While training was happening in the apartment, downtown was busier than usual. The approaching holiday had excited the population, and everyone went shopping. Most would take the opportunity to travel and leave the city practically empty.
Taking advantage of it to spend time together were Iker and Riley, whose meetings, apparently, focused more on teasing than on commonly romantic interactions. Riley was commenting on his musical tastes when he was sharply reprimanded by Iker:
— Seriously? You went to that noisy guy's concert?
— I did! And you better respect my personal tastes.
— And do you respect mine?
— You've never shown them to me!
— I'll show you another time.
— Tomorrow's a holiday!
— What's a holiday?
— You're weird.
As they walked, a pink-haired woman watched them from afar. It was Aaliyah, who had come down from Finalia to Earth in search of the tall man with purple hair.
Amazing how precise the location Rosália gave me was… And now… Who is this, Iker?, she thought, watching the two with a worried expression. Because of the crowd, neither of them noticed the woman, and they kept bothering each other.
— Stop calling me weird — Iker complained.
— But you are, you workaholic — Riley replied.
Aaliyah could see them talking, exchanging looks, arguing. She tried to get closer, but she was afraid of being noticed, and besides, the movement made it difficult among so many people.
Can I hear them?
The woman fixed her gaze on them, seeming to concentrate as much as possible. Her face began to contort little by little. An expression of pain took over completely, and she brought both hands to her head and shut her eyes tightly.
Ahhh… what a terrible headache…
Gradually she breathed and calmed down. The pain slowly faded and her face returned to normal. But when she opened her eyes, she realized she had lost sight of the two.
June 11th, Friday
During the long holiday, most people decided to go out and visit their families. Four days off would be good to recharge and return to studies and work the following week.
However, some thought that maybe this wasn't a time for rest, and decided it would be a great opportunity to make the news.
URGENT, that was how the broadcasts began throughout that entire day.
WAVE OF ROBBERIES.
— Chaos in the city…
— Robberies at the largest jewelry stores in the state…
No one knew if the attacks were connected, if they were isolated. No suspects, no details, just confusing events.
June 14th, Monday
Police operations lasted throughout the holiday. On the news, they theorized it was a large group carrying out simultaneous robberies. Some already believed peace would return and that it might just be troublemakers, but Monday brought more news.
— The robberies are now targeting luxury stores across the state. The police can't arrive in time…
The news circulated on TV and in newspapers and magazines, but nothing was truly conclusive. People grew uneasy, but at the same time continued their outings. Some independent blogs made their speculations and conspiracy theories, taking advantage of the chaos to promote themselves.
June 15th, Tuesday, 9:30 AM
— We are here at the main Vacchiano store, which was robbed by a group of delinquents early this morning — said the reporter, while the cameraman filmed the location and prepared the report.
The scene was perfect for a strong report. Broken display window, police positioned carrying out their investigation, "DO NOT CROSS" tape all around.
It didn't take long for a luxury, distinctive vehicle to park at the scene. The car quickly caught the attention of the reporter and cameraman, who focused on it, hoping it was the owner.
The door opened slowly, and from inside stepped Kaoru Vacchiano, wearing sunglasses and his elegant, formal clothes.
What a mess…, he thought, disgusted, as he stepped out of the car.
— Mr. Vacchiano, how about a word! — The reporter ran toward the man, who walked with his straight, almost unshakable posture. — Do you have any suspects or enemies who might have invaded your store?
Completely ignored, she tried to provoke him again:
— Is it true you wanted the insurance money?
…Rookie reporters…, Kaoru thought, leaving her behind without any answer for the news.
The crime scene was destroyed. Mannequins and displays, broken and scorched. Most of the items had been taken, the store was practically empty of products and full of debris.
— Mr. Vacchiano! — greeted the officer. — We're conducting investigations to try to understand the crime scene…
— Have you reached any conclusions?
— Well, sir… — The officer scratched his head, as if thinking how to explain what had happened. — On the cameras we saw a strong wind, but it was coming from inside the store… which doesn't make sense. The last images the cameras captured were lightning. It looked like a science fiction movie. Oh, and to get in… they melted and broke the locks. I apologize for my information… But it's true.
— … — murmured Kaoru, thoughtfully. — Alright, do your work, I've already contacted the insurance.
— Have a good day, Mr. Vacchiano.
The quick visit was more than enough for Kaoru, who had been through that before, to understand what had happened. Back in his car, he headed toward his house. During the drive, he picked up his phone and started making a call.
In another city, Hitomi's phone vibrated on the dresser in her room. When she went to answer, she saw the name and made a face of annoyance.
