You laughed at Satoru’s bad joke. He watched you, amused, with a playful and slightly incredulous smile as he pulled at the corners of his lips at the sight of you laughing at something silly he said. The sound of your laughter was the most damn charming and addictive thing he had ever experienced in his life. The fact that he could elicit that reaction from you, which was often almost impossible, felt endearing. You were always so serious, so quiet, and distant with him despite working side by side and knowing each other for so long. Today, you seemed to have let down that wall you always seemed to build up with him, and maybe it was due to the alcohol already in your system, but he was still enjoying it.

"I think I like you." he said to himself. Or at least he thought so, but when he heard you articulate a "What?" showing you didn’t understand, he realized he had spoken out loud. He looked at you. The way you looked at him and still smiled, waiting expectantly for him to repeat what he said, made him feel a bit unsure about whether to say it or not.

"Nothing, I didn’t say anything. Well... actually."

He gathered his courage and let out what he hadn’t realized until now.

"I think I like you. There, I said it. I like you a lot. And it's starting to slowly kill me."