They all have hidden attributes!

Makoto Takahashi pressed his hands against her shoulders through the blanket and changed the subject, asking, "Do you really enjoy playing with Sachi? Tell me the truth."

Hanakawa Kaori hesitated for a moment, shook her head, and muttered to herself:

"It felt like Sister Xing took a few steps back and looked down at everyone. She seemed very gentle to me, but she didn't actually open her heart to me."

Although she couldn't see Tachimi Yuki's true nature like Takahashi Makoto, she was well aware of it, hence her slightly gloomy expression.

She tries her best to be obedient and sweet-talking in front of Tachibana Yuki, all because of Takahashi Makoto.

"Do you like the Light Music Club?" Makoto Takahashi continued to ask.

Hanakawa Kaori's gaze shifted for a moment, then she remained silent for a long time before nodding almost imperceptibly, without explaining why.

Seeing her bewildered but not repulsed expression, Makoto Takahashi placed his hand on her head and slowed his speech:

"Imagine if the band were facing disbandment and you were powerless to stop it, wouldn't you feel similarly?"

"No!" Hanakawa Kaori's voice suddenly rose, her tone urgent, and she even subconsciously leaned closer to him.

Makoto Takahashi gave her a relieved smile and continued speaking slowly:

“I’m so happy that you can treat the band like your own home.”

"But with me and Aya here, you don't need to worry about being powerless, or about the bond breaking. You can tell us any troubles you have, so there's no need to rush to become an adult. Just take your time."

He deliberately used phrases like "me and Aya" and "we" to prevent Hanakawa Kaori from placing her feelings only on him.

However, Uesugi Maya did not understand Hanakawa Kaori's feelings. The only person who treated Hanakawa Kaori sincerely at the beginning was Takahashi Makoto, and he was also the one who invited her to join the band.

All the care and concern they've shown so far has been out of consideration for him, a fact Hanakawa Kaori knows all too well.

"There's no need to rush to become an adult; it's okay to continue being a child."

A gentle voice drifted into her ears. Hanakawa Kaori looked into his eyes, meeting his gaze without moving. An inexplicable, bewildered feeling welled up within her, throbbing strongly in her heart.

It's okay to continue being a child.

The sound echoed repeatedly, rippling across the calm lake. The sense of security Takahashi Makoto's calm and firm gaze gave her was more powerful than a thousand words.

Hanakawa Kaori realized her face was starting to burn, and she wanted to hug him tightly, pressing them close together...

Small ambitions grow slowly.

Click—

The sound of a lock being opened came from the entryway.

"I'm going back to sleep."

Hanakawa Kaori took a deep breath, trying to hide her feelings, jumped off the sofa, wrapped herself in a blanket, and quickly ran to the bedroom: "Goodnight, brother."

Seeing her full of energy, Makoto Takahashi felt much more relaxed.

That way, Hanakawa Kaori won't have nightmares anymore, right?

She couldn't possibly only remember herself and forget Uesugi Maya, who let her freeload off the meal.

The problem was solved perfectly.

Makoto Takahashi picked up the game controller with a smug look on his face, relaxed on the sofa, and stared at the screen.

As Uesugi Maya entered the apartment, she saw him and unexpectedly froze in her tracks. A look of disgust flashed across her face, and she asked coldly:

Where is Huachuan?

"I told her to go to the bedroom to sleep," Makoto Takahashi said, operating the controller.

“I’m correcting her bad habit of staying up late.”

Maya Uesugi crossed her arms and strode towards the bedroom with a fierce aura. Makoto Takahashi coughed lightly and advised, "Come on, she's just a kid. Isn't it normal for her to like staying up late?"

"Tsk." Uesugi Maya clicked her tongue unhappily, but ultimately did not adopt a tough attitude, and turned around neatly to leave.

As she reached the entryway, she turned back and looked at me with indifferent eyes, asking indifferently, "Want some breakfast?"

“I’ll eat. I’m moving back in starting today.” Makoto Takahashi nodded.

"Come over in 10 minutes."

Uesugi Maya put on her shoes, impatiently kicked away her haphazardly placed outdoor shoes, then bent down to open the shoe cabinet, took out two new pairs of shoes, and arranged them neatly.

Turning back to find Takahashi Makoto still engrossed in the game, she went back to her apartment to make breakfast.

Ten minutes later, Makoto Takahashi knocked on the Uesugi family's door and entered the dining room, where a perfunctory breakfast was laid out on the light-colored rectangular wooden table.

Boiled vegetables, boiled eggs, toast, milk, and sliced ​​ham.

"Didn't you say you'd give me hot breakfasts from now on?" Takahashi Makoto looked at the cold dishes, his face showing reluctance.

Sitting across the table, Maya Uesugi picked up a piece of toast, spread strawberry jam on it with a knife, and said coldly, "You didn't tell me you were coming back."

"Ok."

Makoto Takahashi picked up the milk and poured it into his personal glass: "The sports festival starts tomorrow, how's it going?"

"Let's hope it goes smoothly for now."

Maya Uesugi gracefully brought the toast to her lips, took a bite, chewed slowly, swallowed it with milk, and continued, "According to the voting results, tomorrow's opening ceremony will feature a 3v3 semi-naked men's basketball game."

"Huh?" Takahashi Makoto wondered if he had misheard.

