[ There's a soft blink as he feels Jonathan's hand, and he's briefly looking at him as though he's just...

... Maybe a little surprised he's there?

A few more blinks and it should be clear he's finally realizing what even happened here. ]

It was- [ gently, wryly smiling ] ... Sometimes-

[ Deep breath... calm down... ]

Sometimes, I get stuck in those trials, as though they're happening all over again. I lose track of time or forget what I was doing, altogether. Well...

[ There's the hint of something bitter surfacing. ]

It's really only one trial, since... I can only remember one, clearly. The trial that ended with the person I love-... [ ........... ] -dying.

[ He's tense now. ]

Voting wrong in the mall meant everyone but the true culprit dying. And, because he was the one who'd wound up killing in an attempt to save his mother and friends... [ unsteady breath ] ... I chose to fight it, because three weeks had been more than enough anyway. [ gritting his teeth, briefly ] And everyone just... followed along, just as prepared to die. So Kurama... he...

[ He doesn't seem to notice his hands are trembling. ]

... chose to take his own life, to keep us alive.