They all have hidden attributes!

Makoto Takahashi tossed the bamboo shoot tip into his mouth, swallowed it, and continued, "Yosuga, I still can't muster any enthusiasm."

Being willing to study with her is one thing, but mindset is another.

"I'll find a way to help you overcome this." Uesugi Maya calmly placed fish roe pouches into the hot pot.

The boiling hot pot cooled down temporarily. Takahashi Makoto used his chopsticks to pick up the corn that Shiraishi Junko had placed in his bowl, and said as he ate:

"And the eye contact. Although the teacher is very professional, I always feel like I'm missing something."

"Is it difficult?" Shiraishi Jun looked over with concern.

Makoto Takahashi turned to meet her gaze, looking into her deep, wine-red eyes, and blinked: "You've also studied Latin dance?"

"No, but... I don't want Makoto out of my sight."

Upon hearing what Shiraishi Junko said, Takahashi Makoto suddenly realized that it was because he wasn't applying enough gravity.

It seems that to learn Latin dance well, one must learn to be like Junko Shiraishi and persistently persuade Hakiye.

Didn't she say that she hated herself and wouldn't force herself on her?

Having made up his mind, Makoto Takahashi reached for the fish roe pouches in the hot pot with his chopsticks, but Maya Uesugi quickly tapped his wrist with the end of her chopsticks: "It's not cooked yet."

So it's possible to steal it, and she wasn't even angry.

"Aya, you're so cute." Takahashi Makoto picked up the serving chopsticks and put a large piece of beef into the hot pot.

"Please die first." Uesugi Maya gave him a blatant look of disgust.

The atmosphere between the cat and its owner became increasingly harmonious, but the new Siamese cat felt a sense of crisis, and even its charming eyes revealed a hint of tension.

"Makoto, I bought new stockings today, the high-waisted, shiny type." Shiraishi Junka's weak voice was filled with hostility.

"Ahem...we'll talk about it tonight." Takahashi Makoto coughed seriously and continued eating his corn.

After dinner, Shiraishi Junka and Kashima Reiko took over the cleaning and tidying up. Uesugi Maya subconsciously wanted to help, but was unable to get involved due to the two's clear refusal.

"How about we go for a walk in Ikebukuro? There's a new light novel out recently."

Makoto Takahashi stood up from the sofa and extended his hand to her, inviting her: "Let's go buy some desserts while we're at it, so we can have them while we're watching the movie."

“Okay.” Uesugi Maya crossed her arms, ignoring the hand he offered.

It seems we need to be tougher on Hakiya.

As Takahashi Makoto thought to himself, he reached out and pinched the back of her neck. Uesugi Maya's eyes widened, and she stared at him with an incredulous look.

"A normal person in this situation would probably put their arm around the waist."

"I do not like."

Makoto Takahashi gently squeezed her twice, then carried her to the entrance like a cat. Maya Uesugi, embarrassed and annoyed, shook off his hand and took the scarf to tie it.

Stepping outside, I took the elevator downstairs. In late December in Tokyo, the night air was filled with an almost tranquil atmosphere.

It's only a short walk of about ten minutes from the apartment to Ikebukuro.

The two walked this road side by side countless times, going to and from school, going out... What Takahashi Makoto remembers most vividly is the night when Uesugi Maya gave him "The Little Prince".

I haven't read that book yet, but the scenes from that time are still vivid in my mind.

"I realized last night that Junko and Reiko actually dislike me a little." Walking beside her, Uesugi Maya stared at the road ahead, the blurry streetlights flowing past her feet.

Makoto Takahashi nodded dismissively: "Isn't that obvious?"

“I never noticed this kind of thing before. Actually, I also think they are annoying because you don’t only belong to me, you also have them in your eyes.”

The obvious jealousy and possessiveness are the emotional parts that Uesugi Maya considers heavy.

Makoto Takahashi smiled naturally, put his arm around her shoulder, and pulled her slender body into his embrace: "Actually, I'm quite jealous too."

“You never showed it outright.”

"Because you all seem to know this very well, I don't want to appear too uneasy or childish."

"Actually, you have boundaries in your heart, and you only accept people who are devoted to you. Just like how you used to secretly hold grudges, like when Hina wanted to quit the club."

Uesugi Maya mercilessly exposed his lie, exhaling a long puff of white mist: "No one wants to be abandoned."

"You really know me well," Takahashi Makoto remarked.

“I’ve been observing you ever since before I even knew you.”

"It feels like it's been so long."

"Heh, speaking of which, back then when I followed you, you were still willing to hitch a ride with me to the academy, which means you've been lonely for too long. I had the chance to have you all to myself."

There was no regret in Uesugi Maya's tone, only hostile dissatisfaction: "They should thank me for not striking first."

“The Uesugi family is too wicked,” Makoto Takahashi said half-jokingly.

"Tsk." Uesugi Maya glanced at him with disdain, struggling slightly in his arms to express her displeasure.

The two chatted casually as they strolled into the Ikebukuro district. As planned, they bought a few light novels at a bookstore, then cream puffs at a dessert shop, and finally returned to Maya Uesugi's apartment together.

They turned on the projector and sat down together on the beanbag chair.

While choosing a movie, Makoto Takahashi pulled Maya Uesugi, who was just leaning against him, into his arms and then embraced her slender, warm body.

After a moment of stiffness, Uesugi Maya relaxed and leaned against him.

