[ at her yelling and sobbing, he jolts to look at her with wide eyes, shaken and ashamed of himself for making her cry, as he did with sei many times. no... no, no, no, this isn't what he wants for her to spend the christmas. after her final saying, tears bud at the corner of his eyes and fall through his cheeks. even when he doesn't love her, that same old ache hurts the same as when he found out about constance and the hoodie man.

he shares that same lump in his throat so his voice is low and different than usual. ]

I... did... I did the same with... with Kamiya-san back home. And in the end... in the end we were always back to each other. [ a step back, hands joined as if in a prayer. ] I don't expect you to understand, nor I expect you to become my Submissive once more. I'm... [ it's been a while since he cried this hard. ] ... I'm sorry for what I did to you. I... I came to visit you just to spend the day with you as friends. I did not think properly because of my intoxication.

[ he doesn't care if she pushes him, or if she slaps him or punches him or kicks him in the nuts, his arms open to wrap her frame in an embrace, a non-invasive embrace. ]

You don't have to love me anymore, if you still do so...