give in like this. I can understand that.”

"Do you really understand?" Kuriyama Sakura sat up, staring intently at his face.

"I understand now," Tsukasa Tazaki replied honestly.

Kuriyama Sakura then lay down again, her small, delicate breasts gently pressed against his ribs.

“It’s time to go see Cat City.” Tsukasa Tazaki gently stroked her back.

“Cat City…” Kuriyama Sakura murmured softly.

“The data is insufficient,” Tsukasa Tazaki said. “I know nothing about Cat City yet, so I’m a little apprehensive.”

“I don’t really understand myself,” Kuriyama Sakura smiled weakly. “I’m not lying to you. I don’t know if what I’m saying is true or false, not only in a philosophical sense but also in a practical sense.”

After saying this, she shook her head, walked to the window as if she needed some fresh air, and pulled back the curtain.

Outside the window, one can see the sanatorium with its sparse lights, and above the roofs of various shapes, a crescent moon like a skeleton floats, still wearing Tsukasa Tazaki's white shirt.

“Tsukasa Tazaki,” she shouted, pointing at the moon, “go back to your original world—”

Boom—

A loud clap of thunder sounded in the sky, and the glass windows trembled slightly.

"Aren't you cold?" Tsukasa Tazaki asked.

It was mid-August.

The girl stood by the window, exhaling white breath.

After his reminder, Kuriyama Sakura seemed to realize the chill, so she quickly crawled into bed.

Tazaki Tsuya sat on the edge of the quilt and gently stroked her head.

The pajamas felt icy cold.

Kuriyama Sakura rubbed her nose against his palm; her nose was quite cool.

"I like you," she suddenly said.

“Me too,” Tsukasa Tazaki replied. “I love the warmth of the department head’s body, I love quietly stroking her hair, I love her soft breathing when she’s asleep, I love waking her up in the morning, I love her disdain when she’s scolding people, and I love seeing her wearing my oversized men’s shirt.”

As he spoke, Kuriyama Sakura widened her eyes and stared straight at him.

It was as if a kitten had its pupils fully open, staring intently at an object in the darkness.

“You must remember to go to Cat City,” she said, emphasizing her point.

How do I get there?

"After I fall asleep, we'll take the tram."

"Train?" Tsukasa Tazaki asked, amused.

Kuriyama Sakura pulled the blanket up to cover her chin, then nodded repeatedly.

Her eyes were smiling, but because her chin was covered, it was impossible to tell whether she was actually laughing.

"You'll take the tram there and back?"

"Yes."

"I understand."

"Then you can exorcise evil spirits," Kuriyama Sakura asked again.

"Exorcism?" Tsukasa Tazaki paused for a moment, then shook his head: "No, I haven't learned anything about that."

"You can't do this without knowing how to exorcise evil spirits." Kuriyama Sakura said with a serious expression.

Tsukasa Tazaki touched her forehead: "For example, exorcising some kind of evil spirit?"

Kuriyama Sakura did not answer.

After a moment of silence, she gently shook her head: "You'll know when you get there. You're so smart, you definitely won't fail, right?"

"Yes!" Tsukasa Tazaki nodded vigorously.

Boom—

Another deafening clap of thunder sounded outside, as if it would blast the sky in two.

"Change into your pajamas, turn off the lights, and come in to sleep with me," Kuriyama Sakura curled up in the blankets. "Hold me tight so you won't get lost."

"Ok."

Tsukasa Tazaki got up and turned off the bedroom light.

He took off his clothes in the dark and changed into his pajamas, sniffing his own body as he changed. He hadn't showered tonight, but thankfully he didn't smell of sweat or body odor, which was a relief.

She turned around, crawled into bed, and reached out to hug the Minister.

The girl rested her head on his arm, her body motionless, like a hibernating animal, her warm and soft body exposed as if she were defenseless.

The moon peeked out from the wide-open window, watching the movements on the bed.

The two lay in the same bed, and time passed very comfortably.

Kuriyama Sakura tried her best not to show her nervousness, but Tazaki Tsukasa could still feel it. When he touched her spine segment by segment through her soft skin, he could clearly feel the girl's body trembling.

It started raining outside the window.

The air became sticky, raindrops swept across, tapping against the windows with a "tap-tap" sound, and the world seemed to be racing towards its end.

Kuriyama Sakura was being held, but she didn't move or say a word.

Tsukasa Tazaki didn't want to talk.

Holding a beautiful young girl in your arms is an absolute bliss. Every now and then, her nose would brush against your cheek, her warm breath would caress your neck, and you could feel her small, delicate breasts.

Her skin also exuded a wonderful fragrance, the special life-giving scent of a flower in bloom.

In the darkness, Kuriyama Sakura tied their wrists together with a knotted rope and whispered, "We must fall asleep in order to reach Cat City."

Tsukasa Tazaki stared at the ceiling: "I'll fall asleep as soon as possible."

Suddenly, Kuriyama Sakura took off her shirt and rolled over onto him.

It's very soft.

Like the tender shoots of a vine chasing the sunlight, they are quietly exploring the mature form that will inevitably come.

The atmosphere was extremely ambiguous.

The central theme is vague and ambiguous.

However, the meanings they were trying to express were similar.

“It’s definitely possible,” Kuriyama Sakura said, slowly moving downwards.

The meaning of this action is quite obvious.

Tsukasa Tazaki noticed that there was a light in her eyes, a light with a color he had never seen before.

To ease the tension, he laughed and said, "Shiori will scold you for doing that."

"I can't worry about that now," Kuriyama Sakura replied with a smile.

By the time Tsukasa Tazaki read the meaning of "resoluteness" in that smile, he had already been completely accepted.

Everything was natural and ordinary, just part of daily life, or perhaps it was simply the completion of something that should have been done a long time ago.

As night fell, Kuriyama Sakura's expression remained unchanged, though her breathing was slightly erratic, and her half-open lips moved slightly, as if trying to form some kind of words.

Finally, she uttered the syllable "Tsukasa".

This was the first time she had ever called Tazaki Tsukasa that.

"Lord Si".

The second time it was said, honorifics were added.

The third time, it was another single "Tsukasa," like practicing the pronunciation of a foreign language word. After repeating this several times, the department head slowly leaned down, bringing his face close to Tsukasa's, and pressed his lips to his lips.

The soft rainy night was filled with a refreshing fragrance.

During the kiss, Kuriyama Sakura reached out her right hand and grasped Tazaki Tsukasa's left hand.

She held his hand tightly, her tiny fingernails even digging into his palm. Their wrists were tied together with a three-colored knotted rope.

"The rest is up to you," she said, slightly out of breath.

"Understood," Tsukasa Tazaki replied.

Kuriyama Sakura took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

Breathe quietly, listen to your own breath, and feel the bright red blood flowing through your veins to your whole body. This changes the rhythm of your breathing and makes your heart beat stronger.

Under Tsukasa Tazaki's guidance, the two were like two snakes just awakened from hibernation, entwining themselves on the spring grassland.

Outside the window, the rain is still falling.

White mercury lamps illuminated the wet pavement.

Dark woods, small hills, and scattered lights of houses flickering out before disappearing.

……

When he woke up, Tsukasa Tazaki found himself lying in a deep thicket of bushes.

It was pitch black all around, and I couldn't see anything. I raised my hand and brought my watch close to my eyes, staring intently at it. It was a little after 5 a.m.

The night air was filled with the scents of plants and damp earth. The night sky, visible through the branches, was surprisingly bright. The clouds that covered the sky reflected the light off the ground like a movie screen. The constant screech of car tires nearby suggested that this was a corner of the city.