The next day, he was different.
Not distant.
Not cold.
Almost… soft.
He handed me my usual drink, but this time—
there was a small heart drawn on the cup.
I stared at it.
He flushed lightly.
"It's not— I mean— the trainee was practicing—"
I raised an eyebrow. "There's no trainee today."
He pressed a hand over his face.
"I knew you'd say that."
"…So you drew it?"
His hand lowered slowly.
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"Maybe."
It was the first time I saw him smile like that.
I wanted to see it again.