[He cuts himself off, though, clearly trying to figure out what to do with this information; after a moment, his stance tightens up again, the usual severity present across his features.]

You really are too kind to me, Naegi-kun, but I'm...very glad to hear that you consider us to be friends - I'm incredibly grateful to you for it!

[He turns back to the board then, darkening some of the words that aren't quite as firmly-written, tracing over them again as he thinks.]

Before what happened back at the Academy, I'd never had anyone that I could call a friend; my brother was the first. I tried talking to others at my old school, but conversations never got far; after a while they would avoid speaking to me, if possible, and I was never really sure why - it troubled me, of course, but that was just how things were back then.

But my brother changed that, and you've changed that - I'm always going to be grateful that I've met you, Naegi-kun!