Tokyo Wingman King

While the heirs of the five families were watching the game in the park of Adachi Ward, the two heads of the families, Masaharu Ichijo and Takuma Konoe, were sitting facing each other drinking tea in a private room at the Daigo Shoya in Minami-Aoyama.

"Isn't your bet with Kujo Misaki over yet?"

After chatting idly with Konoe for a while, Ichijo Mato frowned, looked out the window at the port's night view, and suddenly asked a question.

The head of the Konoe family leisurely poured himself another cup of tea, took a sip, and then looked at the person opposite him with a smile.
"Are you interested in our bet, Brother Ma Yuan?"

The head of the family, with his full head of silver hair, withdrew his gaze. His right index finger gently slid along the silver rim of the black-glazed teacup as he asked,

"I'm curious, why do you still let that kid Asama stay at KKIS?"

"Asama went to KKIS to teach and educate people, and helping us was just a natural thing to do."

Ichijo Makoto laughed, but unlike Konoe Takuma's ever-present warm smile, his laughter was always unpredictable—whether it was mockery, anger, or joy, even the Ichijo family's head butler, Mori Koichi, sometimes couldn't figure it out.

"You old fox, didn't you have Kenjiro Nijo cooperate with you to help him complete his mission ahead of schedule? There's no reason not to let him return to Eiwa, Japan, right? Or do you really believe that kid's nonsense about wanting to be a teacher?"

"Listen to his words and observe his actions. Asama-kun has always been consistent in his words and deeds. He prepares his lessons so carefully and is so dedicated in class. It is clear that he really likes this."

Konoe Takumi clearly understood that most of Ichijo Mato's concern for Asama stemmed from his daughter, Ichijo Masumi. His desire for Asama to return to Eiwa was simply to allow Ichijo Masumi and Asama to spend more time together and further their relationship.

"Huh? Asama's ability to evade the important issues and make up nonsense has truly been passed down from you."

Ma Yuan continued his cold sarcasm,

"Do you still want Asama to dig up more dirt on the Kujo family? Be careful, Kujo Minari might continue to make deals with you. Half of those 12 members who vacated their seats were your people, right? Kujo Minari didn't suffer any losses in this by-election."

Konoe, unperturbed, picked up the cypress fan that had been resting beside the cushion and chuckled.

"The exposure of KKIS's scandal has nothing to do with me; it was Brother Meicheng who made it public on his own initiative. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been willing to make this bet with me. As for the remaining secrets of KKIS, Brother Mayuan, you know that Brother Meicheng is better at hiding things than either of us. If he doesn't want us to know, then we can't possibly know."

"Ha, you're quite at ease."

"Brother Ma Yuan, didn't you also handle things with ease and composure?"

“I don’t have your methods. Zheng Bo Ke Duan Yu Yan and your division of the family were all because of your tricks. Asama and your daughter are really pitiful, to have such a heartless father as you.”

Konoe chuckled dryly and spread his hands, saying...

"Let me reiterate, Asama and I are not related by blood. If Asama hears you say this, he might disown you as his father-in-law."

Ma Yuan finished his slightly cooled tea and said casually,

"It's better if it's okay, then there's one less troublesome in-law."

"Hehe, Brother Ma Yuan also admires Asama so much, isn't that a case of great minds thinking alike?"

"Too soft-hearted, he doesn't deserve to be the hero you talk about, and he's not as good at raising his son as you are."

"Brother Ma Yuan, you are too modest. Your son, Zhencheng, is a future national treasure of our country."

When it came to parenting, the two started praising each other, and the atmosphere in the private room instantly transformed from a sour and stale atmosphere to a sweet and harmonious one.

“Brother Ma Yuan, Asama has already discussed it with our Chiyo and the little girl from the Kujo family. They will be transferring to KKIS next week. Anyway, I have already won the first part of the bet, and KKIS has also opened up its shares. It would be good if you invested some money and let your Masumi transfer there.”

"Ha, with such poor student quality and bad foreign relations, what's the point of investing in a lousy school like KKIS? Let's talk about it after your bet with Kujo Minari is over. Asama blew up the school today to help you, who knows what he'll do tomorrow. You're not worried about your daughter's safety, but I am."

