Tokyo: My Superpower Refreshes Every Week

"I'm back, Chitose."

Aozawa's mind churned with thoughts of tomorrow, but it didn't interfere with his actions at hand. He twisted the doorknob and called into the room.

Chitose Morimoto, sitting on the sofa with a face mask on, casually replied, "Hmm, the bathwater is ready; go take a shower."

She wasn't watching short videos but was chatting with Okayama Takeo from the special case squad, asking about the progress of the case.

She didn't deny the feasibility of Emily's plan to seduce Dio using her charms.

Humans are social animals; it's impossible to live in isolation.

Dio was no exception.

But the definition of loneliness often varies based on personality, interests, and habits.

For social butterflies, being lonely means staying at home alone on weekends with no friends to go out and have fun with.

For homebodies, loneliness has a different meaning: no internet, chat accounts banned, game accounts banned, and snack deliveries that take days to arrive, and so on.

Different people have different definitions of loneliness.

The special case squad had no clear idea what Dio's definition of loneliness was.

If it wasn't about finding like-minded individuals, Emily's charm strategy was very likely to fail.

Even with these concerns, Chitose Morimoto still didn't stop Emily from trying her seduction plan.

After all, the special case squad didn't have a foolproof plan for Dio.

Even a one percent chance was worth trying for them.

Tonight, the special case squad would probably come up empty-handed.

Dio had moved his activities from Shinjuku to Shibuya, essentially rendering the squad's prior arrangements in Shinjuku useless.

"This really isn't easy," Chitose Morimoto exclaimed with a sigh, stretching herself with a big yawn.

Aozawa stepped out of the bedroom holding his clothes, curious, "What's so difficult?"

"Nothing."

Chitose Morimoto turned her head. "Grown-up matters, kids shouldn't worry about them. Go take your bath."

"Tch, I'm not a kid anymore," Aozawa muttered and headed towards the bathroom.

Chitose Morimoto logged out of the chat app and began scrolling through short videos to relax.

「June 6, Tuesday.」

After brushing her teeth and washing her face, Ayatsuki Iroha began to apply her makeup with more care than she ever had before.

To ensure a hundred percent success rate in her confession, she had washed her hair and styled it into wavy curls, using hairspray to maintain the shape once it dried.

In the mirror, Ayatsuki Iroha darkened her eyelashes and eyebrows to make her eyes appear more expressive.

She applied light pink eyeshadow and bright red lipstick to her lips.

Ayatsuki Iroha pursed her lips, looked at her gorgeous reflection, and clenched her fists, whispering, "Go for it!"

After encouraging herself in a low voice, she adjusted her uniform. She felt it didn't quite accentuate her figure, so the only solution was to hike up her skirt a bit.

Ayatsuki Iroha then put on fishnet stockings, slipped on her shoes, and as she stepped out of her room, Ayaka in the living room turned her head with a surprised expression. "That's rare. You're putting on such makeup in the morning. Is there something important happening?"

"Sister, what happens today will determine my future," Ayatsuki Iroha declared with high spirits.

Ayaka asked in shock, "You're not planning to confess to a boy, are you?"

"What are you talking about? I'm a Hot Girl; usually, it's others who confess to me. I'm just making myself more presentable to accept someone's confession. See ya~"

Ayatsuki Iroha hastily responded, grabbed the vegetable juice, and darted outside.

"Hey, your backpack!"

Ayatsuki Iroha abruptly halted, withdrew most of her body that was already out the door, grabbed her backpack, and ran outside.

"That girl... Hopefully, she won't make the same mistakes I did."

Ayaka scratched her head, feeling an ominous premonition.

Hopefully, it was just her overthinking.

「Outside the club building of Brilliant High School.」

It was nearly time for class, and no one was around.

Ayatsuki Iroha stood under the tree shade, pulling at her collar and taking deep breaths, preparing to confess to Aozawa once she saw him.

There won't be a problem!

With the relationship she had with Aozawa now, it was definitely going to be OK!

Ayatsuki Iroha thought to herself, but still couldn't suppress the nervousness inside her.

A familiar figure appeared at the doorway.

He had black short hair cut to a buzz, a healthy pale complexion, and a face with symmetrical features. The white short-sleeve shirt paired with silver-gray pants highlighted his attractiveness.

Ayatsuki Iroha couldn't help but admire that the school's summer uniform for boys really looked great.

At least for the good-looking guys, such attire gave off a youthful vibe that seemed fresher than the black uniform.

"Aozawa, good morning."

Ayatsuki Iroha quickly ran out from the shady area, stepping into the brightly sunlit spot, and presented the insulated mug, saying, "Here's your vegetable juice for today."

"Thanks, Iroha."

This might be the last time Iroha brought him vegetable juice, Aozawa thought with gratitude.

He had considered finding someone like Hojo or another person to come out with him to avoid Iroha's confession, but after turning the thought in his head, he discarded it.

If Iroha had decided on a direct confrontation, then he couldn't run away either.

