They all have hidden attributes!

[Guardian: When Perception is boosted, there is a small chance to gain a random attribute boost of the same value]

A personal assistance card from Hanakawa Kaori [Soft-hearted Sweet Girl]

Takahashi Makoto had just shut down the system when Hanakawa Kaori, standing behind him, took a breath, then slowly exhaled, leaning forward closer to him:

"...How should I put it, brother?"

"Everyone in the band, including Hina-nee, has decided what they want to do in the future. Before summer vacation, I hadn't thought about the future, and even now I still feel like a kid."

"However, as long as I'm with everyone, as long as I'm by my brother's side, I feel like it's okay to be a child forever."

Listening to her gradually softening murmurs, Makoto Takahashi genuinely felt Hanakawa Kaori's deep affection for the band and her dependence on him.

For a long time, due to family reasons, she simply couldn't see herself as a child who didn't need to think about the future.

“Of course,” Takahashi Makoto promised.

He was genuinely happy that the band's existence was meaningful to them.

"There are still many things I will figure out before I actually go to school next April." Hanakawa Kaori pinched his face with both hands, smiling broadly.

At that moment, Maya Uesugi's indifferent voice echoed down the corridor.

"Have a meal."

"Good~"

Hanakawa Kaori immediately agreed, carrying a chair to the restaurant, while Takahashi Makoto didn't bring a camping chair.

—After the band made money, Maya Uesugi naturally bought more furniture.

Upon entering the restaurant, Makoto Takahashi pulled out a chair and sat down next to Maya Uesugi, while Hanako Kaori sat opposite him across the rectangular wooden table.

Before me lay buckwheat noodles, with authentic toppings: dried bamboo shoots, boiled eggs, fish cakes, char siu... sprinkled with green scallions, and the aroma was irresistible.

Besides soba noodles, there were also fried chicken nuggets, French fries, and curry chicken, all of which were things that kids would like, which didn't quite fit Uesugi Maya's usual healthy cooking style.

"I'm starting!" Hanakawa Kaori clasped her hands together, eagerly picked up her chopsticks, and her eyes lit up.

Makoto Takahashi used his chopsticks to pick up a thick piece of char siu pork and put it in his mouth. The seasoning was as exquisite and impeccable as ever.

Seeing that he was eating with relish, Uesugi Maya picked up her cup, took a sip of water, and popped a dried bamboo shoot into her mouth with her chopsticks: "Was last night alright?"

She had wanted to ask about last night for a while, but Makoto Takahashi had been in his studio all day and hadn't had a good opportunity.

Actually, now is not the right time, since Hanakawa Kaori is still around, but Uesugi Maya couldn't contain her emotions. She seemed indifferent, but as soon as she asked the question, her heart started pounding in her chest.

Given his continued interest in painting, the outcome shouldn't be too bad.

Thinking of this, Uesugi Maya felt a surge of bored jealousy and incurable anxiety, her beautiful caramel-colored eyes covered with a thin layer of ice.

After taking a sip of soup with a spoon, Takahashi Makoto stared at the noodles in the bowl: "It went smoothly, I guess. I'm prepared."

"What kind of awareness?"

Uesugi Maya's voice suddenly turned cold, and Hanakawa Kaori's chopsticks, which were reaching for the French fries, froze in mid-air, her eyes cautiously shifting between the two people opposite her.

"This isn't good for the child." Takahashi Makoto gestured to Hanakawa Kaori with his eyes to let her eat in peace.

Thinking of their conversation at the Chiba Hotel's observation restaurant, Uesugi Maya suppressed a smile, frowned, and gave a helpless look: "She's not our child."

"Then why are you still making dinner according to her tastes?" Takahashi Makoto asked.

Uesugi Maya was stubborn enough to stare at him without saying a word.

The atmosphere became somewhat awkward. Hanakawa Kaori blinked, picked up a French fry and stuffed it into her mouth, raising her hand high: "I also want to know what happened last night. I won't spread gossip."

"Go ahead."

Uesugi Maya gave Hanakawa Kaori a look, and the latter immediately understood, looking as if she was about to cry: "Brother, you're not going to hide it from me, are you? Waaah."

The relationship between these two has improved without anyone noticing, Makoto Takahashi thought to himself.

He gathered his thoughts briefly and began to recount the events of the previous night to the two of them: "It wasn't anything serious..."

After he finished speaking, Hanakawa Kaori, who had been happily eating dinner, was completely bewildered.

She sat blankly in the chair, her body stiff, her eyes vacant, unable to come to her senses for a moment.

Maya Uesugi's expression was calm, but she gave off a feeling of unease. Perhaps due to the somewhat strange atmosphere, Makoto Takahashi subconsciously straightened his posture.

He said with a determined tone, "Just out of my personal will, I will take responsibility and correct my attitude."

"What exactly do you mean?" Uesugi Maya asked, giving her a calm and collected look.

Her voice was slightly cool, but Makoto Takahashi responded in a gentle tone:

"Just now, Hanaori and I talked about the future. I think, ultimately, everyone's goal is to achieve [happiness]."

