They all have hidden attributes!

"I admit I was a bit reckless."

Uesugi Maya's body stiffened slightly due to nervousness: "I won't move around too much. You can get a little closer. I... I thought you would at least touch me."

Somewhat flustered, Haki rested her head on Takahashi Makoto's arm and calmed herself down with deep breaths.

A warmer scent than usual filled my nostrils.

Makoto Takahashi patted her head to ease her tension, then gently lifted Maya Uesugi's chin with his fingers.

Maya Uesugi closed her eyes, her attitude as if she were entrusting herself to him was sexy and alluring.

This attitude forced Takahashi Makoto to be patient. He stroked his moist, smooth lips with his fingers, then wrapped his hands around Uesugi Maya's stomach, pressing them even closer together.

"Let's stay here for a while." Makoto Takahashi gently stroked his slender belly.

It feels incredibly soft to the touch, without any excess fat, yet possessing a woman's unique suppleness.

"Even when you kiss me, you're afraid you'll become endlessly addicted, yet you still don't want to break up with Ritsumi?" Uesugi Maya squirmed as if ticklish.

"I'm afraid I'll get dizzy from soaking."

"Let's continue in the bedroom."

"Let it soak a little longer."

The atmosphere, urging them to the upcoming intimate moment, kept them in the bathroom for a short time, especially since it was already late at night.

While Uesugi Maya was doing her routine grooming in the bathroom, Takahashi Makoto dried his hair and went to her bedroom to wait, trying to calm his restless heart.

Tonight's test of reason will soon reach its final assessment.

To avoid excessive tension, he turned on the system to distract himself.

[Year-end performance review completed]

[The core essence of aesthetics: aimless and useless things]

[It conforms to Kant's concept of pure reason, and is a pure ideal that transcends the senses.]

[Charm Points 1200, SS+]

[Reward Obtained: Aesthetic Avatar]

[An embodiment of aesthetics: literature, music, dance, painting, sculpture, drama, architecture, film, games... In the realm of beauty and art, you are both the beginning and the end.]

......

Next attribute upgrade: [Perseverance]. Strengthen my willpower so that next time Hagiwara teases me, I can teach her a lesson.

Just as I replaced all the [Assistance Cards] with [Perseverance] upgrades, I heard footsteps in the corridor.

After shutting down the system and waiting for Uesugi Maya's breath to get close, Takahashi Makoto looked up and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

These aren't sentimental pajamas; they're just adorable cat plush pajamas.

White cat paw prints adorn the smooth, glossy black fabric, while the cat ears on the pajamas hood add a touch of cuteness.

"It's a little too cute."

Makoto Takahashi sat on the edge of the bed, staring intently at the black and white cat, and couldn't help but say what he was thinking: "To be honest, I was just wondering what I would do if you came over wearing something really suggestive in your pajamas."

"I don't want to make myself look too cheap."

Maya Uesugi sat down next to him, leaned closer, and rested her head on Makoto Takahashi's shoulder: "I don't want to force you either."

The light and thin texture, along with the warm scent of cedarwood, stirred a restless feeling in Makoto Takahashi's body, which had been calming down.

He underestimated Maya Uesugi's destructive power and subconsciously reached out to grasp her soft hand.

After a brief silence, Uesugi Maya intertwined her fingers with his and said somewhat nervously, "It's about time to go to sleep."

"Didn't you just say you were going to continue?" Takahashi Makoto launched an attack directly.

Maya Uesugi's gaze fell on the floor, and Makoto Takahashi pulled her over without hesitation, slowly biting her beautifully shaped cherry lips.

Perhaps it was because both of them had calmed down and there was no surge of passion that made them lose their temper.

Only a slowly warming feeling of excitement and a strong urge to love.

What started as a mere touch naturally escalated into a deeper kiss. Maya Uesugi let out a hoarse voice, as if something was stuck in her throat, and leaned her slender, soft body against him helplessly.

Makoto Takahashi reached out and slipped his hand inside her pajamas to caress her slender waist.

Maya Uesugi placed her slender hands on top of the back of his hand, as if trying to hold him back.

"I've decided not to take back what I said earlier."

She took Takahashi Makoto's hand, her wet, caramel-colored eyes revealing an almost pleading look: "Promise me, one day you'll make me yours."

"I won't give up on you." Takahashi Makoto swallowed hard.

"You have too many burdens; you even have to think too much about getting close to someone."

Maya Uesugi put on a slightly uneasy expression, pressed her face against his chest, and listened to the rapid heartbeat: "I am happy to be cherished by you, but I am also afraid if I cannot have you completely."

"May I touch you a little? I want to express myself a bit."

Makoto Takahashi hugged her tightly and gently bit her snow-white neck: "And this way, you can feel a little more at ease, right?"

