"I'm sorry, really," Itsuki immediately blurted out, almost before thinking about what she was going to say at all. "I've been meaning to say something, just- there's never been time, and I didn't want to have the conversation twice." The initial excuse sounded lame even to her, and she deflated.

"If I actually have any control over it, I haven't been saying anything to anyone. I just..." She shuddered, unable to control it as her mind unhelpfully reminded her what she'd seen at the same time. "I've been a little apprehensive about that conversation in this case, admittedly, because there's a lot that needs to go into it. But that's no excuse."