Tokyo: My Superpower Refreshes Every Week

The navy-blue bento box was divided, with rice and side dishes separate.

On the left were the side dishes, while the right housed the rice.

Created based on Aozawa's preferences.

The side dishes Hojo Shouko prepared were mostly meaty, with pork cutlets lovingly crafted into the shape of rabbits.

Meatballs had faces made of sesame seeds, resembling snowman heads.

The beef steak was circular, topped with a big smiley face assembled from carrots.

There was also a heart made from sauce on the rice, with a message spelled out in seaweed.

"Aozawa-senpai, may you have good luck today."

Then there was a carrot, sculpted into the shape of a panda, placed beneath the words.

As Natsuka Yanagimachi looked at such a bento, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, and with a cheerful smile she said, "Aozawa-senpai, Shouko's bento really is super, super cute~ I even want to take a picture and post it on Twitter to show everyone the bento she made for Aozawa-senpai~"

"That's fine by me. I don't mind."

Hojo Shouko revealed a slight smile, seeing nothing embarrassing about such an act.

Inwardly, Aozawa felt the same kind of mortification Natsuka Yanagimachi had just alluded to—a public execution—though he didn't let it show on his face.

Showing any sign of weakness now would just increase Natsuka Yanagimachi's amusement.

"Since Shouko says so, I don't mind either. This bento is a love-filled meal carefully prepared by Shouko, containing her feelings. There's nothing in it that needs to be hidden."

"Is that so."

Natsuka Yanagimachi purposely drew out her tone, casting a meaningful glance at Aozawa.

She still couldn't believe that anyone, aside from Hojo Shouko, would find such a bento nothing to be ashamed of, especially for high school students.

Can one really endure a bento that seems to cater to elementary school students?

Those cute designs are surely unbearable for a boy.

She kept staring, trying to see through Aozawa's disguise.

"If you're not taking a picture, I'll be going then."

Aozawa remained calm as he closed the bento box, secretly letting out a sigh of relief. He had no problem appreciating such a bento himself, but having everyone else appreciate it was still a bit hard to accept.

Hojo Shouko waved and said, "Goodbye, Aozawa-senpai."

"Yeah."

Aozawa turned and walked toward the school building. At the entrance, he changed his shoes in the shoe locker area, but instead of going upstairs, he headed to the vending machine to get Coke and bread for Hojo Tetsuji.

The vending machine in the school building was outside the cafeteria.

He saw a girl crouching on the ground, her short skirt making a peach shape as she bent over and swayed, seemingly searching for something underneath the vending machine.

"Class rep, what are you doing?"

"Eh?!"

Startled by his voice, Arakawa Reina quickly stood up, pushing up her glasses with her left hand while shaking her head and saying, "No, it's nothing, I just dropped a coin inside and was trying to pick it up. Sorry for getting in the way, I'll leave now."

"No need to hurry, I'll get it out for you."

Aozawa crouched and peered inside.

Arakawa Reina quickly waved her hands and said, "Don't trouble yourself, Mr. Aozawa. It's hard to retrieve since it fell inside."

"That's because your hands aren't long enough."

Aozawa reached in, and though he couldn't touch the coin with his hand, he had Telekinesis. He subtly moved the coin into his hand and held it out, saying, "See, isn't this reachable?"

"Thank you, Mr. Aozawa."

A hint of surprise flashed in Arakawa Reina's eyes. She had been feeling around for quite some time, always just a bit short of reaching the five-hundred-yen coin.

Aozawa had managed to grab it so easily! His hands were really long.

She marveled inwardly, then suddenly recalling her posture when trying to retrieve the coin, her cheeks turned red.

That position could indeed be easily misunderstood by boys.

If this were a manga, something might have already...

Thinking of such scenarios, Arakawa Reina quickly shook her head. "No way!"

No, I can't keep fantasizing about such plots! Arakawa Reina hurriedly ran off.

Aozawa was a bit baffled.

I didn't say anything, did I?

The class rep's imagination is way too active, Aozawa thought. After buying the Coke and bread, he made his way to the school rooftop.

He planned to have lunch with Tetsuji; today they were short on time, too lazy to go out, so they stayed at the school.

「...」

「In the club building, Manga Club.」

The long table held three bento boxes, with most of the contents eaten.

Phoenix Academy Maggie took a sip of orange juice from the side, her delicate doll-like face showing a complex expression.

For an heir to the Phoenix Family, such orange juice is hard to swallow.

Yet, this difficulty also contained a hint of pleasure.

Perhaps it's psychological.

Drinking this cheap orange juice gives me a slight sense of rebellion, which in turn makes it taste somewhat pleasant.

"Maggie, do you really like drinking orange juice?"

Yoshikawa Sayuri couldn't help but remark upon seeing her expression. Every time Maggie drank orange juice, she looked as if she were drinking unsweetened coffee.

Phoenix Academy Maggie slowly answered, "Half like it, half hate it."

"What an inconsistent response."

