Later that evening, in the garden behind Johnson's home, the night air was still and fragrant. The grass was cool beneath the stars, glistening faintly under the dome light. Johnson sat shirtless on the clean, soft blades, drinking water as sweat traced lines across his muscular chest. He had just finished his daily training and now leaned back, letting the night breeze soothe him.
"You look tired," Rose said as she floated closer in her casual clothes, a teasing smile on her lips. "Training again?"
"Yeah," Johnson replied, exhaling softly. "I need a hot bath and some sleep."
"I can help with that," Rose said playfully. "But I've noticed something. Ever since Angela came to live with us, you've been happier. Less gloomy… more alive." She waved her hand, telekinetically summoning a bowl of fresh melons from the kitchen counter. "Want some?"
"You know Aunt Mary will be mad if she finds out you've been eating her fruits," Johnson warned, grinning.
Rose laughed. "Relax. She won't even notice. Besides, if anything happens, we can always ask Angela to help us."
"Help us?" Johnson raised an eyebrow. "Who's 'us'? I'm not part of your crimes."
"Oh come on, it's delicious!" Rose said, feeding him a slice before he could protest.
"You're forcing me!" Johnson complained, gulping down the fruit.
Jake's voice hummed faintly from the ring on his hand. "Health status updated. User vitality increased by twenty-five percent."
"Thanks, Jake," Johnson murmured in his thoughts.
Rose tilted her head. "Who's Jake?"
Johnson stiffened. "Wait..how did you know that?"
"I've known for a while that something was up with you, Johnny," she said, smirking. "I just never asked. So, spill it."
Before he could answer, Angela stepped out from the house, her voice gentle. "Hey, you two. What are you up to?" She sat down beside Johnson, smiling softly.
"We're just relaxing," Rose teased, offering her the bowl. "Want some melon?"
Angela took a piece gratefully, while Johnson's voice echoed in Rose's mind, speaking telepathically. "Jake's not a person. He's like an AI that lives in my watch. We talk all the time."
Rose's eyes sparkled. "I see… I've seen that watch ever since we were struck by lightning. Never knew it was special." She grinned. "Do you even know everything it can do?"
"Not really," Johnson admitted. "But I met someone who claims he does. I'll meet him soon."
Angela blinked, confused as she watched the two stare at each other silently. "What are you two talking about telepathically?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Nothing much, just talking about irrelevant stuff," Rose said casually, taking another bite of the melon.
"This watermelon is so delicious. I'd love to eat more," Johnson said greedily, munching on the red, juicy fruit with satisfaction.
Rose smirked. "Thought you said you weren't committing any crime with me? How come you ate a larger portion than I did?"
"I didn't. You clearly ate more than me," Johnson shot back, denying it immediately.
Angela, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke. "Um, Johnson, how was your exam?"
"It was hard actually, but I managed to finish all the questions," Johnson replied, taking another bite.
"Well, same as mine," Rose said proudly. "It wasn't too hard, but I still managed to clear all of it."
Angela sighed softly. "Well... I couldn't finish mine. The questions were really difficult and way too advanced for me, especially that part on quantum geometry formulas."
"I'm gonna go take a bath," Rose said, standing up and brushing her hands. "I'm leaving you two. Don't do anything weird." She gave Johnson a teasing glance before floating gracefully back into the house.
Johnson laughed lightly. "Hahaha, I have no idea what you're talking about," he said, watching her disappear inside.
The night air was cool and refreshing after the earlier rain. The stars shimmered faintly across the sky, and the moon shone at its peak brightness. Johnson and Angela sat together on the soft grass, side by side, the silence between them filled with unspoken words and quiet tension.
Finally, Angela turned to him, her voice gentle but trembling slightly. "Johnson... I need to tell you something," she said, her eyes gleaming with a mix of courage and hesitation.