They all have hidden attributes!

Supervisor Horikita gave the two men a meaningful look, remained silent for a long time, then snorted coldly and registered them for passage.

Stepping out of the elevator lobby and into the hotel lobby, the two left through the main entrance, while the taxi was still waiting at the stop.

"Supervisor Horikita definitely thought we were going to a love hotel; her eyes were practically calling me a scumbag."

Makoto Takahashi opened the car door and was about to take off his coat when Maya Uesugi shook her head to indicate that she didn't need it and got into the back seat.

"Aren't you one?" she asked with a sneer.

"You said I wasn't."

Makoto Takahashi got into the car, told the driver to go to Mt. Moiwa, and drove all the way to the mountainside. Then he asked Maya Uesugi:

"Don't you have a phobia of germs? You actually took a taxi today."

"coat."

"A coat is okay, but a skirt isn't?"

"You're so annoying." She kicked Takahashi Makoto impatiently.

"I was just curious."

Seeing his innocent expression, Uesugi Maya's lips curled into a smug and contemptuous smile: "I've told you many times, curiosity killed the cat."

"Do you think Supervisor Horikita will write on the registration form that we went to a love hotel together?" Makoto Takahashi asked.

Are you afraid she'll tell your girlfriend?

"It's not impossible. She might be jealous of Chihaya's raise and use it to collect her bonus."

"Supervisor Horikita is an upright person."

Maya Uesugi vehemently denied it, claiming she had an excellent eye for people. This piqued Makoto Takahashi's interest, and he asked curiously:

"Really? For example?"

"I have never had a conflict with her."

"That's quite upright. By that standard, would I be considered an upright person?"

"We've had our share of arguments."

"It wasn't entirely my fault; you were too harsh back then."

During a relaxed chat, the taxi drove along the sightseeing expressway to the cable car station halfway up the mountain.

The cable car is no longer in operation, and to reach the observation deck at the top and the Bell of Happiness, you still need to walk along the mountain trail for about half an hour, which is naturally no problem for Uesugi Maya, who insists on running.

Makoto Takahashi took out his wallet, paid the fare, and gave the driver extra money, asking him to wait there for him to come down the mountain.

Maya Uesugi took out her phone and turned on the flashlight to illuminate the hiking trail.

It was already one in the morning, and the mountains were completely silent. The sound of shoes rubbing against the ground was clearly audible, and the sound of leaves rustling in the cold wind gave a sense of desolation.

The unfamiliar night view in the distance, with stars and lights reflecting each other, looks a bit like the dense glow sticks at a music festival night.

"Smartphones are very useful, aren't they?"

When Makoto Takahashi talked about Maya Uesugi's first flip phone, he chuckled and said, "Back then, you weren't too keen on changing it."

"That phone also has a flashlight function."

Uesugi Maya gave him a disdainful look, pausing briefly before glancing at him with a dismissive gaze:

"...To be honest, we've only lived together for about six months, but I feel that these six months have been very fulfilling."

"So much has happened that makes time seem to fly by," Makoto Takahashi said with a wistful expression.

The two fell silent for a moment, and the surroundings suddenly became quiet.

This is the hiking trail of Mount Moiwa, far from the city, without any noise or bustle, as if isolated from the world.

After a moment of silence, it was Uesugi Maya who spoke first.

She exhaled, and her breath formed a white mist in the mountains where the temperature had plummeted. The sound, clear as ice colliding, was exceptionally distinct.

Do you remember? I was your first love.

"You even stole a kiss from me," Makoto Takahashi teased.

"Don't talk like I'm taking advantage of you."

"No?"

"......poor."

At this point, Makoto Takahashi was completely unfazed by this level of sharp tongue, finding only Maya Uesugi's disdainful expression amusing.

Climbing the stone steps to the deserted viewing platform, under the cool, pale moonlight, a white light shines behind the sign for "[Lovers' Sanctuary]"—the "Bell of Happiness," said to bring love to fruition.

On the railings surrounding the [Bell of Happiness], lovers have hung [Love Locks] symbolizing that they will never be separated.

"Should we knock?" Makoto Takahashi asked half-jokingly.

Maya Uesugi turned off her flashlight and nodded almost imperceptibly in the quiet night.

With the help of the decorative lights on the observation deck, Makoto Takahashi saw a gentle, melting light shimmering in her beautiful caramel-colored eyes.

Perhaps sensing the surprise in Takahashi Makoto's eyes, Uesugi Maya walked towards the [Bell of Happiness] while casually ordering:

"come over."

“Okay.” Makoto Takahashi went along with the atmosphere and stood with her in the glow of the decorative lights.

On the quiet observation deck late at night, the two of them gripped the same slender white rope and slowly rang a bell, the ethereal sound echoing in the still night.