"I was thinking last night, do you not consider me someone who belongs solely to you?" she said coldly.

“If I force myself on you without respecting your wishes, it’s no different from harassment,” Makoto Takahashi said, revealing his thoughts.

"Respect is indeed your virtue."

Maya Uesugi looked up at him with trust in her eyes. Makoto Takahashi gazed into her beautiful caramel-colored eyes, slowly approached, and kissed her beautifully shaped pink lips.

He probed gently and delicately, and Uesugi Maya comfortably closed her eyes to accept Takahashi Makoto's actions.

After touching each other and exchanging warmth, Makoto Takahashi reluctantly separated, gently stroking her back.

What would happen if I said I wanted to stay overnight?

"Stay on New Year's Eve." Maya Uesugi's eyes, clear and bright like autumn water, seemed to hold a mixture of expectation and longing.

The warm scent of cedarwood creates an ambiguous atmosphere.

Makoto Takahashi could clearly feel that the body nestled in his arms was no longer relaxed as before, but had become tense and stiff, and was trembling slightly.

My heartbeat grew louder and louder, my rationality wavered, and I was put to the test.

Uesugi Maya's slender fingers grasped his collar as if pleading, and she uttered a muffled, almost whispered sound:

"Just literally, I want to... feel your presence more, that's all. I believe you're not the kind of person who's too impatient or eager."

The pure desire to "stay together" caged the beast within Makoto Takahashi's heart.

Nevertheless, Uesugi Maya's frank and coquettish manner was almost too cute to bear, and the way she huddled up and buried her face in her chest almost suffocated him.

"It's amazing that you trust me so much. I can't even guarantee that I can resist the temptation," Takahashi Makoto said.

"If your wish is to have me, I will accept."

Maya Uesugi raised her delicate face and met his gaze with uneasy eyes: "I believe you will take responsibility, and I hope you can be gentle when the time comes."

After calming down and thinking carefully, Makoto Takahashi realized the risk: "You'll tell Sachi immediately, right?"

"Tsk, what a terrible man."

Uesugi Maya immediately adopted a displeased expression, adjusting her position to snuggle into his arms: "From now on, you're forbidden from mentioning her in front of me. Tonight, we're watching '12 Angry Men'."

This is a bit difficult, Makoto Takahashi thought to himself silently.

I had heard similar things from Tachimi Yuki before, and I didn’t expect Uesugi Maya to say the same thing. It seems that women in love are all the same when it comes to jealousy.

As the movie started playing, Maya Uesugi's gaze lingered in mid-air for a moment before she said, taking advantage of the sweet atmosphere from her earlier coquettishness, "Let's take a bath together then."

"Okay." Takahashi Makoto swallowed hard, unable to go against his instincts and agree.

After watching the movie, he realized how cunning Uesugi Maya was.

On New Year's Eve, Shiraishi Junko will be there too. If we agree to let her take a bath together and stay overnight, won't Shiraishi Junko feel like she's not part of New Year's Eve at all?

Uesugi Maya's hostility was stronger than he had imagined.

We must be careful around her at all times.

Back at his apartment that night, Makoto Takahashi tried to make up for the damage he had caused to Junka Shiraishi because of Maya Uesugi's coquettishness.

It was sunny on March 12.

After breakfast, Makoto Takahashi and Reiko Kashima went to Jiyugaoka.

Arriving at the Kashima family home after a long absence, Makoto Takahashi met Kashima Reiko's mother, Maki Kashima, for the first time at the entrance.

"Nice to meet you, I am Makoto Takahashi."

Makoto Takahashi handed over the gift and bowed respectfully to his elder, saying, "I may be bothering you for a while now, please take care of me."

"This is actually Reiko's home, Takahashi-kun, you're too kind."

Wearing a light-colored kimono, Maki Kashima exuded a gentle aura and smiled warmly: "I've often heard your name. The head of the family thinks highly of you and speaks highly of you."

"That's so hypocritical, Maki," Kashima Reiko retorted expressionlessly.

"Lengzi, really, this is the first time I've ever seen you bring your boyfriend home. Your mother is at an age where she has mixed feelings."

As she spoke, Maki Kashima gently patted Makoto Takahashi's shoulder: "Anyway, please come in, Takahashi-kun. Just call me Maki."

“If you don’t call her, she’ll drag things out with you for a long time,” Kashima Reiko said expressionlessly.

"Maki," Makoto Takahashi called out somewhat awkwardly.

“Then I’ll just call you by your name. You bought the souvenir, right? It’s the bag I said I wanted yesterday.” Kashima Maki led the two to the tea room, eagerly unwrapping the souvenir.

“Spend his money,” Kashima Reiko said.

"In that case, Mr. Cheng has gone to great lengths."

Upon arriving at the familiar tea room, the original low wooden table had been replaced by a kotatsu (heated table), and the sliding door leading to the courtyard was tightly closed. In the overly clean Japanese-style room, the only decoration was an oil painting given to Kashima Reiko by Takahashi Makoto.

After the three of them sat down around the kotatsu, Maki Kashima removed the hairpin from her updo, letting her slightly wavy long black hair fall loose.

"To be honest, I'm a little flustered. How about I introduce myself first? I'm Maki Kashima, 18 years old, Reiko's older sister, currently the head chef at the Tatsumi family's kitchen, with an annual salary of—"

Before she could finish speaking, Kashima Reiko interrupted her, unable to contain herself any longer: "This is not a blind date."