[ Kaoru clicks his tongue in feigned annoyance even as he melts easily in Kojiro's arms. It hadn't felt like a quick decision for him, but he's also intimately familiar with his own mental process as well as how long he's been thinking of these things. To Kojiro, maybe Kaoru had never even given thought to being out together; to Kaoru, it's been on his mind almost as long as they've been dating. ]

I know you're not as familiar with the concept of quick thinking, but it is just one benefit of high intelligence. [ He tilts his head back against Kojiro's shoulder and turns to kiss beneath his jaw in a silent sign that he's ribbing him rather than intending to actually insult. The shift from their dynamic before still astounds him, because they still bicker, but now he can reassure Kojiro through physical signs that it's all teasing and Kaoru's own struggle with allowing himself to be vulnerable. ]

If you plan on letting me win, there's no point in claiming the forfeit. I'm not a thief, after all, so I won't be stealing the race.

[ Going silent for a moment, he covers Kojiro's hands with his own where they rest on his body with their large span and warm weight. Joking about this is fine and all, but he knows that they need to have a serious conversation about the potential consequences of being a little less secretive. ] I need you to be serious...