In Academy City, the Paradise Project begins.

Page 74

She was considering whether something that even a Level 5 like Higashino needed an hour to resolve was a very difficult situation.

"It was just a girl who was passing by who suddenly collapsed next to me. I accompanied her to the hospital afterward, and left after making sure she was alright."

Higashino chuckled and accepted the menu from the waiting waiter, briefly explaining what had just happened. He wasn't entirely sure of Sadansen's true intentions, and offering further explanation to Mitsuko would only cause her unnecessary trouble.

"I'm honored that you're so concerned about me, Mitsuko! How about we order some dessert first? I've heard the Black Forest cake here is quite good."

Hearing Higashino address her directly as Mitsuko, she felt inexplicably nervous, immediately straightened her back, and snapped open her folding fan to cover the lower half of her face.

"Hmph, I just don't want you getting involved in any unnecessary trouble. As for the dessert..."

Her gaze drifted uncontrollably to the Black Forest cake on the menu. She didn't have any particular fondness for cakes, and because she needed to maintain her figure, she rarely ate such high-energy foods.

However, since it was recommended by Higashino, she felt that it wouldn't hurt to try it, albeit reluctantly.

"Then give me a cup of black tea and a Black Forest cake, please."

Higashino, who had originally planned to order the Black Forest cake, was a little surprised by Mitsuko's choice. He thought Mitsuko wouldn't listen to his opinion. But it was fine, the strawberry cake had good reviews, and he wanted to try it too.

As for the Black Forest cake he initially wanted to eat, he can just get it from Miss Photon later; she probably won't mind.

"Then let's have a strawberry cream cake and a latte."

"Okay, please wait a moment."

After the waiter turned and left, Higashino turned his gaze back to Mitsuko.

"I guess Photon wouldn't mind if we ate each other's cakes, right? Actually, both of these cakes are among the most popular at this shop, so it would be nice to try them both."

As for why not order two of everything? Anyone who thinks like that deserves to be single forever, no question about it.

"Hey!"

Mitsuko was a little surprised. She hadn't expected Higashino to be so direct. Although she had thought about the baby's name before, she still found Higashino's directness a bit hard to handle, just like when her first kiss was stolen.

"Who, who wants to swap food with you...!"

She protested verbally, but deep down she was already smitten, fantasizing about Higashino spooning her food, gently wiping the cream from her lips...

However, Guangzi's fantasy was soon interrupted, as the waiter served the strawberry cake and black forest cake that the two had ordered.

The waiter gracefully placed an exquisite porcelain plate in front of the two, and the rich aroma of chocolate and cream instantly filled the air.

"Your Black Forest cake."

Enjoy your strawberry cream cake and latte.

"Thank you," Higashino and Mitsuko replied simultaneously.

The waiter bowed slightly and withdrew, but much faster than when he went to get the food.

She had had enough of the cloying, saccharine smell of romance in the private room, especially since she had been fed by this man, Higashino, twice in a row.

She met Dongye a couple of days ago while working at a clothing store in a shopping mall. Was she two-timing him back then? She was wondering if Dongye would be interested in her, but now it seems there's no chance.

The young lady inside looks like she's very rich. The guy who's dating three girls at the same time probably wouldn't even look at a girl like her who needs to work to earn money.

The waitress looked somewhat forlorn, but neither of the two people in the private room noticed.

At this moment, Mitsuko looked at the tempting cake in front of her, torn between two conflicting emotions. She was somewhat tempted by Higashino's suggestion, but her girlish reserve prevented her from making a decision.

Just then, Higashino made a move.

He picked up his fork, but instead of reaching for the strawberry cake, he cut off a piece of the Black Forest cake from the photon, a piece that perfectly combined plump rum-soaked cherries and rich chocolate sauce.

"Photon, open your mouth."

Higashino steadily handed the fork to Mitsuko, anticipating the girl's reaction.

"Huh?!"

Mitsuko froze, her brain almost shutting down. Should she obediently open her mouth? But wouldn't opening her mouth make her seem too casual? But Higashino-kun's hand was already outstretched; wouldn't it be too rude to refuse...?

"Here, try it and see if it's as good as the legends say?"

