Tokyo: My Superpower Refreshes Every Week

Noon had cast off the drowsy sky from class time. The ground was shimmering, a testament to rainwater that had yet to fully dry under the glare of the sun.

Green grass bore droplets of rain.

Aozawa circled to the side of the club building. He hadn't reached the Guzheng Club's window yet when a loud shout from Natsuka Yanagimachi came floating out, "Go to hell!"

Were the two of them fighting?

Aozawa quickened his pace to the window, only to find that they weren't arguing at all.

That "Go to hell!" was merely an aid to her momentum. Natsuka Yanagimachi had wielded an Air Hammer toward Hojo Shouko's head but was not swift enough to land the strike, as the brown hat was already atop her head.

THUD. The Air Hammer hit the hat, producing a soft sound.

"Damn it," muttered Natsuka Yanagimachi, believing she had nearly hit Hojo Shouko on the head.

"You two really compete every second to play games, don't you?" Aozawa stood at the window and criticized their behavior.

After class, he had chatted briefly with Hojo Tetsuji and Phoenix Academy Maggie, then made his way down to the club building. In such a flash, the two had already started gaming. Although this wasn't the first time he had seen them play like this, it was Aozawa's first time criticizing such behavior.

Hojo Shouko wore a yellow hat. Her picturesque features exuded indifference. It was only her beauty that lent this indifference a touch of demure elegance, preventing her from seeming like a blank simpleton. "Summer Flower is always full of energy," Hojo Shouko said. "Previously, her guzheng performance was just a way to hide her inner shyness."

Natsuka Yanagimachi retorted, tapping the Air Hammer on Hojo Shouko's hat, "No need to bring up such superfluous remarks." She was now comfortable enough with Aozawa not to keep hiding her true nature. Pouting, she then said to him, "Aozawa-senpai, I've noticed that the beauties in Class 2C are all of high quality. For example, the Phoenix Academy's Senior that Shouko praises, as well as that famous Hot Girl Ayatsuki-senpai, Takahashi, Tama, and Miyahara—they were all quite popular in the lower grades. But your class, aren't there any handsome guys?"

"Look who's talking, I am one." Aozawa rolled his eyes.

Natsuka Yanagimachi gave him an "I can't believe you just said that" look. She did not deny that Aozawa-senpai was handsome, but familiarity had quelled any impulse to pursue him.

"Speaking of which, if Tetsuji-senpai were to shave his beard and take off his sunglasses, wouldn't he look just like an imposing hero from the comics?"

"You'll have to ask Shouko. When I met Tetsuji, he was already donning sunglasses and a beard," Aozawa responded.

Hojo Shouko, holding a bento box, came forward and shook her head. "I'm not sure. Ever since elementary school, Brother has been wearing sunglasses—even though he used to look so cute in dresses."

"Tetsuji in dresses?!" Aozawa's face expressed shock.

Natsuka Yanagimachi was also astounded. She couldn't imagine Tetsuji-senpai, who seemed as fierce as a wild beast and radiated masculinity, could have had an experience of wearing dresses.

"What did he actually look like?" she asked, her shock turning into sheer curiosity.

Hojo Shouko swiftly brought a hand to her mouth, shaking her head and whispering, "You absolutely can't tell Brother about this. Pretend you never heard it. If Brother finds out, he'll definitely be mad at me."

"Haha." Aozawa's face broke into an irrepressible smile. He finally understood why Tetsuji disliked cute things. Such an embarrassing past! "Don't worry," he said, "I definitely won't talk."

Seeing Aozawa trying not to laugh, Hojo Shouko found it difficult to feel reassured. Extending her right hand, she curled up four fingers to leave only her pinky extended. "Aozawa-senpai, let's make a pinky promise not to blab," she urged.

"Is that really necessary?" Aozawa was reluctant to make a pinky promise, sensing that keeping his friend's dark secrets without a chance to tease was like walking in embroidered clothes at night.

"Hmph!" Hojo Shouko pursed her lips, her cheeks puffing up like an aggrieved little calf. Her large eyes fixed on him, her silent defiance palpable. If Aozawa didn't pinky promise, Hojo Shouko vowed, her cheeks would stay puffed, and she would remain angry at him indefinitely.

Aozawa coughed, his face expressing resignation. "Alright then."

"Mm." Hojo Shouko nodded, her cheeks returning to normal as her little finger hooked onto his. She solemnly declared, "Whoever breaks the promise must swallow a thousand needles."

After making the promise, Hojo Shouko passed the bento box to him, cautioning, "Aozawa-senpai, you really mustn't spill, or a thousand needles might end up lodged in your throat."

"Inserted personally by Shouko right into your throat," Natsuka Yanagimachi chimed in, with an ominous tone.

"That would indeed be terrifying." Aozawa accepted the bento box with a smile. "I'm off now."

Hojo Shouko called out, "Wait, Aozawa-senpai, do you know why Brother seems so excited? He's been unusually ecstatic from last night through this morning, changing clothes incessantly even though he only has two sets of attire."

