Chapter 45: Love And Lust

Kouhei couldn't believe he'd managed to say those words aloud. But with Hina opening herself up like this, it only felt right for him to do the same.

"How do you figure?" Hina tilted her head, her expression confused in that adorable way Kouhei had always noticed. Even after living for half a century, there were still things she didn't understand. It made her seem younger, even more so when compared to someone like Yuuna, who carried a more mature aura.

"It's because… well, you know, if you're feeling something like that for someone, doesn't that mean you're kind of interested in them?" he said, stumbling over his words. "I'm not great at explaining it, but it seems like when you're directing that kind of… attention at someone, it's because they mean something to you."