220. Base World Development and The Promised Date with Aika. (2)

After walking a short distance from the city center and heading towards the business district, Kaito and Aika finally arrived at a cafe with a building that was unlike any other. While the other buildings had a European style, the cafe in front of them was built in the shape of a traditional Japanese house, a stark contrast to the others.

Unlike other buildings, this one was made mostly of wood and bamboo, and because of that, it also offers a natural scent that no other cafe in the city can offer. As one of the main city constructors, Kaito knew about this place and even its owner, as Original Kaito himself had built it with Sakuya.

"Anna Lovely Japanese Cafe... I didn't expect you to bring me here."

"Surprised? As a Japanese person, of course, I'm more interested in Japanese-themed cafes," Aika said with a hint of teasing, "I'm also interested in getting to know all the lolis around you, Darling."

*Cough*

"Yeah... Let's enter, shall we?"

Just from the name, it's easy to guess that this cafe belongs to Anna, the pink-haired child Kaito saved in Black Bullet. After Kaito decided to rebuild the city of Aincrad two months ago, Anna was one of the first people to ask Kaito to start working, as she aspires to become a pastry chef.

As one of the lolis he spends the most time with, Kaito gladly accepted her request, as long as Anna promised him that she didn't miss her studies and had enough rest. In fact, Anna still lives with Kaito and three other lolis, but she goes to school in the morning and works at her business in the afternoon.

She doesn't work on the weekends either... because that's the only time real Kaito has free time to play with the girls.

...

*DING* *DING*

"Welcome to Anna-- Brother?! Sister Ai--?!"

"Pssst!"

As one of the closest children to Kaito, Anna naturally also has one of the disguise bracelets, the same as Scorpion and Midori. It's just that most of the time, she doesn't need to activate its ability, since, unlike chat group members, Anna doesn't need to hide her appearance.

...??

Anna's sudden outburst of words made every customer in the cafe curious and made them the center of attention, but seeing that the newest customer seemed to be an unknownman and woman, their attention quickly faded away. They assume it's just someone that Anna knows about, and soon they lost interest in them.

...

"Umm... Sorry!" Aware of their popularity in this city and almost ruining their disguise, Anna quickly apologized, "I just didn't expect for brother and sister to visit."

"Sorry to bother you, Anna."

"N-No... It's okay!" Anna gleamed excitedly, "If anything, I hope brother visits us more often!"

"Only brother?"

"Ah-- Of course, sister Aika too! Everyone from the group is welcome!" Anna quickly corrected and then quickly brought them to the empty seat.

Although Anna Cafe is quite popular, there are not many customers at the moment because, for a cafe business, their peak time would be close to evening instead of afternoon.

"Anyway, we are here as your customer." Aika smiled at her and then casually said, "As you can see, I am currently dating your brother."

...!!

"A-A d-date...!! I see!"

Hearing Aika's provocative statement, there's a hint of unwillingness and jealousy for a split second in Anna's eyes. However, Anna knew she shouldn't ruin their date and instead support her brother and Aika, who had also helped them.

"But we don't have a couple menu."

"It's okay." Kaito wryly smiled, "Just give us your recommendation."

"B-But, although we don't have a couple of menus, we have various delicious cakes that you can pick!"

"Well, in a city full of female children, I would be surprised if you had a menu for couples in the first place." Kaito joked, "But in the future, there would be more adults coming to this world. Maybe you should start thinking about that."

"Understand. I will keep that in mind, brother!"

Kaito and Aika then quickly ordered the dessert recommendation from Anna. Since both of them already have lunch (it's 2:30 PM), they only order a light dessert that won't fill their stomach that much. After all, they have the rest of the day to spend together.

After that, Anna quickly left for the kitchen, preparing their order together with a few of her employees (friends). As the owner of this cafe, she naturally couldn't stay with Kaito,

"That girl... she really likes you, doesn't she?" Aika said with a hint of teasing after making sure Anna left for the kitchen.

"You should already know that." Kaito wryly smiled and commented, "You have a knack for bad taste for teasing people, don't you?"

"I have always been like this, Kaito. Live to do whatever I want, and teasing others." Aika also smiled and then added, "But you always give me a hard time, so I barely have time to enjoy myself~"

"Ah, I am sorry..."

Remember how Fuwa Aika behaved back in her own stories... Kaito knows she's telling the truth. This is the girl who played his older brother and his ex-boyfriend to the point they get used to her.

She played with them so much that even in her death, the reaction of those two people is like 'yeah, this is what Aika will do'.

Though despite her mischievousness, Kaito can understand why both of them fall in love with her.

Fuwa Aika is truly perfect wife material. She's pretty, smart, caring, and willing to do anything for the people she loves. Despite her cheekiness, she actually never insulted Kaito and looked down at him, despite Kaito himself always asking her for help all the time.

In the chat group, Fuwa Aika has done so much to help Kaito to the point where Kaito is not sure how he would be able to pay her back in his lifetime. And all he can do is to make sure to always follow and help her back as much as she needs.

...

"It's okay. If anything, you are working the hardest among us." Aika just shrugged and sweetly stared at him like a carnivore, "And I'm gonna need that hardest tonight."

