**July 23, 2023**
Tohitou and Haru were talking on the red swings in the park. It was a small park with lush greenery, various plants and trees, and a slide at its center. A cool breeze blew, and the sound of small birds filled the air.
**Tohitou:** [Hey Haru, I wanna tell you something.]
Haru responded curiously.
**Haru:** [Yeah?]
Tohitou continued in a hollow tone.
**Tohitou:** [Have you ever thought about what your purpose in life is?]
Haru answered in surprise.
**Haru:** [Well... I guess I wanna be a professional boxer... What's yours?]
Tohitou took a deep breath.
**Tohitou:** [I don't know...]
---
**(Present Time)**
Tohitou stepped out of the train station and looked around the city—busy, as usual.
If he didn't have the ability to stop time, the mission would've been troublesome.
As he walked, his stomach growled. Tohitou placed a hand on it.
**Tohitou:** [Alright, better find a place to eat first. Can't go on a mission with an empty stomach.]
The street was quieter than the rest of the city, its walls covered in posters about saving food and water.
In the middle of the road stood a golden statue of the mayor—Tohitou had never understood why it was there.
He pushed open the blue door of a diner and stepped inside. The place was fairly crowded, but that wasn't a problem for him.
The floor was tiled in white, and the walls were yellow.
**Tohitou:** [Pretty sure the owner has terrible taste.]
He walked straight into the kitchen, where chefs were busy cooking.
Tohitou snatched a plate of tacos from a waiter's hands, sat at a wooden table, and started eating.
---
After a while, Tohitou stepped out of the diner and stretched.
**Tohitou:** [Haru would've loved the food here. Too bad he's too much of a coward to come on this mission.]
He smirked playfully.
**Tohitou:** [Alright, time to get to work.]
He snapped his fingers and teleported to a deserted alley on the outskirts of the city.
The alley was dark, clearly located in the slums.
Tohitou scanned the area indifferently.
**Tohitou:** [If Aiko's plan is right, disabling my time-stop should trigger an explosion.]
He snapped his fingers again, and time resumed.
Tohitou paused, then spoke in a bored tone.
**Tohitou:** [Oh come on, did Aiko screw up the—]
Before he could finish, an explosion tore through the building behind him.
Shards of glass, chunks of concrete, and dust rained down, filling the air.
Tohitou's voice turned serious.
**Tohitou:** [Alright, let's wrap this up quick.]
---
The girl sat on her expensive chair, her purple hair swaying in the wind, her eyes matching its color.
Unlike others who gained their powers through tragedy, she had hers from birth.
Being born into a wealthy family only amplified her influence, letting her get whatever she wanted.
**???:** [Aiko-sama, are you really going to meet those two country bumpkins?]
Aiko replied lazily.
**Aiko:** [Bumpkins or not, they're my coworkers. So I have to go.]
---
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