[ There are times when he thinks he understands Karamatsu, but then there are times when he doesn't want to - times when his antics aren't just antics and belie something too revealing to say but nevertheless there, just beneath the surface. The little signs that pointed to some unspoken shift in his friend. It didn't really matter to him, or so he thought, that Karamatsu was opening himself up to things he may have thought as disgusting before.

Aoba shouldn't ask, but... it's difficult not to, when someone you care deeply about is right there. Struggling directly in your face. Not really one to conceal his emotions particularly effectively, Karamatsu seems to be trying to imply something. Aoba finds himself finally regarding what he thinks is an elephant in the room, even when it's phrased as one of those flimsy excuses. ]

A...ah. [ He tries to think quickly. It's harder than it should be, because his mind is putting together the odd and jagged pieces together and it's forming a picture he doesn't want to see. ]

...It's because it's like in the movies, right? Th-that kind of kiss.

[ And because even that sounds painfully false, Aoba's face starts to feel a little too warm despite how the cold crawls into his clothing, his core remaining tolerably warm only because of Karamatsu. There are some things that are best left unsaid, he thinks, but it's agonizingly difficult when it's staring you in the face. Aoba drops his forehead onto his, his hair falling over his eyes. He's not sure if he wants to see his, especially when he finally asks. ]

It's not like you like me in that way... right?