In Academy City, the Paradise Project begins.

Page 96

"I'm just a bit tired lately. The Dark Division was on a mission late last night, so I'm resting here for a while."

Looking at her delicate yet focused appearance, Higashino felt a lump in his throat. He knew there was a mission yesterday, but Mugino said that the small mission didn't require two Level 5s, so Higashino, who was already very tired yesterday, naturally didn't go.

"Really? Then get some rest."

Higashino's voice softened further, and he hugged her with a hint of heartache. He knew very well that Takitsubo was physically weak; if Higashino hadn't used his abilities to enhance their previous 'battle,' they probably would have only been able to maintain the duration of Kanzaki's battle for a third of the time.

The moment Higashino embraced her, Takitsubo arched her body slightly, as if searching for the best position. She glanced around and, finding no one watching, tilted her head back slightly, closed her eyes, and gently, with a hint of sacrificial devotion, pressed her soft, cool lips against Higashino Yu's lips.

It was an extremely brief, cool, and light touch, like the brush of a feather.

Instantly separate.

Takitsubo quickly lowered her head, her cheeks flushing red at a visible speed, spreading all the way to her ears and neck.

She pressed her lips tightly together, her breath seemingly stopping, as if she had used all her strength to finish this task. Then she sank deeper into the water, leaving only her large, watery, panicked eyes showing. She glanced quickly at Dongye like a startled fawn before immediately lowering them again.

This was the first time she had ever secretly attacked Higashino in such a crowded place, and the fact that Higashino's other girlfriends were playing in the water nearby gave her a strange feeling.

Higashino paused slightly, the lingering coolness and soft touch on his lips still clearly discernible. He looked at the girl before him, who was hiding herself like an ostrich, and the pure, unadulterated affection and feelings that almost overflowed from her eyes stirred his heart, making him feel a little flutter.

However, looking at the girls around him, even if he was tempted, he couldn't possibly carry one of them away to his room and have sex with her, right?

Higashino sighed with some regret, reached out, and naturally ruffled her wet hair.

"Well, you're putting me in a bit of a difficult position," he said in a low voice, with a hint of resentment in his voice.

Takitsubo felt the warmth of his palm and his tolerant attitude, and his tense body relaxed slightly. He glanced at Higashino, who seemed a little excited, and leaned down to whisper in Higashino's ear.

"Yu... about that phase we talked about last time, didn't you say... it could change the flow of time? You can... completely 'disappear' for a little while right under everyone's noses, right?"

Having tasted the sweetness, the young girl, just like the man, became very interested in that kind of thing and looked forward to another round of madness.

"...That, I can indeed do."

Higashino raised an eyebrow, his arms unconsciously tightening as he felt her soft curves pressed against his body; the scratching sensation on his waist felt like a silent invitation.

"But isn't it a bit of an overreaction to use that level of power specifically to do that kind of thing?"

Higashino pretended to decline, but his gaze remained fixed on her blushing profile.

"Well……"

Takitsubo seemed to hum in dissatisfaction, looked up at him reproachfully, her wet eyes filled with a hint of grievance and stubbornness.

"Is that not allowed? Just... for a little while... and besides, isn't the time there entirely under your control?"

Higashino's defenses crumbled instantly under the onslaught of her watery eyes, his mind racing.

No, isn't my power meant to protect my family and to do whatever I want? What was I hesitating about just now?!

Higashino's eyes lit up as he excitedly looked at Takitsubo's slightly flushed skin and alluring curves under her swimsuit.

He leaned close to her ear, lowered his voice, and spoke with an undeniable wicked grin and intense desire:

“This isn’t something that can be resolved ‘in a moment,’ you know. Since you dared to ambush me,” his lips lightly brushed against her earlobe, “you’d better be prepared to be severely punished without any chance to resist, you little vixen…”

With a glint of silver in their eyes, Takitsubo and Higashino disappeared from the pool, but to everyone else they were still chatting in the same spot, showing no signs of anything amiss.

Just like the Accelerator battle a couple of days ago, no one will be able to tell the difference between reality and illusion.

Across the pool, Misaki Shokuhou sat under a parasol, leisurely enjoying an iced drink, her starry eyes slightly narrowed.

From her angle, she could see Takitsubo Riko's action of moving closer to Higashino, and Higashino Yu's intimate gesture of ruffling his hair in response.

"Hmph, that guy is always sticking to that listless girl, chatting happily."

Misaki Shokuhou parted her red lips slightly and let out an extremely soft snort, tinged with obvious sourness and displeasure.