“You’re overthinking it, Brother Ma Yuan. KKIS’s past problems lay in transferring the power of free corruption to a platform that couldn’t participate in free competition. Now, Brother Mei Cheng and I have already discussed the restructuring plan, and this school will only get better and better.”

Seeing that Konoe was pondering and rambling on, Ichijo Maji waved his hand.
"Since you've all made your decision, there's even less reason for me to vote. I have no interest in the records that are sealed up at the school. Releasing all of that stuff won't solve any problems; it will only create more."

"Brother Ma Yuan, you see things very clearly."

"So I advise you not to let Asama get involved in these things anymore. He's already done enough by getting the cards to deal with the big golden hairpin from Kujo Yoshinari at a very low price, helping Kujo Yoshinari reorganize his faction, helping Nijo Kenjiro get leverage against foreign powers, helping Konoe Takumi make a name for himself, and incidentally annoying Kujo Yoshinari."

Instead of letting him waste time at KKIS, it would be better to let him manage this bookstore properly, and also that Mugensha that Fumiya Takashi is interested in. Ha, not teaching the way of the world, letting the family heir do the professional work of a detective instructor, this is the first time I've ever seen it.

I now think that Asama's excellence actually has little to do with you.

"Brother Ma Yuan, you are mistaken. The reason why Asama prefers technique over principle is because he likes to solve practical problems, and technique is more direct and practical than principle. Secondly, principle and technique are not as separate as Brother Ma Yuan says, because principle is in technique. Thirdly, Asama also likes to study principle. He has probably read more philosophy books than you and I have combined. Don't underestimate him."

"Hmph, after listening to this, you finally seem to be acting like a father. You should know that my willingness to cooperate with your family is 6% due to Asama's influence."

Konoe Takuma smiled so hard his eyes narrowed into slits as he filled a Tenmoku Jianzhan teacup in front of Ichijo Mato, whose inner wall shimmered with iridescent light spots. The silver light spots in the cup instantly turned golden.

"Hehehe, let's have some tea first."

At 5 a.m. on September 26, the Blues moment quietly came to an end.

Asama passed between the two bollards at the entrance of Shiba Park and went for a morning run on the path where fallen leaves lay scattered.

Asama has never neglected either studying or exercising, which is why his increasingly abnormal physical abilities continue to improve.

Through the gaps between the buildings, a crescent-shaped twilight was breaking in the sky. Along the roadside, the ginkgo trees, their leaves a brilliant yellow in early autumn, shone like candles lighting the dawn of Tokyo, illuminated by the still-burning streetlights.

The weather is getting colder, but there are still plenty of people exercising in Chitose Park. In addition to the elderly residents from the surrounding area, there are also many tourists staying in nearby hotels. Rather than using the treadmill in the cramped gym, these foreigners prefer to run and take selfies outdoors in a more photogenic setting.

Patapapapapap——

Hearing the hurried yet familiar footsteps behind him, Asama ducked down, dodging Pochi's sneak attack.

The blonde girl, wearing an Adidas windbreaker and tight-fitting sweatpants, put her hands on her hips and feigned surprise.
"Ah Shui, did you secretly install the [Boqi Baby Sensor Chip]?"

"The factory manager who approved the production of these chips that have no sales will definitely be fired immediately."

Boqi's body suddenly pressed very close. The scent of the shower gel she had used to shower last night still lingered on her body, mixed with a strange milky fragrance.

Asama immediately took a step to the side, moving closer to the bushes beside the low curb, keeping his distance from Pochi. If she tried to crowd him again, he wouldn't mind showing her his grass-skimming skills.

The girl grinned.
"So this kind of chip isn't available on the market. It must be a custom-made chip by Ah Shui himself~ Am I right~~~"

Asama sighed.

"Didn't you stay up all night? Why did you come out for a run?"

"Nonsense, who doesn't sleep all night? I slept while Ah Shui was asleep~ Hehe~ Grandpa Boqi is incredibly energetic right now~"

Boqi rushed forward, spread her arms, and like a little girl who had wandered into a sea of ​​flowers, twirled and jumped lightly.

