Satoru hobbled toward the familiar, reassuring wooden cottage.
As he approached, the rich aroma of beef wafted out, enveloping him in a sense of warmth and anticipation.
The scent alone was enough to remind him of the comfort and security that awaited him inside.
He opened the door, and there stood Janne, gazing at him with a slightly melancholic expression.
She stood at the entrance, watching him intently, her eyes filled with a mix of curiosity and something deeper.
"Explain yourself, why are you back so late?" Janne asked, her voice carrying a hint of reproach.
"Did you forget about me just because you made friends with Yuki?"
Janne paused, her eyes narrowing as she scrutinized Satoru.
His clothes were damp with sweat, evidence of a vigorous workout, likely with Yuki.
Her frown deepened as she noticed his trembling legs, a sign of exhaustion.
She remained silent, waiting for an explanation that would satisfy her, an explanation that could soothe her irritation.
Satoru gathered his thoughts, trying to find the right words to appease her, though he couldn't quite understand why she was so upset.
After all, he had only come home a bit late.
"Well… I was training with Yuki in the park," he began, his voice tentative. "We ran about ten laps together."
"Oh, and I joined Yuki's kendo club. I didn't even know she was the president, haha..." He added with a nervous chuckle, hoping to lighten the mood.
Janne's eyes remained fixed on him, her frown not easing in the slightest.
"Oh? Your relationship with her has developed that quickly? Good enough for her to train with you? From what I know, for someone of her caliber, running ten laps in the park wouldn't provide any significant improvement," Janne remarked, her tone edged with skepticism.
"I think she was just accompanying you for your sake. But why, I wonder? Hm?"
"Well, she said I'm a rare friend to her," Satoru explained, hoping his answer would suffice. "You see, her appearance, status, and identity cause everyone who approaches her to either show excessive respect or have ulterior motives. My straightforward nature fits her idea of a friend, so I might be the only real friend she has right now."
He continued, "So, seeing me as a member of her club with such poor stamina, strength, and other skills, she decided to help me train. And I accepted."
Satoru hoped his thorough explanation would satisfy Janne. He believed he had shared everything.
Janne listened, her anger subsiding significantly.
Despite this, she still felt a pang of irritation at Yuki's closeness to Satoru.
She couldn't shake the feeling that normal friends wouldn't go to such lengths.
However, she also recognized that Yuki's situation was somewhat similar to her own.
Because of certain reasons, Janne couldn't interact with people normally, while Yuki couldn't engage with others transparently.
Every interaction Yuki had was tainted with scheming, unnecessary respect, or other ulterior motives.
At this critical juncture, Satoru's presence must have meant a lot to Yuki, who had been lonely for so long in Astralsya.
After all, upon meeting Satoru, who treated her normally, she also quickly formed a bond, even becoming roommates.
"Hmph, do you know what time it is now? It's almost 8 PM. If you hadn't come back soon, I wouldn't have known where to find you," Janne scolded, her voice a mix of concern and frustration.
"Hmph, this can't happen again. I've been waiting since 5 PM. I was almost about to eat today's steak all by myself, so I only cooked my portion. Now you'll have to wait while I prepare yours."
She turned, heading to the kitchen to start on Satoru's meal.
Satoru watched her go, feeling both guilty and grateful. He understood her concern and was relieved that she seemed to accept his explanation.
In the kitchen, Janne busied herself with preparing Satoru's meal, but a lingering frustration simmered within her.
Even though she could somewhat understand Yuki's feelings, she couldn't completely shake off her irritation.
Satoru and Yuki had only known each other for like two days, yet their relationship had progressed so quickly.
This rapid development should only have happened between her and Satoru, if at all.
Janne regretted introducing Yuki to Satoru. She had expected them to become friends, but not so swiftly and closely.
As she glanced towards the bathroom where Satoru was showering, an idea struck her—an outlet for her inexplicable anger.
She smirked, feeling a bit of mischievous satisfaction at the thought.
Soon, Satoru emerged from the bathroom, his hair damp and fresh from the shower.
