Hotaro smiles gently at him, seeming to understand. He takes a sip of her coffee before setting it down as well. Her fingers drum against the tabletop lightly as she looks up at him, studying his face with interest. Evan feels himself growing increasingly aware of how close they are, of the heat emanating from her body where their arms brush against one another under the table.

"That must be...difficult sometimes," she says softly, her voice catching in her throat for a moment before continuing. "

I-It can be, yeah. But I've gotten used to it. And honestly, knowing that there are people like you out there...it makes all the difference." He pauses, wondering if he should say more but unable to help himself. "I mean, just spending time with you today has been amazing. It feels like a breath of fresh air or something."