"Naturally," he admits smoothly, without a hint of self-consciousness. Then he switches tactics. "Of course, that's not the only factor. Is it so hard to believe that I care for you?"

This is one part of Shinjirou he hasn't spent much time exploring yet: how he responds to concern, to affection, to love. It's something Jade had been purposefully avoiding; it seems unnecessarily cruel to manipulate him in this manner, even for his purposes. But what he's doing right now is just an investigation. Not manipulation. He can always brush it off with a haha, just kidding later.