Seriously?, she asked herself.
She pressed the green button to answer and greeted him with disdain:
— Go ahead… Mr. Vacchiano…
— Give me your rookie model friend's number.
Kaoru's direct request made Hitomi break into a cold sweat, her heart racing:
— WHAT!? YOU'VE GOT SOME NERVE! SORT OUT YOUR DIVORCE FIRST! HEY, ISN'T SHE WITH WILL!?
— The last thing I want is to get involved with a model… My store was robbed.
— FOR A ROBBERY YOU CALL THE POLICE!
— I'm sure it's related to that incident from that day.
Hitomi quickly understood what Kaoru was referring to. Her expression now showed concern, but she decided to give in and help.
— …Alright… In that case… I'll give it to you…
As soon as he received the number, Kaoru started calling Megumi, who had just arrived home from the gym.
Sweaty, Megumi had just put her phone in her room, but had to go back to get it. She found the unknown number strange, but answered politely.
— Good afternoon.
— Megumi!? This is Kaoru Vacchiano.
— Go… Good afternoon… Mr… Vacchiano…
— My store was robbed using those little powers of yours.
— It's called Potentia, sir.
— Right, Potentia, fine. The point is… why do I only make little sparkles? It's useless and I know you have the same power as mine. Is there anything useful to do with it? I don't want to be a fairy.
— Sir… I'm not very inclined to use my Potentia for attack…
— So there is a way…
— Well… yes…
— Give me your details. I'll buy your tickets so you can come train me. It won't cost you anything. Oh, take advantage of being here and try to make Will grow up.
After making his demands, Vacchiano simply hung up, leaving Megumi listening to the sound of the call ending.
Better tell Sayuri what's going on…, she thought, as she typed the message with her skillful fingers. And prepare the lessons…
June 21st, Monday. First day of Winter, 5:40 AM
One week after Kaoru Vacchiano's call, Megumi traveled by bus to the indicated city. The time he had arranged for her arrival was before sunrise. But she managed to rest a bit during those four hours on the road.
When the bus stopped at the station, the young woman's phone began to vibrate. Still sleepy, she wondered who would be calling at that hour. She reached into her bag, checked the name, and let out a sigh.
— Hello, Mr. Vacchiano. I just arrived.
— I know. Head toward the parking lot.
He simply gave the meeting point and hung up. Megumi was starting to get annoyed at how he always hung up on her, but she just let out a small huff and kept walking.
Checking the signs, she easily found her way. The place wasn't too crowded, but there were still many cars. However, upon seeing that expensive car with its unique and flashy design, she was sure she had found the right one.
— I'll take your luggage — Kaoru said as soon as he stepped out of the car.
Megumi thanked the rare kindness from the man, and soon the two got into the car and headed off.
— There's a guest house attached to mine. You can stay there. It'll be easier to organize the training routines.
— But… Is that okay?
They didn't talk much, Kaoru informed her about what the police had reported regarding the robbery and explained his training needs. Everything was brief and quick, leaving most of the ride in complete silence.
When they arrived at Vacchiano's mansion, located by the sea, Megumi felt like she wasn't even in the same city. She knew there were people who lived in luxurious places, but had never imagined she would see one. She felt intimidated, her eyes widened, but she tried to hide it by maintaining her posture.
Kaoru parked his car in the spacious garage and both stepped out.
— I'll show you your room. Get some rest, then we'll start training.
— Ah… alright…
Megumi settled into what would be her room for the next few days. The view was beautiful and, in fact, it was very comfortable. She took a shower, relaxed, and soon had her breakfast. She ended up not being able to sleep anymore. As requested, they started training early, in a room Kaoru had set aside for that.
The first day's training lasted several hours, but with breaks for meals and for Vacchiano's work with his brand.
By the end of the day, Kaoru was exhausted, the training demanded much more energy than he had imagined. Breathing heavily, he leaned with his hands on his knees. His expression showed weariness and disappointment.
— Yeah… there wasn't much progress… — Kaoru complained.
— What you want requires a lot of energy… — Megumi explained. — If I may… your mind was elsewhere… I think the excess work is affecting you…
Kaoru quickly turned his face toward Megumi, staring at her seriously. He remained silent for a brief moment, then continued.
— Yeah… a lot of work. — Despite the expression, his words were simple, without the weight of nervousness, in fact, it was possible to feel a slight melancholy in his voice.
He straightened his posture and walked toward the door.
— Let's have dinner, it's time.
— Ah, let's! Thank you.