[ He offers the same humorless smile. Kei, in turn, had meant his comment to be a joke about being uncertain how a Catholic should view others looking to him with cult fascination. If anything, he merely mused more about what "others" meant to him, and he pulled Elda into his musings. ]

I repeat what I said before, Elda. I focus mostly on myself since I consider myself a bit of a mystery... when I muse aloud about what I think about others... they tend to make the sort of expression that you do. [ His expression softens. Slightly. ] It's not my intention to cut deep into you or your relationships. It's more... well... you don't need to think the way that I do.

[ A beat. ] Nor do you have to let my thinking color the way you view the world and what you love. Just because you cannot convince me of your line of thinking doesn't make your thinking wrong.