Tokyo: Idol Girls have absolutely no bad intentions!

This was Yoshida Nai intentionally creating an opportunity for Ito and Asada to be alone, probably to let them ease the "conflict" they had just had.

She felt a little bitter, but seeing Yoshida Nai's anxious look, she nodded: "...Okay, Yoshida-senpai."

"Great! Thank you, Mori-kun! Ito, I'm leaving Sakura to you! We'll be right back!" Yoshida pulled Mori-kun away from the dessert shop in a hurry.

In an instant, only Ito and Asada Sakura were left in the small booth.

The atmosphere suddenly became quiet, even subtly awkward.

Asada seemed to sense it too. She stopped staring excitedly at the dessert display case and instead fiddled with the napkins on the table somewhat awkwardly, occasionally stealing a glance at Ito sitting opposite her.

Asada Sakura was restless.

She knew her performance had fooled Nai, but it certainly hadn't fooled Ito.

His silence made her more uneasy than his earlier questioning. She stole a glance towards the kitchen, praying that the dessert would arrive soon.

Finally, the waiter came over with a tray.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, sir. Here are your signature soufflés and fruit tarts, and this lady's extra-large chocolate milkshake." The waiter smiled as he placed the desserts down one by one.

Asada Sakura's eyes were immediately drawn to the fluffy, soft soufflé with its rich egg and milk aroma, and she almost drooled.

But the next second, her gaze fell on the huge milkshake with colorful straws, piled high with cream and chocolate chips.

She glanced at the soufflé in front of her, then at the milkshake in front of Ito that belonged to her, and then stole a look at Ito's expressionless face.

An idea took shape in her little head.

She carefully reached out and picked up the oversized chocolate milkshake.

The cup was so big and heavy that she had some difficulty holding it with both hands.

Then, as if she had made a great decision, she slowly and clumsily pushed the cup in front of Ito.

"I-Ito..." Her voice was soft, with a hint of pleading and tentativeness, "This... you can have it?"

Ito raised an eyebrow and looked at her.

Asada Sakura felt a little guilty under his gaze and quickly added, "I...I ordered a soufflé...this...this milkshake is too big...I can't finish it..."

This reason is hardly convincing, considering that she ordered the "extra large" size without hesitation.

She paused, lowered her head, twisted her fingers together, and spoke in an even softer voice, with an awkward sincerity.

"...I made you angry just now...I'm sorry. This...it's really delicious...why don't you...would you like to try it? Please...please don't be angry with me anymore, okay?"

She looked up at him with her big, watery eyes, the exaggerated grievances from before gone, replaced by a cautious hope and a gesture of goodwill.

Under the light, her slightly red eyes and the tip of her nose were particularly clear, like a little animal trying hard to please its owner.

This idiot, even his way of showing goodwill is so childish.

You think you can bribe him with just a milkshake?

He was silent for a few seconds, and just when Asada thought he was going to refuse again or give a cold look, he reached out his hand.

Instead of taking the milkshake, he picked up the small spoon stuck next to the soufflé.

Then, quite naturally, she reached out to the fluffy and tempting signature soufflé that Asada Sakura had been eagerly anticipating.

Under Asada Sakura's wide, shocked, and heartbroken gaze, Ito steadily scooped up the largest spoonful of the fluffiest, most golden-brown syrup-drizzled syrup.

Then, amidst Asada's despairing gaze, he slowly and deliberately put it into his mouth.

The delicate, warm soufflé, with its rich egg aroma and maple syrup sweetness, melts in your mouth.

“Hmm,” Ito swallowed, nodded, and commented in a flat tone, “It tastes good.”

"Ah—!!!" Asada Sakura let out a short, silent wail. Looking at her soufflé that had been "disfigured" in an instant, her little face fell, and she felt an overwhelming pang of heartache.

Her overtures... her desserts... ugh...

Looking at her heartbroken yet unwilling-to-protest expression, Ito felt a faint smile flicker deep in his eyes.

He then slowly picked up the straw from the extra-large chocolate milkshake and took a big sip.

The cool, sweet liquid, with its rich chocolate aroma and creamy texture, slid down my throat.

“This,” he swirled the glass, looking at the chocolate shavings at the bottom, and slowly added to Asada Sakura, who was still immersed in the grief of the soufflé being “tainted,” with a hint of playfulness in his tone.

"It's alright, I guess."

Sakura Asada: "..."

She looked at her beloved soufflé, then at the milkshake that Ito had taken, pouted, and finally resignedly picked up her small spoon and began to eat her "incomplete" dessert with a wronged expression.

But her eyes would occasionally glance resentfully at Ito... and the milkshake in his hand.

Ito leaned back in his chair, casually sipping his cloyingly sweet milkshake while watching the neon lights gradually illuminate the view outside the window.

I'm going back to my apartment today... I still have a long time to go.

He looked down at the water droplets condensing on the glass, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the cool glass surface.

Chapter 190 Secrets are a Girl's Privilege

The apartment door was gently closed, shutting out the last glimmer of light in the hallway.

The air in the entryway still carried traces of dust brought in from outside and a hint of the dessert shop's aroma.

Ito casually turned on the living room light, and warm yellow light streamed down.

Asada, like a bird just released from its cage, shuffled lightly to the chair, nestled inside, and sighed contentedly.

