Chapter 180 Chronicle

"Aira?" An exhale left Satoshi's mouth as he approached his parents. He could more or less guess what unfolded when Aira called his dad's number. After all, there should've been a reasonable explanation as to why a little girl's voice came out when Satoshi's dad received a call from Satoshi's number.

Tatsuki didn't find the necessity to ask any questions. He immediately got in the car, along with his wife and Emma. He didn't explain what happened and just told the two to follow him. They promptly followed, wondering what the emergency was all about.

Much to their bewilderment, Tatsuki picked up a red-haired girl from the police station. The identity of the girl remained unknown since Tatsuki doesn't even know who the girl was in the first place. The only thing she said during her call was that Satoshi instructed her to contact the number given to her. That's it.

Throughout the remainder of the drive from the police station to home, they wondered who the little girl was. The one who was most curious out of the group was Ayumu, but she decided to trust her husband and wait for his explanation. Still, baffling questions riddled her mind, urging her to ask who the girl was, and why they were picking her up from the police station.

"Dear, who is she?" Ayumu finally brought up the elephant in the room, leaning in to get a better view of Tatsuki's expression. She had known him for more than twenty years now and she knows what expression he wears when he's hiding something, or when he was telling a lie.

"I have no idea, let's wait for Satoshi and have him explain," Tatsuki responded, not taking his eyes away from the road.

When they finally go home, they eagerly awaited Hajime's return, fidgeting by the front gate as they stared from afar. A few minutes later, Satoshi got back, surprised to see Aira with his parents and Emma. Satoshi let out a name, and then he approached Aira before even greeting his parents that he just got home.

"Let's head inside," Tatsuki wore a serious expression on his face, turning around and heading back inside first before anyone else did.

Satoshi didn't say another word, he just nodded back and urged Aira to head inside with them. She obediently followed.

A heavy atmosphere enveloped the living room as Tatsuki comfortably sat in one of the seats, clasping his hands together. Ayumu sat beside him, then Emma sat on the opposite couch. Since there were only two couches to sit on, Satoshi sat beside Emma and Aira beside him.

"So, who's the kid, Satoshi?" Tatsuki asked what everyone repeatedly questioned in their minds.

"This is Aira, she's a... she's a uh— her dad's the mastermind behind the incident and I took it upon myself to help her." Satoshi couldn't really explain it properly, hoping that he was able to get through them.

"Why did you feel the need to help her? It's not like the authorities wouldn't help a child like her?" Ayumu concernedly asked in return. There was a hint of worry in her eyes since she could tell that Satoshi hasn't really told everything.

"Um... it's because... it's because of her superpower." Satoshi continued. "She said she can turn back time."

"Wha— " Tatsuki stopped short and looked around as he scratched his head. There was panic in his demeanor, and he didn't know what to do at first. Fortunately, he got ahold of himself and headed to the corner of the room, pressing his hand against the door lock— the door which led to the underground where their lair was located.

"Dear, what are you doing?" Ayumu asked.

"We have to head inside. We can't afford to let anyone hear us." Tatsuki said to everyone in a hushed tone, signaling that all of them head inside the lair.

Aira gasped in awe as she saw the 'coolness' of the place. She only ever heard about superheroes on the television and she'd never seen a lair in all her life— she doesn't even know what a lair is. But now that she's seen one, it was the most amazing sight she's ever seen. Her eyes sparkled, and everyone plainly saw how excited she was.

"Satoshi... are you sure about this? Can she really turn back time?" Tatsuki confirmed. He still couldn't believe that someone with such a powerful superpower is actually in the form of a little kid.

"Aira doesn't really turn back time," Aira responded. She thought twice before speaking up because she was in an unfamiliar place. "And also, Aira can only turn back time for herself."

"Wait... if what she's saying is true..." Ayumu trailed off as her gaze landed on Satoshi. Now she understood why Satoshi brought it upon himself to help her. There was no way they'd allow the villains to get ahold of such a powerful superpower.

Throughout the history of superheroes, someone who could manipulate or tamper with time is considered a legendary superhero. There was only one superhero to exist in the past. He goes by the superhero name Chronicle, but he died due to unknown reasons. Of course, the Superheroes Assembly Organization believed that Chronicle was killed, and that's because his superpower is a game-changer. He could travel back in time at least a day, which could reset everything. Of course, he could only reset when he willed it, and if he didn't sense any danger and he got into an accident, he would still suffer before he could turn back time. Somehow, someone managed to kill him before he could even think about resetting. Chronicle may be overpowered, but he wasn't exactly invincible.

"So... how does your superpower actually work, Aira?" Satoshi asked.

"Uhmm..." Aira mumbled. "Aira can... Aira can think very hard, and then Aira's mind will go back to the past and Aira can control herself in the past. I thought I was dreaming... but something will change, and it was scary. Aira didn't tell anyone, dad doesn't know about it."