My birthday date continued on well after our little pit spot at the apple garden. As she had explained to me earlier in the day, Althea had planned out an extensive day-long date that was detailed to the minute. In fact, my birthday was really just beginning.

Soon after our lunch, I drove Althea all around town. We went to the famous arcade where we could play shooting games, dancing games and even some music games. And as it turned out, we were pretty good at those games. Like most traditional arcades, they issued tickets whenever we won big. Eventually, we won enough to claim a giant teddy bear that was half of Althea’s size.

If it were any other day, I would furrow my brows just thinking of bringing such a huge thing back. But fortunately, I was ‘gifted’ a Mercedes today.

And using that same Mercedes, I drove my girlfriend to all of her planned locations.

A gym shop, a food market, a beautiful mountain trail… It was a lovely afternoon date. Althea and I stayed at each place for no more than an hour, slowly savouring each and every moment we shared together.

Unlike our first date together, everything was planned to perfection. And honestly, I had mixed feelings about that.

On the one hand, I was glad that this little girl had matured so much. When I first met Althea, she was clumsy, awkward and just a klutz in general. Seeing her grow from that young teenager that couldn’t plan anything, let alone a date by herself, to a mature woman who could make reservations and happily pay using her credit card… It felt surreal.

However, on the other side of the coin, I was reluctant to see the girl grow so quickly. It was probably an ego thing, but I was somewhat happy that Althea was dependent on me, even before we started dating. Now that she has become less reliant on me, I felt like the distance between us quickly shrank.

Not to say that I didn’t like that Althea was maturing; it’s just…

I’d thought that Althea would remain my loveable klutz forever.

I turned to the girl who had blended in with the bleeding Autumn sun. The bright, white light of the afternoon had turned orange as we reached the penultimate destination of my birthday date. A gorgeous row of red maple trees sandwiched us from both sides, as the falling leaves mirrored the fact that the day was almost over.

As my girlfriend turned to me with a winsome smile, I could help but hold my breath. She was donned in the light of Autumn, a mixture of peace and harmony moulded into one being. Donned in her stylish clothes, the perfect being didn’t seem like someone from this planet. She had to be God’s favoured daughter or something.

How else could someone look this perfect?

Althea said that she wanted to come to this place as it had a lovely ambience and it was the perfect location to wrap up our day, and I was inclined to agree.

It truly was the perfect, romantic place. Even if our date ended here, I would have been content. But alas, there was still one more location.

“Althea? We should get going soon, or we’ll be late.”

I didn’t know what lay ahead as the timetable for the date ended at this location. Given the hints, it should be a nice restaurant nearby, but only Althea knew the answer to that.

“Ah, you don’t have to worry about that.” Althea held my hand and pointed to the building that was right next to the maple tree park. “We’re already here.”

“Wait, isn’t that hotel-...”

“Oh? So you do recognise it!” Althea clapped her hand in excitement. “That’s right, it’s where the High Garden restaurant is.”

“You booked the High Garden restaurant?!”

I completely blew my head apart at the revelation.

The High Garden restaurant was a luxury eatery that topped every foodie’s list. It was opened by a world-renowned chef who wanted to crystallise his four decades of culinary experience into one fine establishment. It served foods that I could never even dream about with ingredients that I could only watch on videos online.

As someone who studied extensively to improve my cooking, I’d always wanted to try eating at the High Garden restaurant. Unfortunately, there weren’t many opportunities for me to do so, and the extravagant price did keep me away somewhat.

Never in a million years would I have expected to be treated by my girlfriend in this luxurious place.

“Did Len tell you about this place?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Althea beamed joyfully. “What matters is that we have a reservation, and it’s in twenty minutes. Let’s go!”

The girl held onto my hand and led me straight towards the grand hotel. So it was Len who recommended this place to her. That asshole… I should give him a thumbs up the next time I meet him!

❖❖❖

“That was perfect...”

I sat back on my satin layered chair, holding my bloated stomach with a satisfied expression.

“Hehe, I’m glad you liked it!”

“God, how could I not?! I had a ten-course meal, each one of them more perfect than the last!”

It was the best assortment of food that I’d ever had in my life. We started out with fresh Sea Urchin that had been topped off with a generous dose of caviar. And that was just the first course of the day!

Alaskan King Crabs meat sprinkled over my Maine Lobster with freshly squeezed dipping sauce. Pan-seared Wagyu Beef with a chef’s sauce that could only be described as divine. Smoked mint-crusted Lamb that had been aged and marinated to perfect. Lobster Ravioli with freshly grated black truffle.

