Why did he have to go and talk about his parents ? Because it was one of Kiyoukiâs sore spots ? This guy was lucky that he was Kiyouki from the future or whatever. Otherwise, Kiyouki wouldâve pulled out his twin blades and started swinging by now. Strangers didnât have any right to talk about his parents !
          ââ âŠYa think I donât know that ? Itâs just ââ look, if you know that much, you know that they ainât around anymore. It doesnât matter if they loved me ââ deadâs dead. Dead people canât talk to ya, or listen to ya, or touch ya, or anything. I dunno who this guide is, but nobody whoâs alive can sub in for someone whoâs dead. You oughta know that. ââ He crossed his arms and scowled at the other man as he petted Kiyouki.
          ââ And whoâs sayinâ lifeâs dull without love, anyways ? Loveâs justâŠI dunno, itâs icky ! It makes my skin crawl ! I donât want it ! Iâd rather fight somebody or go gambling ! ââ
âI mentioned nothinâ âbout substituting, that cannot ân wonât do. Iâd tell ya to not be so hasty, though... Itâd be mega hypocritical of me.â It seems three years arenât enough to change old habits, realization dawning upon him only after meeting his snappy, itty-bitty self. Seeing his past situation, as an outsider, itâs making him reflect, a little, too.
âDummy Kiyo, I havenât forgotten how absurdly sucky it was back then, still... Tainting even the good memories, no---misusing âem as another source of bitterness, is really satisfying for ya? Is it whatchaâ truly want?â Stopping the head-pats, he resorts to pulling the boyâs cheeks, presence stern, mimicking what older folks tend to with him.
âListen tâme, kiddo, Iâll clear it up for ya. Fightinâ ân gamblinâ is fun, right? Itâs super thrilling, instant gratification, but what about the rest? A loveless life ainât âust lackinâ in relationships, itâs hollow in that ya have no aim, no passion. Distracting yourself from pain is temporary ân it ainât a solution. In fact, I, as âalmost-adult-youâ, also have a long ways tâgo...â