[Gokudera tried to think of something... to play off his actions as 'something anyone would do', like he'd done when Nagisa asked. His heart had to be beating like a hammer now, and the only recourse left was honesty. Painful, horrible honesty that ... that maybe wasn't so bad at all.]

I - I really like you too, Makoto. I have for a while now ... BUT! But I wasn't doing any of that to try to 'win you over' or anything! [Suddenly aware that maybe his actions could be construed that way, Gokudera wanted to make sure Makoto knew that wasn't it.] Or, to make you feel obligated or - I just ... when you smile, it made me feel like maybe things here weren't so bad and that everything would be alright, and I wanted to keep you smiling. That's all.