The boy hadn't talked this much with anyone in a long time...
Not because he didn't want to.
But... they didn't want to talk to him.
He wasn't good at starting conversations, either.
Once he sensed how cold they were toward him, he made a point of not speaking to them.
But he still felt hurt and lonely.
Especially when he watched everyone else laughing and chatting while he was all alone.
But...
The boy looked at the gray-haired girl. Her eyes were bright.
Like stars in the night sky.
She was different.
The way she treated him was a lot like... the way his friends used to treat him.
So casual.
No hesitating over what to say.
No looking right at him while acting as though he weren't there.
No rushing to end the conversation.
No obscure expression on her face that he couldn't make sense of.
Every expression, every word and action of hers... was so natural and open.
Bubbles of joy couldn't help bubbling up inside the boy.
How long had it been since he'd talked so comfortably with someone?
There was no awkward silence, no stilted conversation.
Especially since he felt like he was the only one who found those interactions so unpleasant.
The other person would turn around and laugh and chat with everyone else.
And he'd be left behind...
Without a single friend willing to laugh and chat with him like this...
The gray-haired girl blinked.
"Why are you happy again?"
Ever since it had seen this boy, he'd looked unhappy.
Why was he happy now?
Tsk, tsk.
Humans really were fickle, their moods always changing.
The gray-haired girl once again confirmed her impression of humans.
"..."
The boy wasn't sure how to explain.
His face flushed bright red.
If he