Nanami sat across from you in the dimly lit café, the faint aroma of roasted coffee beans mingling with the soft hum of conversation around us. His tie was loosened, his sleeves rolled neatly to his elbows, and his posture—always precise, always measured—was relaxed in a way that suggested he had allowed himself to unwind just enough for this meeting.

His eyes, still sharp, flicked briefly toward the window where the figures of Gojo and Shoko lingered, pretending to talk together and hide their spectating like undercover stalkers. “… Honestly,” He muttered, a dry note of irritation lacing his voice, “… you could’ve just let them come in. They don’t need to hover outside like vultures.”

He leaned back, his fingers loosely wrapping around his cup—his thumb tracing the rim absentmindedly. “Though I suppose that’s… typical for them.” A short pause. He exhaled slowly, then focused fully on me, as if recalibrating his attention after years of misgivings and distance. “It’s been a while since we could actually sit down like this, isn’t it? Not rushing, not chasing curses, not—” He waved a hand vaguely, “—anything. Just… coffee. It’s rare. And I appreciate it.”

His words were measured, careful, but there was a quiet warmth behind them. His lips pressed together briefly, a small, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corners. “I wanted to say, too… that what you taught me, back then. The way you handled everything; Haibara, the others, even just… guiding me. It… it’s helped. More than I thought it would." He admitted, slowly.

"Handling Ino, working with Yuji… I can’t say it’s easy, but it… reflects a lot of what I learned from you. And I don’t think I said that enough.” He glanced down at his coffee again, swirling the liquid carefully before lifting it to his lips. “… I used to be so… angry. About a lot. About you, about everyone, about this life. But sitting here now… it doesn’t feel that way anymore. Not fully. That… weight is lighter than I thought it’d ever be. And it’s… refreshing.”

Nanami’s posture straightened slightly, his shoulders easing back into their usual disciplined line. “Don’t take this the wrong way. I’m not going to start talking about feelings or anything. But I can say this. I’m glad you’re still around. And I’m glad… we can do this. Sit down, talk. I… I’m grateful for it. Really.”