They all have hidden attributes!

After a brief silence, the Belgian flask snapped shut, extinguishing the alcohol lamp, and the cicadas outside the window began to chirp loudly.

Maya Uesugi turned on the valve, and the bitter aroma of coffee filled the air conditioning.

"You do all this without him knowing."

"It's better not to know," said Kashima Reiko.

"Oh."

Seeing Uesugi Maya's cold smile, she continued, "I'm on vacation now, I have plenty of time."

"No need, I don't like your rigid, routine work style."

Uesugi Maya adopted a cold attitude and refused decisively: "Just do your own job well. Your adaptability is too poor and will only affect my work efficiency."

In her opinion, Kashima Reiko was too rigid, and besides, Tatsumi Yuki might very well call off the "vacation" idea.

What if Tatsumi Yuki wants to break up the band?

Uesugi Maya harbors suspicions about her nemesis, so naturally she won't trust Kashima Reiko, especially since their relationship is already somewhat strained.

Sensing Maya Uesugi's cold sense of boundaries, Reiko Kashima stood helplessly to the side.

Besides sensing Takahashi Makoto's thoughts, another reason she wanted to help Uesugi Maya was that she was worried the band would once again teeter on the brink of collapse, just like last time.

Reiko Kashima wants to protect the band.

But this reason certainly cannot be spoken aloud. Given Maya Uesugi's personality, being questioned without cause would inevitably lead to conflict with her.

Just as he was thinking about how to persuade Uesugi Maya, Takahashi Makoto pushed open the door and walked into the club office.

"Lengzi, could you please assist the others?"

He walked past Reiko Kashima, pulled out a chair, sat down opposite Maya Uesugi, and turned to give Reiko Kashima a gentle smile: "You've worked hard to keep the band running smoothly all this time."

"Okay." Kashima Reiko nodded in agreement and turned to leave the office.

After she left, the office became quiet again.

Maya Uesugi opened her notebook and continued to cram the pre-festival preparations into her schedule for the next six days.

Makoto Takahashi sat quietly opposite him, glanced at the empty glass jar of coffee beans on the bookshelf, then thoughtfully looked away at the fiery clouds outside the window.

He had no intention of eavesdropping, but since he had overheard it, he couldn't pretend not to know.

Maya Uesugi and Reiko Kashima have always had a terrible relationship. It's common for them to not speak to each other when they meet, and they are also very cold when they greet each other.

Although I don't know what happened between them in the past, their current demands are conflicting, and it's only a matter of time before a conflict occurs.

If not handled properly, the band may lose one of its members.

Thinking of this, Makoto Takahashi sighed helplessly.

He wanted the band to be everyone's ideal home, and reconciling the conflict between the two was his inescapable responsibility, but facing the conflict head-on was too much to ask of him.

In case of any further emotional disputes, I must always remember that I have this girlfriend, Li Jianxing, and keep a proper distance.

This is difficult.

"Maya, I want to eat croquettes tonight," Makoto Takahashi said listlessly, looking at Maya Uesugi with a lazy gaze.

"No time, let's have stewed beef." She refused without even looking up.

Chapter 115 A brief drizzle on a summer morning

August 20th, Chiba Prefecture Music Festival, 5 days to go.

I was awakened by the sound of rain tapping on the window. When I opened my eyes, the room was darker than usual in the morning, and a faint sweet and sour smell of tomatoes wafted in the air.

Did Haki come to the apartment to make breakfast today?

Makoto Takahashi got out of bed, put on some clothes, pushed open the bedroom door, and walked to the kitchen door.

"Good morning," he greeted.

"Good morning."

After responding to that, Kashima Reiko fell silent, her attention focused on the stew pot, with a box of whipped cream next to the stove.

Both Kashima Reiko and Uesugi Maya have spare keys, so it wouldn't be surprising if either of them were in the apartment.

However, according to Tachimi Yuki's orders, Kashima Reiko should only be in charge of lunch, while Takahashi Makoto is used to having breakfast at the Uesugi family's house next door.

Forget it, I'm already happy enough that I don't have to worry about three meals a day. There's no need to worry about anything else.

Makoto Takahashi pulled his wandering thoughts back and stared at her sideways with an open and honest gaze.

Her short, wolf-tail hair, which looks aloof, is very distinctive. Her features are delicate, and the way she stirs the stew pot with a ladle is inexplicably sexy and alluring.

Beneath the white apron lay a black oversized T-shirt and jeans, her pert hips and straight, beautiful legs striking a clever balance between cuteness and sexiness.

If I had to describe her in one word, judging solely by her appearance, I'd probably say something like a cool, androgynous beauty.

"Breakfast will be served in 15 minutes."

The calm voice betrayed no emotion.

Makoto Takahashi said "Oh," yawned, and went into the bathroom to wash up. Only while brushing his teeth did he remember a question.

—What about breakfast at the Uesugi family?

To prevent a chaotic scene from unfolding, I had no choice but to try my best to eat two portions.

