"Stop it!" Even though the smacks could be taken as somewhat affectionate, Alastair hated being rebuffed as though he were some child. He shoved back after the second hit and faced Saitou with more bravery than he'd shown in the past week to anyone. "I don't need you patronizing me! It doesn't matter how much or how little he was thinking, Kyosuke's thrown me aside and doesn't want to have anything to with me anymore and you have no idea how much that hurts!"

It all just slipped out, really. Alastair had no idea whether Saitou had ever guessed what the two of them were up to behind his back. It didn't matter. Alastair was angry and depressed and Saitou would probably just punch him if he said the wrong thing.