[Oh no. Oh no. This is bad. The way Touya looks around, studying different parts of the room, means he's actually trying to analyze whatever Hikaru is rambling about. It's how he behaves during a game when Hikaru plays something that will only be relevant fifty hands in and he has to figure out what Hikaru is up to. Hikaru is fully expecting Touya to cut through the bullshit for the both of them, reframing the story to fit them instead, but then... but then, like gravity going sideways, Touya decides to play along with his ruse, at least for the time being. He asks about the girl and Hikaru wants to yell at him, panicky and on his last nerve, that there is no goddamn girl. And he wants to yell at Touya for not looking like as much of a hazy daydream as before. He wants to yell about how he doesn't know what he's doing and this is all his father's fault anyway and he doesn't want to make any promises he can't be sure he'll keep forever. All this agony translates into the tight clenching of his hands, under the water, and the bow string's vibration in between his shoulder blades. Anyone else would know what to say, and how to say it, with less of a crisis along the way. Anyone else would be able to protect Touya's softest smile.

At a loss for what else to do, he tries to keep the narrative going:]

I've never met her, personally, but he told me a few things about her, like... they, uh... the first time they met was when... [and his mind pinwheels through the possibilities, all of them too obvious. There's still a chance Touya is taking this nonsense literally. Still a chance.] They both like to play soccer, if I'm remembering right, and they met each other when they were on opposing teams, and it was like, this, uh... [So much for subtlety. Fuck.] He did something to upset her badly, back then, and that's why he's... trying not to upset her again, just in case... there's... in case she's not looking for a long-term relationship. And I was like, what's this, are you some kind of coward? What's the worst she could say if you asked her out? But I could tell he was really worried about... [Touya-sensei is undoubtedly responsible for the aneurysm that's building inside his brain.] Apparently, she's a very serious person when it comes to soccer--and school, too--but she's definitely stuck on the soccer, just can't get enough of soccer. I used to play a decent game of soccer, you know, before I got into Go, but yeah, she's... She's smart and studious, but she can be a lot of fun to be around, and I said he's pretty lucky to have someone like that, because not everyone can... have someone like that. The sort of person that fills every space inside you.

[Hikaru's voice has climbed back down from its highest perch, and it's very soft and careful now, as much as he can make it. It's the harmless soap suds clinging to his forearms, or maybe the sensation of Touya's hair tickling his face when they've tilted their heads together. He closes his eyes for an overly long moment, remembering the last time they did that, and when they open up again, they're a cloudy green color. Self-doubt. Uncertainty. But he's trying not to let it slow him down any.]

I'm not being ridiculous, [he says quietly, again.]