Maruki nearly toppled out of his chair, bracing himself against the table to steady the sudden swirl of emotions. His gaze darted to Akira, the boy’s enthusiasm practically vibrating off him, his words spilling out in a rush.

"I—" he started, his voice faltering as his brain scrambled to keep up.

The sheer brightness in Akira’s eyes made him pause. Was this genuine? A trick? Maruki wasn’t sure whether to be unnerved by the unbridled enthusiasm or overwhelmed by the rare sense of validation it brought. For a fleeting moment, he felt like a young researcher again, fumbling through his first presentation, unsure if his audience would be impressed or unimpressed—or, as it often turned out, indifferent.

"You... really want to see it?" he asked finally, his voice tinged with disbelief. He blinked, half-expecting Akira to laugh and tell him it was all a joke.

But he doesn't. He barrels on even further.

"Well," Maruki began, adjusting his glasses as a faint smile spread across his face, "I suppose... I don’t get many chances to show it off to someone who’s actually interested." Aside from Midnight and a few others who are neutral to him. He chuckled softly, a bit of his unease melting into something closer to wonder. "It’s not every day I meet someone who doesn’t just dismiss my work as... idealistic or misguided."