"These are the results of the vote, you're going to go on stage."

Maya Uesugi picked up a slice of ham with a fork, her beautiful caramel-colored eyes casting a teasing glance: "There are only 6 boys in Tsurumizawa, so of course you have to make an appearance."

This year, Tsurumi Sawa started a new system. In the first year, there are no boys in Group A, two in Group B, Makoto Takahashi is the only boy in Group C, and there are three boys in Group D, just enough for a 3V3 basketball game.

But, half-naked?

Makoto Takahashi suddenly felt a little ashamed. Playing basketball naked in front of girls was a bit too trendy.

"Don't boys also like to vote for maid cafes and the like during school festivals? I saw it in Izu."

Seeing the despair on his face, Uesugi Maya smiled with amusement: "You can still learn basketball today if you don't know how.

"I have never voted for a maid café."

Makoto Takahashi took a big bite of toast and asked, word by word, "And why didn't anyone notify me? I'm the acting student council president, after all."

"The voting results are posted on the bulletin board every day; you just didn't notice them."

“I have to go to class every day, accompany the young lady to take a nap, participate in band rehearsals, and work in the evening.”

"Excuse."

Uesugi Maya glanced at him dismissively, adopting a tough stance: "The results have been announced, and the opening ceremony is all arranged. All you have to do is go on stage. There's no room for backing down now."

After saying that, she ate the last bite of toast, got up and went into the kitchen, brought out a steaming hot tamagoyaki, and placed it in front of Takahashi Makoto.

"Eat up, this is your compensation."

"Aya, you can be even cuter... Ouch—" Takahashi Makoto was stomped on hard by her and pretended to gasp.

Maya Uesugi deftly tossed her long black hair that fell over her shoulder, raised her face, and revealed a genuine expression of disgust: "Are you done with the Tatsumi family's business?"

"Pretty much, I still go occasionally." Takahashi Makoto said vaguely, then picked up a piece of tamagoyaki and put it in his mouth.

The long-lost flavor of broth burst in his mouth, making him involuntarily show a satisfied expression.

"Since you have time today, let's get together and record the new song." Uesugi Maya took out her phone and methodically arranged today's schedule.

Monday, June 28th.

Day 1 of the Tsurumizawa Sports Festival.

When leaving home in the morning, Makoto Takahashi paid special attention to Maya Uesugi's shoes. Her feet, encased in black knee-high socks, were hidden in black round-toed leather shoes, which were not a matching pair with the basketball shoes that had suddenly appeared in the shoe cabinet.

It was indeed a coincidence that Takahashi Makoto was caught wearing matching outfits by Tachimi Yuki last time, he thought to himself.

Otherwise, if she returned to her apartment after so long, Uesugi Maya would not let go of this opportunity to provoke Tachibana Yuki.

It would be great if these two could get along peacefully.

With high hopes in mind, Makoto Takahashi and Maya Uesugi took the streetcar to Tsurumizawa and walked side by side through the gate with a white banner with black lettering.

Chapter 139 Multi-Party Talks (Thanks to znhy for the generous donation!!!)

Under the bright lights of the stadium, the sounds of musical instruments poured out and lingered in the quiet air.

The first item on the opening ceremony of the sports festival was a performance by the brass band.

All the teachers and students of Tsurumizawa sat in rows around the gymnasium. The girls of the brass band walked in through the gymnasium gate, colorful flags waving, and pure black pleated skirts swaying with their light and lively steps.

The girls, all dressed in black knee-high socks, moved in unison with their fair and slender legs, adding a youthful filter to the sports festival to the enthusiastic music.

"They are very skilled, no wonder they were selected."

Makoto Takahashi sat in the back row of the group of 1st year C students. His eyes were unconsciously drawn to the skirts of the brass band girls as they lifted their legs. He knew that these knee-length skirts would not cause any accidents and that they were wearing safety shorts, but he still wanted to watch.

"Ah Cheng, you actually know how to play wind instruments?"

Sitting beside her was Hina Nekoya, who was wearing a one-piece sports suit for playing badminton. The sleeveless, tight-fitting style accentuated her slender figure, and the short skirt that revealed her soft thighs was flipped up by her graceful sitting posture, revealing her safety shorts.

Nekoya Hina doesn't have the habit of wearing long socks, but her fair and shapely legs, honed through years of exercise, look firm and elastic, equally captivating.

"I haven't specifically studied it, but I guess all art forms are interconnected."

Makoto Takahashi reached down to Haruna Nekoya's thighs, which were pressed together, and took two roasted chestnuts from the paper bag on her lap, peeling off the shells:

"Is there a badminton match today?"

“That’s right, I’m going to challenge Leng Zi.”

Nekoya Hina nodded emphatically, straightening her chest as she said, "I am no longer the person I used to be."

Since returning to the badminton club, she has been training hard every day. Back when they were preparing for the national tournament, the other members of the badminton club were no longer a match for Nekoya Hina.

During that time, she was training with Coach Shirakawa, who was still employed at the time.

After Kashima Reiko left the team, Nekoya Hina, who was constantly getting stronger, had been looking for an opportunity to challenge her admired senior. Finally, the sports festival arrived, and she naturally didn't want to miss it.

"Be careful not to get shut out." Makoto Takahashi tossed a peeled chestnut into his mouth.

"I won't!"

"come on."