Chapter 113 - 111 JK’s Loving Bento_1

Be a polite child, not like your brother. This was the notion Hojo Shouko had been instilled with by her parents from a very young age. Thus, Hojo Shouko and Hojo Tetsuji had taken completely opposite paths since they were children. Hojo Tetsuji was active, unable to endure others’ words, often fought with people, and had a temperamental nature. She, on the other hand, was quiet by nature, understood politeness, and was willing to discuss things patiently with others. She used to have a group of understanding friends. However, as most people grow, they gradually lose the politeness they originally had, becoming more and more insincere and unwilling to be honest children. As she entered junior high and high school, Hojo Shouko’s friends had dwindled to only Summer Flower. Still, she insisted on following her parents’ teachings to be an honest and polite child. In her view, if she became like her brother, that would be the end of her life. Of the two children in the Hojo family, one had to give their parents peace of mind. Counting on her brother was hardly possible; she had to be the well-behaved child. Hojo Shouko cut her Guzheng Club practice short and waited on the route Aozawa would have to take to get home. She stood against the wall holding her schoolbag in both hands, behaving well. A breeze passed by, lifting strands of her hair that fluttered against her cheek, giving her a ticklish feeling. Hojo Shouko raised her hand to tuck her hair behind her ear and continued to stare at the corner, silently calculating the time in her head. When she saw a familiar figure appear ahead, Hojo Shouko left the wall, a smile on her face, and said, "Good afternoon, Aozawa-senpai!" "Shouko, do you need something?" Aozawa stopped in his tracks. He knew very well that if there wasn’t something important, the girl in front of him would definitely not seek him out. Hojo Shouko bowed. "About Brother, I’m sorry to trouble you, Aozawa-senpai. His comics are really terrible, and yet you were willing to read them to the end. We must repay this kindness." "Kindness? Isn’t that a bit much?" Aozawa waved his hand. "Tetsuji and I are good friends; helping him correct comic plotlines is no trouble at all. He has also treated me to orange juice, so you don’t have to be so formal." "No, it is a kindness. Please allow me to repay you." Hojo Shouko stood her ground. She had seen her brother’s comics; they were not something a normal person could bear to read. "By the way, Aozawa-senpai, let me make you a bento tomorrow. What do you like to eat?" "Uh..." Aozawa fell into a brief hesitation. This was a high school girl’s homemade bento! From last year to this very moment, he had never been able to taste a high school girl’s homemade bento at school. He also hadn’t enjoyed the treatment the main character in a campus story gets. "Alright, I like meatballs, egg rolls, and a few lettuce leaves. If there’s a heart pattern on the rice, that would be even better," Aozawa stated his preferences. Hojo Shouko nodded. "No problem. I’ll give the bento to you tomorrow morning, Aozawa-senpai." Aozawa smiled. "Okay." Hojo Shouko bowed. "Then I’ll take my leave now. See you tomorrow, Aozawa-senpai." "Yeah." Aozawa nodded, watching Hojo Shouko disappear from sight. Then he suddenly remembered. A bento tomorrow morning? Wait, if it coincides with Iroha giving him vegetable juice, wouldn’t that be difficult to explain? With that thought, Aozawa quickly took out his phone and sent a message to Hojo Shouko, asking her to bring the bento to the Guzheng Club instead. He would pick it up there at noon. DING. Hojo Shouko, heading towards Ayase Station, received Aozawa’s message. She glanced at it. Not quite understanding why he had suddenly changed his mind, she still replied with "No problem." She continued running towards Ayase Station. In her head, she calculated how to make the meatball and egg roll bento, thinking about what ingredients the family was missing that she needed to buy. In the Hojo family, both parents were corporate slaves who usually came home late. Hojo Tetsuji was the type who didn’t care about anything. Consequently, Hojo Shouko took care of all household chores. She had confidence in her cooking skills and was planning on making Aozawa-senpai a delicious bento tomorrow. 「Ayase Apartment, 601.」 Aozawa twisted the doorknob and called out as he entered, "I’m home, Chitose." "Yeah, wash your hands, and we can eat," replied Morimoto Chiyoda from the kitchen. She had her jet-black hair tied back into a single ponytail, highlighting her slender neck from the side. She wore a loose, beige chiffon blouse on top and light blue wide-leg pants below. A snow-white apron was wrapped around her chest. On the kitchen counter were three dishes: green pepper stir-fried beef, mapo tofu, and two braised chicken legs. In the pot was egg fried with chives. Aozawa glanced at them and turned on the faucet to wash his hands. "Chitose, are you coming back late again today?" "I shouldn’t need to work overtime today, so I can probably come back earlier," Chiyoda shrugged, ruling out Yasuda Yutaka as a suspect. The three suspects most likely to have leaked mansion information were being closely monitored by Iwaki Kususuke. Listening devices had been secretly installed in their homes. These devices continuously monitored their phone calls and online activity. They also kept an eye out