"Look at how scared your mom was. You’ve got serious potential, Inky," Yusuozaai teased.

"I didn’t do anything special," Yumo grumbled. "Just like I said: ordinary compliments, buttering her up, telling little stories to lighten the mood, then a small gift. Isn’t that how you get close to people?"

"That’s true. But the direction you applied your effort… hehe, never mind. Success is what matters."

"By the way, what’s with ‘Inky’?"

"A pet name I gave you. Exclusively mine. Don’t let anyone else use it."

"Stop forcing closeness on me! And get off my bed!"

"Someone’s gotta remind everyone this is a romantic comedy~"

——————————

——————————

So, the next morning, just after six—

"Whoa…" Liyu gasped, dragged to the gym early by Chen Xiang.

It was her first time in a gym, but she instantly recognized it as top-tier. Spacious, with every machine imaginable, a pool, a bar, a private clinic, and even a light-bites café attached.

"Amazing…"

"Right? This place ranks among the best in all of Linhai District."

Chen Xiang had already changed into a sports tank and shorts, knee and elbow pads strapped on. At over forty, her physique outshone most twenty-year-olds—utterly convincing.

Liyu, meanwhile, wore her usual dowdy tracksuit. Weekday mornings were quiet, yet fit, handsome people filled the space. Next to them, she felt… painfully out of place.

"S-so, thank you, Auntie, for guiding my weight loss. I’m truly, truly grateful!" She bobbed her head repeatedly, making Chen Xiang awkward.

"Where’s Yumo? He said he’d come too?"

"He told me to go ahead. He’ll follow later. No idea what he’s planning… never mind. Let’s start. I promised to train you properly. Come to the changing room—I’ll do a quick check-up first."

"O-okay…"

"Stand straight. You always hunch—I’ve seen it. Keep this up, and your spine will warp. Neck and back exercises fix posture. Head up, eyes forward… good. Don’t hide your stomach; we’re both women! Hmm… chubby, but not extreme. With twenty years’ experience, I’d say you’re an easy case. Mix cardio and weights. Diet must be strict. Yumo mentioned you’re plump but surprisingly fit? Can you swim? Any prior training? Chronic illnesses? Last blood test or blood pressure check? And—"

"W-wait! One question at a time…"

——————————

——————————

While Liyu drowned in questions, Yumo cursed through sweat on the city’s main road.

"Fucking hell!!!!!!!!"

Winter chill bit, but in just shorts and a tee, he was drenched. Sweat blurred his vision. His lungs burned like crushed glass.

He’d run nearly ten kilometers non-stop—not a jog, but a full-throttle sprint from the start. Arms and legs trembled. Breathing rasped. Oxygen-starved brain fogged. Numbness crept into his limbs. Side stitch after side stitch… pure torture.

Passersby stared, but he couldn’t slow—not with that demon on his tail.

"Cheer up! Almost halfway~" Yusuozaai waved a bucket list nearby. No matter the distance, this Demon caught up instantly. Magic? How?

(‘Go all out, sing youth’s praises, sweat like crazy’—what was I thinking?!) That vague wish had forced specifics under the Demon’s pestering. One: "Run twenty kilometers at full effort!" All three elements mandatory. No pacing—just full throttle. This torture king had pounced at dawn: "New wish starts now. Need a time limit?" Yumo had bolted after two rushed bites of breakfast.

"How… huff… far…?"

"Eleven kilometers. Want pom-poms for cheers?"

"Don’t… huff… disgust me…"

At red lights, he jogged in place, no rest. Gasping at yet another crossing—

"Oi, kimi!"

"Huff… huh?" Japanese?

Hallucination from exhaustion? He turned. A girl jogged beside him, waiting for the light. Shorter than Yumo by a head, but her chest strained against a sweat-soaked shirt. Below retro bloomers, toned legs pumped. Blurry vision couldn’t hide her cute, high-school-runner charm.

"Who… huff… are you…?"

"Kimi no… ah, sorry! Slipped into Japanese again. Sumimasen." Plastic-accented Chinese, odd pauses—but clear.

"You… can’t… keep this up. Exercise… must be moderate."

"Thanks… huff… arigato?"

"A-ri-ga-to. You mix up sounds… Anyway, keep running, and you’ll end up hospitalized."

"Thanks… huff… but… huff… I have… private reasons…" First time talking to a foreigner.

Haiking was an international city anyway—plenty of long-term residents.

"Hmm… are you… the legendary Yumo-san?"

"Huh? You… huff… know me?"

"Same… shiguro—ah, school."

"I only knew… huff… a Chinese-Japanese senior in grade twelve… huff… Didn’t know others… why me?"

"You’re… famous now! Like a… legendary… yakuza!"

(What’s a yakuza…? Some Japanese thing?)