[ He's not sorry at all. She'd be able to guess that no matter how good he was at lying. Whatever that was, it was a convenient enough excuse to not talk about the thing they were supposed to talk about, wasn't it?

... How are they supposed to now? Now that she's fully bled her heart out all over him? Now that she knows -

Well. She's going to do her best to not think too hard about all of that. Just because she's done her best to understand doesn't mean she has to like all of what she's come to know.

(Besides. Even if he was stupid enough to ask, the last thing someone like Ai could give him - or anyone - is love.)

(Somehow, thinking about it like that makes it easier to start talking.) ]

We can try... other ways.

[ She blurts it out quick, like she wants to get it said before she loses her nerve. ]

There have to be others. I know Nagiko-chan and Hibiki-chan have something that works for them, so...

[ Surely there must be plenty of pairs in the same situation - compatible as Master and Servant but not necessarily as people. At least not like that. ]

I'll figure... something out. I won't let you disappear.