The tag team of Shiro-san and Alice—or more accurately, Alice using her talent for subterfuge to support Shiro-san’s whims—filled me with a heavy sense of dread.
Contrary to my fears, however, nothing strange happened. Shiro-san and I simply continued our tour of the amusement park like any normal couple.
"……I’m getting a little thirsty. Shiro-san, would you like to get something to drink?"
"I would."
Having worked up a thirst after visiting several attractions, I consulted the park map and led us toward the food court area. Since Alice was the one managing the place, I hadn't been worried about the logistics, and indeed, every stall in the food court appeared to be open for business.
We eventually reached a stall selling drinks, where Alice welcomed us while working behind the counter.
"Welcome! What can I get for you today~?"
Hmm... She was wearing a rather baffling kigurumi. It was pink and featured a prominent beak... so I assumed it was a flamingo.
While pondering her fashion choice, I looked over the drink menu—and froze.
- Couples-only Lovey-dovey Riple Juice
- Couples-only Lovey-dovey Orange Juice
- Couples-only Lovey-dovey Mixed Juice
- Couples-only Lovey-dovey Human Realm Juice
- Couples-only Lovey-dovey Demon Realm Juice
- Manager's Recommended Couples-only Lovey-dovey God Realm Juice
- Loner-exclusive Rag-flavored Plain Hot Water
Almost every single one was for couples! And I’d felt this for a while now, but her malice toward loners was truly excessive.
But I saw her game now. This was the "support" she had promised. At this rate, every single menu in the food court was likely going to look like this.
"Kaito-san, which one would you like?"
"……Um, well, since we're here... I'll have the Manager's Recommended God Realm Juice."
I realized I didn't actually have a choice in the matter, so I resigned myself to the inevitable and placed the order. I decided to at least try the "God Realm Juice" since it was the recommended item.
Given that Alice was the one making it, I doubted it would taste bad. Since I couldn't even guess the flavor from the name, I found myself feeling a spark of genuine curiosity.
However, when Alice heard my order, she tilted her head in feigned confusion.
"Oh? Did we have a menu item like that? Please state the product name accurately, customer."
This brat……
"The Manager’s Recommended... Couples-only... L-Lovey-dovey God Realm Juice..."
"Yes! Coming right up! My, ordering that? You two really are a passionate couple, aren't you?"
What was this? This forced humiliation where I was only allowed one choice...
I felt my face heat up at the mortifying product name, but my embarrassment was instantly eclipsed by the sheer spectacle of the drink she produced.
"Thank you for your patience~"
"Whoa…… that’s incredible."
The juice placed before me far exceeded my expectations. Encased within a transparent, dome-shaped lid—the kind often seen at major coffee chains—was a miniature representation of the God Realm. It was a visual masterpiece.
As expected, the straw was designed for two people to share a single cup, but rather than a cliché heart shape, it was an intricate, artistic sculpture.
As for the drink itself, it was divided into four distinct layers through some unknown magical principle.
The bottom was a deep indigo, followed by green, then purple, and finally a shimmering silver at the very top. I assumed the layers were modeled after Chronoa-san, Life-san, Fate-san, and Shiro-san, respectively.
I see, so that was why it was called God Realm Juice. It was undeniably beautiful, but I wondered how it actually tasted.
"……Um, Shiro-san. Shall we... have a drink?"
"Yes."
Facing Shiro-san, I brought my face toward the straw, but... ugh, her face was so close.
Even for Shiro-san, whose beauty was so overwhelming it felt like the literal personification of the word, seeing her from this distance was... honestly, quite staggering.
With my heart racing, I steeled my resolve and put my lips to the straw. I took a sip—and my eyes widened. It was delicious!
The flavor surpassed anything I could have imagined. The bottom indigo layer had a taste similar to Blue Hawaii, but it felt as though the liquid was being absorbed into my very cells. It was so incredibly savory that my entire body seemed to crave it.
Then came the next layer: the green melon flavor. The moment the taste transitioned from Blue Hawaii to melon, the two blended exquisitely, expanding through my mouth into a completely new flavor that was neither one nor the other.
The purple layer was grape, and the final silver layer had a refreshing, ramune-like quality. Every single one was terrifyingly tasty. Before I knew it, I was drinking with single-minded focus.
It was hard to put into words, but every fiber of my being seemed to yearn for every last drop. Without realizing it, I closed my eyes, concentrating entirely on the symphony of flavors dancing across my tongue.
The moment I finished the last of the juice with surprising intensity, I felt a sensation completely different from anything I’d experienced thus far.
If I had to describe it, it was a soft, plush feeling. Something incredibly tender and pleasant had pressed against my lips.
"——!!??"
Guided by that sensation, I snapped my eyes open—and in an instant, my ability to think evaporated.
The moment I opened my eyes, there were golden pupils so beautiful I felt I would be sucked into them, right there in front of me.
Wait, what? This situation... what was happening!? Why was I kissing Shiro-san!?
The shock was so profound that I couldn't even manage to pull away. My body remained frozen, locked in a kiss with Shiro-san, while my thoughts spun in useless circles.
No, I mean, I was sure I was drinking juice just a second ago... but somewhere along the way, the straw and the cup had vanished, replaced by Shiro-san’s lips. It made absolutely no sense.
But most overwhelming of all was the sensation of Shiro-san's mouth. I hadn't truly processed it during our kiss at the Six Kings Festival because that had been a surprise, but... Shiro-san's lips felt divine.
It wasn't a deep kiss, just our lips pressed firmly together, yet I felt like I was going to lose consciousness. Her lips were soft enough to cling to, and her warmth—everything about the touch was absolute perfection. I even found myself wondering if even a Goddess's lips were made of different stuff than a human's.
Perhaps that was why I couldn't pull away. It was a flavor like celestial nectar that instantly erased the memory of the delicious juice from moments ago, a taste that made me want to forget time itself and savor it for eternity.
Nevertheless, I eventually managed to drag my consciousness back to reality and tried to pull back.
But of course, there was no way I could outmaneuver Shiro-san, who could read my every thought. My path of retreat had already been sealed by Shiro-san’s hand, which had slipped behind the back of my head at some point.
Now that it had come to this, I had no choice but to surrender. Or perhaps, deep down, this was what I had wanted all along.
My hands naturally moved to Shiro-san's slender back, drawing her into a gentle embrace. And so, until Shiro-san was satisfied, I kept my lips pressed against hers.
Serious-senpai: "Gwaaaah!? Why!? Why a kiss!? Why this sudden lovey-dovey sneak attack!? Whyyyyyy!?"
???: "By the way, Kaito-san was actually the one who initiated the kiss. Of course, the secret lies in Alice-chan's special juice... but we'll save the details for next time."