"I appreciate that you're talking to me more," she said, shifting the topic suddenly. "Not gonna lie, I thought you were pissed off at me that I didn't get it or something last week."

"No, I'm not. Communication isn't exactly my most marketable skill," I finished with a slight nervous chuckle.

"Yeah... what changed?"

"Huh?"

"It's not just that you're talking more. You, like, also sit up straight and aren't avoiding eye contact anymore," she observed.

"I... honestly don't know." I started slowly, looking at the ground in thought. "I think I just had... an epiphany."

"What's that?"

"Like, a breakthrough, a sort of 'eureka!' moment. I just..." I just...