Tokyo: My Superpower Refreshes Every Week

The morning sunshine was bright, clearing away the traces of last night's rain; not a droplet remained on the streets. If students were to push aside the grass, they would still see soil drenched by the rainwater. But that had nothing to do with Ayatsuki Ayaka, who stayed back at the Kendo club.

She had now grown accustomed to slipping into the Kendo club after everyone else had left to watch Aozawa practice Sword Dao, relishing their time alone. After Aozawa finished practicing, she would thoughtfully hand him vegetable juice. The scene reminded her of a wife bringing a bento to her hardworking husband. Just thinking about it made Ayatsuki Ayaka feel so sweet inside that the corners of her mouth curled upwards, her cute dimples naturally appearing on her cheeks.

When Aozawa came out of the changing room, she hurriedly rose to her feet.

"Aozawa, good morning!" Ayatsuki Ayaka rushed forward, eager to offer him the vegetable juice to quench his thirst.

Aozawa gauged the distance between them and immediately activated his superpower that guaranteed a girl would cushion his fall. This was the first time he had intentionally used this ability since acquiring it. His superpower activated as if by an inevitable law of causality. Aozawa wasn't deliberately trying to fall; he was simply walking forward to greet her when he suddenly stumbled. It looked incredibly natural and smooth; no onlooker could have detected even a hint of a feigned fall.

Before Ayatsuki Ayaka could even react, she was falling backward under Aozawa's weight.

THUD. Ayatsuki Ayaka landed on the Kendo club floor. She didn't feel any pain, but her heart was pounding. Yet, something seemed to be pressing down on it, as if trying to calm its frantic beat. This sensation, however, only stimulated Ayatsuki Ayaka's heart further, like a Bugatti Veyron with the accelerator floored.

THUMP, THUMP. Her heart pounded like a wild drum.

If I'm not mistaken, that's Aozawa's right hand.

Cool air brushed against the skin at the collar of her sailor uniform.

Ayatsuki Ayaka stared blankly at the boy in front of her.

"Sorry," Aozawa quickly apologized. He didn't remove his hand immediately, instead using it to support himself as he began to get up. The girl's astounding elasticity seemed to push everything away.

He rose, withdrawing his hand. The cool air whisked away the warmth from his palm.

Ayatsuki Ayaka's tan cheeks flushed crimson. Her brain felt completely fried, as if steam were billowing from her mouth, nose, and ears.

What should I do now? This is the Kendo club's activity room. And we don't have much time. But Saeko said that a boy's first time is usually very quick… No, this can't happen! I haven't fully tamed Aozawa yet. Doing something like that now would mean giving up on the idea of taming him! Should I follow my instincts? Should I spread my legs?

Seeing her dazed expression, Aozawa quickly helped her adjust the collar of her sailor uniform. "Iroha," he began, "sorry, there's something I've been hiding from you. I actually suffer from a rare illness."

The word "illness" snapped Ayatsuki Ayaka out of her stupor. She sat up, anxiously asking, "Aozawa, what kind of illness do you have?"

"It's called Acute Shamelessness Syndrome. It's a type of mental disorder," Aozawa explained with a serious expression.

Ayatsuki Ayaka had never heard of such a disease. The words "mental disorder" alone made her extremely nervous. "Does it affect your body?" she asked.

"Sometimes, I suddenly fall, just like what happened now. I'm sorry, I didn't do it on purpose. It's just that when an episode occurs, my hand subconsciously moved towards your chest…" Aozawa trailed off.

Ayatsuki Ayaka breathed a sigh of relief. If it's just that, then it's not a big deal. It's a relief that it doesn't affect his physical health.

Then, the realization that he had just touched her chest—a first for her—dawned on her. Her face reddened again, and she murmured softly, "I-I'm fine. But you shouldn't do that to other girls. If you have another episode, try to find me. Otherwise, those girls might think you're a pervert and report you to the police."

"Iroha, you're so kind." Aozawa took her hand, gazing at her flushed cheeks, long eyelashes, and bright eyes. Her eyes resembled stars in the night sky, or streetlamps veiled in mist just before a rainy dawn.

She looks so delectable. Aozawa couldn't resist the urge to lean in and taste her pale red lips.

Ayatsuki Ayaka noticed his movement, her heart pounding wildly. "Class is about to start!" she said quickly. "We should head to the classroom first."

If Aozawa kisses me now, I might really need to change my underwear. And I didn't bring a spare pair! Such improper behavior must be forbidden!

"You're right." Aozawa sounded a little disappointed, but he knew he couldn't rush things. He got up, and they left together.

「Later that day...」

Ayatsuki Ayaka's heart hadn't calmed down. She didn't understand a word the teacher said during class, which was pretty standard for her. Even when she wasn't distracted, she usually couldn't comprehend what the teachers were talking about. She recognized the individual words and knew how to read them, but strung together, they formed baffling sentences. Math class, in particular, was like listening to a foreign language she couldn't understand.

