[There's an audible intake of breath when Hinata mentions that this game was worth it for the chance to meet everyone, and Faize brings his left hand (the one that still has that flowery hairtie wound around it) up to clutch at the front of his vest, directly over his heart. And for a second, his eyes flash again.]

It was...so much easier to say that, weeks ago. [There's a rueful tone to his words, seemingly self directed. He'd told Alisha almost that...when was that? It seems so long ago. So much longer than a matter of weeks. And here he is now...basically saying the exact opposite. That it'd be better if none of this had ever happened.] I...

[...]

[.......]

[He doesn't know what. He doesn't know what else to say. Because Hinata is right, and he knows it. But at the same time, he just wants the pain to go away. His pain. Hinata's pain. Alisha's pain...everyone. Because there's not a single person here who hasn't suffered in some way over this stupid game. And it's not fair. It's not right. Worst of all, there's nothing he can do about it. He's too weak.]

[After a moment, he just sighs, letting go of his shirt and just seeming to kind of deflate entirely.]

...you're right, of course. I know that. Just like I know that, powerful though they are, neither Katerina nor these "patron sins" cannot truly grant my desire. Surely, if they were capable of something like that...we wouldn't be in this situation at all. I know this, and yet... [He shakes his head with a self-depreciating little laugh.]

My heart is just too weak, I suppose. There is nothing else you could call it, for considering something like this. Even for a moment...