"I will do anything, as long as they have expectations, until they achieve [happiness]."

This statement represents a wish, confidence, and determination.

Makoto Takahashi has no intention of giving up any of his love. He is determined to make everyone happy, and no matter what others say, he has no intention of changing his mind.

The voice was steady, yet unwavering.

After Makoto Takahashi made his firm assertion, Maya Uesugi opened her caramel-colored eyes wide, her indescribable frustration buried beneath a calm demeanor.

too heavy.

However, there's nothing strange about him making such a decision, Uesugi Maya thought to herself.

From the very first time I met him, Makoto Takahashi possessed an indescribable power, a stubborn pursuit of beauty and ideals, regardless of the obstacles of reality.

That's why Uesugi Maya admires him.

Now that things have come to this, she couldn't very well pour cold water on the situation herself, so she put on her usual blatant expression of disgust: "Ugh, unbelievable, ridiculous."

"Yes, yes!"

Sitting opposite Makoto Takahashi, Hanakawa Kaori nodded like a chick pecking at rice, and chimed in to Uesugi Maya: "Brother, this kind of awareness sounds like that of a scumbag."

Even if you say that, I still—

Before Takahashi Makoto could finish speaking listlessly, Uesugi Maya glared at Hanakawa Kaori with a stern look and said, "In my opinion, he's not a scumbag."

When she said this, Maya Uesugi's expression was stiffer than usual, and her indifferent attitude made people feel that she was angrier than usual.

Takahashi Seiichi was a little confused. Uesugi Maya had been scolding him every day, but now she was making a big fuss about being angry with Hanakawa Kaori.

Noticing his surprised gaze, Uesugi Maya subconsciously raised her hand to touch her burning earlobe, suppressing her strong and cold aura, and turned her face away:

“I’m teaching her that as long as you can do it, you’re not a jerk.”

"Brother, she bullied me!" Hanakawa Kaori pouted unhappily.

She suspected that Uesugi Maya was treating her differently, but she had no evidence, so she could only cry to Takahashi Makoto.

Looking at Hanakawa Kaori's dejected expression, Takahashi Makoto thought to himself, "How pitiful," as if it were none of his business. He then reached for the last piece of fried chicken with his chopsticks and said in a deliberately indifferent tone:

"I'm a scumbag, figure it out yourself."

"Don't be too harsh on her," Uesugi Maya advised.

Yes, yes.

Makoto Takahashi casually pulled a piece of chocolate from his pants pocket and handed it to Hanakawa Kaori.

Faced with the two's fickle attitudes, Hanakawa Kaori could only accept the chocolate, silently eat her dinner, and decide never to get involved with them again.

This is so strange, I can't tell the wind direction at all!

After dinner, it was already completely dark.

Makoto Takahashi promised Hanakawa Kaori he would buy her a light novel. After leaving the Uesugi family home, the two went downstairs together and walked to Ikebukuro.

The colorful lights of the neon signs piled up together as the two strolled slowly side by side through the night.

Hanakawa Kaori was dressed the same as on the first day of the study session: a wide-cut purple printed T-shirt paired with loose white shorts, revealing her porcelain-white, straight legs, and white ankle socks with two thin folds at the calves.

Petite, youthful, and adorable, but the nighttime temperature has already begun to drop.

"Aren't you cold?" Takahashi Makoto asked.

"Tokyo is a bit colder than Izu this season."

Hanakawa Kaori turned her head to look at him, blinked, hesitated for a moment, and then reached out to take his hand: "This way you won't be cold."

"Let's buy one on the way."

"it is good."

The two walked in silence and soon saw the Sunshine 60 building, a landmark in Ikebukuro.

While waiting for the pedestrian light to turn green at an intersection, Makoto Takahashi suddenly asked, "Do you really think I'm a jerk?"

"I'm afraid that Uesugi-nee will get too angry and won't hate my brother."

Hanakawa Kaori smiled and squinted her eyes, revealing an innocent expression: "Because brother's hands are very warm."

Hearing her say that, Makoto Takahashi unconsciously focused on the hand he was holding, a small, delicate hand that could be easily enveloped.

"Let's go."

He led Hanakawa Kaori across the zebra crossing, bought her a purple windproof jacket, and then went to the bookstore where he usually bought books.

As a result, under Hanakawa Kaori's fake crying offensive, Takahashi Makoto had no choice but to buy her a second set of 18R light novels, which were also works featuring younger sister characters.

My [illegible] is the best [illegible]

Anyway, she's not my real sister, so it's okay, right?

After leaving the bookstore, Takahashi Makoto, worried about leaving Hanakawa Kaori alone in the night, took her back to Tsurumizawa's dormitory and said goodbye to Nekoya Hina before returning to his apartment.

Sunday, August 6.

Makoto Takahashi's only activity for today is having dinner at the Tachimi Honke restaurant.

From the moment I wake up in the morning, my heart is pounding with joy, and a sweet feeling is emanating from some corner of my being, which I don't know how to describe.

This wonderful feeling is probably called [the feeling of being in love].

Chapter 127 M, Possessions, and Angels

It started raining outside the window.