Tokyo: My Superpower Refreshes Every Week

9:30 PM.

At this time, Okayama Buji sighed and turned to say, "Morimoto, you should go back and rest."

Sitting in the chair, Morimoto Chiyoda's wandering thoughts snapped back into her mind. She looked up and asked, "Do you all finish work at this time every day?"

"I'm not off work yet, but I think there's no need for you to stay up late here. After 9:30 PM, Dio typically won't show up." Okayama Buji answered truthfully, shrugging. "Now it's just a waiting game."

"Okayama, so Dio won't appear after 9:30 PM?"

Her expression unchanged, Morimoto Chiyoda pondered inwardly, 9:30 PM...

That was the curfew she had set for Aozawa.

"I didn't expect Dio to be someone who takes care of his health, getting to bed on time at 9:30 PM."

She feigned an easygoing chuckle.

Okayama Buji laughed as well. "Who knows if it's work or rest? We still haven't figured that question out. Everything about him is a mystery."

"That's true. I'll head back then. Could you lower the altitude a bit, please?"

Morimoto Chiyoda shrugged, her doubts growing.

Is it merely a coincidence?

But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that Dio's activity pattern matched Aozawa's too closely.

The last time she tailed Aozawa to the small park, she remembered he seemed so exhausted that he squatted on the ground.

Was it really fatigue?

According to the piece of paper taken from Yasuda's house, Dio had a superpower that allowed him to obtain information by touching an object.

Had Aozawa not noticed her following him?

Morimoto Chiyoda's mind churned with complex thoughts all the way to her doorstep, and she couldn't manage to sort them out.

She took out her keys from her bag, unlocked the door, and the living room lights were on.

The warm light illuminated the empty home.

On the kitchen bar, there was a piece of white paper held down by a teacup.

Morimoto Chiyoda walked over. It was the note she had left, and an additional message had been written on it.

"Received. This is the money left from the meal. Please check, Queen."

A little sketch of a salute was on the paper, and the money was behind the teacup.

Morimoto Chiyoda picked up the note, stared at it for a while, and a faint smile appeared on her face.

No way. How could Aozawa, who's so well-behaved and cute, possibly be Dio?

Although Morimoto Chiyoda had always considered people from the Yakuza and conglomerates to be trash, these were just words. She had never actually thought of taking action.

Aozawa, at sixteen, couldn't possibly do such things, could he?

Morimoto Chiyoda crumpled the paper into a ball and tossed it into the trashcan. Slowing her pace, she walked to Aozawa's room.

After a moment's thought, she cautiously opened the door.

It was dim inside.

The thin blanket on the bed formed a lump; Aozawa was sound asleep.

She must be overthinking it.

Morimoto Chiyoda gently closed the door.

Dio and Aozawa couldn't possibly be the same person.

She convinced herself of this and patted her face, deciding to soak in a hot bath.

Just past 10 PM, a hot bath at twenty-nine degrees was just right.

She went back to her room to pick up her clothes.

She was well aware that the best way to dispel her suspicions was to conduct a test. However, Morimoto Chiyoda didn't dare to do so. For one thing, suspecting those close to you isn't a good thing.

She didn't want to be a paranoid woman.

On the other hand, what if the test revealed something? What then?

If Aozawa turned out to be Dio, could she still keep him under control like before?

Morimoto Chiyoda thought about this dilemma while soaking in the tub.

The current situation was somewhat analogous to infidelity. If neither partner has caught the other cheating, on the surface, they can still maintain a calm daily life. But once the truth is discovered and that calm is shattered, will the outcome be good or bad?

Morimoto Chiyoda was caught in a quandary.

She was confident in managing Aozawa, but could she handle Dio?

"Ah, I don't want to think too much."

Morimoto Chiyoda scooped up water and patted her face. Perhaps she was overthinking, and it was all just a coincidence.

Dio could very well be some other high schooler, or a college student, or even a junior high student.

It's normal for any student to have overlapping activity patterns.

But without a test, she couldn't eliminate the suspicion against Aozawa.

Morimoto Chiyoda found herself at a dead end.

She wanted to clear Aozawa of suspicion, which required a test. But if the test proved Dio was indeed Aozawa, how should she handle it?

This dilemma was giving Morimoto Chiyoda a headache.

"Why do I have to think about all this alone?"

She sighed, deciding to sleep on it. "I'll deal with it tomorrow."

...

「The night was hazy.」

In a daze, Morimoto Chiyoda found herself standing at a crossroads.

The cool street lamps illuminated the surroundings.

She saw a tall man with blond hair standing there and instinctively called out, "Dio?!"

Morimoto Chiyoda touched the man's shoulder, and as he turned around, it was Aozawa's face.

"Ah?!"

Startled, she hurriedly sat up and realized it was just a dream.

But the dream was so vivid.

Morimoto Chiyoda panted softly, pulled out a tissue from the bedside table, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and glanced at the time again.

Five-thirty.

Morimoto Chiyoda decided not to go back to sleep. She took off her semi-transparent nightgown and changed into a light purple yoga outfit.

The snug, lightweight yoga outfit perfectly outlined her figure as she looked at herself in the mirror.

She frowned slightly.

