They all have hidden attributes!

"Does the senior have any recommendations?"

Makoto Takahashi turned to meet her gaze and saw a sly smile appear in her beautiful, deep blue eyes.

"How about the first fireworks display of summer?"

As if he had planned it all along, Tachimi Yuki immediately replied, "I would be very happy if you would like to participate in the opening ceremony of the shooting ceremony at Meguro River tomorrow night."

“I don’t like being too flashy,” Makoto Takahashi immediately refused.

The Nashe ceremony originated from the "Archery Ceremony" in the Book of Rites. Its core purpose is to greet the gods and pray for peace or to ward off misfortune.

Etiquette implies a lot of trouble.

It requires wearing a black-feathered kimono, using a special bow and arrows, and going through a series of complicated procedures. Most importantly, it must be held in full view of everyone.

"It's okay. Although it's a little regrettable, I'll be happy as long as I can create wonderful memories of summer with my junior."

Tachibana Yuki stared straight at him, a gentle smile naturally appearing on her lips.

As soon as she finished speaking, Uesugi Maya smirked coldly: "Since we're going to do some field research, I'll come along too."

Makoto Takahashi looked up at her with some surprise.

"This is a date with my junior, so it's not really convenient."

Yuki Tachibana narrowed her eyes slightly, her beautiful blue eyes revealing a hint of danger: "Saya should go see the fireworks alone, since you won't feel lonely anyway."

"I just don't want to rely on anyone, please don't misinterpret my words."

Maya Uesugi looked at the book in her hands nonchalantly and said calmly:

"Because I need inspiration to write lyrics, I've decided to organize a group activity for the Light Music Club tomorrow night. Everyone will go to the fireworks festival held at Meguro River, and the club will cover all expenses."

“Hina hasn’t left the club yet,” Makoto Takahashi suddenly said.

"Let her come and play with us."

Uesugi Maya closed the book in her hand, crossed her arms, looked up and met Tachimi Yuki's gaze, and asked provocatively, "Is there a problem?"

"Xiaoye, going against your sister won't end well." Tachimi Yuki's voice was still sweet, but it gave people a strong sense of oppression, as if they were being stared at by a venomous snake.

Sitting beside him, Makoto Takahashi could clearly see her fingers clenching tightly as she held up her teacup, as if she was trying her best to restrain herself and control her emotions.

"Is that so? I don't care." Uesugi Maya said coldly, her expression and tone unwavering.

The two young ladies' gazes clashed across the distance, one filled with sadistic desire, the other with cold indifference, and the air instantly filled with the tension of impending conflict.

Makoto Takahashi watched the spectacle from the sidelines and casually played a chord to entertain the two.

Going to a fireworks festival with three beautiful girls, with someone paying the bill, and the system even recommending [Fun] to enhance your attributes – what's not to like?

No, it should be four beautiful girls. Kashima-senpai will definitely be by Tatemi-senpai's side.

Saturday, October 7.

As usual, Makoto Takahashi woke up naturally and then went downstairs to have breakfast at a convenience store.

Today is the release date of Volume 2 of "Playful Relationships". I went to the bookstore in Ikebukuro and bought it in full.

The author of this light novel is truly amazing; the release dates of the first and second volumes were only four months apart. I sincerely admire him.

Arriving at the familiar family restaurant, Makoto Takahashi ordered a Coke from the beverage counter and went to a corner seat near the window.

"Your extra-large fries, please enjoy."

The waiter brought over fries and ketchup. He picked up his Coke, took a sip, and eagerly unwrapped the paperback, ready to enjoy the illustrations while eating fries in the well-ventilated space.

Cola, fries, and a light novel—what a meaningful and leisurely time!

Just as he finished eating two fries, his phone on the table buzzed. Makoto Takahashi glanced at the caller ID, grabbed two tissues from the tissue box, wiped his fingers clean from the fries, and answered the call.

“Acheng, let me tell you something.”

The enthusiastic voice of Nekoya Hina came through the phone, as vibrant as sunlight streaming through the window beside me: "That junior who shut out me has been specially recruited early!"

"The national tournament hasn't even started yet, has it?" Makoto Takahashi asked casually.

"I only found out today that her mother is a badminton coach, even though their surnames are completely different."

"That's quite rare."

"Also, the badminton club suddenly announced that we will be going on an intensive training camp starting today to prepare for the national tournament. We won't be able to come back until next Wednesday."

Hina Nekoya paused briefly, then gave an embarrassed chuckle, her voice suddenly becoming guilty: "Well, although I promised to go to the fireworks festival with you last night, Kashima-senpai gave her spot to me, so—"

Because the way they obtained the team competition spot was somewhat questionable, they naturally couldn't refuse the intensive training camp, otherwise their reputation would suffer.

"I think with Uesugi-kun and Tatsumi-senpai around, Makoto shouldn't be lonely, and that lowerclassman will also be participating in the training camp..."

After listening to Nekoya Hina's hesitant explanation of the reason, Takahashi Makoto considerately took care of her feelings.

Where are we going for the training camp?

"The Izu Peninsula, using a local university's gymnasium, has very nice accommodations. I heard they booked the entire hot spring inn."

"Izu is quite nice. In summer, Mount Omuro is like a giant matcha cake."

"Don't mention food! I'm doomed, I definitely won't be able to control myself if we pass a dessert shop later..."

After chatting with Haruna Nekoya for a while, and waiting until she had almost forgotten her guilt about breaking the contract, Makoto Takahashi hung up the phone and continued eating his fries.