The timing might not be ideal, but if Iroha was willing to speak up, then it was better to clear the air.

With that thought in mind, Aozawa unscrewed the lid of the insulated mug and took a sip of the vegetable juice.

Whether it's sweet or not doesn't matter anymore.

He looked into Ayatsuki Iroha's sparkling eyes and decided to proactively bring up the topic. "You said yesterday that you had something you wanted to tell me, what was it?"

With the topic brought up, Ayatsuki Iroha took a deep breath, exhaled forcefully, and said seriously, "Aozawa, I've always really liked you. Let's go out! I—I'll support you in the future!"

Having said this, Ayatsuki Iroha bowed deeply, her face flushed red, and embarrassment made her heart race like a frisky deer prancing restlessly.

It felt as if her heart would leap from her chest, each second becoming unbearably elongated because of her nerves.

Aozawa fell silent, his mind racing to organize his thoughts on how to reply.

This silence undoubtedly heightened the pressure in Ayatsuki Iroha's heart. She lost her nerve and even contemplated saying that what she just said was all a joke.

While Ayatsuki Iroha was struggling with herself, Aozawa finally spoke.

"Iroha, I like you too."

This statement shone like a beam of light into Ayatsuki Iroha's heart, and she abruptly looked up, her excitement plainly visible.

Indeed, mustering the courage could lead to good results.

"Really?" Ayatsuki Iroha asked, trying to suppress the joy swelling inside her, wanting to hear clear confirmation from his lips again.

"Yeah, I like you, but can you accept that I have a girlfriend?"

"Huh?!"

Ayatsuki Iroha's smile froze on her face, and her not-so-quick mind went blank at his words.

What does he mean he likes me but I need to accept that he has a girlfriend?

Confusion filled Ayatsuki Iroha's mind, leaving her standing there dumbfounded, utterly unable to respond.

Aozawa tightened the lid of his thermos and explained, "I've always had someone I liked; her name is Morimoto Chitose. I can't let her go. But my feelings for you are also sincere. If possible, I hope you can accept her, and then become my girlfriend."

"Eh?"

Ayatsuki Iroha stumbled back two steps, staring at Aozawa in front of her, her brain still unable to process the situation.

But seeing his clear and earnest eyes and his serious expression, Ayatsuki Iroha knew that Aozawa was serious about what he said. It wasn't a joke.

Is such a thing possible?

Ayatsuki Iroha was completely bewildered, unable to provide an immediate answer. She stammered, "G-Give me some time to think about this."

"I'm not in a hurry. For you, it's normal to find it difficult to make a decision about this all at once. It's also normal if you don't want to accept it. Even though it's very painful, I have no choice, because I won't force you. It's completely your choice. But there's one thing I must tell you: I really do like you, and that's the truth."

Gentleness filled Aozawa's expression.

Ayatsuki Iroha's heart trembled, sweet feelings bubbling up, yet, thinking of the other girl, she felt incredibly conflicted.

For someone experiencing love for the first time, this was too difficult a choice to make.

The only thing she was sure of was that Aozawa did like her.

There was hope for a relationship. It only required her to accept the existence of another girlfriend.

Isn't this two-timing?

The thought flashed through Ayatsuki Iroha's mind, and she couldn't help but ask, "Does Miss Morimoto know about this?"

"Yes, she has no objections," Aozawa replied truthfully.

Ayatsuki Iroha's mind stalled again. She wanted to knock on her head. Could there really be someone who agrees to such a thing?

Did that woman like Aozawa that much?

If I backed down, did it mean that I didn't like Aozawa as much as I thought?

She wasn't the girl who liked Aozawa the most after all.

Ayatsuki Iroha's brain froze once more.

Her already sparse thoughts seemed to evaporate completely in this round of pondering, leaving her incapable of contemplating anything further.

She said nothing more and followed Aozawa to the classroom.

As they entered the back door of the classroom, Ayatsuki Iroha habitually walked towards her seat.

Her dazed appearance caught Phoenix Academy Maggie's attention, a flicker of curiosity crossing her eyes.

Usually, when entering the classroom, Ayatsuki Iroha's face would always be beaming with a happy, silly smile.

Now, her expression was just dazed.

How strange, did something happen between her and Aozawa?

Phoenix Academy Maggie pondered the question and, seeing Aozawa approaching, couldn't help but ask, "She doesn't seem right. Did something happen between you two?"

"Maggie, it's a complicated matter," Aozawa sighed softly but didn't elaborate.

He thought it impolite to casually discuss Ayatsuki Iroha's confession with others. This was a matter of privacy. It wasn't just his privacy but also Iroha's, and not something to be shared recklessly.

Phoenix Academy Maggie grew more curious. "How complicated?"

Aozawa glanced at her and said, "So complicated it can't be clearly explained to anyone."

"I see," Phoenix Academy Maggie nodded as if she understood, and then suddenly asked, "Did she confess to you?"