After washing his face, Kitayama returned to the kitchen, towel slung around his neck.
He grabbed a glass, filled it from the cold jug in the fridge, and took a long drink.
"Hanako?"
"Hmm?" she replied, flipping tamagoyaki slices in the pan.
"I didn't see Kyouko. Usually she's already awake and helping you with breakfast."
Hanako didn't even glance back. "Ah… she's with her son-in-law. They went jogging."
Kitayama raised an eyebrow. "Hmm? They both went out?"
"She noticed Haruki heading outside while she was finishing her stretches," Hanako explained, voice calm. "She woke up early, as always. Did her usual exercise in the backyard first… then went to jog. Said it's safer not to run alone."
Kitayama leaned back against the counter, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"Ah… that's right. Our daughter never skipped her exercise routine, huh."
Hanako smiled gently as she plated the omelet. "Ever since high school."
"She always had discipline," he murmured proudly.