"What--"

...!!!

*Cough* 

*Cough*

Hearing an unexpected statement from Aika, Kaito can't help but choke on his drink. Aika just giggled at his reaction, putting out a warm water bottle from her inventory and giving it to him.

"Here, drink this. This might be an indirect kiss, but since we already have a kiss in our world, this is probably nothing."

"What are you saying..."

After drinking warm water from Aika, Kaito couldn't help but blush and complained, "Aika, can you stop embarrassing me. Everyone is now looking at us."

Thanks to their commotion, a lot of people are looking at them again, but this time not because of their identity, but because of their daring talk in public.

"What's wrong with people looking at us? We love each other, don't we?" Aika stated nonchalantly, "It's not like they know us anyway."

"That's true..." Kaito didn't refute her, but still felt shy to get stared at by children in public, "but there are so many children around..."

"So, do you want to continue this talk at a love hotel?"

"I told you, please keep it down!"

Not long after that, Anna delivered their order, which Kaito and Aika enjoyed, and admitted Anna has become a promising little chef. Aika even promised that the Totsuki people would teach her personally later, which she was grateful for.

Though along the way, Aika has been nonstop teasing Kaito, making the couple become the center of attention, as children seemed interested in the love topic (even Anna was stealthily listening). Despite their date only having started in the cafe, Kaito already feels tired from Aika teasing and wonders how her brother and boyfriend are able to handle her.

>>>>>

After enjoying dessert at Anna's cafe, Aika then took Kaito to one of the city's famous unique tourist attractions, Slime City Park. As the name suggests, this is an open (or closed) city park where visitors can enter and play with slimes living in a specially created area for them. Because of the slimes' cute appearance, many former Cursed Children play here every day and feed them.

"Our next location... is the Slime City Park? I didn't expect that."

"Surprise? This location is one of the most popular spots among citizens," Aika said while looking at people who play with slimes around, " though... and I am curious about that."

"Yeah, this is a great place for relaxing. Sometimes I visit this place with Midori and Est on the weekend."

...

This 500-hectare area near the city center is one of the places where Kaito completely created himself, with his authority as full controller of the base world. From special fences and barriers to prevent slimes from escaping, to the entire forest ecosystem and its miniature river inside it, to ensure the slimes' living conditions.

Because Kaito created them individually, all the slimes with various colors here are friendly to humans, clean to touch, and don't eat dirty things like dust and trash like most slimes.

Even if they got hurt, they can heal themselves regularly here, thanks to the fact that there's a direct magic source coming from the ground.

However, unlike the wild slime, they also only secrete pure water instead of honey or milk like Kaito most creations. This was to ensure no one had the idea to hurt them for their secretion/benefit, even though the whole city his under tight security, Kaito has no confidence that he could assure nothing happens to them.

...

"Now, it's time for me to play with slime~!" Aika curiously picked one of the green slimes the size of a football near her and hugged it, "Umm, they are so soft!"

"Mmm!!!"

"They are so squishy, yet also very comfortable to touch!" Aika continued playing with the slime with her hand, "I am glad you are not making them as typical slime."

"A typical slime?"

"Because real slime corrodes clothes and consumes people alive." Aika said in a teasing tone, "Though I don't mind if you want to do that kind of play tonight."

"Aika... Let's talk about that later."

"Pffft... You are surprisingly innocent at this kind of thing, Master."

Aika then continued to play with the slime like a child around the park. Hugging it, pinching it, and even throwing it in the air. Aika also picked up several other slimes on the way and combined them all, making one big slime that Aika then immediately threw herself onto like a soft sofa.

"These slimes are so fun to play with!" Aika excitedly said while lying and rolling on the big slime, feeling the slime with every part of her body.

"I am glad you like it, Aika." Kaito is glad Aika seems to be really having a great time here and quickly takes a camera from his inventory. "Would you like to commemorate this occasion?"

"Sure! But we took a photo together!" Aika suggested, "Here, hug on this big slime with me!"

"Uh, Okay. But who's going to take the photo?" Kaito asked.

At this moment, Kaito probably could make something to help with that, but doing so would reveal their identity to all the children around them.

That would easily ruin their date for the rest of the day, and Kaito doesn't want that to happen.

...

"Just ask any child nearby." Aika smiled helplessly, looked at Kaito in confusion, and then waved her hand toward the child nearby, "Excuse me, little sister, can you help take a photo for both of us?"

"A camera! Can we take one too, sister?" The children requested.

"Sure. How about you, Kaito?"

"No problem."

""YAY!!""

Aika easily agreed, and so did Kaito... as he even wanted to give them a camera too. For them, a camera isn't something expensive; they could always buy one from the chat group if they wanted to. 

After that, a few more children joined to play with Aika and Kaito; they were having fun playing with slimes until the day became darker. Although they look childish and unlike the supposed respected chat group leader, both Aika and Kaito genuinely had a great time.

Later, both of them agree to visit this place again, as they both admit that just having fun, forgetting all the worry and responsibility on their shoulder, is quite refreshing.

...