"Are you a primary school student who drank coffee? If you don't catch up on your sleep now, you'll be sleeping soundly this afternoon. Don't you want to do your homework?"

"Of course I'll do my homework, it's not like I said I wouldn't. Speaking of which, I haven't even finished the current workbooks yet. Ah Shui, did you secretly buy me two more sets of test papers last night?! If this keeps up, I won't be able to finish them even if I work until next year."

She saw Boqi's little tricks while he was doing his test paper. This guy doesn't take the test paper seriously!

"If things proceed normally, it should be completed by mid-January next year."

Asama stated that the assignment he gave was to produce the amount needed for next year.

Pochi, who had just been dancing, immediately started jumping up and down.
"Ah Shui, are you trying to kill me??? I might as well just enroll in a tutoring class."

Asama nodded with satisfaction.
“I fully support this. This is how prospective test takers should act. After all, I can't be there to tutor you every day, so enrolling in a cram school will definitely increase your chances of getting into the University of Tokyo.”

Daisuke Miwa, the [Tokyo University line goalkeeper] from Class 1-A of the Eiwa school, has been attending advanced exam preparation classes at a private tutoring school. Hayato Ryuzaki's family also runs a private tutoring school specifically for preparing students for the Tokyo University entrance exam. Asama decided to ask these two about their situation today.

Poch's eyes darted around, then he nodded his head and said confidently,

"We, the Asama family, solve problems with our intelligence rather than with money. Going to a private school is too much of a waste of money."

"Aren't you rich? The money you spend on tutoring classes doesn't even amount to 1% of your savings, right?"

"That won't do. This money has many more important uses, and we can't just spend it carelessly."

"Since you're so confident in your intelligence, doing your homework shouldn't be too difficult for you, right? If you don't slack off or get distracted, and just stay at home, you can finish all these essential practice problems by the end of the year."

"You need to balance work and rest! Don't you understand the principle of 'forcing growth', Ah Shui? Overdoing practice problems won't improve your intelligence; it will actually harm it. If your brain cells die prematurely, even if you get into Tokyo University, you'll still be a complete idiot!"

"The good news is that even when you're an adult, the nerve cells in your hippocampus can continue to regenerate. But the bad news is that an idiot is still an idiot no matter how many healthy neurons he has."

"Hehehehehe—Anyone who can't outrun me is an idiot!"

Pochi made a face at Asama, flicked his golden twin tails, and suddenly darted in front of Asama.

With a little effort, Asama quickly closed the 20-meter gap. The two ran clockwise around most of Shiba Park, climbed the small hill of Shiba Maru on the south side of the park, and then ran down to the edge of the large lawn in Shiba Park. It was more like a chase and playful game between elementary school students than a running race.

After running at a frantic pace for five minutes, Pochi, panting, raised his hand to stop the game.

"Hmm—let me rest for a bit, let me catch my breath~"

Boqi unbuttoned her windbreaker and tied it around her waist, her full chest rising and falling with her breath through her sports vest. It seemed that even for someone as athletic as her, running two kilometers in five minutes was a bit too much.

Neither of them had brought water bottles, but thankfully there were plenty of drinking fountains in the park.

Pochi leaned on the accessible metal handrail by the water fountain with one hand, turned on the faucet with the other, and began gulping down water without any regard for appearances.

"Wow—I'm saved! Ah Shui, don't you want some?"

Asama shook his head and pointed to the tree-lined benches nearby.

"You can rest around here for a bit, I'll run three more laps."

Asama had been running for a short while when Pochi reappeared behind him.

"Didn't you say you wanted to rest for a while?"

"How could I possibly lose to someone as insignificant as Ah Shui? He used to be out of breath after running just one kilometer!"

"You just drank so much water, is that alright?"

Pochi patted his belly and smiled smugly at Asama.
"It's okay. Although Ah Shui has a terrible tongue, she can be very gentle sometimes, just like when we first met."

Passing through the southeast side of Tokyo Tower, the maple trees along the eaves of Zojoji Temple have turned mostly red. In the summer, I hadn't noticed that there were so many maple trees in the park.

Autumn has truly arrived, and 111 days have passed since they first went for a morning run here.

