“I was only joking, though~. I’ll stick around for now.” For as long as she’s safe.
“A-A Joke…?” What a terrible joke it was. Nonetheless, many people have used that sort of line to excuse themselves from what they had said. It is a dishonest act, but it is something that he had done before…
So he has no right to complain.
“Is that so? Very well then. If you so wish.”