"It seems I underestimated this lazy ability user... Compared to his three little girlfriends, this is the biggest enemy."

She whispered in a voice only she could hear.

"However, it's okay... the outcome is still uncertain."

She had a clear understanding of her feelings for Higashino; if she didn't have feelings for him, she wouldn't have been so proactive last time.

However, she is the queen of Tokiwadai. Even if she becomes that guy's girlfriend, she must occupy the most important place in his heart. She is the number one!

Misaki Shokuhou put down her juice glass, stood up gracefully, and took out her phone to send a message to Higashino.

She couldn't get anything done by just sitting here, so she decided to take the initiative!

As she passed the long table where drinks were placed, she subtly glanced at Kihara Tsurugi, who was still drinking water and had a somewhat awkward expression.

Misaki Shokuhou didn't greet her. This girl seemed like the type who wasn't straightforward, nothing to worry about!

Passing by Kihara Tsurugi, she continued towards her next destination—the kitchen.

Stepping into the spacious, bright, and fully equipped kitchen, and closing the door, most of the noise was shut out. Miku walked to the huge double-door refrigerator, pretending to choose a drink. She picked out a can of refreshing-looking soda, but her mind was clearly elsewhere.

Not long after, the kitchen door was gently pushed open. Higashino Yu walked in, the hem of his white T-shirt still dripping wet, obviously from when he was near the pool steps.

"Oh?"

Misaki seemed to have just noticed him come in; she turned around with a perfectly timed look of surprise and a flawless smile on her face.

"Is Higashino-kun here to recharge too?" She gently placed the soda water bottle on the marble countertop next to her, making a soft "tap" sound.

"Didn't you call me in? And it's a bit hot, so I thought I'd grab a drink."

Although only a short while had passed for Misaki and the others, Higashino had been "fighting" for several hours and now he wanted to get some iced drinks to cool down.

"Oh, really... I probably accidentally pressed the button on my phone."

Shokuhou told an obvious lie as she approached lightly and stood next to Higashino Yu. The distance between them instantly closed, and they could almost feel each other's body temperature and the cool moisture on each other's skin.

Just then, Misaki seemed to slip on a puddle of water on the ground, let out a low cry of surprise, lost her balance, and tilted to the side!

"careful!"

Almost instinctively, Higashino reached out and grabbed Shokuhou's waist, pulling her soft, fragrant body tightly against him.

As he reached out to help her, his body involuntarily leaned forward, and the two bodies pressed tightly together from shoulders to thighs.

Because she was wearing a swimsuit, Higashino's palms came into direct contact with Shokuhou's smooth skin, clearly feeling the curve of her waistline and her slender figure. The touch was exceptionally soft and delicate, causing the muscles in his arms to tense instantly.

In her panic, Misaki placed one of her hands on his slightly damp but firm chest, and the warmth from his palm and his strong heartbeat made her hold her breath for a moment.

Misaki looked up as if still shaken, her dark, deep eyes so close they seemed to suck her in.

Her breath, carrying a sweet fragrance, brushed against Higashino Yu's chin. Her red lips parted slightly, and a blush rose just right on her cheeks, making her look like a frightened, fragile princess, evoking pity.

"Th-thank you, Higashino-kun..."

Her voice trembled slightly with lingering fear, and was incredibly weak.

This was supposed to be a separation after helping her up. However, just as Higashino was making sure she was steady and was about to let go of her arm...

A sly glint suddenly flashed in Misaki Shokuhou's eyes!

Hesitation would lead to defeat, so she decisively chose to move on to A.

Taking advantage of this almost intimate and intimate posture, Misaki did a clever spin and then sharply lifted her toes!

Her speed, timing, and fluidity were completely unlike those of a frail woman who had just been "frightened."

Those red lips, adorned with glossy lip gloss and exuding a fatal charm, were precisely and heavily imprinted on Higashino's lips!

Although Misaki took the initiative, her skills were terrible; she had no idea what to do next and just stayed close.

Higashino instantly realized that the sudden slip just now was all a planned trap!

The surprise lasted only half a second before he almost immediately took the initiative!

His arms tightened instantly like iron clamps, completely imprisoning her slender yet powerful body in his embrace. His other hand forcefully gripped the back of her head, preventing her from any possible retreat.

Higashino's skills were skillful and intense; how could the mere Misaki Shokuhou be a match for him? He defeated her completely with just a little effort.

Shokuhou wanted to fight back, but unfortunately, she was not strong enough, her fighting ability was poor, and her stamina was idiotic. Compared to Higashino's strength, she was as weak and powerless as a lamb.