"After school this afternoon, to foster better relations between Tetsuji and Little Sayuri, we're planning to go out with the Manga Club for team-building at Lian Lai Amusement Park. For Tetsuji, it probably feels like a date."

"So that's the reason." Hojo Shouko had a moment of realization. She finally understood why Brother was displaying the excitement of someone on caffeine. It was Brother's first date!

Hojo Shouko frowned slightly, feeling somewhat uneasy.

Seeing her expression, Aozawa flicked her forehead, saying, "Don't you go causing trouble."

"Ouch." Hojo Shouko rubbed her forehead, her eyes revealing a hint of displeasure. "Aozawa-senpai, I've realized you severely underestimate me. Don't view me through the lens of the past. Now, I've amassed a wealth of knowledge about romance from manga."

"The fact that you want to glean romantic knowledge from manga is already worrying." Aozawa rolled his eyes and repeated emphatically, "Don't do anything rash. Just stay put. Maggie and I can handle Tetsuji's matter."

"Hai." Hojo Shouko replied reluctantly.

At that moment, her desire to follow was subdued.

But Natsuka Yanagimachi, who knew Hojo Shouko well, was certain. After a few more classes, that desire would stir again. Hojo Shouko wasn't one to lie, but she wasn't a robot either; she was a girl who could change her mind.

「...」

DING-DONG. The bell for the end of school rang out.

After much thought, Hojo Shouko made up her mind. She still believed she needed to secretly follow and see how her brother handled his date. It would be best to remind him of any outrageous behavior at crucial moments, to avoid causing Senior Sayuri any discomfort. Having such a big brother really gave his sister cause for concern.

With that in mind, Hojo Shouko stood up from her seat.

Natsuka Yanagimachi came up and patted her on the shoulder with a grin. "Shouko, before you leave school, you should take a trip to the back of the gymnasium. Someone wants to meet you."

"Natsuka, I don't have time right now." Hojo Shouko shook her head.

Usually, she wouldn't mind taking the time to reject those attempting to confess to her. While not interested, she still respected those brave enough to speak their hearts. Today, however, she wanted to check on her brother's date. A delay could mean getting left behind by the seniors.

"I knew this would happen, so I'll message him." Natsuka Yanagimachi had already told the guy that Shouko was busy today. However, he had insisted on choosing this particular day for his confession and had even bribed Natsuka with a fancy little gift box to be his intermediary. Since she had made her position clear and he still insisted on giving the gift, he couldn't expect to get it back.

She quickly sent a message from her phone, "Shouko is busy with something. I told you earlier, but you wouldn't believe me."

After sending this message, she took out a tracking kit from her backpack: sunglasses, a fake beard, and a hat.

"Natsuka, why do you have these things in your bag?" Hojo Shouko was surprised.

Natsuka Yanagimachi's eyes danced with excitement. "I've always dreamt of following some handsome senior I bumped into after school all the way home. If I use my own appearance, I might repel him, so naturally, I need to disguise myself."

"Natsuka, I think that's not a good thing to do." Hojo Shouko had long known that Natsuka Yanagimachi was creatively quirky, full of wild and fantastic ideas. However, such an idea still seemed a bit risky to her; she felt like her friend was always on the verge of being sent to jail.

Natsuka Yanagimachi rolled her eyes in exasperation. "So are you going to use it or not?"

"I'll use it." Hojo Shouko nodded. She thought she needed some disguise. Following directly like this could easily expose her. It would be bad if Aozawa-senpai discovered her.

"Okay, then let's hurry to Lian Lai Amusement Park and wait."

Natsuka Yanagimachi's face was full of excitement. She too wanted to see what Little Sayuri, the one who preoccupied Tetsuji's thoughts, looked like. And what about Phoenix Academy Maggie, who had dazzled Shouko? Though she knew both girls by name, she didn't know them personally.

"Natsuka, you're going too?"

"Isn't that obvious? GO! GO! GO!" Natsuka Yanagimachi pushed Hojo Shouko's shoulder and propelled her out.

「...」

「Inside Classroom 2C.」

Hojo Tetsuji looked slightly nervous and spoke in a low voice, "Miss, I brought casual clothes from home. Do you think I should change into them in the restroom?"

Phoenix Academy Maggie shook her head. "You don't need to be so formal; it might make Little Sayuri feel nervous. For now, just wearing the regular school uniform is fine."

"Isn't it a bit improper to wear this for a first date?" Hojo Tetsuji whispered back. In his view, this was a first date worth remembering for a lifetime; it naturally warranted a special outfit.

Aozawa patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, this isn't a first date. At least in Little Sayuri's mind, this is just an ordinary outing with a classmate. A so-called date only becomes official when both parties are aware of each other's importance."

"Oh, I see." Hojo Tetsuji nodded, stashed his casual clothes back, and decided to follow their advice, facing the occasion in his school uniform.

"Let's go, Miss, Aozawa!"

"Mhm." Phoenix Academy Maggie nodded and added, "Aozawa and I will create opportunities for you two to be alone."