They had no idea how long they’d been running.
Finally, the whistles behind them could no longer be heard.
Kiryu Kazusuke pulled her along, ducking into an abandoned park.
The two of them hid in the shadows behind the slide, gasping for breath.
Saionji Mina leaned against the slide, feeling like her legs no longer belonged to her.
But when she looked at Kiryu Kazusuke, at his chest rising and falling faintly in the darkness, she suddenly felt that even if they were caught tonight, it would be no big deal.
Kiryu Kazusuke steadied his breathing and craned his neck for a look outside.
They were safe.
The beam of the flashlight at the mouth of the alley flickered twice, then turned around and went back the way it came.
Understandable.
Faced with two lunatics wielding metal bats who dared to run amok right outside the city hall, half-heartedly pedaling their bicycles for a bit and putting on a show was already earning their keep.
If they actually caught up, what if they took a bat to the head? Who would reimburse their medical expenses?
“Haa… haa…”
Saionji Mina’s body slid down the cold slide, finally landing heavily in the sandpit.
It felt like two balls of fire were burning in her chest; every breath hurt.
A rusty, metallic taste surged up from deep in her throat—the kind that came only after intense running.
Was it miserable?
It was miserable.
She covered her mouth.
But she still couldn’t control herself.
First, a silent laugh. Then a low, panting chuckle. Finally, loud laughter.
“Haha… hahaha…”
She laughed until tears streamed down her face, laughing even as she continued to gasp for air.
This feeling was insane.
Kiryu Kazusuke leaned against a nearby swing set, watching this woman laughing like a madwoman.
This level of running was basically just a warm-up for him.
[World line of Saionji Mina coalesced]
[Reward: Physical fitness enhancement - Slight]
This was the third time.
Kiryu Kazusuke clenched his fist.
The feeling was marvelous.
From the outside, there was no visible change. It wasn’t the explosive sensation of suddenly turning into a Super Saiyan, nor did his muscles swell up like they were being inflated.
But the body’s feedback didn’t lie.
As a doctor, he had a decent understanding of his own physiological state.
That sprint just now had been at least one kilometer.
If it were his old, long-term sub-healthy self, his heart rate would still be racing above 140 right now, his lungs would be burning, and lactic acid buildup would make his legs feel as heavy as if filled with lead.
Now, his heart rate had already dropped below 100, his breathing steady.
The fatigue after intense exercise was fading at an astonishing rate.
This level of physical function was roughly equivalent to an adult male who maintained high-intensity fitness habits year-round.
Although outwardly there didn’t seem to be any change.
His heartbeats had become incredibly forceful; every pump sent oxygen precisely to every corner of his body.
“Let’s go. Time to head back.”
Kiryu Kazusuke straightened up and looked down at Saionji Mina, who was still giggling foolishly in the sandpit.
“Ah, sorry, Kiryu-san…”
She lifted her head. Her face, which usually carried a somewhat bitter expression, was now flushed from intense exercise.
“I… I’ll get up now.”
Saionji Mina tried to push herself up from the ground, but her legs were as soft as noodles. She had barely risen halfway before she started to fall back down.
Once reason regained the high ground.
The cowardice and submissiveness etched into her bones surged back like a tide.
Kiryu Kazusuke reached out, grabbed her wrist, and with a slight exertion of strength, lifted her up like a chick.
“Thank you.”
After steadying herself, Saionji Mina withdrew her hand somewhat embarrassedly.
Right now, she looked utterly disheveled.
Her hair was a mess, her face was smudged with dirt, and her tracksuit was covered in sand.
“If we stay any longer, the patrol officer will circle back.”
Kiryu Kazusuke tossed the bat to her. He had taken it from her hand while they were running away just now.
Saionji Mina caught the bat and followed behind him with small, quick steps.
The two of them walked along the road back to the apartment.
The night had grown deep.
There were even fewer cars on the road.
After the adrenaline faded, Saionji Mina tightened her tracksuit around herself.
Was she dreaming?
No.
Was she scared?
She was scared.
Did she regret it?
Not at all.
The information board smashed in front of the city hall was the most exhilarating thing she had ever done in her life.
She quickened her pace, slightly closing the distance.
“Um… Kiryu-san.”
“Hm?”
“Why did you do these things for me?”
Saionji Mina finally asked the question.
What Kiryu Kazusuke had done had already exceeded the bounds of an ordinary neighbor.
Maebashi was, after all, part of the Greater Tokyo Area. It wasn’t exempt from the unique indifference of big cities; no one would show kindness to another person for no reason.
Unless…
She twisted her fingers, unable to stop her thoughts from drifting in that embarrassing direction.
Kiryu Kazusuke stopped walking, turned his head, and looked her up and down.
His gaze was very direct, without the slightest concealment.
This look made Saionji Mina instantly nervous. Her hands subconsciously gripped the hem of her clothes, her heart thumping wildly.
Could it be… that he really liked her?
Was he about to confess?
On this deserted street, after this crazy night?
How should she answer?
Should she refuse?
Should she accept?
But she hadn’t even been made a permanent employee yet, and her family still had burdens…
“So, are you offering yourself to me?”
Kiryu Kazusuke’s voice was flat, making it impossible to tell if he was joking or serious.
“Huh?!”
Saionji Mina was hit by this sudden directness, her small face instantly turning as red as a ripe tomato.
She had thought that even if it wasn’t a confession, she would at least hear some warm reason like “Because we’re neighbors” or “I didn’t want to see you get bullied.”
“N-no… um… I…”
She stammered, her gait becoming unsteady, not knowing whether to nod or shake her head.
Kiryu-san was joking, right?
He had to be joking!
“Let’s go home.”
Kiryu Kazusuke looked at her flustered appearance, shook his head, and turned to keep walking.
If he wasn’t mistaken, she should currently be experiencing the “suspension bridge effect.”
It meant that when a person was in an environment of extreme tension or fear—such as crossing a swaying suspension bridge, or having just smashed the information board at the city hall—their heart rate accelerated and their breathing became rapid.
The brain would mistakenly attribute this physiological arousal as romantic attraction toward the opposite sex before them.
This illusion was very useful.
Saionji Mina froze in place for two seconds before reacting and hurriedly chasing after him.
“Um…”
“Um… even if I can’t offer myself to you…”
“Could I at least treat you to a meal to express my thanks?”
She summoned her courage and finished the sentence very sincerely.
After all, Kiryu-kun had noticed that she wasn’t living happily, had accompanied her in this madness for an entire night, and had taken on such great risk. If she didn’t do something to show her gratitude, she would feel uneasy.
She didn’t have much money or ability, but she understood the principle of repaying kindness.
“Forget the meal. Convert it to cash.”
Kiryu Kazusuke refused without a second thought.
“Huh?”
“Um…”
“Didn’t I… didn’t I already give you 3,000 yen just now?”
She fiddled with the hem of her clothes, somewhat at a loss.