This kiss lasted so long it seemed to exhaust their breath, until Shokuhou felt her lungs were about to explode and a wave of dizziness washed over her. She began to push him away, lightly punching his firm chest, before Higashino finally ended the "battle" with lingering satisfaction.

He wanted to continue, but Misaki seemed to have reached her limit. If they continued, it would be troublesome if she fainted, given her constitution. Besides, she had already eaten her fill at Takitsubo's place.

When Higashino gave up the attack, Shokuhou quickly retreated, leaning against the cold refrigerator door, breathing in the fresh air, her eyes misty with emotion, her cheeks flushed like a sunset.

She tried to calm her racing heart and regain her composure as a queen.

Although she was somewhat flustered, since she had only intended to try it out briefly at first, she deliberately put on a smug smile, like a cat that had just succeeded in its scheme, in order to maintain her composure.

"Oh dear, this is a 'private perk' for the next appointment, Higashino-kun."

She took a step back slightly, genuinely afraid that Dongye would continue; his hands had been quite unruly just now.

Swimsuits are great, but they're also really convenient for doing things. Shokuhou doesn't want to rush things; she wants him to confess first!

"Keep it a secret~ After all, there are so many people watching outside, especially that... our Tokiwadai's Electric Princess?"

After she finished speaking, she turned and left at lightning speed without waiting for Higashino Yu to react.

From an angle that Higashino couldn't see, Shokuhou's face finally broke free of its usual composure, turning completely blushing.

Higashino stood there, watching Shokuhou leave quickly while trying to appear calm, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

"Heh, I actually got ambushed by a little bee. But next time it'll be my turn to take the initiative."

Shokuhou's initiative this time surprised him a bit, but it seemed quite reasonable.

The emotional changes of the girls will definitely exceed the increase in cognitive settings, as has already been proven in the cases of Haru and Mikoto.

Chapter 125 The girls' water balloon battle is about to begin!

No one noticed the little incident that happened between Misaki Shokuhou and Higashino in the kitchen, and the girls continued to enjoy themselves happily by the pool.

Mikoto accompanied Last Order and Misaka 9999 to play in the shallow water. The two had never been in contact with such things since birth and were very curious about it.

Meanwhile, Hei Zi relentlessly promoted his "professional" massage services to her, attempting to enjoy three pleasures at once.

Ruiko and Haru tried floating in slightly deeper water, while Frenda and Kinuhata chatted idly on the side, and Mugino Shizuri lay on a chair with her eyes closed, resting.

Fubuki Toshinobu remained in the corner, staring at the tablet, only occasionally glancing up to check on Last Order and Misaka 9999's safety. Himegami Akisa sat quietly on the steps by the pool, her ankles submerged in the water, while Meiya tried to put her feet in beside her, but unfortunately, she couldn't feel anything.

Index, wearing her strawberry-shaped swimming ring, awkwardly paddled her way closer to the long table where the cold drinks were kept.

She stared longingly at the limited-edition cream chocolate bar that Tear had brought, which Frenda had described as "super delicious."

"Frenda! Frenda!"

Index paddled hard, calling out in Frenda's direction.

"Do you still have that... that shiny chocolate bar?"

Frenda, who was idly splashing water with her toes, suddenly brightened up at the suggestion: "Oh! Index-chan, do you want some? Of course!"

She immediately perked up, nimbly climbed ashore, picked up a chocolate bar, and deliberately waved it in front of Index.

"Here you go! But be careful not to get it wet!"

Index reached out excitedly to take it. However, just as she was about to reach it...

"puff!"

An orange-yellow water ball hit Flanda's wrist precisely!

"Wow!"

Frenda winced in pain, her hand slipped, and the limited-edition chocolate bar flew out of her grasp, arcing through the air before slamming squarely into the face of Misaki Shokuhou, who had just come out of the kitchen and was still savoring the kiss from earlier!

Sticky chocolate sauce smeared all over the Queen's face, and a few strands of her golden hair were also stuck to it, instantly shattering her carefully maintained elegant image.

"..."

The entire pool fell silent instantly.

Misaki Shokuhou froze on the spot, her starry eyes wide with shock. The sticky sensation on her face and the sweet smell of chocolate left her mind blank for a few seconds.

“Pfft…Hahahaha!”

After a brief silence, Mugino Shizuri was the first to burst into laughter without holding back, breaking the silence and laughing so hard he was doubled over. His comical appearance was absolutely hilarious.

"Frenda! Well done! Hahaha! The fifth one turned into a chocolate sauce cake! That's hilarious!"

"Franda!"