In a public square in the center of Eiko Town, Zayden was sitting on a wooden bench while listening to classical music through his Bluetooth earphones and reading a book.
Incredibly, even in this state, he was able to notice when two girls stopped at a considerable distance and stared in his direction.
He only needed to feel a subtle sensation of being watched and, with a discreet glance from the corner of his eyes, he noticed the two girls.
They must have been between 19 and 20 years old. Probably university students.
They wore light makeup and clothes that showed a bit of skin.
The one on the left, with long black hair, was wearing a black pencil skirt, a strapless ruffled top, and high heels.
The one on the right had curly blonde hair and was dressed in a short denim Bermuda dress with high heels and a black oriental halter top with dragons and flowers drawn on it.
It was a simple glance, but Zayden managed to notice these details instantly.
He saw the moment they started giggling discreetly and began walking toward him.
However, it was at that exact moment that she arrived.
Wearing a long white dress with a cord tied just below her breasts, accentuating her large breasts and slim waist, Erika, with her long golden-blonde hair in curly strands, placed the fingers of her hand on the left side of her face and tucked some of her hair back.
"Waited long?" she asked.
Her lips were pressed tightly together while the corners of her mouth curled up into a smile.
A gentle breeze blew at that moment, causing her hair to flutter and her to close her beautiful emerald-green eyes, while her dress swayed slightly, making the white wedge sandals she was wearing and her neatly painted pink toenails more noticeable.
The light sweet fragrance of her perfume, mixed with the scent of her soap, filled Zayden's nose.
Looking into her eyes, he smiled as he said, "No, I just got here."
"Liar~" she said. "By the number of pages you've read in that book, you must have arrived at least half an hour ago, right?"
Seeing her smile as if she had seen right through him, Zayden stood up and removed his earphones.
"I see you're wearing the necklace I gave you," Zayden changed the subject, saying with a smile, "It looks really good on you."
"Hehe~" she hummed softly, blushing a little. "Thank you~"
It was crystal clear how happy his words made her.
Seeing her squirm a bit while trying to contain her shyness was quite cute.
He could barely resist the urge to pat her on the head.
But, seeing how well-groomed her hair was and considering how much effort it must have taken to style it, he didn't do it.
With his earphones in his pocket and the book in his left hand, he extended his right hand to her. "Shall we?"
Placing her right hand over her mouth while blushing, she extended her left hand, took his, and made a nasal sound of agreement. "Mm."
Her hand was slightly damp with sweat, making it clear how nervous she was at that moment.
As they walked away, the two girls from before sighed heavily.
One murmured, "Why do all the good guys already have girlfriends?"
The other retorted, "That's exactly why they already have girlfriends, isn't it?"
"I know… just let me dramatize my sadness~"
…
For Erika, it was the first time she had held a boy's hand.
Precisely because of this, she felt nervous and embarrassed.
Her heart was pounding hard in her chest.
She started worrying about things like: 'My hand is sweating... He won't mind, will he?'
Even though she had invited him out, saying she expected him to want to hold her hand would be a lie.
However, when he extended his hand to her and she understood his intention, part of her really wanted to hold his hand, but on the other hand, it was because she felt jealous of the girl on the poster and didn't want to lose. Another reason was that she saw the two girls who were clearly showing interest in Zayden.
Because of this, her possessive side wanted to somehow show that he was with her, so she extended her hand and held his.
"Can you keep my book in your bag?"
Looking at him, seeing him holding the book, she nodded: "Yes, yes."
Over her shoulder, she was carrying a beige-brown bag.
It wasn't very big, but it was large enough to hold Zayden's book.
In the process of putting the book away, she also took a tissue from her bag and used it to wipe her hand.
She even wanted to take out her hand cream and apply some, but she held back.
When she finished putting the book away and wiping her hand, Zayden held her hand again.
Even now, she still felt shy about walking hand in hand with a boy.
This wasn't something easy to get used to, and even though she dressed and talked like a gyaru, she wasn't some b!tch.
"Y-You know... I really liked this necklace," she said suddenly. "But, is it really okay for me to receive something like this? It must have been expensive, right?"
Stopping and looking into her purple eyes, Zayden said, "It's not about being expensive or not. I gave it to you hoping you'd like it. The fact that you're telling me you like it makes me think it was worth buying it for you."
