Chapter 356: Chapter 354 A Surprise Only Comes With the Sudden_1
The next day, early morning.
Aozawa was woken up on time by his alarm. He swiped his finger to turn it off, got up, put on his school uniform, and headed out.
The villa, already uncomfortably large, felt even colder and emptier with one less person.
This house is too big for one person; even with two, it feels deserted. It would be best if Iroha and Maggie moved in. It’s only lively when everyone lives together.
While Aozawa was pondering future prospects, brushing his teeth, washing his face, and about to relieve himself, his phone suddenly buzzed with a video call request.
He accepted, and the camera extended.
After a brief delay, a familiar, beautiful face appeared.
"Aozawa, what are you up to?"
"Do you want to see?" Aozawa retorted, and the forceful sound of his stream had already reached the other end of the phone.
Hearing the sound, and considering Aozawa’s likely location, Morimoto Chitose swallowed the words "I want to see." She rolled her clear, captivating eyes at him and said, "Never mind. I don’t want to see."
"Chitose, I get what you mean."
Aozawa aimed the camera downwards, letting her admire his masculine prowess.
"You little brat! Are you asking for a beating? If you keep this up, I’m hanging up!" Morimoto Chitose scolded, though her eyes, fixed on the screen, didn’t blink, and her heart pounded.
It was the first time she’d seen such a thing; it felt particularly thrilling, as if the lower half of her body was back soaking in the swimming pool.
Aozawa moved the camera back to his face, feigning surprise. "Chitose, when a woman says she doesn’t want to see, doesn’t that mean she really does?"
"Don’t try to guess my thoughts based on ordinary women."
Chitose wouldn’t admit she wanted to look. Turning the camera to her surroundings, she changed the subject. "Look, I’m on a work trip. The case has no leads yet, so it’s practically a vacation. This is the hotel’s outdoor pool, on the second floor. From the railing, you can see Jones Beach on Long Island, New York. It’s 4:00 PM on Monday here in New York. It should be Tuesday in Japan. Isn’t it amazing? Me, from yesterday, talking to you, from today?"
As she spoke, she walked to the railing, showing Aozawa the view of Jones Beach. The sea breeze lifted her long hair. She wanted to share the beautiful scenery with Aozawa.
The ocean, the beach, and coconut trees—the quintessential summer vista.
"It’s really beautiful!"
"Indeed." Morimoto Chitose tucked a windblown strand of hair behind her ear, then turned the camera back to herself, smiling. "But am I as beautiful?"
"How could there possibly be a view in this world more beautiful than Chitose?"
"Ninety points. A perfect score would be ’even if you searched to the ends of the universe, you wouldn’t find scenery more beautiful than me.’"
"Chitose, you’re quite confident."
"It seems I’ll have to teach you a lesson when I get back to Tokyo." Morimoto Chitose shrugged, then asked, "What are you having for breakfast today?"
"Without you here to make breakfast, I’m just having something simple: bread and watermelon. Yesterday, I bought a huge watermelon at the supermarket and soaked it in a bucket of water. Now, I’m cutting it open. A bite of watermelon, then a bite of bread—you can’t imagine how sweet it tastes."
"Eating something so cold in the morning? Be careful you don’t get an upset stomach."
"Don’t worry, I’m in great shape."
Aozawa chatted with Morimoto Chitose as he cut the watermelon. He didn’t end their conversation until he closed the villa door and started jogging to school.
「...」
After Kendo club practice, Aozawa stepped out of the changing room.
The activity room outside had a pale yellow floor. The girl with wheat-colored skin hurriedly stood up from the corner but, instead of approaching him with the thermos as usual, she dropped it.
"Good morning, Aozawa." Ayatsuki Iroha blushed as she greeted him. Then, mustering her courage, she grabbed her skirt and quickly flipped it up. "Saeko said this kind of morning greeting is more likely to energize you!"
"Iroha, who do you take me for? Flip it for three more minutes; I want a closer look at the pattern."
The purplish-black pattern I just saw, Ayatsuki Iroha’s shy expression, the way her hands clutched her skirt... Aozawa thought, the three elements combined to create an intense visual impact, even stronger than X-ray vision. No wonder the famous five-star General Mc Arthur said that different methods offer different kinds of excitement.
Ayatsuki Iroha’s face turned even redder. She glared at him and said, "No way! That was a surprise bonus. Saeko said if it happens every day, it loses its thrill. It has to be irregular to give you a little excitement."
Although Aozawa’s impression of Takahashi Saeko and her friends had always been ordinary, at this moment, his goodwill towards them skyrocketed.
"By the way, there’s nothing extra in the vegetable juice, is there?"
"Extra what?"
"I’m not sure either."
"Hey, you pervert!" Ayatsuki Iroha angrily raised her small fists and playfully hit him, her light blows feeling more like a shoulder massage.
Aozawa looked completely innocent. "I didn’t say anything. How can you blame me for your own imagination?"
"Anyway, it’s your fault!"
"Okay, okay, my bad. Iroha, no one’s home at my place lately. Want to come over and hang out?"
"Morimoto isn’t home?" Ayatsuki Iroha stopped massaging his shoulders, a hint of surprise on her face.
