"That makes sense," he says, his answer short and lame but acknowledging Minato's reasoning all the same. He couldn't agree more, anyway; Akihiko was like a bullet in how he shot forward once he decided on a part of a thought, but Mitsuru seemed to live her life with a different kind of conviction.

Of course Minato would be the one allowed to see past that. He can understand that, he thinks, with Minato's arm around his shoulders, feeling warmer and more relaxed than he thinks he has in years. He shifts only enough to grab the Gekkoukan jacket thrown on the bed beside them and to reach into his hoodie's pocket, pulling out the slightly-wrinkled SEES band.

"I took it off, when I decided -- it felt wrong to wear it and-- ... Can you put this on again? "