"Yes, I liked it a lot, really a lot!" she expressed.
"I'm glad to hear that," Zayden smiled.
"Mm~"
After that, she became less nervous.
Perhaps in her heart, that necklace carried more weight than it seemed.
It might even have made her feel some sense of obligation and duty. But with his words, she became more relaxed. Even her initial nervousness decreased considerably.
As they continued walking, they chatted a bit along the way.
The conversation was mostly about school and the latest news. Random things, but it was enough to pass the time and laugh a little.
Not long after, they didn't even notice when they arrived in front of the karaoke place.
"Ohh, we're here," Erika reacted, surprised.
"It looks like it," Zayden nodded.
After entering and paying for an hour in a room, they quickly managed to rent an empty room and went in.
There, he saw Erika's nervousness increase.
Obviously, being alone in a closed room with a boy she was interested in, with low lighting, there was no way she wouldn't feel a bit more nervous.
Holding her hand, he pulled her into a hug.
Her body trembled in his arms, but she didn't try to push him away.
Zayden whispered in her ear, "It's okay. I won't force you to do anything you don't want. Let's have fun, and whatever happens, happens. Don't feel pressured, got it?"
She nodded with her head against his chest.
Her beautiful golden-blonde hair fluttered delicately, while the warmth and softness of her touch came with a fragrance that pleased Zayden. It was an incredibly sweet scent that evoked the memory of flowers.
His hug was effective, and although it left her a bit flushed, Erika became visibly more relaxed.
"I'll order something for us to drink and eat. Want me to get anything specific?" Zayden asked, picking up the menu.
"Orange juice," she requested.
"Okay," Zayden called the reception.
...
Someone knocked on the door.
A woman in a dark uniform with an apron around her waist entered with the drinks and snacks.
Everything was placed on the table in the center of the room.
"Enjoy." Saying this, the woman bowed and left, closing the door behind her.
On the big screen, a song started playing.
"Here I go~" Erika said, picking up the microphone.
The song she chose was by a popular Japanese J-Pop singer. The song's name was "Second to Last Love."
Zayden stopped drinking his drink when Erika began to sing.
It was the first time he had seen her sing, and he was impressed by her control of tone, not to mention that he was drawn to her voice.
'Wow, she sings really well!' he thought. 'If I'm not mistaken, in the game it's mentioned that she dreams of being a singer...'
He had forgotten about that, as it was at the end of her route that she talked about her dream of becoming a singer. However, since it didn't progress to adulthood, that dream never came true in *Harem Heaven High School*.
Zayden interlaced his fingers and became thoughtful: 'Should I start a record label?'
With his knowledge from his previous world, he knew of several songs that hadn't been created in this world.
The fact was, if he invested in Erika's career, he would also profit from it.
Not just her, there were other girls he could sponsor...
The idea wasn't bad at all, but it wasn't something that could be done overnight.
First, he would need to talk to his mother.
He could very well count on his mother's help to start a record label.
That said, he turned his attention back to Erika, who was singing, not wanting to be disrespectful while she gave her all.
She truly had the energy of an idol, both in her voice and stage presence. From the moment she started singing, Zayden was captivated by her—though he got distracted for a few brief seconds.
When she finished, he clapped: "Well done! You sing really well, Erika!"
"Really?" When he said "Really," she smiled brightly, making a peace sign: "Hehe~ Thank you~"
She handed him the microphone, saying, "Your turn, Zayden-kun."
Taking the microphone, he saw that the song he had selected started playing.
It was an English song. In his previous life, he was American and lived in America until he was 18, before the fateful accident... Anyway, he had a certain passion for English music and chose *I'll Be There* by *The Jackson 5*.
It wasn't a very upbeat song; it was the kind where a couple embraces and starts dancing closely together.
When he started singing, even knowing he didn't have the best voice, he stayed in tune.
He didn't have the vocal range of Michael Jackson, but his voice had a tone closer to Teddy Swims—a curiously good combination.
Erika brought her hands to her mouth, looking very surprised.
When Zayden finished singing, Erika clapped until her hands turned red.
"Wow! That was, like, super amazing!" Erika exclaimed. "Zayden-kun, you're, like, a God~!"
"You're exaggerating, but... Thanks," he smiled.