She sat at her desk, continuously zoning out.

Her deskmate, Tama Chan, turned to her with a smile. "Iroha, judging by that love-struck look on your face, did something good happen this morning?"

Ayatsuki Ayaka snapped back to reality and quickly shook her head. "Maru, don't be ridiculous! I'm not love-struck at all."

"Stop lying. I can tell your head's been in the clouds. Spill it, what happened with Aozawa?" Takahashi Saeko chimed in as she walked over and sat at the desk in front of Ayatsuki Ayaka.

During every break, the student who sat in front of Ayatsuki Ayaka would immediately vacate their seat for Takahashi Saeko. It wasn't that Takahashi Saeko coerced them; rather, that student probably enjoyed having a girl sit on his stool.

Ayatsuki Ayaka glanced around. After class, the students had formed small cliques. Her group naturally consisted of Takahashi Saeko, Tama Chan, and Miyahara Kaoru, so she didn't need to worry about anyone eavesdropping.

Even so, she lowered her voice. "Saeko, have you ever heard of Acute Shamelessness Syndrome?"

"What's that?" Miyahara Kaoru asked, her face alight with curiosity.

Takahashi Saeko nodded. "I have heard of it. It's a type of mental illness. Usually, the person seems normal, but then, all of a sudden, the patient might do something self-destructive, like stripping and running naked in the streets, or behaving inappropriately towards the opposite sex. Why do you ask?"

Ayatsuki Ayaka thought for a moment, then asked, "This illness… it doesn't affect a person's physical health, does it?"

"No, but they're very easily mistaken for perverts and taken to the police station," Takahashi Saeko replied, looking curious. "Why are you asking about this?"

"Actually… Aozawa has this illness," Ayatsuki Ayaka said, lowering her voice again, her tan cheeks flushing.

One glance was enough for Takahashi Saeko to confirm that Iroha had definitely been taken advantage of. Her interest piqued, she asked, "So, how did he take liberties with you?"

"Saeko, don't be so crude! What do you mean 'take liberties'? It's an illness! It was an accident!" Ayatsuki Ayaka immediately denied Takahashi Saeko's phrasing, then added shyly, "His hand… it went inside my collar."

"Oho! And then?" Takahashi Saeko pressed.

Tama Chan was also brimming with curiosity. To them, such an experience wasn't a big deal, but for it to happen to Ayatsuki Ayaka, it was major news. This was the innocent Hot Girl, after all. An experience like that was definitely a first for her.

"Then… he apologized to me and said he was sick," Ayatsuki Ayaka explained softly.

Takahashi Saeko looked somewhat disappointed. "That's it?"

Ayatsuki Ayaka was surprised. "Isn't that enough?"

"Normally, no. But the situation was clearly not normal. I'm glad you remembered what I told you and didn't easily give yourself to him. Iroha, I have to praise you for that." Takahashi Saeko patted Ayatsuki Ayaka on the head as a reward, then said thoughtfully, "In that case, it's not so surprising that Aozawa has those strange ideas. It's probably this mental illness that's causing him to have an unbalanced view of relationships between men and women. That's why he thinks one man can have multiple women."

Ayatsuki Ayaka frowned, asking nervously, "Can that illness be cured?"

"That kind of mental illness can be cured, but only if the root cause is eliminated." Takahashi Saeko nodded. Considering the available information, she realized Ayatsuki Ayaka's suspicions might have some merit. "Mental illnesses like that are often influenced by one's environment. It's very possible Morimoto Chiyoda did something to Aozawa that made him develop those thoughts."

"Damn it!" Ayatsuki Ayaka slammed her fist on the desk, her face contorted with anger. "I will never forgive that wicked woman!"

Takahashi Saeko patted Ayatsuki Ayaka's fist and chuckled. "Alright, don't get so worked up. If you show hostility towards Morimoto Chiyoda now, Aozawa will just think you're jealous of her. People with Stockholm Syndrome often see their captors as good people, not villains. In situations like this, the more forcefully you try to correct him, the more likely he is to resent it. That's just how people are; they don't easily accept criticism from others and are even less likely to admit they're wrong."

Ayatsuki Ayaka nodded. "Saeko, what do you think I should do?"

"First, you need to find out how long Aozawa and Morimoto Chiyoda have known each other. Only then can you figure out how to help him."

Ayatsuki Ayaka looked thoughtful. "Then how do I get Aozawa to tell me how long he and Morimoto Chiyoda have known each other?"

Ever since it was revealed that she wasn't actually an Ocean Empress, Ayatsuki Ayaka had stopped hiding her inexperience in matters of love. Instead, she relied on Takahashi Saeko and Tama Chan as her "external brains." Whenever she was unsure about something, she would ask for their advice.

Takahashi Saeko rolled her eyes. "Just find a moment and ask him casually. Do I really need to teach you that?"

"Oh, oh." Ayatsuki Ayaka nodded repeatedly, an expression of understanding dawning on her face.