"Pfft."

A soft laugh escaped my lips 

before I could even help myself.

Realizing belatedly what I had done, 

I quickly covered my mouth --

though the simpleton before me

had already noticed.

"That was the first time I've seen you smile."

He earnestly told me,

a wide grin spreading across his face.

"...is that so?"

I began to feel a bit embarrassed

by his straightforward response.

"Yeah, and I think you look better this way."

After saying as much, 

he turned his head slightly to the side

--muttering faintly under his breath.

"...not that you aren't...normally...c-cu---..."

"What was that?"

I inched closer to catch his last words.

"N-nevermind!"

Without missing a beat,

he quickly pulled down his cap to cover his eyes.

What an oddball he is,

that YamaKai.

One moment,

he is cheekily complimenting me with an annoyingly prideful tone,

and the next -- shying away like a shrinking violet under the sun.

But strangely enough,

each and every time I observe

those clumsy mannerisms 

and brusque speech of his...

a soothing warmth begins to tickle the pit of my stomach,

and I find myself thinking --

.

.

.

.

「This feeling isn't so bad.」