Even the dessert was fancy with their signature flaming Crepe Suzette.

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This… This was the level that I could never touch.

No matter how much I work hard at my cooking, I could never reach the level of the culinary gods that had graced this kitchen to have given me such an otherworldly meal.

“Haha, I’m glad that you liked it!”

Although our food had been cleared from the table, neither of us had the intention to leave. For one, the gorgeous scenic view of the city at night was enough to keep us on our chairs. But more importantly, my birthday celebration was apparently still not over.

“Desir, I have gotten some gifts for you.”

Althea reached into her bag and pulled out two elaborate looking boxes. One of the boxes was the size of my palms, while the other was barely bigger than my longest finger. Still, judging from how beautifully designed they were, I could tell that their contents were much more expensive than my mere hand.

“Have a look,” Althea said as she opened up the bigger box.

It was a sublimely designed watch with an actual marble dial which was adorned with a wood bezel on a vintage-inspired barrel-shaped stainless steel case. It even had a small window opened up in the marble, revealing the gears that turned within the flawless watch.

The watch had an authentic minimalist look to it, and it was even comfortable to the touch. It wasn’t a Rolex or anything, but it was totally the type of watch that I would wear on a daily basis. In short, it was the perfect watch for me.

“Althea! You didn’t have to! It must have cost you a fortune!”

I knew better than anyone else that Althea was still a student and barely worked. Although she got a significant allowance from her parents, it would still hurt to pay for everything she had done thus far. The numerous places she booked, the expensive restaurant, and now this!

“You don’t have to worry about it.” Contrary to my concern, Althea seemed far more relaxed. “Besides, you spent far more than me for my birthday.”

“Still...”

“Nope, I’m not hearing any of it. I just want to give nice things to my boyfriend, can’t I do that?”

“...”

Those words… Have I gotten myself a sugar mummy? I did, didn’t I? Althea is now my sugar mummy, and I’m just the baby suckling on her money tit.

“Try it on! It even has your name engraved on it!”

“Althea, you...”

I held back my hefty sigh. I now knew that struggling was useless. Either way, it’s not like Althea could return the gifts right away. She had already spent the money. No, I can’t let myself be the leech that lives off his girlfriend’s goodwill. Next time, I’ll spend even more money on her birthday just to repay this outstanding debt!

“So, how does it feel?”

“Perfect… How on earth did you know my wrist measurements?”

“I checked it when you were sleeping, duh.”

“You...”

Should I be happy or angry? I really didn’t know. Was this how all sugar babies felt?

While I was in the midst of my mental war, Althea pushed the second box closer to me. Confused, I raised my brow and asked: “You bought yet another gift?”

“Yes, but this gift is a little more selfish...”

“What do you mean?”

“Just open it, and you’ll know.”

Curious, I opened the box gingerly, somewhat expectant of what I would find. Within it, I found a slightly oversized, heart-shaped locket pendant, exquisitely engraved with motifs of snowflakes that fell during the peaceful winter nights. Oddly enough, a rendered photo of Althea was placed within the empty pendant, blatantly showing an image of her most beautiful self.

She was wearing the same dress that I had gotten her for her birthday that was bonded with the silver necklace that I had gotten to match. The photograph seemed to be taken in a professional setting. There were barely any blemishes or signs of an amateur. The angle, the shadow, the lighting… They were all balanced to perfection to make this immaculate image.

“Althea, this is...”

“It might be a little selfish of me, but...” Althea reached around her neck and lifted up a similar-looking pendant.

I didn’t realise it until now, but the necklace that Althea was wearing was different from the ones I would typically see in her jewellery box. But upon closer inspection, the pendant around her neck was almost identical to the one within the box.

The only difference was its colour. Mine was in subdued silver, while Althea’s was a more bold gold. Althea probably wanted to get the same design, but she feared that my minimalist attitude would reject such a brazen colour.

“I have one as well. You don’t have to wear it every day, but I hope that you can keep it with you at all times. That way, if we are ever in a situation where we need to be separated for a long period of time, that locket would remind you of me.”

This little lass… Even if you didn’t give me this present, I would have still looked at photos of you. Tell me, how on earth would I ever forget you?

I toned down my desire to tease her and gave her the answer she wanted: “Alright, I’ll do just that.”

“Hehe, thank you.”

“It’s nothing, really.” I shook my head and pointed at her own pendant. “Should I take a photo of myself to put in your locket as well?”

