"Uh—no, it's not... an inconvenience," he said, aware that a nurse was watching. He didn't want to give the impression that he was an easy target, but there was nothing he could do to gainsay a nurse, either. On the other hand, it wasn't like talking to people was some great imposition.

"How have you been?" Miketsukami hadn't had any visible wounds the last time Ryusei had had a glimpse of him, but maybe that had changed. Something had, at least; unless he wasn't remembering correctly, Miketsukami's voice hadn't seemed so soft before. Then again, the biggest impression Miketsukami had made was when he'd been ordering Ryusei to run.

Maybe it was a disguise. "I hope things have been going well?"