“When will it cross your mind that I don’t want you to say anything at all? You’re wasting your own time and breath. If I wanted to listen to you drown in your own self-pity, I would’ve…”
She paused, realizing her own rising blood pressure and quickened heartbeat, forcing herself to take a deep breath and calm down. The last thing she wanted to do was to fan the flames of discord. Her gift had been intended as an olive branch in the first place and the fire was doing quick work of her peace offering without assistance.
“For a detective, you certainly like to assume quite a lot that has never been spoken. You seem to think that our relationship was nothing but one-sided interest. Well, you’re wrong. So whatever vindication you have that you think justifies your claims might need a second look. I’m not going to stand here and argue something that you have never even had the courage to ask about.
"So if all you want is to take out your frustrations then you should find someone who knows even less about the situation than you do.”
She didn’t want him to speak. She didn’t care about what he was feeling, or why. Each word lashed at him, dug at those scars, reaffirmed what he’d been afraid of all along. Worse, she was right about everything, and he knew it. The detective took a step back and shook his head.
“Why don’t you tell me then, Koizumi-san? Why don’t you explain to me what it is that I’m missing? Tell me the answer to what I was too terrified to ask. Please clarify. Tell me, once and for all, what it was that I meant to you. If you wanted to clear the air, here’s your chance."