[ the difference is almost staggering — on the beach, he'd marked her smile down as something he might have seen in a mirror, almost, one of the few there who could still smile, or perhaps refused not to, despite everything. here, it's bright and undeniably real, and he returns it with ease; his answering grin is equally bright and equally real.

with a chuckle, he holds out his hand for the one sheep approaching him. ] Hey, buddy.

[ and then, to kotone, ] That's real good of you. [ and yeah, he can see that tinge — he's exceptionally good at reading people's moods, had to grow up to be like that, and whoever she is taking care of them for... well. either something bad has happened to them, or they're not here anymore. ]

Yeah. Yeah, they are. So, you come here every day, then? To feed them?