"Fine." Uesugi Maya frowned and let out a mournful cry.

In his soft whispers, a barely perceptible expectation was revealed.

January 1st, the first day of the new year.

When I woke up, Uesugi Maya, whom I had been holding while sleeping last night, was nowhere to be found.

Makoto Takahashi looked around with sleepy eyes, the high-pitched voice still seeming to echo in his ears, and the sweat sliding down his snow-white skin was still clearly visible.

I sat up in bed. The room was so quiet that I could hear birds chirping outside the window.

A short while later, with the metallic clang of the door lock, a gust of cold wind swept in, and the temperature in the room suddenly dropped by two degrees.

"Get up, have breakfast, and then go to Senso-ji Temple for a pilgrimage."

Uesugi Maya coldly tossed over a suit in a dust bag, her attitude indifferent, as if the look of dependence and trust in her eyes last night was just a daydream.

"Why not go to Meiji Shrine?" Makoto Takahashi's gaze fell on the neckline of her loungewear.

Near the neck, which was covered by clothing, a small red mark was faintly visible, not particularly noticeable, but there were more marks under the clothing.

"I don't like crowded places, and also—"

Seeing that he didn't move, Uesugi Maya walked over and directly pulled back the covers: "If you dare to rub your disgusting stuff on me again, you're dead."

"What's for breakfast?" Makoto Takahashi yawned casually.

"Rice, miso soup, New Year's dishes."

Uesugi Maya glanced at the blanket, threw it on the floor, and decided to wash it after returning from the first shrine visit.

As for the smell, that might be a bit difficult to resolve.

Well, it's not entirely his fault.

Thinking of this, Uesugi Maya's cold expression softened slightly, and she turned to leave the bedroom: "Remember to wake her up."

It was 40 minutes later when Makoto Takahashi got dressed, went back to his apartment to wake up Junka Shiraishi, and invited her to the Uesugi house for breakfast.

Because I got up too early today, it was only a little past 7:30 in the morning.

After breakfast, Maya Uesugi and Junka Shiraishi went to change into their kimonos, while Makoto Takahashi chatted with Reiko Kashima on his phone, planning for the [exam] in January.

In order to improve his character, he decided to give up the oil painting competition and switch to archery.

[Reiko: Are we going to Kyoto?]

[Reiko: Sanjusangendo National Tournament]

[Takahashi: This is good]

[Reiko: This year it will still be held on January 18th]

[Takahashi: Please register me]

[Takahashi: Do you really not need me to visit any relatives and friends for the New Year today?]

[Reiko: No need, Maki has to go to work tomorrow, she looks ugly when she cries.]

[Takahashi: You've really worked hard.]

[Takahashi: We plan to visit Senso-ji Temple.]

[Reiko: I must visit Tatsumi's house to wish them a Happy New Year first, or I'll be too late.]

Since Kashima Reiko didn't have time today, Takahashi Makoto had to bring Tachimi Yuki and Uesugi Maya along to celebrate Shiraishi Junka's birthday.

Not long after, Uesugi Maya, dressed in a kimono, walked into the living room.

Upon seeing her for the first time, Makoto Takahashi was momentarily lost in thought.

Uesugi Maya doesn't usually wear kimonos, and her attire is mainly black and white. It was the first time I saw her wearing an elegant light blue patterned kimono, and it was really hard to look away.

The light blue base with white auspicious cloud patterns is very elegant and exudes feminine charm.

A lock of her long black hair was left loose on the side, while the rest was secured at the top with a hairpin. Her snow-white neck and accessories accentuated her delicate features, and even though she exuded an aloof and distant aura, people still wanted to get close to her no matter what.

“It’s so beautiful,” Makoto Takahashi said.

"Do you regret not going all the way last night?"

Uesugi Maya walked straight to the entrance to put on the knee-high boots she had prepared beforehand: "Stay with me today, and I'll let you go a little further."

"Today is Chun Ke's birthday." Makoto Takahashi walked past her to open the door.

Arriving at the Takahashi house next door, they found Shiraishi Junka had just changed into a kimono.

The gorgeous white and gold color scheme highlights the temperament of a young lady, while the neat black princess cut outlines her charming face and her full figure with its prominent curves, which even the wide sleeves of the kimono cannot conceal.

Makoto Takahashi reached into her sleeve and took her hand tightly: "Would you like me to accompany you to the Shiraishi family to pay New Year's respects today?"

"...This is so troublesome."

Shiraishi Junko raised her clear, wine-red eyes and stared intently at Takahashi Makoto: "When I have extra time, I just want to be with Makoto."

Amidst the tinkling of hairpins, Uesugi Maya moved closer to Takahashi Makoto and urged, "Hurry up, if we dawdle any longer, there will be a lot of people at Senso-ji Temple."

"Let's go."