The sudden badminton club training camp is really not Nekoya Hina's fault; someone must have figured out her psychology and deliberately stirred things up.

Not long after, the troublemakers appeared at the family restaurant.

Before Makoto Takahashi had even finished reading the first chapter of the light novel, a soft voice suddenly reached his ears, carrying a sweet and alluring quality.

"Hello, junior."

"Good afternoon, senior student."

He turned his head and saw Tachibana Yuki, wearing a white and blue dress, standing smiling beside the table.

With her dignified face, noble golden-blue eyes, snow-white skin, full breasts, perfect waist-to-hip ratio, and beautiful legs encased in white stockings, she practically possessed all the elements of a beautiful girl.

Her pure yet sexy appearance, combined with her gentle personality and status as a young lady from a wealthy family, gives her an irresistible charm that makes everyone fall in love with her.

Makoto Takahashi is an exception, because he knows that Yuki Tatsumi is a dog-like girl, but whether she is a vicious dog or something else, it is impossible to draw a conclusion at the moment.

"Senior, do you know?"

He raised the cup to his lips, swallowed a mouthful of cola, and said in a listless tone, "All stalkers have this mentality of feeling that the other person belongs to them."

Today's system selection is [Play]. Nekoya Hina isn't here, so there's one less chance to trigger an assist card, which is still a bit disappointing.

With her hands pressing down on the hem of her sky-blue dress, Tachibana Yuki sat down across the table from Takahashi Makoto and casually denied, "It was a chance encounter."

Chapter 36 The First Summer Festival

Makoto Takahashi would rather believe that Maya Uesugi would take the initiative to ask to be friends with him than believe that he could run into a zaibatsu heiress at a family restaurant in Ikebukuro.

This isn't a high-end shopping street in Chiyoda Ward.

Across the table, Tachibana Yuki crossed her arms, forming an arch, and rested her smooth chin on them, her beautiful blue eyes smiling as she stared at him.

Her blonde hair shone like gold in the sunlight, and her high-quality dress stood out starkly from the noisy surroundings. The blue gemstone necklace hanging in the center of her neckline was enough to buy the entire restaurant.

Makoto Takahashi looked away from her, picked up a French fry and threw it into his mouth. As he ate, he turned to look at the street outside the window. The weather was so sunny it was almost depressing.

His intuition told him that Tachibana Yuki must have made ample preparations for tonight's fireworks display.

"Didn't Kashima-senpai go out with her today?" Takahashi Makoto asked casually after swallowing the food in his mouth.

Kashima-senpai is a maid and doesn't participate in the badminton club's training camp, so she should be staying by Tatemi-senpai's side. Could she be providing support from afar?

Seeing him take the initiative to show concern for Kashima Reiko, a shadow crossed Ritsuki's eyes, but it disappeared in an instant, as if it were just an illusion.

She unconsciously rubbed her fingertips, her beautiful eyes narrowing as she smiled: "I didn't expect my junior to like Leng Zi's type."

"I was just curious, because Hina said that Kashima-senpai might be one of her subordinates," Takahashi Makoto said dismissively.

"Junior, it's not good to lie."

Tachikawa Yuki saw through his clumsy lie in a second, tilted her head slightly, and a hint of amusement in her eyes: "Although Reiko and I are in the same class, we have always pretended not to know each other, and only helped me with some trivial matters in the student council."

"But I wasn't wrong, was I? I thought so when my senior appeared in the archery club."

Why do you think that?

Seeing the troubled expression on her beautiful face, Makoto Takahashi shrugged and continued reading his light novel: "Intuition."

Tachibana gazed at him, and after a moment of silence, the doubt and confusion in her eyes faded, replaced by a gentle light.

"Junior's intuition is very accurate. That's right, Reiko is a maid in the Tatsumi family. Her father used to be the driver for the Tatsumi family."

"And now?" Makoto Takahashi asked casually.

Tatsumi Yuki replied in a nonchalant tone, "It's probably in the sea."

"I thought this kind of thing only happened in TV dramas. Is it really going to happen that Tokyo Bay will be filled in?"

"Probably, who knows?"

"I didn't expect that my senior wasn't an angel at all." Takahashi Makoto looked up at her mysterious smile, thinking about how Uesugi Maya had helped him clean his apartment, and compared the two in his mind.

To outsiders, Maya Uesugi is the Hell Girl, but in reality, she is simply carrying out her beliefs. She is extremely capable and very reliable.

While the angelic Yuki Tachimi is actually extremely controlling, she always forcefully seizes the initiative when they are together, making it a little suffocating. However, her generosity is indeed very angelic.

The realization that he was special gave Makoto Takahashi a strange sense of security.

"So, Kashima-senpai isn't coming?"

Takahashi Makoto asked again, and seeing his persistence, Riki Kensuke frowned slightly in displeasure: "If you're willing to go shopping with me this afternoon, I can order her to go on a date with you next time."

Makoto Takahashi didn't really like Reiko Kashima, so he immediately rejected her.

"There's no need for that. I plan to read the second volume in one go this afternoon."

He raised the book in his hand to acknowledge Li Jianxing, then began to read intently.

While Makoto Takahashi was reading a light novel, Yuki Tachimi sat opposite him the whole time.

During this time, Kashima Reiko brought over black tea and chess pieces, and then sat down next to Takahashi Makoto to play chess with Tachimi Yuki. He simply greeted her and did not make any further moves.

After finishing the second volume of "Playful Relationships," Takahashi Makoto looked up and saw that the sky had been tinged with crimson at some point. He stood up and stretched his stiff neck: "It's almost time."