However, this brief "peace" brought about by that milkshake from the dessert shop is about to dissipate.

Ito gave Asada some time to process the questions, then went to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water, returned to the living room, and sat down next to her.

“Alright,” he said, taking a sip of water and looking at Asada, who was curled up in the chair with a slightly unfocused gaze.

“There’s no one else here. Tell me, what’s going on?” He said calmly. “What’s the deal with Rin Iketani’s ‘teacher’ and that ‘no contact after school’ rule?”

Asada, who had been lost in thought, was instantly brought back to reality. Her body stiffened for a moment, and then she buried her face in her knees.

"Um...that...about Ikeya-san...I really don't know much about it..." she said in a muffled voice.

“If Ito really wants to know an answer… I… I need some time.” Her tone carried a hint of guilt, “After all, it’s not easy to come up with an answer that will satisfy Ito.”

It seemed like she was just stating her true feelings, but it was clearly just an excuse to make Ito lower his guard.

"Not quite sure?" Ito put down his water glass and leaned forward slightly. "Just tell me what you know."

"In the restaurant, as soon as Iketani mentioned 'teacher,' someone clumsily choked on their milkshake and coughed uncontrollably, even spilling a glass of water and creating an 'accident'? Then, with teary eyes, they handed over their bank card..."

“I don’t think this is a sign of misunderstanding, unless you’re really an idiot, Asada.”

After saying this, Ito looked Asada over; there were indeed some problems with what he had just said...

Asada really seems to be an incurable idiot.

"What do you mean!" Asada suddenly raised her head, staring intently at Ito. "Are you saying I'm not smart?"

“No, I mean…” Ito looked at his eyes, which widened instantly, filled with “How dare you call me stupid,” “You’re just not obviously smart.”

"What's the difference!" Asada, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on and its fur standing on end, jumped up from her chair, her face flushed red, and pointed at Ito, "I...I'm not stupid!"

"You...you're the one who's cold, mean, and always looking down on people!"

"When did I look down on you?" Ito raised an eyebrow. "You can't even come up with a decent excuse, all you can say is 'I need time to make up an answer,' what else can you be but an idiot?"

"Right...right now!" Asada couldn't find a specific point, so he could only stubbornly insist, "And...and!"

As if she had suddenly found a new angle to attack, she abruptly changed the subject, her tone filled with grievance and accusation, "Ito, what about yourself?!"

"Don't you have any secrets you're hiding from me?! What right do you have to focus on me?!"

They've come here, and now they're turning the tables on us.

Ito understood perfectly well, but his expression remained unchanged. "What have I been hiding from you?"

Did they find out that he was earning extra money and taking on side jobs?

"Mori!" Asada practically shouted, his voice carrying a hint of bitterness he himself didn't realize.

"You and her...when did you two become so close?! At the restaurant today, she so naturally spoke up for you, saying, 'Ito-senpai wouldn't really do anything to Asada-senpai'...Hmph, how does she know you wouldn't do anything? What makes her think she knows you so well!"

The more she talked, the more reasonable she seemed, her little mouth pouting high, "And...and you've been so strict with me about eating sweets lately! Saying it's for idol body management! Saying you're afraid I'll get a stomachache from eating too much!"

"I think... I think it's all just an excuse!" She stomped her foot angrily. "I think you just think I'm in your way! You're afraid I'll disturb your time with Mori-gami! Right? But... but..."

She kept saying "but" for a while, then her voice gradually lowered, her eyes darted around, and her fingers began to move haphazardly again.

"No...that's not what I meant..." Asada's left and right hemispheres started fighting each other. "You two are boyfriend and girlfriend, so naturally your relationship should be that good, but...when did it become that good..."

Finally, she glared at Ito with a look that was a mixture of grievance, dissatisfaction, and a hint of irritation, muttering softly, "...But you can't treat me like this..."

She couldn't continue speaking, but simply turned her head to one side, her shoulders slumped slightly, and she was enveloped in a faint sense of grievance and alienation.

This accusation lacked the previous playful tone and was more like a question tinged with restraint and hurt.

Ito looked at her profile, which was turned to the side and seemed somewhat stubborn, and her lips that were slightly pursed.

Did this guy learn from Mori? He's become so skilled that Ito almost got fooled.

She tried to cover up her secret by changing the subject and gaining sympathy, but unfortunately, Ito didn't fall for it.

However, he still had to explain the errors in her words.

"Don't you understand why I'm restricting you?" Ito wanted to see remorse from Asada. "Besides, I'm not restricting you from eating sweets."

"Instead, it restricts you from eating all kinds of food. You yourself categorized hamburgers as sweets, so you came to this conclusion."

"Asada, stop!" Ito shook his head helplessly. "I saw it all. You don't even have abs anymore."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "As for Mori, she knows my personality and wouldn't really make things difficult for you, which is why she said that. She's my girlfriend, she knows me, so it's normal."

His explanation was clear, but it did not soothe Asada's depressed mood.

The two are now engaged in a tacit war of understanding; whoever shows weakness first will be defeated.

Asada didn't speak, but his hands, which were resting on his knees, clenched slightly.

To her, Ito's explanation sounded more like an emphasis on Mori's "knowing his place" and "understanding," while in comparison, she seemed to be left with only "causing trouble" and "needing to be controlled."

So she's really sulking now!