Altruistic
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Earlier that day, Mai asked Naru what he thought of her—in general, not in a romantic sense. She knew that she was setting herself up for another one of his backhanded comments, but she couldn't stop her morbid curiosity.
He replied with one word. "Altruistic," he said offhandedly, then continued reading the latest case's file.
It was a surprise not to hear him call her stupid or idiotic or any of the normal stuff, so she was delighted, thinking that he gave her a compliment. She basically floated with euphoria. Finally, she's getting somewhere after that damnable response to her confession.
Mai had stayed elated for the rest of the afternoon, not even yelling at Naru when he asked for tea minute after minute. Not even mad when Bou-san mussed her hair and when Yasu made a perverted comment.
Her smile was still in place as she laid down on her bed after the long day. Altruistic. She sighed in a dream-like manner, imagining she was at cloud nine. Altruistic, altruistic, altru—
Wait, what does that word even mean?
She got up from her bed, sitting up arms first, like a vampire in those old movies. She tied her blankie around her neck—just to be consistent with her role-playing fantasy—and stood up, scanning her small room with deft eyes.
"Aha, I found you!" she exclaimed, hopping to her destination. She walked to her narrow bookcase, reached up to the top shelf and grabbed the thick dictionary with both her hands.
al·tru·ism
noun \'al-trü-,i-zəm\
1 : feelings and behavior that show a desire to help other people and a lack of selfishness; unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of others
2 : behavior by an animal that is not beneficial to or may be harmful to itself but that benefits others of its species
"Aww, he thinks I'm… Wait, what? AGAIN WITH THE ANIMAL ANALOGIES?!"
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