"Leo-san is cold, isn't he?"
Someone said that. Sora heard it and thought.
"Is that really true?"
Hiyori said quietly. "I don't think so."
Sora continued observing. Leo certainly doesn't show emotions outwardly. Keeps distance. But is he cold?
Later, in the library, Sora asked Leo.
"Leo-san, you're thought of as a cold person."
Leo looked up. "I know."
"Doesn't it bother you?"
"It bothers me," Leo answered quietly. "But I don't know what to do."
Hiyori joined. "I think Leo-san is kind."
"Kind?" Leo was surprised. "Where?"
"Unnoticed kindness," Sora explained. "It might be a difference in attachment styles."
"Attachment styles?"
Sora opened the notebook. "Patterns of how people relate to others."
"Secure, anxious, avoidant, fearful-avoidant."
Hiyori supplemented. "I think Leo-san is avoidant type."
"Avoidant type?"
"Avoiding intimacy, valuing independence," Sora explained. "But that's different from coldness."
Leo listened silently.
Hiyori gave an example. "Last week, when I was absent with a cold, Leo-san sent me notes."
"Not handed directly, but in the mailbox."
Sora nodded. "When I was in trouble too, he sent only solutions by message."
"Not lengthy encouragement, but concrete methods."
Leo was a bit surprised. "That's... isn't that normal?"
"It's not normal," Hiyori said. "That's your way of kindness."
Sora explained. "Avoidant types avoid excessive intimacy."
"But they want to help. So they support while maintaining distance."
"Seeming indifferent is just a different way of expressing."
Leo thought quietly. "I'm not good at deep involvement with people."
"Why?" Hiyori asked gently.
"I don't know. It's been this way since childhood."
Sora suggested. "Childhood experiences might be influencing."
"Attachment styles are formed through relationships with parents."
Leo recalled a little. "My parents were always busy. I was alone a lot."
"So you learned independence," Hiyori understood.
"But it wasn't that you weren't lonely," Sora added. "You just got used to being alone."
Leo nodded. "Even now, deep involvement with people makes me anxious."
"That's a natural reaction," Sora said. "Attachment styles don't change easily."
Hiyori smiled. "Maybe you don't need to change."
"Leo-san's kindness is expressed in Leo-san's way."
Sora supplemented. "What's important is that others understand it."
"And that you yourself acknowledge it."
Leo said quietly. "But I'm often misunderstood."
"Those who misunderstand will misunderstand," Hiyori said. "But there are also those who understand."
Sora nodded. "We understand."
Leo showed a slightly relieved expression. "Thank you."
Hiyori said finally. "Kindness has various forms."
"Encouraging loudly is kindness. Supporting quietly is also kindness."
Sora added. "Leo-san's kindness might be hard to see."
"But it certainly exists."
Leo smiled a little. "I'll try to improve my expression a bit."
"But you don't need to change forcibly."
Hiyori encouraged. "Please cherish your own way of kindness."
After Sora and Hiyori left, Leo thought. Kindness that seems indifferent. That's also one form.
Outside the window, snow fell quietly. Hard to see, but certainly there. Kindness is the same.