"Seriously, man, believe it!"
"Okay, okay," he laughed and said, "Want to keep going, or shall we take a break?"
"I'm gonna eat a choux cream," she pointed her index finger, delicately painted blue with a silver butterfly drawn on it.
The butterfly on her nail looked a lot like the one on the necklace Zayden had given her.
"Your nails, they turned out really nice," he said.
"Aren't they?" she said cheerfully, extending her hands to show off her nails. "I totally loved them~ Seriously, the manicurist who did this for me is, like, *maji*, a genius~!"
Seeing her start to loosen up with him, Zayden smiled more broadly.
Even her affection index rose to 69. A pretty auspicious number...
...
───────────
[16x Multiplier!]
───────────
Paying the bill, the screen on his retina appeared at the same time his smartphone vibrated in his pocket.
[You received 55,275 yen]
That was the amount he paid for Erika, plus 50% of what he spent on himself.
A small amount for him, but for Erika, she already felt bad seeing that the total bill was over 5,000 yen.
"Don't worry about it," Zayden said casually.
Even if he didn't get a return on the money spent, it was a minor amount for him. Even before he got the system and had over 100 million yen in his personal account.
Hearing this, she nodded.
That's what he liked about her. She adapts quickly.
Even though he didn't think she was materialistic, he didn't want her to keep worrying about every little thing he spent on her.
...
Outside the karaoke place, Wilson was waiting for them.
This time, he acted with more tact and didn't open the door.
Zayden stepped forward and opened the back door: "Erika, get in."
A bit shy but cheerful, she softly hummed a 'Yes' and got into the car.
Zayden walked around the car and got in on the other side.
When Wilson started driving, Zayden said, "Erika, I'll take you home. What's your address?"
"Sky Street XXXX," she replied.
After Wilson heard the address, he stopped paying attention to them, respecting their privacy.
Erika's hands were in her lap. Zayden reached out and took her hand in front of her surprised gaze.
"Everything okay?" he asked.
Lowering her head, she looked at him shortly after and nodded.
'Adorable,' he smiled.
...
They stopped in front of a two-story yellow house, with a small iron gate and another larger sliding gate giving access to the garage.
"Wait here." Zayden was the first to get out of the car and opened the door for Erika.
It might be seen as a simple and silly gesture, but it warmed Erika's heart.
After getting out of the car and taking Zayden's extended hand, she began to feel a strange sensation bubbling in her stomach.
Soon she realized what it was—she didn't want to part from him at that moment; she wanted them to spend more time together.
Zayden's perception was very sharp. He noticed every change in Erika.
That's when he let go of her hand, and when she looked up into his eyes, he smiled and extended his arms in a clear invitation for a hug.
Like a magnetic force, Erika was drawn to him, and before she even realized it, she was already in his firm, strong, and warm arms.
Her body trembled. However, his scent calmed her a bit, and she started to enjoy being in his embrace more and more, wrapping her previously hesitant arms around him. And that's when she heard him whisper in her ear in an incredibly sexy tone.
He said, "Actually, I'm really reluctant to leave..."
Those words made her feel as sweet as if she had eaten a jar of honey.
She melted in his arms while blushing deeply. Whether it was from embarrassment or joy at hearing this, even if it might be a lie.
His next words were: "Why is the day so long? I can hardly wait to see you tomorrow at school..."
Cheesy words, but they definitely pleased Erika a lot.
She smiled foolishly, rubbing her face against him.
When she felt his hand reach the back of her head and entwine his fingers in her hair, she looked up and closed her eyes.
It was a clear permission for a kiss.
Zayden wasn't passive and leaned down to meet her lips.
What started as a gentle touch soon deepened as her mouth opened, and he tilted his head more, intertwining his lips with her soft and sweet ones.
**
**
An unexpected visit? Not quite...
In the presidential suite, the moment Zayden arrived, he was embraced.
He could have dodged, but he didn't.
"Zay-kun, my baby." The woman who hugged him with an overwhelming sweet scent said in a honey-coated voice: "I missed you so much~~~"
"I missed you too, Mom," he replied, returning the hug and asking, "When did you get here? Why didn't you call me?"
"I…"
She started to speak but soon seemed to catch some scent on him and began sniffing, making 'sniff' sounds, like a bloodhound.
