When Ryusei spoke, Kengo had lifted his head back up to look at him, waiting for whatever the other boy was going to say. It was an apology, at least, but then Ryusei had stopped talking and cut himself off. Whatever Ryusei had wanted to say had been pushed back down and Kengo wasn't going to push him to talk. Ryusei wasn't the type to open up like that and it was obvious he needed some space to himself for awhile to recover from what had just happened.

The thanks made him smile a bit more, which he tried to force down, only to give an even more nervous smile in response. It was one of a very small handful of times Kengo had ever let himself look happy around someone in the club -- or anyone at all. "Ryusei..." Kengo tested the other's name again, this time fully intending to say it the way he did. "... don't worry about it."

He couldn't think of anything else he could have said, but Kengo hadn't wanted the other to leave without responding to him first.