Having figured out a plan, he finished washing up and went to the living room to wait for dinner, where he saw a paper bag from the bookstore on the coffee table.

what is this?

A closer look reveals that the living room has become much cleaner. The chocolates that Tachibana Yuki had insisted on leaving under the coffee table have been put into a cardboard box, and items such as the coffee pot, cups, tea sets, and black tea have all been organized and tidied up.

Kashima Reiko's way of tidying up is significantly different from Uesugi Maya's. Simply keeping things clean is not enough; they must be categorized and stored properly. Even the activated charcoal that Uesugi Maya placed in the corner to absorb odors was arranged in an orderly manner.

If this continues, won't I really become a useless person?

Makoto Takahashi crossed his arms and pondered seriously for a long time, finally awakening in him the desire to become the [strongest on Earth].

"I bought a light novel with many positive reviews."

Hearing the calm voice, Makoto Takahashi looked up and saw Reiko Kashima carrying breakfast over and placing it on the coffee table.

Today's breakfast was Western-style: borscht, lettuce salad, fried eggs and sausage platter, and thin pancakes with cheese and ham that looked a bit like pizza.

"Uesugi asked me to come over today. She has to meet with the music festival organizers and doesn't have time to prepare breakfast."

Kashima Reiko casually sat down beside him and handed him a knife and fork. Takahashi Makoto took them and casually asked, "Are you on vacation, senpai? Is that alright?"

"On vacation, so there's nothing else to do."

She said this without sounding like she didn't mind the trouble of coming all this way, and Makoto Takahashi was very grateful for it.

"My lunchbox is bacon and basil pasta with sirloin steak and tomato slices. Would you like an extra fried egg?" Kashima Reiko asked.

"I'm not a picky eater, so it's fine with you, senior."

Makoto Takahashi picked up the borscht, took a sip, and found the creamy sweetness even richer than before, while the small pieces of beef were tender and flavorful.

It's hard to imagine what time Kashima Reiko arrived at the apartment to cook the soup, which allowed her to stew the beef until it was so tender and melted in her mouth.

"How does it taste?" Kashima Reiko asked.

Makoto Takahashi turned to look at her and saw a hint of nervousness in her clear blue eyes, as if she was worried about receiving a bad review.

"A new brand of cream? It's delicious, even smoother than before," Makoto Takahashi said, expressing his honest opinion.

"Yes, Maki said that this brand of cream is better."

Kashima Reiko's gaze calmed down, and she casually picked up her fork to eat her breakfast: "The car went to deliver Uesugi. Do you want me to call a car?"

"Let's take the tram." Makoto Takahashi wasn't picky at all; it was just a means of transportation.

Kashima Reiko nodded slightly and fell silent.

After a while, Makoto Takahashi asked curiously, "Who is Maki?"

"My mother works in the kitchen at the Tachimi family's house."

"so."

Makoto Takahashi popped a bite of a pancake into his mouth, and the simple conversation ended there.

He had to admit that he wasn't very good at chatting with Kashima Reiko, and that Takahashi Makoto didn't have much to talk about with her, especially when it came to topics like family.

After breakfast, Kashima Reiko began clearing away the dishes. Takahashi Makoto opened the paper bag; inside were three copies of the "Faculty of Science" textbook.

Just by looking at the name, you can tell that Kashima Reiko was chosen based on guessing his preferences.

After unpacking and flipping through a few pages, Kashima Reiko, who had finished tidying up the kitchen, brought out two watches: "These two would suit your clothes better."

"Left side, please." Makoto Takahashi took off his watch and handed it to her.

Kashima Reiko took out the cleaning agent, pressed out the spray, carefully wiped it clean with a soft cloth, and then put it into the watch winder.

Oh no, is this what a professional maid is like?

A subtle feeling of excitement welled up in his throat, but Makoto Takahashi forcibly suppressed it.

At 8:15, the two went out together.

A light drizzle was falling from the sky. Makoto Takahashi and Reiko Kashima each held a long-handled transparent umbrella and walked towards the tram stop through the wet streets.

On a somewhat quiet morning, Kashima Reiko walked beside him expressionlessly. Sensing her presence, Takahashi Makoto had a vague, unsettling feeling.

—Every detail that emanates from her body and aura speaks of her love for herself.

It's probably not just my imagination, right?

Arriving at the tram station, the streetcar, which is usually deserted, was even more silent on this rainy day.

The two stood side by side on the platform waiting. When Makoto Takahashi saw the green carriage of the streetcar appear in the rain at the end of his vision and slowly approach, Reiko Kashima finally managed to come up with a topic.

"Young Miss is going to the student council today."

The calm voices mingled with the sparse sound of rain under the transparent umbrella overhead, creating a pleasant atmosphere.

"After all, summer vacation is almost over, and the student council is going to get busy, right?"

Makoto Takahashi watched the approaching green carriage, unaware that she had subtly moved closer: "Has Sachi ever mentioned her plans? Company, student council, studies, she seems overwhelmed."