"Do I need a reason?" He looks away, his expression tightening. "That's a really hard question to answer, you know."

He hadn't really thought about it. Just that he wanted to do it. Which was really how he ran his life; if he wanted to do something, he'd do it. Usually that something benefited him in some way. Even buying things for people benefited him a little.

But he doubted Aki wanted to hear that.

"I wanted to. If you mean you specifically...'cause we're a lot alike. And Rudger isn't here breathing down my neck, telling me what to do. And you're an interesting person, Izayoi-san."