Nomura Makoto chided, swinging a sausage shaped like an octopus with her chopsticks back and forth and asking, "Maggie, aren't you planning to ask Aozawa to hang out recently?"

"There's just no good opportunity."

Phoenix Academy Maggie shook her head. The last date had the curry competition as an excuse.

Now, she could not find any excuse to ask Aozawa out.

Without a suitable excuse, rashly asking Aozawa out could easily lead to unnecessary misunderstandings. And it wouldn't just be misunderstandings; it would be like exposing my feelings prematurely.

Phoenix Academy Maggie did not want to reveal her own thoughts before confirming Aozawa's feelings.

As a businesswoman, I shouldn't hastily go all-in without understanding my opponent's hand.

A gambler's mentality is for those who have nothing to lose to try.

This is why some historical figures were inclined to use risky strategies early on but became cautious later in their lives.

It's not that they became weak; they just had too much to lose and more things to consider, so they couldn't act recklessly.

"I've been telling you not to overthink it; with matters of the heart, the more you think, the harder it is to make progress," said Nomura Makoto, shaking her head. She had matched many couples and believed the most difficult part was deciding who should take the initiative.

If no one takes the lead and both sides choose to be passive, love will never blossom.

Sitting there waiting for someone else's confession requires capital.

Even though Phoenix Academy Maggie had that capital, Makoto didn't think Aozawa, with his personality, would be the proactive type.

He's definitely the passive type of guy.

"If you keep waiting, you might lose him," she warned.

"Makoto, don't spend every day trying to sell me anxiety," retorted Phoenix Academy Maggie, rolling her eyes. She did not want to continue the topic and changed the subject: "Next week's Shonen Weekly JUMP is going to publish a really good manga, and it might even win the newcomer award."

"Eh? Are you so sure? Could it be someone you know?" asked Makoto, her face showing a hint of curiosity.

Phoenix Academy Maggie nodded, "You could say I know the person."

Yoshikawa Sayuri asked curiously, "Do we know them?"

"You'll find out when the time comes."

Phoenix Academy Maggie did not give it away. She wanted to keep them in suspense, pique Yoshikawa Sayuri's curiosity, and then wait for Hojo Tetsuji's manga to be published in Shonen Weekly JUMP next week.

She planned to let them read it first and then reveal who the artist was, in order to change Tetsuji's image in Little Sayuri's heart.

Phoenix Academy Maggie had been watching Hojo Tetsuji's efforts. I have to admit, in romance, his courage far exceeds mine.

That determination to charge forward once a goal is set... it's something I envy.

However, we're both equally clumsy. I hope this approach will be effective.

Phoenix Academy Maggie sighed inwardly. I hope Aozawa and I can make some progress too.

「...」

「Shinjuku, Hisamatsu Apartment, Room 201.」

Morimoto Chiyoda stretched lazily, leaning on the sofa, and complained, "That old hag is disgusting.

She actually claimed that Divine Power is contained in bodily fluids and that it can only be effective if others drink her fluids.

That damn old woman should just be thrown into prison and locked up.

She's definitely a pervert, a menace to unsuspecting followers if left outside."

"Don't do anything unnecessary. If you act like that, those people will be scared to cooperate with us," Emily shook her head. From an emotional standpoint, of course, she had no sympathy for those who deceived in the name of religion for sex or money.

But as the head of the task force, she had to control that sentiment.

Acting against them would affect subsequent work.

"I think those people don't have any Superpower at all."

"But what if they do?" Emily sighed. She was aware that most of those people were likely useless.

But there's always that 'what if.'

What if among that trash, there really is someone with a hidden Superpower?

If we don't search, we'll miss the chance to discover a second Superpower User.

Chiyoda stopped speaking. She couldn't rule out that possibility. Without having questioned everyone, there's always that 'what if.'

Thinking about this enormous workload is truly disheartening.

Grumbling, her stomach voiced its complaint. She glanced inside and shouted, "Iwaki, aren't you done yet?"

"Sorry, I need a few more seconds, just wait a bit."

Iwaki Kususuke's hands tapped on the keyboard, attempting to take over all the surveillance in the Shibuya Shopping Center to facilitate the capture of Dio in Shibuya next time.

With a final keystroke, he let out a satisfied breath, then turned and left the room. "Alright, time to eat."

"I'll start. Need to fill up so I can get back to work this afternoon," declared Emily as she split her chopsticks.

While sipping her soup, Chiyoda said, "Emily, I'm thinking of switching to the night shift."

Emily expressed her surprise, "Haven't you always wanted to rest at night?"

"Didn't Dio say? If we see him again, he'll answer whether humans have souls." Chiyoda picked up her chopsticks, her normally seductive voice uncommonly serious. "I want to hear the answer from him directly. Whether humans have souls, and if souls really go to Paradise. I'm quite curious about that."

"No problem."

Emily didn't want to ask for specifics. She was more than willing to have an extra hand at night.

The Metropolitan Police Department had plenty of staff, but for confidentiality reasons, not many could actually be of use.

"I'll fulfill your request tonight."