"Moou, what a naughty boy~!" She pulled back, placing a hand on her hip: "I smell a woman on you, care to explain!?"
"Listen, Mom. I'm already 16 years old, isn't it normal that I…"
"By the way, I made your favorite beef stew~" she interrupted. "Want some?"
"I do!" He didn't even hesitate.
"Fufun~ As expected, my baby can't resist my love~" She hummed cheerfully but puffed out her cheeks: "Anyway, after eating, young man, you're going to properly explain who that scent on your clothes belongs to, got it!?"
Sighing, he still agreed: "Okay, Mom."
"That's better~!" She seemed satisfied with his assertive response.
Izabella Valtrex, that was his mother's name.
In truth, she seemed more like an older sister than a mother. Both in appearance and personality.
Long blonde hair and golden eyes. That's a superficial description of his mother.
The reality was that she was an unparalleled beauty with a cheerful personality. She had a voluptuous body that rivaled his teacher, who had a bust measuring over two digits in centimeters. A slim waist and flat stomach.
She was in such great shape that it didn't even seem like she had given birth naturally to a 16-year-old son.
She was also a tall woman with long legs, standing at 1.81 meters.
When she wore high heels and a 'killer' dress, she looked like an empress.
Of course, in front of her son, she became a doting mother who only wanted to shower him with love.
With her hands resting on her face, she smiled as she watched Zayden eat: "Eat it all~"
"Mm." He nodded.
When he finished what was on his plate, he said, "I want more!"
"Right away~" She hummed happily.
...
After four servings, Zayden was finally satisfied.
"Fuuh~ It's been a while since I had Mom's stew, and I ended up overdoing it a bit." He patted his stomach.
"Moou, look how adorable you are~?" She grinned from ear to ear, but soon Izabella's expression turned serious.
"Now, young man, tell me, who were you with, and what were you doing?"
Without hiding anything, he told her everything, of course leaving out the part about the system and memories of his past life.
"Moou! My baby has grown so much and now even knows how to find a woman out there~!" she said dramatically, but her expression turned very serious as she added: "But, you know, Zay-kun, Mommy won't forbid you from playing around out there. I know how amazing you are, so it's inevitable that bees will swarm to the honey, but you need to protect yourself, understand what I mean?"
"Mom, you're overthinking it," Zayden said. "I haven't done that yet."
"But, but… you being so incredible, it's only a matter of time. Mommy already knew this, sigh~. Now that you've left that rebellious phase behind and found the 'light'—though Mommy also loved your rebellious side, fufun~—anyway."
She let out a series of disconnected sentences and finally concluded:
"Mommy worries that some floozy might use her body to seduce you, and you end up giving in. After all, you're so virile, sweet, and innocent… Mommy fears you might be deceived, seduced by momentary pleasure, and not protect yourself."
"Don't worry, Mom. Your son knows how to protect himself. And even if some beautiful woman approaches me with ulterior motives, no matter how pretty she is, I won't be fooled," he added. "Even if I end up doing that, I'll protect myself."
"That's better~!" She was satisfied with his response.
**
**
Wednesday, June 5th.
His mother's presence, especially waking up to a ready-made breakfast, made the day better.
He didn't mind living alone, but that didn't mean he was a loner. Having breakfast with his mother was something pleasant and cozy. It gave the environment a sense of home.
His mother was well-dressed, wearing a designer blue dress that reached her ankles and high heels.
She wasn't there just to visit him but also for work.
She owned her own company and a designer clothing brand that ranked among the top five most coveted by the country's elite.
Most of the dresses from the [Miracle-Z] brand had been designed by her. Even before marrying his father, she had won the award for Japan's best designer.
There was a reason the brand was called 'Miracle-Z,' and it was related to Zayden's birth.
"I really wanted to take you to school… Maybe I'll cancel my meeting?"
At the door, his mother had a regretful expression, like someone who had their favorite pudding stolen, the one they were so looking forward to eating.
"Listen, Mom. I don't mind you coming with me, but since you have a commitment, it's not good to cancel, right?" Zayden said. "But, Mom, you're coming back here today, right?"
"Yes…" Pouting, she agreed.
Before saying goodbye, she gave Zayden a tight hug and kissed him on the cheek: "See you later~"