Meticulously executing one's own plans, progressing step by step towards the intended goals, can bring a profound sense of satisfaction from the heart.
Aozawa said goodbye to everyone at the Kendo club and set off for home. His X-ray vision was unable to penetrate the houses flanking the street.
His life felt separated from those people by thick walls.
However, if he wished, he could simply pause time and sneak into their homes to peek around.
But such an act would be troublesome and make him seem overly perverse. He had no interest in that, so he went straight home instead.
Aozawa unlocked the door and called out, "I'm home, Chitose."
The living room light was on, but no one was there. The kitchen counter was spotless, showing no signs of dinner preparation.
A sweet, alluring voice floated out from the bathroom doorway, "Tonight is the first night of our long holiday! After we bathe, let's put on clean clothes and go eat at Ikebukuro Sunshine City!"
"Okay," Aozawa replied, closing the door behind him.
A police inspector from the career group, like her, had holidays that aligned completely with a student's schedule; overtime during statutory holidays was almost unheard of.
At Ayase Police Station, other non-career group inspectors covered for them, rotating shifts.
That was one of the enviable perks of being a career group inspector.
He returned his school bag to his bedroom and picked out some casual clothes to wear out.
Aozawa preferred black-and-white or blue-and-white combinations.
Such combinations were simple, didn't require much thought, and looked good.
They were the perfect attire for a lazy person like him.
Aozawa, clothes in hand, walked to the bathroom door. He knocked and asked, "Chitose, want me to scrub your back?"
"If you dare come in, I'll kill you!"
Morimoto Chiyoda's sweet, alluring voice held an iron-clad resolve. She inwardly grumbled, didn't this brat realize how much effort she was putting into restraining herself?
She was a woman, after all!
But to prevent herself from tumbling into the abyss of wrongdoing, and to uphold her duties as a guardian, she absolutely could not make any overly inappropriate advances before Aozawa graduated from Aozawa High School.
Being a rational adult was truly agonizing!
Her heart was in turmoil. She chose not to use her fingers to suppress that agitation; instead, she rose from the bathtub and strode out.
If she stayed any longer, she feared she might contaminate the bathwater.
After drying herself with a towel, Morimoto Chiyoda dressed and opened the door. A cloud of fragrant steam, carrying the scent of her shower gel, billowed out and wafted over Aozawa's face.
Perhaps because she had just bathed, the skin on Morimoto Chiyoda's shoulders glowed with a softer, more beautiful hue than usual. It looked like freshly made mochi, making him want to take a bite.
"You can go take your bath now," Morimoto Chiyoda said, towel-drying her wet hair as she headed for the living room, picking up the hairdryer with her right hand.
Aozawa entered the bathroom and closed the door. Humming a tune, he stripped bare and began by letting hot water cascade over him from head to toe.
Then, he worked shampoo into his hair until it was full of lather. He turned on the water, and the foam quickly rinsed away, streaming downwards.
Aozawa quickly ran his hands through his hair and over his body to rinse, then splashed water on his face. He turned off the shower again and lathered up with shower gel.
He was used to washing his hair and body at the same time.
He used to be shocked when he saw people wash their hair and body in two separate steps; he couldn't understand why at all.
Aozawa scrubbed himself vigorously, rinsing twice to ensure he was completely clean before stepping into the bathtub.
The air still carried the scent of Morimoto Chiyoda's special shower gel.
He stepped into the tub. The bath salts dissolved in the water made his pores tingle, as if tiny hands were massaging his skin. It felt exceptionally comfortable.
"PHEW." Aozawa leaned back.
Soaking in the bath was mentally refreshing.
He soaked for a while, until the water began to cool. Then he got up and drained the tub.
Chitose's bathwater might be clean, but there was no way he'd drink it.
Aozawa picked up a towel, dried himself off, and got dressed. "Chitose, let's go!" he said.
***
「Tokyo, Toyoshima Ward, Higashi Ikebukuro.」
「60th floor of Sunshine City.」
Because of the holidays, reserving a table at the restaurant on the sixtieth floor typically required booking at least a month in advance.
Morimoto Chiyoda had chosen an authentic Hawaiian-style restaurant and successfully secured a table with a prime view by the floor-to-ceiling windows in the main dining area.
Aozawa followed her inside. The decor was elegant, and soft instrumental music played in the background.
The chairs by the floor-to-ceiling windows were upholstered in genuine leather.
Other seating areas featured plush sofas in mixed shades of brown and white, nearly all of them occupied.
Each table was adorned with a round, warm-toned lamp.
The host greeted them with a smile, "Good evening, miss. You look lovely. Do you have a reservation?"
"Yes, we do," Morimoto Chiyoda replied with a smile, taking her phone from her bag to show him the reservation details.
The host glanced at the phone and, his smile widening, said, "Ah, Miss Morimoto, Mr. Qing. Right this way, please."
Aozawa was led to table number 35, near the floor-to-ceiling windows, and sat down opposite Morimoto Chiyoda.
"We'll have two of the Set Menu A, please," Morimoto Chiyoda ordered without consulting Aozawa, knowing he wasn't a picky eater.
Since he wasn't particular about food, she naturally ordered what she considered delicious for him.
"Certainly. Please wait a moment." The waiter withdrew.
Aozawa looked around at the other guests and remarked with surprise, "This place must be expensive, huh?"
"It's fine to splurge occasionally. I specifically set aside enough funds for tonight last month," Morimoto Chiyoda said with a smile.
Even with her police inspector's salary, she couldn't afford to dine at such an expensive restaurant regularly. It was only because of the five-day holiday that she had decided to indulge for one night.
"Never mind that. What do you think of the view from the window?"
Aozawa turned his head. Through the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, he could see the Ikebukuro nightscape and, farther off, the Tokyo Skytree.
The Skytree and Roppongi were more distant from Ikebukuro compared to Shinjuku. Consequently, the Tokyo Skytree didn't look as imposing from here; it even seemed a bit small.
However, combined with the orange lights emanating from the buildings below, it still created a striking visual, reminiscent of a miniature model in a property sales office.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?"
"Not as beautiful as you, Chitose. I'd rather look at you than the view," Aozawa said, a slight pout on his lips as his gaze returned to Morimoto Chiyoda before him.
She had clearly taken care with her appearance tonight. Her long black hair was elegantly pinned up at the back of her head, and snake-shaped ear cuffs adorned her full earlobes.
A light coat of lipstick made her lips glisten temptingly under the restaurant lights, like perfectly set jelly.
Beneath her snow-white shawl, she wore a low-cut, burgundy evening gown. The sight made Aozawa want to stand up for a better look.
"Your flattery still needs work," Morimoto Chiyoda remarked, glancing at Aozawa while resting her cheek on her hand. "What, specifically, do you find beautiful?"
"Your chest."
"Don't force me to hit you in public."
"Your lips, your cheeks, your skin... every part of you looks beautiful to me."
Hearing his string of compliments, Morimoto Chiyoda's lips curved into a faint smile. She chuckled, "I keep telling you to read more. Even when you're praising someone, you're so short on words."
As they were speaking, the waiter returned with their appetizers, placing them on the table along with a bottle of red wine.