" - yeah, sure." Again, his straightforwardness startles bare truth from her. "I mean - no, but like. I can keep on top."

There's been way too much for her to ever be okay again. But it's horrified her to realize - she was trained for this. This was what 'jisan had meant, all those years.

"That's what the meditation is for, right?" she adds, with a touch of humour to disguise how tired she is.