for any unusual financial transactions in their family members’ or their own bank accounts. These weren’t matters that could be resolved overnight; they required patience and waiting. After Emily confirmed the possibility of the opponent being the KGB, the special team had raised their alertness to the highest level. The movements of the KGB in Japan could be described as extremely mysterious. Whether in the underworld or the legitimate world, they hid in the deepest shadows; even the CIA found it hard to track them down. Emily feared that acting rashly could startle the suspects and make them take poison to commit suicide. Therefore, Emily could only resort to a somewhat foolish method, relying on surveillance to seek an opportunity for victory. Morimoto Chiyoda and Iwaki Kususuke were on the surveillance team, ready to inform Emily immediately if anything unusual was detected. The rest were assigned to different tasks. As for what those tasks were, Morimoto Chiyoda didn’t want to pry, fearing that knowing too much would get her forcibly recruited by Emily. "Then I’ll leave the bathwater I prepared tonight for you." Aozawa sat on a tall stool, his face brimming with a smile. Morimoto Chiyoda gave him a glance. While the matter was as such, when spoken from Aozawa’s lips, it always seemed to carry an additional implication. "How was your day at school?" Morimoto Chiyoda asked casually as she took the chives and egg out of the pan. Aozawa laughed. "Same as usual, fulfilling and happy, unlike adults who work all day long." "That’s good." Morimoto Chiyoda was a bit worried about Aozawa being bullied, so she made a point to ask about his school life every now and then. From Aozawa’s answers, she judged whether he was lying. Morimoto Chiyoda concluded he wasn’t lying and felt very satisfied. She worked hard outside just so that he could enjoy himself. "Don’t let your grades slip too much." "Got it, Chitose’s Mother." Morimoto Chiyoda’s expression darkened. "What are you calling me?!" "I think this kind of address is more thrilling." "You little brat, stop reading those unhealthy mangas." Morimoto Chiyoda glared. She decided to thoroughly search Aozawa’s room when she had time, determined to clear out any dirty manga. 「After dinner, Morimoto Chiyoda headed to Setagaya District.」 Aozawa simply put the dishes and utensils into the dishwasher, then locked the door and searched for relevant maps. He stepped into the elevator and started to hypnotize himself to increase the intensity of his run. "I can run thirteen kilometers in one hour." His Hypnosis Ability was weaker than before, but faced with a potentially achievable fact, it could still act as a catalyst. As soon as the elevator doors opened, Aozawa dashed out, running faster than ever before. His phone navigated as he ensured he could run thirteen kilometers, having specially searched for a thirteen-kilometer route on the map. He took a slightly longer route but still set the small park as his ultimate destination. One hour later, the alarm on his phone went off punctually. Aozawa appeared in front of the vending machine at the small park, where the flickering, faulty streetlight cast alternating shadows on his body. "PHEW!" He gasped for air, feeling just how weak his body was. Adding just four hundred meters to his route had left him as tired as a dog. He propped himself up on his knees, taking several deep breaths before stopping the alarm on his phone. Aozawa bought a bottle of mineral water from the vending machine, drank it all in one gulp while resting one hand on his hip, and then threw the empty bottle into the garbage can. The feeling of fatigue still weighed heavily on him, so Aozawa simply sat on the ground, placed his hands on the surface, and used his Catalyst Induction Ability. All the weariness and fatigue vanished in an instant as his perspective elevated. Scenes flickered in his mind. He checked the small park and found no other people or noises. Only he was there. He then looked at other parks with similar tiles. Some were buzzing with activity. Many people enjoyed the parks at night. From the ground up, one could see up women’s skirts, the varied colors a dizzying display. There were also bold women wearing nothing at all, seeking thrills. In one park plaza, young people played with skateboards, performing tricks and stunts that drew cheers from onlookers. Some parks featured adults with children, playing on gentle entertainment facilities. Neon lights flickered, and those peaceful scenes, insulated from darkness and filth, filled his view. How wonderful. The thought crossed Aozawa’s mind as he continued to spy on the lives of those living in peace. After a while, Aozawa lifted his hands from the ground, canceling the Catalyst Induction Ability. It was time to switch to the guise of an unfettered lawless ruffian. He turned and entered the woods, hid his phone and keys, and transformed into a peregrine falcon, swiftly flying out of the small woods and into the night’s gloom. Beneath a starless and moonless night sky, Aozawa soared freely, pondering where to use his Catalyst Induction Ability next. Transformed into an animal, he could still use his other superpowers, except for Hypnosis, which required speech. After some thought, he flew towards a familiar route. He decided to visit Shinjuku for a stroll, using Catalyst Induction to see what sort of darkness lurked beneath its bustling nightlife.