“Run 20 kilometers every day?”

Noah looked at Miyabi who had trouble looking at Noah directly.

“You mean you ran 20 kilometers after finishing the 40 kilometers we usually run every single day?”

Noah found this shocking.

After Miyabi fell unconscious from the grueling training regime. The kind-hearted girl usually went through the physical education classes with a dark look. It is like she dreaded these classes.

But, Miyabi told him she ran 20 kilometers extra.

Miyabi is also probably awkward around him now that he found out about her secret training regime.

“I need stamina to properly use my Blaze.”

Miyabi explained.

“I must work hard to improve my stamina.”

“Hmm… you need stamina?”

Noah rubbed his chin.

He recalled her Blaze from the list of submitted data.

He only memorized Julie, Imari, Tomoe, and Miyabi’s data. He forgot about the rest.

“Ah, yes, I do remember your physical education results getting better by each class. So this was the reason?”

Miyabi can use his breathing technique to run 40 kilometers in half an hour.

Noah assumed she mastered the higher-level breathing techniques on her own. He assumed she improved from increasing her mastery of the breathing technique. To think she even went out there and secretly trained herself.

Noah chuckled.

“Good on you, training hard is always a good thing.”

“Ah… Nn.”

Miyabi blushed. She fidgeted with a red face.

“It’s all thanks to Noah.”

“Hmm?”

Noah wondered.

“What does your hard work have to do with me?”

“Because, without you, I might have called it quits and dropped out from school.”

Miyabi said.

“I am not good at academics and sports. There are so many people who are far more excellent than me at my old place. I started wondering if I was even needed. When the recruiter who found me told me I had the aptitude for an Astar mark, I was very happy.”

“However, there are so many people who are still better than me despite my apparent rare talent. I felt so useless.”

Miyabi gave him a polite smile.

“You saved me when I was close to the breaking point. You gave me the motivation to keep trying hard.”

“Save, huh?”

Noah bitterly laughed.

“Please, you’re giving me too much credit. I just extended a helping hand. It was nothing much. I mean, I appreciate your gratitude but don’t give me too much credit.”

“It might have seemed insignificant but what you did still saved me.”

Miyabi finally looked into Noah’s eyes.

“You helped me out and that cheered me up greatly. You also gave me the power to become stronger, I cannot thank you enough.”

Breathing technique, it isn’t limited to stamina recovery and endurance.

Thinking about it, the benefits of proper breathing bordered on miraculous.

Running is a good way to improve stamina.

Running often enough and one’s stamina will improve greatly.

Miyabi ran faster and longer with his breathing technique.

This prolonged her training time.

Prolonged training time led to further stamina gains.

Judging by how Miyabi can finish a 40-kilometer run in half an hour, she must have incredible endurance.

Noah sighed, he beamed at her.

“If that’s the case then keep up the good work. Otherwise, the others might catch up.”

“Y-yes!”

Miyabi nodded.

“I will do my best.”

Miyabi lowered her head. She struggled to mewl her own name.

“Miyabi…”

“Huh?”

Noah asked.

“What was that?”

“Miyabi…”

She blushed in a deeper shade of red.

“I hope you can call me by my name. Miyabi…”

“Ah, Miyabi.”

Noah also got informal with her.

“Then you can call me Noah from now on, no need for the -san suffix.”

Miyabi brightened up. She frantically nodded.

“Nn!”

Noah also amused himself with her vibrant energy.

The shy Miyabi who can only hide behind her friend’s back is almost gone. She has grown so much.

Noah and Miyabi couldn’t sense it.

The distance between the two decreased greatly. Their shadows merged as if it is an omen.
 

Night…

Noah is sipping the tea he brewed himself.

He is in his own dorm.

The decorations are still as untouched as initially

The clothes that didn’t belong to Noah were gone. The belongings of the two young ladies were also gone.

Julie and Imari partnered up so they the dorm room.

Honestly, Noah can sigh in relief now that he doesn’t have to tiptoe around the room like a criminal. However, it felt lonely.

The two dormmates’ absence made him feel like he is on his own.

He wasn’t as happy as he thought he should be.

“It can’t be helped.”

Noah told himself. He slapped his own cheeks to psyche himself up. Finishing his tea, he stood up.

“I should go to bed.”

When he was about to flick the light switch off. Someone knocked on his door.

“Hmm?”

Noah stopped.

“Who is there?”

A weird silence permeated the area.

A few seconds later, someone meowed.

“Yaa~”

“Ya?”

Noah recognized her.

Noah opened the door to see a silver-haired young lady standing at the door.

Noah wasn’t sure what to say.

Julie wore her white shirt and she came here with a pillow prepared.