“Ah, there’s no need for that.”

Althea waved her hand and pressed on the locket, only to reveal the photo that she had taken of me when I cosplayed as a butler.

“T-That photo… W-Won’t you change it? I can take a professional photo for you!”

I didn’t really mind that she took the photo, but if someone else saw my cosplay, mainly that asshole in blonde and his nosy girlfriend in red, I would likely live in the hole for the rest of my life. Alas, my girlfriend wasn’t that easily swayed.

“No way! This is my treasured memory! No one is going to take it away from me, not even you, Desir!”

“...”

What else can I say? If Althea felt so strongly about it, there was nothing else that I could do. Heaving out a huge sigh, I pulled the pendant from the box and gladly circled it around my own neck.

“Thank you, Althea. For everything you have done today. It was one of the best birthday celebrations that I’ve had.”

I wasn’t lying. I couldn’t remember the last time I enjoyed myself this much on my birthday. For the longest time, my birthday was just a cruel reminder that I was getting older rather than a celebration of my birth. However, today felt extra special.

And it was all thanks to the woman who loved me from the bottom of her heart.

“Don’t thank me yet; your celebration isn’t over yet.”

“Huh?”

Althea reached into her bag and pulled out a well-designed card. It was a card that I’d never seen before in her purse, but I could roughly guess what it was for.

“It’s getting late, and even if we drive home, it’ll take at least an hour.”

“Don’t tell me...”

“Yeap!” Althea handed the keycard over to me with a brilliant smile. “I’ve booked a room here!”

“Althea...”

Jesus, just how much money did she spend?! A luxurious dinner at the High Garden restaurant followed by an overnight stay in a five-star hotel?! Not to mention the two gifts that she had just given me. That’s way over the budget I had for Althea’s own birthday party!

“Hmmm? D-Don’t tell me you don’t want to stay here with me...”

Misunderstanding my tone, Althea appeared downcast as she lowered her head. It must have been my imagination, but I could see the floppy dog ears falling down from her crown, making the ethereal beauty seem infinitely more adorable.

This is just unfair… There was no way that I could say no to that face.

“No,” I sighed as I held the keycard in my hands. “Let’s go then; they seem to be cleaning up now.”

“Hehe, yay!”

Watching the brightly lit face of my girlfriend, I couldn’t help but heave a mental sigh. You know what, I won’t resign to my fate as a sugar baby that easily, Althea! I swear I will give you the best birthday celebration next year! Just you wait!

❖❖❖

“A-Althea, w-what are you wearing?!”

When we returned to the hotel room, Althea asked me to stay on the bed as she took a shower. I thought nothing of it as it was a routine we did many times at home. But alas, for the thousandth time today, Althea had given me yet another surprise.

“Why? Don’t you like this?”

“I do, but...”

Rather than appear with some bathrobes or her signature nightgown, Althea came all dressed in a female school uniform. But unlike traditional school uniforms, which were conservative and coarsely designed, Althea’s one was far more revealing.

The white shirt was fitted extra tightly, allowing me to look at all of the contours of her body. Her swan-like nape and milky white collar bones were in full view, drawing a gulp from me when I first saw her. Her ample bosom and tight hourglass waist were also visible as the tight blouse left nothing to the imagination.

The same could be said about her skirt. It was well above the kneecaps and was just a few centimetres away from being classified as a mini-skirt. There was no way in hell this uniform would go past any discipline masters, but fortunately, its purpose wasn’t to make her teachers happy.

“Len told me that you wanted a school romance when you were younger but couldn’t get one. So, I’d thought that maybe I would become your school girlfriend for one night!”

So it was Len, that asshole…

When I get my hands on him, I’ll definitely strangle the living shit out of him… Well, that’s after I give him two thumbs up, of course.

“... It feels wrong, doing it with a girl in a school uniform.”

“That makes it all the more exhilarating, doesn’t it?” Althea walked up to me and wrapped her arms around my neck. At the same time, my hands automatically found themselves on Althea’s perfectly sculpted waist.

“But don’t worry, you’re safe for tonight.”

“Hmmm? How so?”

“I’m on the pill, and so,” Althea leaned her face near to my ear before whispering: “So you can do anything you want tonight...”

Who on earth taught Althea these naughty things?! Where did my innocent angel disappear to?

But well… I would be a fool to decline this tempting offer.

As the lights dimmed and the moon as our witness, I indulged heavily in my final birthday present of the night.