[ he's not distracted enough to not notice the glint in eichi's eyes, because-- ] You're scheming something again.

[ he's not even annoyed, it's pretty much a matter of fact way, actually. although....

eichi sure doesn't pull any punches, and perhaps keito's either gotten a little too complacent, or he's still not as comfortable with the subject as he would like because he's turning a little bit more red right now, mouth falling open in surprise because uh. he's heard eichi being eloquent but not in this way and it's surprising--

but at the very least he manages to regain enough composure to sputter out some kind of response: ]

It's different, that was because it was y-- [ and it's cut off there before keito can say something to jeopardise their relationship, something that he's fought to keep with eichi even with the incorrigible rules surrounding this place

(but eichi can probably guess, he's perceptive like that)

so keito tries to pivot away from that conversation as best as he can. ]

This mark won't let me, Eichi, even if I wanted to.