Chapter 40: Jill's Heart

"Good morning, Zhang Fan and Tomoyo. I didn't expect you two, who have only known each other for a few days, to have such a good rapport," Jill said as she entered the shooting range, clad in her blue S.T.A.R.S. uniform and holding a Beretta 92FS 9mm semi-automatic pistol. It looked like she was here for practice. However, Zhang Fan couldn't help but feel there was something odd about her greeting, especially the way she looked at him, as if he had let her down in some way.

"Good morning, Jill. Are you here for practice too?" Zhang Fan quickly greeted her, thinking it best to defuse any awkwardness that might arise from Jill's comment. Tomoyo, seemingly oblivious to the subtext in Jill's words, responded quite literally.

"Good morning, senior Jill. Indeed, my relationship with Senior Zhang Fan has progressed significantly," Tomoyo said earnestly. Zhang Fan couldn't help but feel a sense of bemusement at her straightforwardness.

Both Zhang Fan and Jill were taken aback by Tomoyo's response. After a moment of astonishment, Jill sighed and went to a spot to practice her shooting. The atmosphere in the range became somewhat subdued, with only the sound of Jill's gunfire breaking the silence. Tomoyo looked puzzled, wondering if she had said something wrong. Zhang Fan could only shrug helplessly.

The shooting practice continued, but Zhang Fan was puzzled to see Rebecca also arriving at the range within ten minutes. It seemed unusually busy today, considering that usually, it was just him and Tomoyo practicing there.

"Good morning, Zhang Fan, Tomoyo, and senior Jill. Are you all here for early practice too?" Rebecca greeted everyone cheerfully. Zhang Fan and Tomoyo responded with a smile, while Jill continued her focused shooting, seemingly in a bad mood. Rebecca didn't seem to mind and quietly stuck out her tongue.

"Good morning, Rebecca. What brings you here for shooting practice today?" Zhang Fan asked, curious about her unexpected presence.

"Oh, it's a command from the captain. He said there's been a lot of trouble lately and wants me to improve my skills quickly so I can contribute more during missions," Rebecca explained. It made sense to Zhang Fan, who realized that with the increasing number of missions, he and Tomoyo would have been deployed too if they weren't new members.

"Then let's practice together," Zhang Fan suggested. Practicing in a group might yield better results.

"Sure," Rebecca agreed enthusiastically. She was looking forward to spending more time with Zhang Fan, whom she seemed to gravitate toward. Whether it was his gentle smile, his warm demeanor, or his formidable strength, Rebecca found him very appealing.

The practice continued, and over the days, Tomoyo had shed her novice's awkwardness, her movements becoming fluid and confident. Watching Zhang Fan interact with Rebecca and Tomoyo, Jill felt genuinely uncomfortable. She couldn't understand why she was so bothered by their camaraderie.

After emptying five magazines, Jill holstered her gun and bid everyone a brief farewell. She was about to leave when Zhang Fan called out to her.

"Wait, Jill." Although she wanted to leave, her feet wouldn't move. Resigning herself, Jill turned around, curious about what Zhang Fan wanted to discuss.

"What's up?" Jill tried to maintain her composure.

"I want to talk to you about something. Do you mind sparing a few minutes?" Zhang Fan approached her with a serious look.

"Okay," Jill hesitated but eventually nodded. It was rare for Zhang Fan to seek her out for a private conversation, and she couldn't hide her curiosity.

"Although we haven't known each other for long, I'll be straightforward. What's been going on with you lately? You don't seem like yourself," Zhang Fan said directly after finding a quiet corner in the range.

Jill was taken aback. Indeed, she had been acting out of character recently, caught up in emotions she hadn't experienced before. Shaking her head, she realized she had been neglecting her usual straightforward and confident persona.

"I understand now. Thank you, Zhang Fan," Jill said, resolving her inner turmoil. She wondered why she had been so preoccupied with Zhang Fan's relationships with Tomoyo and Rebecca. Deciding to focus on her duties instead, she regained her usual composure.

In that moment, Zhang Fan noticed a change in Jill's demeanor. The jealous, confused look was gone, replaced by the familiar, confident Jill he knew.

"What exactly happened?" Zhang Fan wondered, feeling a bit out of touch with the rapid changes around him.

"That's a woman's secret," Jill said with a playful twirl, a rare show of flirtatiousness from her.