Even as Ken's fingers pull away from Chikusa's beanie, the other teenager is already reaching up to grab onto the offending hand, and his lips puff out just a little bit. It's more the principle of the thing than any idea that Ken would really mess with his beanie. He knows his partner, after all.

And his partner knows him... although, Chikusa has to admit, there are some things he's kept quiet from him, and most others. It's what has his sulky look ease up, something blanker and more thoughtful in its place as he stares down at Ken. It's almost funny that he would say something like that. After all.... "Because Ken," he says quietly, after a long moment of deciding, "has always been better than me." His gaze drifts back to the hand he has captured in his own, thumb rubbing circles against skin idly. "In a lot of things... I thought."