Halfway through choosing, Kitagawa Sakisa leaned over and pointed to one of the milk teas, saying, "I want this one."

She glanced at the name below, in English, and then looked at the others.

Chocolate Milk, Peanut Milk, Hami Melon Milk...

"Why are they all in English? Rika, can you understand them?"

"Mm." Kyujuu Rika responded nonchalantly.

She held a small booklet in her hands, looked up at Uesugi Sakura sitting directly across from her, and casually asked:

"Uesugi-kun, what do you want to drink?"

Just as Uesugi Sakura was about to speak, Hanamaru Hanabi immediately smiled and said, "No need, Hanabi has already ordered a milk tea for Sakura-kun."

Hearing this, Kyujuu Rika didn’t think much of it and nodded before continuing to pick her own milk tea.

Uesugi Sakura glanced at Hanamaru Hanabi sitting next to him.

Was this... jealousy?

She couldn’t bear to see another girl casually order a milk tea for him.

He didn’t expect the yandere Hanabi to be so sensitive.

...

Kitagawa Sakisa’s ice chocolate milk tea, Kyujuu Rika’s coconut milk tea, Ayaka Rie’s pineapple fruit tea...

Uesugi Sakura’s drink was ordered by Hanabi; it was an Americano, and she had ordered a latte with extra milk.

Looking at the drink in front of him, just to his liking, he felt like his wife still understood him...

—although yandere-like.

Uesugi Sakura took a couple of sips, and while the others were chatting, he stealthily took some Recovery Medicine from his system stash and poured it into his coffee.

Colorless, tasteless, and beneficial to health.

He stirred it a couple of times and glanced at Hanamaru Hanabi sitting beside him, acting completely normal.

He leaned over slightly, whispering just quietly enough for them to hear, "Shall we exchange drinks? I want to drink the cup you’re having, Hanabi."

Hanamaru Hanabi was obviously taken aback.

Then, Uesugi Sakura saw her eyes glance over at him.

Her eyes seemed to say, ’Sakura-kun’s is the cup and coffee that Sakura-kun drank from.’

In her gaze, there was a sincere romantic affection that left Uesugi Sakura at a loss for words.

While the girls opposite were engrossed in their conversation, Uesugi Sakura quickly switched both of their coffee cups.

Hanamaru Hanabi looked at the coffee cup that Uesugi Sakura had drunk from, feeling very excited, her small hands clutching tightly on her lap, lips pursed.

Then, she slowly picked up the cup with both hands, her facial expression still normal.

But when her delicate lips touched the cup’s rim, she slowly closed her eyes.

Hanamaru Hanabi took a slight sip.

Enjoyment... savoring... recollection, all unfolded in the brief tasting experience of the girl.

Sitting beside her, Uesugi Sakura noticed a slight detail.

After Hanamaru Hanabi sipped the coffee, she seemed to brush her lips over the spot he drank from, making a subtle motion like sucking or nibbling, as if she was tasting not the coffee, but the cup’s edge.

Once she gently placed the cup back down with elegance, Uesugi Sakura noticed a touch of bashful blush on her familiar, adorable face.

The blush resembled the flush from drinking hot water in winter, charmingly pink.

This appearance of the girl made Uesugi Sakura almost subconsciously imagine her softly exhaling a breath of happiness.

After a long savor, Hanamaru Hanabi turned her head to look at Uesugi Sakura, glanced around, and then took the chance to lean over, covering her mouth with her right hand, speaking playfully to him, "Thank you, Sakura-kun, Sakura-kun’s taste is truly~ marvelous..."

Her gentle and coy voice, sweet with a touch of warmth, traveled from the ear, into the ear canal, straight into his inner ear, then from the ear, through the throat, down the esophagus, lingering at his heart.

Hanamaru Hanabi, seeing his dazed look, chuckled softly, returning to her seat, unmoved.

Uesugi Sakura knew she was teasing him; it was very obvious... she succeeded.

He truly felt a strange sensation of being moved.

But is this... right?

...

For the remainder of the time, he was somewhat distracted.

It was only after Kitagawa Sakisa called him several times that he responded when leaving the milk tea shop.

On the way back to the hotel, Hanamaru Hanabi, just like when they came, walked back home with her arm linked through his.

After saying goodbye to the three girls and returning to the third floor of the hotel, he opened the door to room 3016.

The first thing Uesugi Sakura did was press Hanamaru Hanabi’s soft shoulders against the door.

With a thud, Hanamaru Hanabi leaned weakly against the door, looking at him coyly:

"Sakura-kun... are you getting impatient?"

"Are you... is it really Hanabi?"

"Of course Hanabi is Hanabi; whatever Sakura-kun wants, Hanabi can give to Sakura-kun! Correspondingly, Sakura-kun... can only love Hanabi alone."

Uesugi Sakura wanted to say something more, but suddenly his head felt heavy, his body weakened, and he fell into Hanamaru Hanabi’s embrace.

"Sakura-kun, are you sleepy?" Hanamaru Hanabi smiled and asked.

Without much thought, Uesugi Sakura nodded, holding his forehead, "Yes, a little."

"Then Sakura-kun, stay and sleep in Hanabi’s room."

"I... should still go back to my own room to sleep."

Just as Uesugi Sakura reached to open the door, Hanamaru Hanabi pushed his hand down, "Sakura-kun, you can’t, you’re so sleepy now, you can’t go back alone."

"It’s just across the hall, why can’t I go back..."

"Sakura-kun’s room card is here with Hanabi."

"Then give it to me..." Uesugi Sakura felt his sleepiness intensifying.

"No."

Just as those words left her mouth, Uesugi Sakura slumped into Hanamaru Hanabi’s arms.

Hanamaru Hanabi teased him, "Sakura-kun is like a little baby."

Uesugi Sakura realized something; that coffee they exchanged...