They all have hidden attributes!

Maya Uesugi sat down opposite him, staring intently at him: "How did you do that?"

"Me?" Makoto Takahashi pointed at himself, looking completely bewildered.

"Nominations for the Nobel Prize in Literature closed this February."

"Is that so?" Takahashi Makoto was completely unaware of this.

"Primary elections will be held in April, and five final candidates will be selected in May."

Maya Uesugi turned on her phone screen and checked the time on the calendar:

"My new book was only released in late March, and if I were to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, it would be next year. However, all the professors and writers' association leaders in Japan who received nomination invitations wrote to withdraw their nominations and recommended my new book instead."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Takahashi Makoto still pretended not to understand.

[Reality distortion] is something that's complicated to explain, so there's really no need to explain it.

Seeing his perfunctory attitude, Uesugi Maya gently kicked Takahashi Makoto under the table: "Did you coerce them? That's not good for your reputation."

"How could that be? I'm not a villain, why would you think that?" Makoto Takahashi denied it outright.

"Because only you have this ability, the president of the United States can only get a second-hand Nobel Prize."

Uesugi Maya's gaze towards him was tinged with a hint of helplessness, but even more so with the relief and joy of being favored: "Literary prizes reward an author's overall literary contribution, not just a particular book."

She knew very well that she was not qualified at all. Even if she was exceptionally talented, she would need time to mature and accumulate experience before she could be selected.

“What does it matter? I think your contribution to literature is already great enough; you’ve made me read several extremely boring books.” Makoto Takahashi said logically and with evidence.

"..." Uesugi Maya had no way to refute it.

"After we graduate from Tsurumizawa, we'll go to the University of Tokyo together as professors, and then Yuki and Haruna will take our classes."

"..." Uesugi Maya couldn't resist this tempting offer.

"Speaking of which, can a Nobel Prize be awarded twice? Like a three-time winner or something?"

"..."

Maya Uesugi rubbed her temples in exasperation, completely at a loss for what to do about Makoto Takahashi's unpredictable train of thought.

"Xiaoye, would you like to bring breakfast?"

From the kitchen came Tachimi Yuki's voice. Uesugi Maya stood up and said seriously, "I have no desire to be re-elected."

"You're not writing a book this year?" Makoto Takahashi asked.

Do you think writing a book is as simple as drinking water or eating?

Uesugi Maya rolled her eyes at him, then went to the kitchen to help Tachibana Yuki get breakfast. Takahashi Makoto said jokingly, "It's okay if you can't write it, I'll take care of you."

"Oh, thank you for your thoughtfulness."

As they passed each other, Uesugi Maya kicked him again.

Takahashi Makoto didn't take it to heart. After they officially started dating, Uesugi Maya started touching him more often, but rarely scolded him.

Is he expecting me to get angry and take advantage of the closer distance to grab her and do something to her?

I'll try it next time.

Today, the Takahashi family's breakfast was as lavish as ever.

Sirloin steak with Moroccan-style eggs, caramelized onion stewed beef, shrimp salad, and a side of creamy beef pasta.

Suddenly, Tachikawa became passionate about cooking. In just half a month, he went from only being able to make simple meals like sandwiches to quickly mastering complex French cuisine.

Makoto Takahashi watched as his favorite beef and eggs were combined in a new way, and he couldn't wait to take a bite. As he ate, he asked, "Why have you suddenly taken to cooking?"

"Hmm... different roles, right?"

Tachibana Yuki held a spoon to her lips and said with a smile, "Although we usually use chefs and maids, it wouldn't make sense for a [wife] to be bad at cooking."

Hearing her deliberately emphasize the word "wife," Uesugi Maya curled her lip in disdain and calmly stated:

"Marriage isn't popular in Tokyo these days. In recent years, more people are dating in the form of [simple companionship], and there are related themes in manga."

"The 'Supermarket Back Door' kind? No, Yoru, you actually read comics?" Takahashi Makoto asked in surprise.

"Hanaori recommended it to me." Uesugi Maya casually ate a shrimp from the salad with her chopsticks.

“Even so, [form] is still a very important thing, and it is recognized by everyone.” Tachimi Yuki said with a light, airy tone.

"Love is more important."

"Form and love don't conflict."

Amidst their bickering, Makoto Takahashi silently finished his breakfast, went upstairs to pack his luggage, and prepared to move to Minato Ward.

There's no need to take clothes or light novels; what's important is all the meaningful gifts I received over the past year, which I'll pack in my suitcase.

In the end, all the items were packed into one suitcase, most of which were watches given to him by Tachimi Yuki, which were placed in a watch winder that Uesugi Maya bought.

It was the change of seasons, so Uesugi Maya's luggage was quite light, while Tachimi Yuki had nothing at all, having bought everything new.

After putting the suitcases in the trunk, the three of them got into Uesugi Maya's personal white sedan and headed to the port area.

