"Tell me. D-do you l-love me even if it's a little bit?" As Rima asked this, her voice stuttered due to her anxiousness. After asking her question, she stared into his eyes with a face full of expectations.
Max's expression turned stiff when he heard her question. He hadn't expected her to ask this and was caught off guard.
The light in Rima's eyes dimmed down when she saw his expression. However, after she noticed that he was merely surprised, she sighed in relief and continued to stare at him.
After his initial surprise died down, Max sighed inwardly. Then, he took a deep breath, cupped her face in his hands, looked into her beautiful eyes glimmering with anticipation, and nodded, "Yes, I d-do."
When Max nodded, his heartbeat quickened, and he was a bit unnerved because this was his first time admitting his feelings to a girl. However, after he said, 'Yes, I do.', he was relieved.