They all have hidden attributes!

The nighttime lighting is still on, but all the Christmas decorations that were everywhere have been removed and replaced with less vibrant Japanese-style decorations. There is no trace of Christmas in the shop windows either.

In the morning at the Tachimi family home, Makoto Takahashi played Go with the young lady while chatting with Aunt Tachimi, who was now free, about her New Year's plans.

After lunch, he went back to his apartment in Toshima Ward to find Maya Uesugi.

After ringing the doorbell and waiting a few minutes, the door opened, and Uesugi Maya appeared in the entryway, still dressed as she had that morning.

“We should get going,” Makoto Takahashi said.

"Come in." Uesugi Maya led him into the apartment, past the living room and dining room, to the door of a room at the back.

Makoto Takahashi paused for a moment. The two apartments had the same layout, so he deduced that the room he had never been to before must be Maya Uesugi's bedroom.

"Come in." Uesugi Maya pushed open the door and repeated what she had just said.

"Is it okay?" Takahashi Makoto hesitated.

"can."

Uesugi Maya's tone was certain before he entered the bedroom.

Chapter 177 Three Minutes of Love (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Perhaps it was because of the warm scent surrounding him that was different from his own home, but from the moment he stepped into the bedroom, Makoto Takahashi felt his heart beating very fast.

The natural wood flooring was so shiny it reflected a person's image, and there was no dirt or clutter in sight, which showed that Maya Uesugi was serious and clean.

The desk against the wall contains only a pen, manuscript paper, and a completed manuscript. The single bed is a soft white and gray, creating an overall calm and clean style.

When I was in Izu, the giant octopus plush toy I received turned pink with a happy expression. It was still clean and pretty, sitting on the bed, showing that I cherished it.

Actually, this size is completely unsuitable for placing on a bed.

Takahashi Makoto was thinking about whether to give Uesugi Maya another plush toy to cuddle with while sleeping, then turned his gaze to the desk: "Is that the completed manuscript?"

"Yes."

Maya Uesugi seemed to be used to handwriting; I didn't see her laptop.

She pulled out a chair, sat down at the desk, picked up her pen, and continued writing on the manuscript paper: "My new book is about you."

"I think I guessed it." Makoto Takahashi noticed that her fingers holding the pen tightened a little.

Compared to the book, Uesugi Maya's direct expression surprised him even more.

Do you want to watch it now?

"May I?"

"Come here," Uesugi Maya commanded coldly.

Makoto Takahashi walked to her desk, stood to the side and slightly behind Maya Uesugi, leaned on the desk, and looked down at the beginning of the manuscript she was writing on.

The girl was traveling in Kirishima when a torrential downpour began.

In the cold and humid weather, she saw the precious butterfly for the first time. She wanted to get closer, but her steps were too heavy to chase after it.

Makoto Takahashi suddenly remembered that the day he met Maya Uesugi was during the humid rainy season, when she had been following him.

What is Haki Night implying?

My first impression of her was actually that she was indifferent; it would be more reasonable to write that "[the butterfly avoided the girl because it was afraid of the cold]".

Does Uesugi Maya see it as heavy?

When she said she felt heavy-hearted, was it also because she sensed the presence of others like herself?

"I wasn't the one traveling with her?" Makoto Takahashi asked.

"Too."

Maya Uesugi wrote a line and said without looking up, "The butterfly is us."

In other words, when the boy tries to catch the butterfly, he will encounter the problem of it being too cold.

Makoto Takahashi's gaze continued downwards, landing on the girl's monologue after she missed the butterfly for the first time.

I pretend I don't need anyone, but once I get close, I can't leave.

Seeing him frown in thought, Uesugi Maya wrote the last line and put away her pen: "Now it's time to go see the Latin dance teacher."

"Wait, I don't quite understand."

Makoto Takahashi reached for the manuscript paper, but Maya Uesugi immediately put it away, looked up and glared at him with sharp eyes: "How long do you plan to stay in my bedroom?"

A chilling aura swept over him, and under the pressure, Makoto Takahashi took two steps back, his face full of innocence: "You were the one who called me in."

"Because I promised you we'd spend Christmas together, I'll allow you to come in and visit once."

Maya Uesugi stood up, pushed against his chest with both hands, and left the bedroom.

Makoto Takahashi felt that Hakiya was acting strangely today, although she had felt strange yesterday as well.

So, what exactly are we trying to express?

Completely bewildered, he left with Uesugi Maya and drove to the hotel, a vague, unsettling feeling creeping into his heart.

Uesugi Maya must have some expectations of herself, which is why she specifically asked me to go to the bedroom to read the manuscript.

This chapter should be what she wrote today. Last night, the two of them kissed in the art studio, which may have changed Uesugi Maya's thoughts.

Could it be...?

