My love index is at its maximum.

It was a sunny Monday morning as May drew to a close.

A gentle breeze blows, causing the wisteria petals to sway lightly, releasing a fragrance that brings happiness to the heart.

Chapter Ninety-Six: An Unplanned Ball

"Question: What is youth?"

Before Tsukasa Tazaki could speak, Mizuiro Murakami answered his own question, saying, "Youth is a lie, a sin!"

"I've heard that before, so just fast forward to all the popular people in the show and they all explode."

Sitting on the soccer ball, Tsukasa Tazaki watched the students from Class F and Class D running on the field, his tone flat and monotone, much like a man casually smoking a cigarette after sex to appease his girlfriend.

Murakami Mizuiro lay down beside him, saying, "Can't you just let me recite the whole thing? I'm so frustrated right now, I really want to complain."

What's there to complain about?

"Why are there no pretty girls in our class?" Murakami Mizuiro sat up and looked at Ninomiya Shiori and Kasuga Kanae: "One is well-behaved and cute, quiet and elegant; the other is vibrant and charming. Shouldn't these two types of girls be the standard in every class? Why don't we have any?"

"You'll have to ask the teacher in charge of class assignments."

"So all romantic comedies are fake, and all the popular people should just explode!"

Tsukasa Tazaki turned and glanced at him: "I'm a social butterfly now too."

"Huh?" Murakami Mizuiro's eyes widened in surprise. "When did this happen? And with whom?"

"It's something that happened recently, and the person involved is a secret."

"Is it Ninomiya?"

"No."

"Alright, I'm going now!"

After calming himself down and thinking for a moment, Tsukasa Tazaki said, "Eat shit!"

A soccer ball rolled to their side, and Shiori Ninomiya waved vigorously: "Kiki, come play with us~!"

"Here we are." Tsukasa Tazaki patted the grass clippings off his backside, picked up the soccer ball, and walked into the crowd.

Two months into high school, this was the first time this guy had participated in a group activity… Murakami Mizuiro stroked his chin, a thoughtful expression on his face.

After the afternoon classes ended, Tsukasa Tazaki tidied up his desk and walked up to the elevated corridor of the club building.

With midterm exams approaching, most students are cramming for exams. Although the school has no rule prohibiting club activities during the exam period, the usually bustling clubs have all quieted down, except for the flock of pigeons in the courtyard that keep cooing as usual.

After all, the only enemy that can unite students is usually the exam.

In this atmosphere, the ATF club, which was always idle, seemed too leisurely, especially Kuriyama Sakura.

She didn't even bother reading anymore, instead standing by the window watching the pigeons in the courtyard. The last rays of the setting sun cast a dim shadow on her back.

Tsukasa Tazaki went to his seat and took out his math study materials to review.

Although he was confident he could take first place, confidence and arrogance are two different things. Kitagawa Academy is a school known for its high college entrance rate, and it has no shortage of gifted students.

With a few occasional exceptions, the minimum requirement for new students admitted each year is a deviation score of 65. Applying this standard to third-year students means that those who enter this school generally aim for Waseda University as their primary academic goal.

There's a saying that goes, "Despise your opponent strategically, but respect them tactically."

Tsukasa Tazaki thought this made a lot of sense. If someone thinks they are the best in the world, they will unconsciously start to show off. In that case, they will not be able to devote their full energy to their work.

Kuriyama Sakura turned around and looked at him, opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but didn't utter a single word.

After a moment of silence, she picked up her schoolbag from the table.

Tazaki Tsukasa raised his head to stretch his neck and happened to see her delicate profile, which resembled a porcelain doll. He casually asked, "Going back so early today?"

Kuriyama Sakura shook her head silently and walked towards the door, her long ponytail swaying gently.

Tazaki Tsukasa refocused his thoughts on his study materials and continued working on the trigonometric function problem he had just solved.

As dusk settled, a refreshing evening breeze blew in through the open window, causing a piece of draft paper to flutter in the air.

Tazaki Tsukasa's gaze followed the piece of paper, watching it float up and down a few times before gently landing on the ground.

At that moment, with a "thud," the manuscript was firmly nailed to the heel of a high heel.

A pair of shapely, long legs came into view. The perfect curves of those legs, tightly wrapped in black stockings, made Tsukasa Tazaki's heart begin to race.

My gaze moved upwards and fell upon the smooth curve of her slender waist, followed by her breasts encased in a white shirt. Wow, it felt like I had suddenly traveled from the Kanto Plain to Mount Fuji.

That captivating figure belongs to none other than Hoshino Hanami.

"Why is the teacher here?" Tsukasa Tazaki's voice was full of surprise.

"Come with me."

"As ordered!"

