The food at the restaurant was delicious.
The downside was the portions weren't large.
Each small plate held an exquisite dish that looked plentiful.
But in all honesty, the amount of food could be consumed in one gulp by Aozawa. Paired with red wine and dessert after the meal, it was at most enough to make one half-full.
It was nothing compared to a bowl of pork cutlet rice that could leave you stuffed.
But what you're looking for in such a restaurant is the taste and atmosphere.
The rich red wine poured into the tall glass. Sitting next to the floor-to-ceiling window, they had Ikebukuro's charming night view outside.
In front of him was a mature beauty dressed like a lady; they exchanged glances and clinked glasses.
The ambiance and mood were maxed out.
In general, Aozawa was willing to give the restaurant a nine out of ten. He didn't give it a full ten only because the portions were genuinely small.
Before settling the bill, Morimoto Chiyoda took a trip to the restaurant's restroom.
When she returned, she had tucked her wine-red evening gown into her bag and changed into a light green slip dress. A white shawl was still draped over her shoulders.
"Let's go, it's a long night ahead~"
Morimoto Chiyoda winked with her right eye, her black hair cascading over her shoulders, her intentionally prolonged tone seeming to imply something.
"Of course, we're going shopping," Aozawa replied.
"You guessed right~"
Morimoto Chiyoda chuckled. She didn't plan on heading back just yet. Since it was a rare outing, she naturally wanted to enjoy it to the fullest.
After all, tomorrow was a holiday—she didn't have to go to work, and Aozawa could sleep in at home until he woke up naturally.
"I kind of hoped I'd guessed wrong," Aozawa muttered.
Morimoto Chiyoda smiled, walked to the front desk to pay the bill, then hooked Aozawa's right arm, and they walked out of the restaurant like a couple.
The warm, soft touch on his right arm, accompanied by the scent of perfume lingering at his nostrils, invigorated Aozawa.
Shopping was indeed a good thing!
"You've changed so much. Back then, you were a little brat not even as tall as my knee, but now, you've become a man I can rely on."
Morimoto Chiyoda squeezed the muscles on his right arm, which felt as hard as steel.
"Believe it or not, I could lift you with one hand?" Aozawa asked.
"I believe you."
Morimoto Chiyoda saw right through Aozawa's thoughts. If she had said she didn't believe him, he would have definitely wanted to show off his strength right then and there, and she would have been taken advantage of.
Aozawa was somewhat disappointed. He had been waiting for Chitose to say she didn't believe him, so he could then show off his strong arms.
Of course, if he happened to brush against her chest in the process, that was only natural.
「…」
The two browsed through Taiyo City for a long time.
It was only when both Morimoto Chiyoda's hands and Aozawa's hands had no more room to spare that they ended their Ikebukuro trip.
Taking the Chiyoda Line back to Ayase Station in Adachi District, the outside was nearly deserted, unusually empty.
The remoteness of Adachi District wasn't just about its geographical location; its educational resources and various other aspects were also inferior to other districts.
Morimoto Chiyoda, laden with bags big and small, returned to her sixth-floor apartment in Ayase Apartment. Reaching the front door, she set down the bags, pulled out her keys from her bag, unlocked the door, and turned on the entrance light.
The warm light filled the living room.
"I'm dead tired."
Back at home, Morimoto Chiyoda's boundless energy finally subsided, replaced by weariness.
She bent over to take off her high heels and slipped into house slippers.
"You've exposed your weakness," Aozawa shouted, and his right hand landed on her left buttock with a POP.
Morimoto Chiyoda almost yelled out, turning her head to say, "Aozawa!"
"I couldn't help it. Any warrior seeing you in that pose would think you're wide open and can't resist attacking. I was just living up to a man's instinct."
Aozawa shrugged, his face the very picture of innocence.
Morimoto Chiyoda rolled her eyes at him. Her mood was good today, so she decided to let this little rascal off the hook for the time being.
She straightened up, closed the door behind her, and said, "Put everything on the couch."
Aozawa leaned in close to her cheek and hinted, "Chitose, I've kept you company for so long today, don't I deserve a little reward?"
"You eat my food, stay at my place, spend my money, and you still want a reward for carrying my bags?"
Despite her words, Morimoto Chiyoda still gave him a quick kiss on his cheek.
The softness of her lips was different from any other touch, containing a magical electricity that instantly made the spot tingle.
How great it would be to kiss those lips directly someday.
Aozawa eagerly anticipated that day's arrival.
「The night passed without incident.」
Due to the holiday, Aozawa naturally indulged himself, sleeping in until well past nine in the morning.
His stomach protested with loud grumbles.
Yawning, he got out of bed, walked out of the bedroom, and asked, "Chitose, what's for breakfast today?"
"I made porridge."
Morimoto Chiyoda hadn't done her yoga. On the first day of the holiday, she was inclined to be a bit lazy.
With so much free time, even exercising didn't seem very appealing, unlike during workdays when every minute was scheduled.
"What kind of porridge?"
"Seafood porridge."
"Are you sure there's no Godzilla's cousin in there?"
"Don't worry, this is a lobster and crab porridge from Hokkaido."
Morimoto Chiyoda clarified the origin of the seafood and, taking off her white apron, urged, "Go brush your teeth and wash your face."
Aozawa scratched his head and entered the bathroom.
After brushing his teeth and washing his face, he came out and sat on a high stool at the kitchen counter.
A full bowl of lobster and crab porridge was placed in front of him.
Aozawa took a deep breath and said, "Chitose, give me some pocket money. I want to go out for the day."
Morimoto Chiyoda responded in surprise, "With friends?"
"No, I just feel like strolling around Shinjuku District. Do you want to come with me?"
"I have a lot of things to do today."
Morimoto Chiyoda declined with a shake of her head. Beauty treatments, maintenance, and fitness already filled her holiday schedule. "How much do you need?"
Aozawa considered. He couldn't ask for money every day, so he figured he might as well get enough in one go. "Can you approve a fifty thousand Yen holiday budget for me?"
"Are you planning to visit those kinds of stores?"
"Then make it forty thousand Yen."
"Twenty thousand."
"You're cutting it down too drastically."
"Fifteen thousand."
"I think twenty thousand Yen is still a good choice."
Aozawa changed his tune. If the haggling continued, he might end up with less than ten thousand Yen. It seemed twenty thousand Yen was Morimoto Chiyoda's bottom line.
"Make sure you spend it wisely."
Morimoto Chiyoda wasn't so much pained by the twenty thousand Yen as she was worried that Aozawa might develop bad spending habits and become a gambler always asking for money from home.
Her salary as a police inspector wouldn't be enough to support that kind of person.
"Don't worry."
Aozawa replied with a smile. He took a spoonful of porridge, blew on it, sipped, and said with a face full of appreciation, "Chitose's seafood is delicious."
Morimoto Chiyoda retorted, "Don't you dare omit the word 'made'."
"That was on purpose," Aozawa replied with a smile. He finished the porridge, took out a tissue to wipe his mouth, and said with a grin, "Well, I'm heading out then."
"Don't go to any weird shops, okay?"
"Relax, I'm a decent man with solid principles! I swear I'll have nothing to do with gambling or drugs!"
"Hmm, huh?"
Morimoto Chiyoda hummed thoughtfully, her voice tinged with a nasal quality as she realized he had omitted a word. By then, Aozawa had already slipped out the door.