The air between them stilled for a moment after Hamuko’s words. Maruki had been poised to step back. He’d nodded politely, ready to retreat with the practiced ease of someone accustomed to remaining unnoticed.
But her sudden statement made him freeze.
"Say—you're really handsome."
His breath hitched, more from surprise than anything else. He blinked, turning to look at her again. The faintest furrow of his brow deepened as he took in the bright red flush on her face.
For a moment, the world shrank to just them.
The rush of wind through the trees softened, leaving behind only the sound of her unsteady breathing and the rustle of his coat as he shifted.
Maruki knew what he should do. He had been observing her quietly for a while now, preparing to oversee one of her sessions in secret to understand more about her. Hamuko Arisato, the mysterious problem case—her mind weighed down by memories of a life that shouldn’t exist. He should have stayed at a distance. Professional. Detached.
And yet, here she was. The desperation was unmistakable—so familiar.
Someone begging to be heard. To be s̶̫̈a̷̤̐v̸̢̈́e̴̜̚d̴̮͊
His response wasn’t immediate, but his voice finally broke the silence.
“Well...” He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “I’m not sure I buy that, but—thank you. Really. That was...unexpected.” A small, self-effacing grin tugged at the corner of his lips.
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But her sudden statement made him freeze.
"Say—you're really handsome."
His breath hitched, more from surprise than anything else. He blinked, turning to look at her again. The faintest furrow of his brow deepened as he took in the bright red flush on her face.
For a moment, the world shrank to just them.
The rush of wind through the trees softened, leaving behind only the sound of her unsteady breathing and the rustle of his coat as he shifted.
Maruki knew what he should do. He had been observing her quietly for a while now, preparing to oversee one of her sessions in secret to understand more about her. Hamuko Arisato, the mysterious problem case—her mind weighed down by memories of a life that shouldn’t exist. He should have stayed at a distance. Professional. Detached.
And yet, here she was. The desperation was unmistakable—so familiar.
Someone begging to be heard. To be s̶̫̈a̷̤̐v̸̢̈́e̴̜̚d̴̮͊
His response wasn’t immediate, but his voice finally broke the silence.
“Well...” He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “I’m not sure I buy that, but—thank you. Really. That was...unexpected.” A small, self-effacing grin tugged at the corner of his lips.