The afternoon air was warm enough to feel lazy. Not quite summer yet, but close — the kind of day where sunlight sat on everything like it had nowhere else to be. The sidewalk was busy with people drifting through their routines, conversations blending into the quiet hum of the city.

Walking next to Ray, though, made it impossible for anything to stay quiet for long.

“Good afternoon!” he chirped suddenly, waving at an older man walking his dog.

The man blinked in surprise, then smiled back. “Afternoon.”

You kept walking.

Two steps later—

“Oh, hey! I like your jacket!” he called to a girl passing by.

She laughed, thanked him, and kept going.

You felt something sour twist quietly in your chest and pushed it down.

Three minutes later he waved again — this time at someone watering plants outside a shop. “Hi!”

They waved back, amused.

You sighed through your nose.

Finally you muttered, “You know you don’t actually know any of those people, right?”

He glanced sideways at you, confused for a second, then grinned. “Yeah?”

“So why do you keep talking to them?”

He shrugged like it was the simplest thing in the world. “What if they needed someone to say hi today?”

You rolled your eyes.

Of course he’d say something like that. Of course people smiled back at him like he was a walking patch of sunlight.

You shoved your hands into your pockets, gaze drifting away from him, suddenly very interested in the cracks in the sidewalk.

He noticed that.

You could practically feel the moment it clicked in his brain.

“Ohhh.” His voice stretched out in realization.

Before you could react, warm fingers slipped into your hand and tugged it out of your pocket. His grip was loose but confident, swinging your joined hands between you as he walked.

You frowned immediately, about to protest.

“Hey,” he said lightly, leaning down a little to catch your expression.

His eyes sparkled with that stupidly bright amusement he always had.

“Don’t be jealous~”

You nearly choked. But your protest cut off into an indignant sputter, which only made his grin widen.

“Mmhm,” he hummed, clearly not believing a word.

You tried to pull your hand away, but he tightened his hold just a little, still swinging it gently as you walked.

“Relax,” he teased, bumping his shoulder against yours. “I like you anyway.”

You shot him a look. He winked.

“You’re my favorite.” The words landed so casually it took a second for you to register them.

Then he leaned closer and tapped the tip of your nose with his finger.

“Even if you have the emotional capacity of a rock.”

He just laughed — bright, easy, completely unbothered — like he didn’t know what was happening in your chest.