Maki leaned against a cable machine as the last person on the second floor of the gym was leaving.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, lips pursed, watching her girlfriend work hard on that treadmill she hadn’t left for hours, without any breaks, without a sip of water.

What was going on with her? Last night, Anon had asked Maki if she could accompany her to her workout, saying she wanted to train. But why? Anon had never been fond of exertion and sweat, more of lifting heavy things and feeling body pain hours later.

Watching her run on the treadmill like a trotting horse was tedious—her red face, teary eyes, and her hoarse throat could be heard gasping for water and rest.

“Enough already.” Maki, with a serious and determined expression, pushed herself off the machine and walked purposefully towards the treadmill where Anon was. Her hand quickly touched the machine’s panel, abruptly stopping the belt, catching her girlfriend’s waist with just one of her strong hands before she could fall. “What the hell is wrong with you?” She asked sternly.

She received no response but a look of surprise, and before saying anything else, she took Anon’s headphones off so that she could now hear her.

“I said, what the hell is wrong with you? Why are you running like you’re in a damn racehorse competition?”