There's that sense of warm affection again--for him in particular, it's more deeply pronounced, edged despite how gentle it is, and there's also an edge of lingering confused embarrassment, like Ritsuka herself is surprised at feeling this way at all. But it's there, and even if she's embarrassed, they're not going anywhere.

There is also, buried somewhere under that, deep deep deep down, a sense of wistfulness. This is something that is not meant to be mine, but I'll hold onto it while I can, almost lost under everything else.