After paying a bill that seemed far too steep for just two people, I walked through the town alongside Alice. We could have returned home immediately using Teleportation Magic, but we decided to take a stroll instead, enjoying the night breeze as a bit of light exercise to help our dinner settle.
"Still, that place was surprisingly good."
"I only picked it because it was nearby, but the quality of the meat was top-notch-ssu."
"Personally, I thought the chicken was the highlight."
"Oh, the salt and pepper seasoning on those was divine, wasn't it?"
"Exactly. The sauce was a bit on the heavy side, so having that salt and pepper to break things up every now and then was perfect."
Without any particular destination in mind, we walked hand-in-hand like any other couple, lost in idle chatter. It was a peaceful, heart-warming moment, and I felt a deep sense of serenity wash over me.
"Time really flew after we finished the Duke-class certifications, didn't it-ssu?"
"Well, it was already late afternoon when we got through with that. By the time we finished playing in the plaza and moved on to dinner, the sun had completely set. Though, we were at the restaurant for a long time because of how much you ate."
"It's not my fault, Kaito-san. I tried to stop, but your wallet kept whispering to me, 'It’s okay, go ahead,' so in a way, you basically gave me your blessing-ssu."
"As if my wallet would ever whisper something so convenient for you..."
Of course, the money wasn't an issue at all. It was a delicious restaurant, but it wasn't some ultra-high-end establishment. Even if she had managed to eat every single scrap of food in the building, I could have settled the bill without breaking a sweat.
Well... considering the sheer volume she consumed, the total did end up roughly equal to a meal at a luxury restaurant anyway, but I had already resigned myself to that the moment I invited her out.
Still, seeing her look so smug was a little irritating, so I decided to get a bit of revenge. I leaned in toward Alice while she was looking at me with that playful grin and caught her off guard with a sudden kiss.
"Ngh!?!?"
It was a total surprise, and Alice looked panicked for a second as my face drew near... though she didn't try to pull away. In fact, she closed her eyes and waited for it to happen.
We stayed like that for a few moments, our lips pressed together, before I finally pulled back and gave her a smile.
"...It tasted like yakiniku sauce."
"That’s because we just finished eating!! I-I mean, what was that for all of a sudden!?"
"No reason, really. I just felt like it."
"Just felt like it!? Kaito-san, aren't you being way too much of a sadist to me lately!? That surprise attack felt like it shaved years off my life! My face is so hot I think I might actually catch fire..."
"Hahaha, my bad, my bad."
"Why are you laughing so happily!?"
I couldn't help but chuckle at her perfectly predictable and adorable reaction. Alice, her face flushed bright red, began thumping my chest as if in protest.
Of course, she was hitting me so lightly it was more like she was just playing around. And though she called it a surprise attack... for someone of Alice's caliber, my movements must have been incredibly slow. She could have easily dodged me if she really wanted to, which made me wonder if "surprise" was even the right word for it.
"...Would it have been better if I’d announced it beforehand, then?"
"Ugh, th-that... No, well, I mean, I am your lover, so it’s not like I’d refuse, but... I need time to prepare myself mentally and stuff... It’s just plain embarrassing..."
"Can I kiss you again right now?"
"Wha—!? U-Ugh... K-Kaito-san! That’s just cruel! You have the look of a total villain on your face right now... Do you really enjoy teasing me this much!?"
"Is that a no?"
"I-I mean... I'm not saying it's a no, but I need a little more time to—eep!? Wait!? Why are you grabbing my shoulders? This is totally going to be that, isn't it? Awa-wa-wa..."
Since she clearly didn't hate the idea and wasn't refusing, I gripped Alice's shoulders and turned her to face me directly.
As I slowly leaned down, Alice looked completely flustered... but in the end, she closed her eyes and waited for the kiss just like before.
Feeling a surge of affection for how endearing she was, I kissed her, moving my hands from her shoulders to her back to pull her into a firm embrace.
Alice flinched for a split second, but she soon tentatively wrapped her arms around my back and hugged me back.
"...Even if it was spontaneous, this is a rare date for us. Let's walk a little longer before we head home."
"Fine by me-ssu... I feel like I need to hit the night air as hard as possible right now! Ahh, geez, my face is burning... Seriously, what is even happening... I feel like I can never win against you..."
"Honestly, I don't see a future where I lose to you in this department either, Alice."
"Of course you don't. I can't even see a future where I can win-ssu..."
Alice let out a heavy sigh as she spoke, but she didn't seem unhappy. If anything, she looked almost... pleased.
While reaffirming my love for Alice—who continued to show such innocent and fresh reactions to everything romantic—we walked on together, hand-in-hand, enjoying the rest of our stroll.
Serious-senpai: "Guh..."
Machina: "Serious-senpai... is down? Oh? She’s holding a sign... let’s see. 'Here Lies the Great Incarnation of Seriousness.' Hmm, mental fatigue? Maybe I should just let her rest."
Serious-senpai: "..."
Machina: "Wait, in that case, maybe listening to stories about my beloved child will work like a lullaby and heal her!!"
Serious-senpai: "Wait... stop... no more follow-up strikes..."