​

The first time you became conscious of it was when you spoke with him alone. Thanks to Leo being as bright as the sun, the space didn't feel suffocating even with just the two of you, but the topic was the problem. Facing him, you found yourself overthinking things like "What should I talk about?"

Even if you wanted to talk about music, his hobby, you felt intimidated talking to a composer who had worked on famous songs everyone knows. But you didn't know anything else about him, and there were no other connections... you lined up potential topics in your head only to erase them. ​

Having hit a dead end, you decided to bring up Izumi, one of your few commonalities.

Since that difficult Izumi seemed to trust him and they were good friends, you figured it would at least serve as a conversation starter. ​

"...So. What about Sena?"

─ But the response you got was a complete betrayal of your expectations, words dripping with blatant annoyance. It was a voice so low and cold, far removed from the summer-like warmth he usually carried.

Startled, you looked at Leo, but he was wearing his usual smile, staring at you as if prompting your next words. A friendly, blooming smile. His expression was no different from usual, making you think you'd just imagined that previous reply. ​

To be bothered by just one sentence.

You tried to let it go, but that low, growling tone lingered in your ears; it definitely didn't sound like something that came out by accident. ​

While you were worrying about it, Leo's mood seemed to shift, and he happily started talking about something else, saying "By the way~." So, you decided to treat it as just your imagination. ​

If it's just one thing, you can write it off. But when two or three things pile up, it becomes impossible to overlook.

On another day, when you lightly called out to him while he was with Izumi, he gave you a look so freezing it sent shivers down your spine... things like that. As these small inconsistencies accumulated, you began to think, "Maybe he really does hate me."

It's natural for likes and dislikes to form between people. So, the simple solution would be to sense it and keep your distance, but... ​ ​