Higashino continued offering the fork, his eyes filled with anticipation.

"I'm really curious about your opinion."

"Hmph... I, I was just assessing your skill level for you." Mitsuko tried to remain calm, but in the end, she slightly opened her mouth and ate the cake on her fork.

The soft, warm cake, with its sweet and sour cherry flavor and slightly bitter, rich chocolate aroma, was placed in her mouth. The sweet taste melted on her tongue, but what captivated her even more was the intimate gesture itself.

The sight of Higashino's eyes fixed on her made her heart race, and she could no longer maintain her elegant demeanor as a young lady; her mind went blank.

"How about it?"

Higashino put away his fork and deliberately raised an eyebrow to ask.

"Hmm...it's not bad..."

Mitsuko mumbled, unable to give a complete evaluation due to the delicious taste in her mouth and the throbbing in her heart. She could only swallow hard to hide her panic.

My mind was buzzing, and only one thought remained: Mom, I'm really in love!

At this moment, she was completely certain of her feelings. The baby was no longer important; she had already decided on the name for her grandson.

Seeing Mitsuko's feigned composure masking her true helplessness, Higashino's smile deepened. He was now certain of Mitsuko's attitude towards him.

Yeah, I'd probably be able to win her over immediately if I just confessed. But scumbags like to play hard to get; if you're too direct, you'll miss out on a lot of fun.

He leisurely picked up his water glass, took a sip, then picked up his strawberry cake fork and cut off another piece of cake decorated with fresh strawberries and delicate cream.

However, he doesn't plan to feed the photon this time. Reciprocity is essential, and it's impossible for one side to make sacrifices all the time.

We must also make the photons feel involved; simply enjoying it won't do.

Thinking this, Higashino leaned forward slightly, looking directly into Mitsuko's beautiful eyes, which were wide with surprise, with anticipation and a hint of mischievousness in them.

"So, photons..."

He deliberately slowed down his speech to give Guangzi some time to prepare herself.

"To repay me for my service earlier, shouldn't you... feed me a piece of this strawberry cake?"

He handed the fork, along with the mouthwatering strawberry cake, to Mitsuko.

To avoid the awkward situation of Mitsuko refusing, Higashino thoughtfully used his other hand to take Mitsuko's small hand that was on the table and placed the fork in her hand.

Mitsuko was bewildered. She hadn't expected Higashino to do this. Not only did he demand that she feed him, but he also handed her the fork without giving her a chance to refuse.

Mitsuko clutched the fork and cake that had suddenly appeared in her hand, glancing at Higashino who was looking at her expectantly. She couldn't bring herself to refuse, and besides, did she really want to refuse?

After thinking about it, Mitsuko realized that she shouldn't be the kind of girl who likes to overthink things. Since she had already made up her mind, she should go straight for Higashino!

"I...I..."

She was speechless. No matter how brave she was in her heart, it was all in her mind. Her body, however, was not cooperating, and they shifted the blame to each other.

"Um?"

Higashino was unaware of the inner turmoil Mitsuko was going through. He simply waited patiently, even opening his mouth slightly with a leisurely air, offering silent encouragement, his eyes brimming with anticipation.

Here, take it!

Finally, Mitsuko managed to coordinate her mind and body, mustered her courage, and fed the cake to Higashino. As she savored the sweetness in her mouth, Higashino nodded in satisfaction.

"Unexpectedly delicious, Mitsuko."

Feeding you with food from a pretty girl definitely has an effect, and the cake itself is also very good.

"Is that so? As long as it tastes good, ah, haha."

Photon put down the fork, took a sip of red tea, and quickly suppressed the embarrassment she had felt from being fed earlier.

"Speaking of which..."

Higashino put down his fork. Now that the feeding session was over, he temporarily abandoned his plan to continue teasing this adorable young lady and got down to business.

"Do you have any vacant properties in the 7th school district after marriage?"

"Why are you suddenly asking this?"

The sudden shift in topic puzzled Mitsuko, but she was also slightly relieved. She was genuinely worried that Higashino would continue feeding each other until they finished eating.

"It's just that the house has been a bit crowded lately."

Looking at Mitsuko, who had regained her elegant demeanor, Higashino continued, "Sigh, there are more and more tenants at home. At this rate, the house will be overflowing..."