Sitting in the back seat of the car, Makoto Takahashi turned his head to look at Maya Uesugi's exquisite profile. Her skin was so white it was almost cold, as delicate as porcelain. Her long black hair revealed the outline of her small, exquisite ear. Her expression was indifferent, exuding a strong sense of aloofness.

She was cold to everyone and indifferent to herself most of the time, but for some special things, Uesugi Maya preferred to scold herself.

What exactly changed from last night's kiss remains to be seen.

Noticing that Makoto Takahashi's gaze was fixed on her, Maya Uesugi flicked her long black hair, looked out the car window at the street scene, and casually started a conversation.

Do you think Hanaori will win?

"She should be fine in the semifinals, she almost beat Leng Zi."

Makoto Takahashi doesn't know much about badminton, but Hanakawa Kaori gives him the impression that she won't fail, not to mention that Nekoya Hina is also working very hard.

"After winning the semi-final, will she still want to continue playing badminton?" Maya Uesugi pressed.

Makoto Takahashi fell silent.

Given Hanakawa Kaori's personality, once I accompany her to meet Coach Shirakawa, Hanakawa Kaori will definitely not continue to take it seriously, and then Nekoya Hina will be under even more pressure.

“If Haruna wants to go pro, I’ll just talk to the Tachimi family’s club.” He said in a deliberately casual tone.

"Tsk."

Uesugi Maya clicked her tongue in disdain, casting a look of annoyance through her caramel-colored eyes, and frowned as she emphasized, "On this point, I really hate you."

Is that why he's disliked?

Takahashi Seiichi felt a pang of heartache and clutched his chest in an exaggerated manner: "Why? Hina is my good brother. So what if he abused his power for personal gain?"

That's not what I meant.

Uesugi Maya let out a weak sigh and said in a tone devoid of intonation, "It's really annoying that you don't demand that Hanori fight well and don't force her."

"After all, things haven't gotten that serious yet," Takahashi Makoto said dismissively.

"You mean, this isn't enough to get your attention?"

"It hasn't reached the point of no return yet, so I don't want to impose my ideas on others."

"I understand." Uesugi Maya rested her chin on her hand and nodded thoughtfully.

I see. We must first get him to take it seriously enough.

Take last night's kiss as an example. I suggested it too easily, and it had happened twice before, which is why I stopped halfway through.

It must be conveyed with sufficiently weighty words.

Use a utility knife?

No, that's not a serious problem. Let's think about it again.

"Their rival, the Hagiri family, is a prestigious family in Kyoto."

Uesugi Maya continued the topic of the badminton tournament, and Takahashi Makoto thought for a moment before remembering: "Oh, I know, the one from the banking industry, Yukiri."

"You're starting to look more and more like a chaebol heir."

"There's no other way. Xing works very hard, so I have to help her share the burden. I'm not the kind of person who does nothing."

During the conversation, the vehicle arrived at the hotel located in the port area.

In a meeting room not open to the public, Makoto Takahashi and Maya Uesugi met their Latin dance teacher, a beautiful lady from Italy.

The meeting room has been temporarily converted into a dance studio, with an entire wall covered in mirrors.

The teacher was wearing a practice uniform, with a mature and somewhat heavy makeup. Her legs were stretched straight like a compass, giving her the posture of a professional dancer.

She didn't speak Japanese, so the three of them exchanged pleasantries in English before getting down to business.

"Ms. Uesugi said in her email that you want to learn the rumba, right?" the female teacher asked.

"Rumba? Are there different types of Latin dance?"

Makoto Takahashi admitted he was a complete newbie, looking confused. The female teacher glanced at Maya Uesugi with amusement and patiently explained:

"Latin dance has five types: Rumba, Cha-cha, Samba, Jive, and Paso Doble. Rumba and Cha-cha are typical interactive dances for two people, which use physical connections to convey signals."

"It means that she and I, the two of us, are going to jump together while hugging each other," Makoto Takahashi asked in a simple and easy-to-understand way.

Maya Uesugi gave a blatant look of disgust and nodded in affirmation.

"The Rumba is known as the dance of love. Even professional dancers believe that there is a three-minute limit to love. The key is to create an impromptu sense of romance."

The female teacher clasped her hands together, making a crisp sound, and looked at the two with eyes that seemed to offer a wedding blessing: "In rumba, the man is responsible for leading, and the woman is responsible for following. The exclusive emotional aura is very important."

“As the email said, we have absolutely no foundation,” Maya Uesugi continued.

"That's no problem. I'll start with the most basic body movements. Please stand in front of the mirror."

The female teacher stood in front of the mirror, put on a serious expression, and swayed her hips:

"You two should understand 4/4 time, the rhythm pattern is 2-3-4-1, corresponding to fast-fast-slow dance steps. The music is in four beats, but the dance only has three steps. Oh, of course you understand. I really like your song, otherwise I wouldn't have accepted this invitation at all..."