With his backpack slung over his shoulder and the door locked, Tsukasa Tazaki followed her to the parking lot. The black G-Class was spotless, its black surface shimmering in the sunset.

Hoshino Hanami opened the back door and pushed him into the back seat. Then she climbed in herself and locked the door.

"Is there something you need, teacher?" Tsukasa Tazaki asked, puzzled.

Meeting his gaze, Da Ke'ai smiled and commanded, "Take off your clothes."

"Eh?"

"hurry up!"

"Didn't you say you'd look at the exam rankings? Why so soon?"

Despite his verbal skepticism, Tsukasa Tazaki swiftly unbuttoned his shirt.

After school, teachers and students, spacious back seats in a car... I've never seen a scene like this before, but it's still great, isn't it?

Hoshino Hanami leaned forward and took a bag from the passenger seat. Inside was the suit she had made for Tazaki Tsukasa. When she turned back, her boyfriend had already taken off his shirt.

Her cheeks felt a little hot. She poked Tsukasa Tazaki's chest with her finger and commented objectively, "Too thin."

"It'll be fine in another six months," Tsukasa Tazaki said confidently. "In another six months, I'll be taller than you, teacher, and my body will be stronger too."

"Hurry up and get dressed." Hoshino Hanami handed him the bag, then looked away with a slight blush.

Looking at the complete black suit in the bag, Tsukasa Tazaki sighed.

It wasn't that the teacher wanted to steal food; it was that the teacher was overthinking things.

Reluctantly, I took out the shirt and put it on, but it fit me surprisingly well, as if it had been tailor-made.

"Are you dressed like this for some kind of banquet?"

"correct."

"That's great." Tsukasa Tazaki said, buttoning his shirt. "Now we can see what the teacher looks like in a formal suit."

"I'm not going."

"What? Then I'm not going either."

His movements suddenly slowed down, and Tsukasa Tazaki's face clearly showed his displeasure.

I'm very satisfied with his answer.

When Hoshino Hanami saw that his gaze had returned to him and that he had a sullen expression, she felt even more satisfied.

Of course, she still had to go to the ball. She looked at Tsukasa Tazaki: "Today is Sakura's mother's birthday ball, you're going to keep her company."

"Should I stay with her or her mother?"

"Get your attitude straight!" Hoshino Hanami tapped his forehead, then reached out and fastened the buttons he hadn't fastened properly.

"How can you do something like this..."

Tazaki Tsukasa was very unhappy, and her tone became harsher: "How could you even think of letting your boyfriend accompany another woman to a ball!"

Chapter Ninety-Seven: Kurisuki's Thighs Appear Online, My Aunt, Kurisuki's Mother!

Do you think I'd be happy about this?

Hoshino Hanami scrunched up her face and said irritably, "If it weren't for my inappropriate status to get involved in politics, I wouldn't want you to go alone. Who knows if you'll see other pretty women and then forget about me."

"In that case, I won't go."

"You absolutely must go!"

“I need a reason that can convince me,” Tsukasa Tazaki said, staring intently into her eyes. “Unless you intend to force me to go against my will.”

Faced with her boyfriend's suddenly hardened attitude, Hoshino Hanami thought for a moment and then smiled gently: "Sakura used to be very withdrawn, much like when I first met you. She's a bit better now, but she still doesn't like to talk to people. Think about it, it's her own mother's banquet, and she's sitting on the edge of the crowd like a doll. Doesn't that make you feel sorry for her?"

“I’m sorry, I’m a male high school student without feelings.” Tazaki paused, his tone nonchalant: “Besides, she’s the daughter of a cabinet minister, what’s there to be aloof about?”

"Ugh……"

Hoshino Hanami sighed softly, and the sky outside the car window seemed to darken a little more than before.

"You are withdrawn because you lost both your parents and were bullied as a child. She is withdrawn because she witnessed her mother's suicide when she was six years old, and she has a psychological trauma from it."

"..." Tsukasa Tazaki was speechless for a moment.

Does this mean that Kuriyama Sakura's current mother is her stepmother?

"It took the teacher three years to help her gradually get through this. Although her mindset is much better now, she still has a lot of problems communicating with others."

“Indeed.” Tsukasa Tazaki nodded. “She’s not withdrawn now, but she’s very aloof.”

"Aren't you just as aloof yourself?"

Hoshino Hanami took a tie out of the bag and tied it for him: "Besides me and Shikami, you are the only person I can talk to. So please, Tazaki-san, have a moment of sympathy and help me out."

"Actually, there's one more."

"who is it?"

Tazaki Tsukasa's image flashed through his mind, and he shook his head guiltily: "I was overthinking it."

"Then it's settled. You'll go with her tonight."

Hoshino Hanami leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek: "So good."

"Are you really that carefree? Aren't you afraid I'll have... cough cough, Song..."