I know that. [ There's an insistence in his words, as if he doesn't need to be told this. He doesn't. He knows already. ] But I can't talk about my own loss. Not when it stares me in the face every now and again.

[ Like right now, for instance. ]

Being able to listen to him means that I have to be able to respond back. That I have the chance to talk to him properly. As I was, then, I couldn't. Not while everyone was there, not while- [ not while you were there. ] I can't... be a bad host to everyone, it isn't fair to their feelings, either.

I wanted to talk to him about it properly, but...

[ Lost opportunities. ] "There's a time and place for everything, but not now."

[ It seems that he's quoting something, a phrase that Nanami might recognize that he's pulling from, in fact. ]

Besides, I feel like it wouldn't be fair to him, either, if I listened to him in the state I was in. I'd be listening... but not listening. I don't want to do that to him. I care about him so much, after all. I want to help him. I want to be by his side forever.

I can't-- [ His voice cracks like tiles and there's something about his demeanor that seems almost fragile. ] I can't just be useless to him. I can't let my own hurt get in the way of that. After all, I'm not just "Hinata Hajime".