So... According to page 29 here, she was already taking special note of certain things Kyo was doing, since she recalled being happy that he approached her in that moment. The knife for the project was just a bonus.
So, at the very least, even if she wasn't acknowledging she had feelings for him or if she even had any inklings of those sorts of feelings yet... she was already showing some sort of interest (even if it was just acknowledging his existence as a nice guy) because of him protecting her during the sports festival caterpillar race, and so was like 'yay, Ichikawa talked to me!' because of that interest.
There's also earlier on Pg23 where she comments on the fact she was also excited when he was looking at her, but she did serious face out of habit and gave the wrong impression. Despite the fact she probably formed that habit because, 'looking serious gives good impression!' thanks to her mom, which works for adults looking at a kid, I suppose, but, uh... other kids? Especially when she was just being so joyful and then the joy drains from her face? Yeah, that's going to make the other kids think they make her unhappy or some other negative emotion, as was the case with Kyo.
Still funny she doesn't remember what she asked him while her mouth was full, though. But we know now, for certain, thanks to another extra (the Q&A from two volumes ago, I believe?), that she asked that he not tell anyone about this, as in her snacking in the library.