Aozawa smiled. "Chitose is away on a business trip. I’m all alone there now, and it gets pretty lonely at night. Want to come over?"
Ayatsuki Iroha thought about it—a young man and woman, alone in the same house.
"No way!" she quickly shook her head, knowing full well that in that kind of atmosphere, she’d inevitably lose her panties.
"What a shame." Aozawa sighed, bent down to pick up the vegetable juice from the floor, and asked again, "Is this really just vegetable juice?"
"Aozawa!" Ayatsuki Iroha blushed.
Aozawa smiled. "A shy Iroha is very cute."
"Humph!" Ayatsuki Iroha let out an indignant sound, like a little calf, and raised her fist, wanting to hit Aozawa.
He quickly dodged with a laugh.
"Don’t run!" Ayatsuki Iroha shouted, chasing after him.
Their playful chase ended at the school building.
Ayatsuki Iroha chose not to enter the classroom through the back door. Due to Peter’s presence, the once-quiet back door had become a gathering spot for boys. She was too embarrassed to enter that way, fearing it would provoke gossip.
Although there were already rumors about her in the class, as long as she pretended not to know, then she didn’t. This kind of self-deception would be foolish if a guy did it, but when Iroha does it, it’s super cute, Aozawa thought as he walked to his seat.
Phoenix Academy Maggie, who was sitting in front of him, stopped pretending to read. She turned around, propped her textbook upright on the desk, folded her arms, and rested her chin on her ample chest.
"Aozawa, good morning."
"Are you trying to have a spy rendezvous or something?" Aozawa teased.
Phoenix Academy Maggie retorted confidently, "This way, I can cover my mouth and prevent anyone from lip-reading what I’m saying."
"Are you trying to avoid Peter?"
"Exactly. You should sit down too, so he can’t read your lips." Phoenix Academy Maggie blinked, signaling him to lean down quickly.
Lip-reading was, of course, just a pretext. Makoto had reminded her of those anime scenes where the main characters prop up a textbook to lean in close and talk. She’d immediately thought of using the ’preventing lip-reading’ excuse to get closer to Aozawa for a chat.
Aozawa noticed she had taken up most of his desk space. He glanced at the upright textbook, then leaned forward on his desk just like Phoenix Academy Maggie.
They were so close that, from the side, it looked as if they were using the book as a cover to kiss. Their breath brushed against each other’s faces.
Even at such close range, Aozawa couldn’t find a single flaw on Phoenix Academy Maggie’s face. Her pores were so fine as to be almost invisible, like an exquisite beauty sculpted from jade.
"Isn’t this position a bit... suggestive?"
"You think I want to do this? It’s all for secrecy’s sake!" Though she retorted verbally, her heart was pounding wildly, as if it might make the desk vibrate.
She quickly changed the subject to distract them both. "Yesterday, someone reportedly fell from the sky in front of Buckingham Palace, and a human head appeared at the Blue House. Do you think these incidents are related to Dio?"
"I’m not sure." Aozawa shook his head.
Every Monday, Dio comes up with some new trick, Phoenix Academy Maggie mused, feeling a little suspicious. This pattern indirectly confirmed the task force’s earlier speculation: Dio gained a new superpower every Monday.
Phoenix Academy Maggie was itching with curiosity but had no way to confirm her suspicions. For incidents occurring outside Japan, the Phoenix Academy could only obtain vague intelligence, not detailed information.
"Yesterday afternoon, someone tried to steal the head from the Blue House but was repelled by guards. However, the culprit managed to splash sulfuric acid on the head’s face."
"Why would anyone want to steal a severed head?"
"There might be more to it. Perhaps the person’s identity was special. Some also speculate that the two incidents aren’t related to Dio at all, but are part of a plot by a new Superpower User."
Looking at the girl before him, Aozawa thought, It seems Kochou hasn’t told her daughter about Adel’s death. Was it really necessary to hide it? He pondered for a moment. The only reason must be that Kochou doesn’t want her daughter to know she encountered Dio.
"Why aren’t you saying anything?"
"You’re too beautiful. It’s hard to concentrate on answering questions." Aozawa said, offering a casual excuse.
Phoenix Academy Maggie’s heart nearly leaped out of her throat. Her crossed arms tightened as she fought to control the blush threatening to creep up her cheeks. Standing up, she said, "I’m done talking to you. You’re not being serious."
With that, she quickly turned away, her heart drumming so hard it felt like it was vibrating through her blood and nerves.
Such an intense rush so early in the morning... even a young person like me can barely handle it!
"Maggie, I was being very serious just now."
"Nonsense." Phoenix Academy Maggie propped her cheek on her hand, feeling even her earlobes grow hot. Fortunately, her long hair was draped over her shoulders today, concealing her ears. But my cheeks... they aren’t too obviously red, are they? she wondered, recalling Aozawa’s earlier words.
Phoenix Academy Maggie felt a surge of annoyance. Aozawa definitely said that just to make me blush! She slowly exhaled, clenching her fist, about to turn and retaliate to fluster him, when she heard the DING-DONG of the class bell.
Hmph, I’ll let Aozawa off the hook this time, Phoenix Academy Maggie thought.