Mitsuko was stunned for a moment. She knew that Higashino's cousin from abroad had come to visit, but his apartment seemed to be a three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment.

Even with my cousin included, there should still be room available, and judging from his tone, it seems someone else has moved in.

Could he be her girlfriend? That shouldn't be the case. Student management in Academy City is quite strict. Most students are assigned to student dormitories, and there are room checks every night. Taking a leave of absence once in a while is fine, but moving out to live with a boy long-term is not allowed.

Of course, the management is not as strict for senior high school students or college students, since they are already at the age of marriage.

"I see."

Although Mitsuko was a little curious about who had joined the Higashino Apartment, she wouldn't ask directly. She would find out naturally when the time was right.

On the contrary, it would be somewhat impolite to deliberately inquire about it without the other party mentioning it.

"After the marriage, we did own a vacant villa on the edge of the 7th school district, only a 20-minute drive from Tokiwadai."

After thinking about it, Guangzi remembered that there were quite a few suitable houses over there, but the best one was the villa she had applied for.

"If you need, it's not impossible for you to stay there temporarily."

Mitsuko kept her head down. Saying this always gave her the feeling that she was keeping Higashino as a mistress, but she didn't want to say anything about taking money. Anyway, the family wouldn't be short of money after marriage, and Higashino was happy as long as he was happy.

Faced with such a thoughtful gesture from Mitsuko, Higashino gently placed her hand on the table and sincerely thanked her, saying, "Thank you very much, Mitsuko."

Mitsuko was slightly taken aback when her hand was held, feeling a little shy, but she didn't refuse and let Higashino hold her hand like that.

"So when can I check in?"

"Well, it should take about a day or two."

After thinking for a moment, Guangzi realized that although the villa was already renovated, it would still need to be cleaned since no one would be living there for a long time.

"However, my help isn't free!"

She felt that she had helped Higashino solve a small problem, and that her reasonable request shouldn't be rejected, right?

"Of course, is there anything I can do for you, Mitsuko?"

"Uh, this..."

She hadn't really thought about what she wanted yet, since it was a spur-of-the-moment decision, but she quickly came up with the perfect request.

"I haven't thought about it yet, but if I need you in the future, you must unconditionally promise me one thing you can do!"

Since I haven't thought of it now, I can just consider it later. Photon gave himself a thumbs up for his cleverness.

"...After that, it's fine too. Just let me know when you've thought it through. Even if you want to go to the moon, that's no problem."

Mitsuko took Higashino's words as a joke, after all, going to the moon and such is too far-fetched.

The distance from Earth to the Moon would take a very long time for someone with spatial abilities to move without expending any energy, even without sleep or rest, and they would also have to consider thorny issues like oxygen and cosmic radiation.

"But let's deal with the cake first, rather than worrying about what happens later."

Then, under Mitsuko's incredulous gaze, Higashino once again handed her the fork with the cake piece stuck in it.

The feeding play was far from over; the girl's sense of shame was something he had to deal with today.

"Awoo..."

Miss Photon had gotten used to it. After feeding each other several times, she had lost her initial restraint and was now as natural as a real girlfriend.

The most difficult step is the breakthrough from zero to one; after that, things will fall into place naturally.

Anyway, she has already decided that when she reaches the right age, she will take Dongye to meet her father. They have already been kissed and fed, so there is no room for anyone else in the future. For now, it is not bad to keep things as they are (being kept as a sugar daddy?).

As for whether her father would agree? That's not something she'd consider. If he didn't agree, she could elope. The old man would think about it seriously.

When the waiter came to clear the table, Mitsuko had already fed the last piece of Black Forest cake to Higashino.

"That's all for today. I have a tea ceremony class this afternoon. I'll contact you again after the villa is ready!"

After finishing speaking, Photon gracefully stood up and prepared to pick up the small bag placed to the side.

Just then, Higashino also stood up, but he was faster and grabbed Mitsuko's wrist.

Photon was taken aback, looking at him with a mixture of confusion and barely perceptible expectation.

I have a feeling that the situation is somewhat similar to our first meeting. Could it be that Higashino-kun is thinking of...?