The two were surrounded by the light of the entire Ishikari Plain, brightly lit yet utterly silent.

Even without uttering a word, the unspoken feelings still create an ambiguous atmosphere.

A cool breeze blew by, and Uesugi Maya walked to the edge of the observation deck, looking down at the city lying at her feet, its lights stretching to the horizon and merging with the night sky.

"In my past life, I have never had a deep relationship with anyone, so you are the person I am closest to and like the most."

Hearing her say such things so casually, Makoto Takahashi leaned against the railing at the edge of the observation deck and looked at Maya Uesugi's profile with a gentle gaze.

Her long black hair slowly swayed, revealing the delicate outline of her ears. Her gentle expression clearly showed her true feelings, making Takahashi Makoto's cheeks feel a little hot.

"I have an indescribable feeling for you. You are the most important person to me."

Uesugi Maya's attitude was indifferent, no different from usual. It was precisely because she was not intentionally trying to evoke emotion that she had a heart-wrenching power.

"...Aya."

The joy that welled up in my heart, bit by bit, seemed to overflow with emotion, making my body tremble involuntarily.

"I can't name this feeling right now. If I get an answer someday, I hope that I can be the most important person to you."

Upon hearing this, Makoto Takahashi's gaze became unfocused, while Maya Uesugi did not delve into it, instead offering a smile that was both helpless and somewhat wicked.

Noticing the sly glint in her eyes as she stared at him, Makoto Takahashi curled his lip and subtly averted his gaze.

"Oh."

Uesugi Maya gave a disdainful sneer and calmly said, "I know your worries and troubles. The world you care about is actually very small, like living in a small garden. As long as you can maintain peace in it, that's enough."

"I will not vent my emotions and wantonly destroy things in your sandbox without being mentally prepared."

Her feelings were neither as intensely passionate as those of Tachibana Yuki, nor as overflowingly heavy and tender as those of Shiraishi Junka, but rather like a gentle and calm candle flame, possessing a tangible warmth.

Takahashi remained silent, feeling guilty.

He not only wanted to maintain peace, but also wanted everyone to be happy, including Uesugi Maya.

"Don't you have anything to say?" Uesugi Maya turned around and leaned against the railing, her breath suddenly stopping and her body stiffening on the spot.

Makoto Takahashi hadn't noticed her odd behavior yet. After a moment's hesitation, he cleared his throat in a serious tone and asked, "Have you finished writing your research report?"

"...I've finished writing."

Uesugi Maya's face turned ashen. After a long silence, she said in a cold, monotone voice, "Calm down. Don't shout. Listen to me."

"what?"

There is a bear.

"what?"

Makoto Takahashi turned around and looked in the direction of her gaze. A large brown bear was guarding the entrance to the observation deck. Under the bright moonlight, its restless posture was clearly visible.

It seems that, fearing the hibernating grains might escape, it is currently only blocking the only way out.

While hiking in the middle of the night, Maya Uesugi turned around and suddenly saw a huge creature staring at her. Makoto Takahashi sincerely admired her composure.

"Did you bring a bear-scare bell and a whistle?"

Makoto Takahashi walked up to Maya Uesugi, blocking her view with his body, his back to the brown bear.

"No, and it's useless. At this time of year, Hokkaido brown bears are preparing to hibernate and won't let go of their food reserves."

Maya Uesugi met his gaze with a calm look, took out a compass and a craft knife from her coat pocket, and held out her hand for Makoto Takahashi to choose one:

"If we had the chance to gouge out its eyes, we might still survive."

"Why not just beat it up? I've seen online that some people keep black bears as pets. Apparently, the Russians scared the bears so much that they even enacted a law banning them from being domesticated."

Seeing his eager expression, Uesugi Maya's face suddenly turned cold. She forcefully shoved the utility knife into Takahashi Makoto's hand, her tone serious:

"Don't be silly. That's an adopted orphan bear. No one would be foolish enough to think that the bears outside are really afraid of them."

"So, no one has ever successfully tamed a wild bear?" Makoto Takahashi asked.

He saw fear and dread deep within Maya Uesugi's beautiful caramel-colored eyes.

She wasn't as calm as she appeared; she simply never revealed her inner vulnerability and despair.

"Although bears are highly intelligent, there is currently no precedent for this."

Uesugi Maya's face was tense. She took a deep breath, feeling her heart pounding wildly in her chest, and even her soul trembling.

All sound disappeared, the world was completely silent, leaving only the person in front of me and the warmth in his dark eyes.

“Let’s kiss,” she suddenly said.

Anyway, it's not the first time. Now that things have come to this, whether it's Riken or Shiraishi, none of it matters anymore.

"If I were a fool in love, I should distract that bear for you now, just like in Titanic."