Being indecisive wasn't in her nature; she had to subtly test the relationship between Aozawa and Dio.

She didn't want to have nightmares every day.

Morimoto Chiyoda mulled over the problem as she stepped out of the bedroom. Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind.

The Jade Dragon Flag!

If Aozawa participated in the Jade Dragon Flag, he definitely wouldn't be able to avoid Sunaga Takashi.

Morimoto Chiyoda remembered him confidently saying he would definitely win the championship this year.

Based on the results of the competition, she might be able to guess the relationship between Aozawa and Dio.

Although there was still a long time before the Jade Dragon Flag, it didn't matter; Morimoto Chiyoda had plenty of patience.

During this waiting period, she would operate under the assumption that Aozawa was Dio. Then, she would consider whether to expose him after confirmation, how they should interact, and how to guide him towards a proper moral compass.

From now on, she could no longer casually describe people from conglomerates and the Yakuza as inhuman; she had to show respect for life.

If Aozawa lost at the Jade Dragon Flag competition, then all her considerations during this time would just be a pastime.

After all, as long as she didn't reveal it, Aozawa would never know she had been imagining him as Dio in secret.

This solution made Morimoto Chiyoda feel refreshed. Although it wasn't the fastest way to solve the problem, it was the one that made her feel most comfortable.

Procrastination might not solve a problem, but it could certainly offer temporary relief from being troubled by it.

Morimoto Chiyoda started preparing today's breakfast.

She fried two meat patties, paired them with two lettuce leaves, spread ketchup, and sandwiched them between bread slices to make simple hamburgers.

Then she brewed two cups of coffee, added sugar and milk, and an elegant breakfast appeared on the kitchen bar.

After finishing these tasks, Morimoto Chiyoda started practicing yoga. She prepared to show Aozawa her flexible figure, intending to give him a little morning jolt.

After a while, Aozawa's bedroom door opened.

When he saw Morimoto Chiyoda practicing yoga in the living room, he greeted, "Good morning, Chitose."

"Hmm."

Morimoto Chiyoda replied with a hum, everything seemingly normal on the surface.

She wasn't the type to let her thoughts show.

No matter what she was thinking, she could always mask it with an appropriate expression.

...

After breakfast, Aozawa picked up his bag and stepped out. He walked slowly for a bit, then started running.

The morning sky was grey and overcast, looking as if it was about to rain. There was no wind. Even while running, one could feel the oppressive stuffiness in the air.

These signs indicated that the sky was holding back a heavy rain.

Aozawa disliked rain. When it rained, everything became damp and annoying. Probably only poets, or those who didn't need to go to school or work on rainy days, have the luxury of enjoying the rain.

In his opinion, braving the rain to get to school was not a pleasant experience.

"Aozawa, don't run so fast!"

As he approached the school gate, a familiar shout floated into his ears.

Furusawa Kyoichiro stood at the school gate like a temple guardian, fully fulfilling his responsibilities as a discipline committee member, roaring at any student who violated the school rules.

Aozawa skirted around the students in front of him and turned onto the school path.

He wasn't the type who liked to follow rules; as usual, he ran a few laps around the school.

After warming up, Aozawa returned to the Kendo club, greeted the familiar second and third-year members, and also responded to the greetings from the first-year newcomers.

But he didn't find it troublesome.

Aozawa got dressed in his Kendo practice gear and began his daily routine.

He practiced until he was the only one left in the club room.

Ayatsuki Ayaka, seizing the right moment, decided not to wait outside any longer and entered.

She quietly opened the door, stepped in without a sound, and slowly squatted down by the wall.

Ayatsuki Ayaka cupped the thermos in her hands, her arms crossed over her chest, and quietly watched Aozawa practice.

Waiting like this for Aozawa to finish his Kendo practice was, to her, a duty only a girlfriend could fulfill.

When Aozawa felt he had practiced enough, he stopped swinging the bamboo sword. He took a few gentle breaths, turned his head, and said, "Good morning, Ayaka."

"Good morning, Aozawa~"

Ayatsuki Ayaka answered with a smile, though her face revealed a hint of worry. "The sky looks quite gloomy today. It's terrible, I forgot to bring an umbrella! My sister even reminded me before she left, but I still forgot."

She hinted desperately.

Aozawa pretended not to understand and laughed, "No worries, I didn't bring one either."

"Eh?!"

Ayatsuki Ayaka was baffled.

Aozawa chuckled, "Just kidding, I brought an umbrella. If it really rains, I'll walk you home."

"Okay!"

Ayatsuki Ayaka nodded eagerly. That was exactly what she wanted to hear. A couple sharing an umbrella on a rainy day—what a beautifully romantic scene!

Just the thought excited Ayatsuki Ayaka immensely.

It absolutely has to rain after school today!

...

After school, the sunlight was bright and clear.

Ayatsuki Ayaka, expressionless, looked up and cried out, "Damn you, sky!"

THUMP. Takahashi Saeko lightly tapped her on the head and laughed, "Alright, don't go cursing the sky. If your Prince won't escort you, let us 'servants' take our Princess home. We can even stop by the mall on the way."

"Okay."

Ayatsuki Ayaka nodded, deciding to alleviate her disappointment by going shopping.