The vehicle slowly drove along the quiet street into Shirokanedai 2-chome, where a cluster of white-walled buildings came into view.

Nearby are the Tokyo Metropolitan Garden, the Matsuoka Museum of Art, Keio University, and a commercial district called "Shirogane Avenue," which is not far from Roppongi.

Judging from the location alone, it can be called a luxury residence, not to mention the main building with four floors above ground and two floors below ground.

The vehicle stopped in front of the building's main entrance, and a servant immediately came to open the door.

Makoto Takahashi was the last to get off the bus. He looked around and his gaze fell on the chestnut-brown hair that undulated like waves. He then walked over to it.

The bright sunlight filtered through the swaying lawn, casting beautiful shadows. Blue jeans accentuated her full, peach-shaped buttocks and long, slender legs. She wore only a simple white T-shirt on top, and her silhouette under the clear sky was as refreshing as sparkling water in summer.

"Not bad, right?" Makoto Takahashi asked casually.

"Acheng, this place seems bigger than my hometown village."

Hina Nekoya put her hand over her eyes to shield them from the glaring sunlight, trying to estimate the area occupied: "You must pay a lot of taxes every year, right?"

"It shouldn't be as much as Li Jian's mother took out when playing mahjong."

Makoto Takahashi reached out and put his arm around her waist. Haruna Nekoya stiffened for a moment, then furtively glanced around as if she were a thief, afraid of being discovered.

"It's just a little intimacy, what's there to be afraid of?"

Seeing her wandering eyes and her face suddenly turn red, Takahashi Makoto felt a little itchy: "Aya and Sachi are busy for a while, and Reiko and Junko haven't arrived yet, so no one will be watching you."

"Intimacy and such..." Nekoya Hina was very concerned about this word, shrugging her shoulders and acting coy, unlike her usual cheerful self.

"Is that not allowed?"

"It's possible, but the problem is, how do we get intimate...?"

When asked about Nekoya Hina, Makoto Takahashi fell silent.

I almost forgot, she and Uesugi Maya are both innocent and pure-hearted. After what happened last time, she is probably still wary of "intimacy".

Since they were outdoors, Hina Nekoya probably already imagined rolling around on the lawn in public when he approached.

First, we need to clarify the correct definition of [intimacy].

“For example, kissing,” Makoto Takahashi said.

"Oh, are there any others?"

"...And kissing?"

"Isn't it just kissing? I'm fine with that."

Seeing that Nekoya Hina's expression had brightened again, Takahashi Makoto smiled and naturally became affectionate with her: "Hugging, holding hands, these are all forms of affection. In short, we won't do anything strange here."

"Isn't this something we do all the time? Anyway, I'm relieved to hear you say that."

Hina Nekoya breathed a sigh of relief and leaned closer.

Indeed, as she said, physical contact meant nothing to either of them, and there was no need for a pretext like "intimacy"; it was something they had already gotten used to before they started dating.

Thinking of this, Makoto Takahashi placed his hands on Hina Nekoya's knees and back, and picked her up in a princess carry.

"How about this?"

"Hmm—Acheng, your hands seem pretty big?"

Hina Nekoya visibly swayed her body, adjusting her posture: "It's quite novel, it feels good."

"Let's get a back massage together tonight."

"what?"

"This is also a form of intimacy."

"Wait, Acheng, are you kidding me? Where are you going? Put me down! Someone will see us!"

Hina Nekoya struggled violently, but Makoto Takahashi picked her up and carried her toward the building's entrance without a word, changing the subject: "For your birthday this year, I'll go back to Hokkaido with you and your parents."

"Didn't I just go back for spring break? Hokkaido is quite far."

Hina Nekoya's attention was easily diverted by him, and she stopped trying to break free, which shows that she didn't really want to refuse to wash each other's backs.

Her birthday is on May 1st, International Labor Day, which falls right in the middle of the Golden Week holiday.

"I have to go no matter how far away it is, so that your parents can rest assured and the wedding can receive their blessings," said Makoto Takahashi.

"You've already thought that far ahead? I'm open to anything."

Where did Hanaori go?

"Take photos, they said they wanted to take photos of all the rooms."

"It looks like she won't be bothering us anytime soon."

Hearing this, Nekoya Hina's eyes widened, and she jumped down, supporting herself on his shoulders with both hands: "I suddenly remembered that I haven't packed my luggage yet. Oh right, I need to change the strings on my racket."

Although she didn't know what Makoto Takahashi was planning, after what happened last time, Hina Nekoya chose to run away first.

Hearing the hurried footsteps, Makoto Takahashi fell into deep thought.

When did he become someone who was addicted to desires and unable to extricate himself, or someone who would start a rock party at the slightest provocation in Hina Nekoya's mind?

All I wanted to do was take Haruna Nekoya to visit the wine cellar.

This can't go on; we have to find a way to salvage our image.