[He had hoped that Scott would understand...or rather, maybe he suspected as much. Whatever the case, he's still grateful for those words, and he nods to show that appreciation.]

Thanks, [he says softly, but it's the rest of it that's sitting with him. He's never once regretted the way that Inaba has changed him, wholly, fundamentally. But it's true that this feeling is part of why he built up those walls in the first place. Saying goodbye, being hurt, missing people...it all seemed too painful to keep going through, and not worth the effort.]

No, it's not. [He sighs a bit, fiddling with his straw.] ... I used to avoid it. Getting to know people. It hurt to say goodbye, to think about being forgotten...so I just never got close to people. Loneliness felt easier.

[Was it worth it, in the end? Usually, his answer is yes, an absolute. That certainty is a little shaken, in this moment.]

... But it hurts either way, in the end. I guess you can't avoid it.