He noticed Janne waiting for him in the living area, a plate of steak already set on the table. He walked over, joining her to enjoy the delicious meal.
"Smells great, Janne," Satoru remarked, sitting down beside her.
"Thank you," Janne replied, a hint of an edge still in her tone. "I hope you appreciate it after making me wait so long."
Satoru nodded, his eyes conveying genuine gratitude. "I really do. I'm sorry for worrying you."
They ate in relative silence, the only sounds being the clinking of cutlery and the occasional murmur of appreciation for the food.
Despite the tension, the meal was undeniably delicious, and Satoru found comfort in the familiar taste of Janne's cooking.
"You'd better send me a message next time if you're going to be late," Janne pouted, her tone carrying a hint of reproach.
"Oh? Right, I will," Satoru replied, realizing that the system probably had a messaging function he should explore.
"You won't forget about me while training with Yuki again, will you? You seem quite reliant on her," Janne added, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"No, no, I won't. Next time, I'll make sure not to keep you waiting."
"So, you're still planning to train with her?" Janne's voice held a note of skepticism.
"Uh, I guess so."
"Hmph, even though you have me as your personal trainer, you're still thinking about Yuki. It seems you don't value me at all," she said, crossing her arms, still pouting.
"Of course not! I wouldn't dare," Satoru responded, laughing nervously.
"Hmph, I don't care. Once you're done with this meal, we're going outside to train. I'll work on your strength," Janne declared, determination evident in her voice.
Watching Janne's actions and hearing her words, Satoru couldn't help but find her a bit endearing.
"Alright, alright, today I'll do whatever you say," he said, smiling.
"Hmph, that's more like it," Janne replied, a satisfied smile forming on her lips.
"Tomorrow, I'll be at Astralsya keeping an eye on you, just in case a certain someone gets whisked away by an imperial princess," Janne said, emphasizing the words "a certain someone."
"Ah? There's no need. I think my condition will keep me from going to Astralsya tomorrow anyway; my legs are incredibly sore," Satoru responded, trying to ease her concerns.
"Hmph, it's all your fault for pushing yourself beyond your limits. You should know your body's condition better than anyone. Clearly, you haven't exercised much, and yet you still pushed yourself. How foolish of you," Janne chided, though her eyes betrayed a hint of concern as she glanced at Satoru's trembling legs.
Despite her scolding, Janne felt a pang of sympathy for him.
She convinced herself that Yuki must have pushed Satoru too hard; otherwise, he wouldn't have overexerted himself to such an extent.
"Yes, that must be it," she thought, needing an explanation to justify her feelings. Even though she suspected that Satoru might have just been foolishly pushing his own limits, she preferred to place the blame elsewhere.
Soon, they finished the meal.
"Can you get up? We should head out for training," Janne said, her voice tinged with a mixture of impatience and concern.
"Yeah, I can," Satoru replied, wincing slightly as he stood up, his movements shaky and unsteady.
Janne sighed, "You're so stubborn." She walked over to him, offering support as he struggled to maintain his balance. "Do you really think you can handle more training right now?"
"Yeah, I can," Satoru insisted, his determination unwavering.
Janne looked at him, a small smile playing on her lips. She didn't say anything, but her eyes spoke volumes about her mixed feelings of admiration, resignation, and exasperation.
They walked outside together, and Satoru glanced around, feeling a bit disoriented. Suddenly, Janne tossed him a pair of gloves, catching him off guard.
"Put these on. Today's training is boxing," she announced.
Satoru slipped on the gloves, then glanced at Janne with a puzzled expression. "Didn't you say it was going to be strength training?"
In an instant, Janne's figure blurred, and before he could react, her small fist was right in front of his chin.
Satoru felt a brief gust of wind against his face, followed by a dull, throbbing pain. Then, everything went black.
"Hmph, this is what happens when you push yourself too hard," Janne muttered, looking down at his unconscious form. "You're so stubborn, even when you're clearly exhausted. Consider this a little lesson..."
She knelt down beside him, her voice softening, "...and a small punishment for making me worry so much."
The night, Satoru had a good sleep.