The only difference is that the one leading the pack has changed from Pochi to Asama himself.

Hehe~~~hehehe~~~

Pochi chuckled to himself.

"Did she have an epileptic seizure?"

"You idiot, Ah Shui! Can't I be happy?"

"What's there to be happy about?"

"Of course, you only feel happy when you feel extremely happy~~~"

A silly, childlike, innocent smile appeared on Pochi's face, and she added,
"It's been a long time since I last did morning exercises with Ah Shui."

Then, the blonde girl puffed up her cheeks again in the next second.
"We could have worked out together three times these past few days. It was a perfectly good day off, and you didn't even come back!"

"Didn't I say I had something to do? Besides, you guys were all in the room yesterday, and I don't want to keep sleeping on the sofa."

"Why are you complaining about sleeping on the sofa now, even though you've always slept there? You're such a hypocrite, Ah Shui."

Asama glanced at Pochi and said,

"Just because I sleep on the sofa doesn't mean I like sleeping on the sofa."

"Hmm—strange Ah Shui is back again."

"Okay, I won't come back next time."

That's not what I meant.

How would I know which one you're referring to?

While the two were bickering, they ran two more laps around Zhi Park.

Poch suddenly changed the subject and remarked with emotion,
"Speaking of which, Ah Shui took Xiao Yue Hai home yesterday and came back very quickly~"

"Why are you bringing this up again? I'm not going back next time, I'm going straight to the school dormitory."

Seeing Asama's cold and wooden demeanor, Pochi, who had initially wanted to ask something, lost interest in pressing the matter further. She took out her phone, checked the time, and asked,

"Ah Shui has class today, right? Shall we go back now?"

"Run five more laps."

At their current speed, it would take them almost half an hour to run another five laps.

"Huh? Aren't you in a hurry? Didn't you rush to hang up the phone and go to your morning reading at 7 o'clock before?"

"Going at 9 o'clock is fine too."

Poch, like a detective, frowned slightly, tilted his chin up, and pondered.
"Hmm—it seems like the school where Ah Shui is studying has very flexible class schedules. Is this a privilege of top students?"

"That's it."

"Ah Shui, Ah Shui, are there more male or female teachers in the continuing education program?"

"They are all male teachers, and they are all old men."

"Really?"

"Five very annoying old men."

"Hehehe~~ So even Ah Shui has people who find things troublesome?"

"Of course, there is one right in front of us."

The blonde girl jumped onto Asama's back like a cat with its fur standing on end and started biting him.

Asama Apartment.

"Huh? Has Ah Shui finished cleaning?"

The girl with frizzy hair walked out of the kitchen carrying a bottle of Pocari Sweat. Her hair was a mess, evidence of her defeat in her fight with Asama.

"Of course, I don't want to be the kind of person who starts something else halfway through."

"You didn't break a sweat at all? Are you really done?"

Why do we sweat?

"How can you experience the joy of labor without sweating? Only by finishing everything while drenched in sweat, wiping your face with a towel, and taking a sip of Pocari Sweat from your loved one, can you truly feel the happiness of labor."

"In your mind, is labor a kind of performance?"

"Labor without pay, or labor that one is not entitled to pay for, is just performance!"

Grandpa Pochid tossed the Pocari Sweat to Asama, then disappeared into the kitchen.
"Breakfast will be ready in 5 minutes~~~"

Five minutes later, the two were watching NHK's morning news while slurping up fried meatball udon noodles.

The aftermath of last week's KKIS incident is still being reported. However, the focus has shifted to Indians and Black people among the problematic international students, while the reasons for politicians' downfall have been attributed entirely to trivial matters such as the excessive distribution of party vouchers and inaction.

"Why are so many politicians in Japan resigning lately?"

"Because they neither know how to teach nor how to learn."

"Ah Shui, if you talk too much weird stuff, you'll become a pervert!"

Suddenly, the doorbell rang and the door was knocked on at the same time.

"Asama-nii~~~ We've come to see you~~~"

"To add, I have come to visit with the utmost respect, Asama-nii."

Pochi shrank his neck and suddenly grabbed Asama's hand.

"Ah Shui, I think I'm hallucinating." (End of Chapter)