[ She might not be a mind reader, but she sure as hell can come certainly close.

That's what happens when you know too much, after all; when you're able to see everything, even how a person thinks.

And Inaba herself - well. She can't say that she doesn't sympathize with the thought, when she's had those horrible, terrible thoughts.

'This sucks. God, I'm trash.'

'Then again... I guess anything's better than letting her get too close to a monster like me.

'A monster like her was better off spending the rest of her days hiding out in her room with the lights off.

They were out of her league.'

But she takes a deep breath, trying to cool those thoughts, push them at the back of her mind. No, she's not like that. People care about her a lot, after all. Even if she's alone here, she still has those kind memories that allow her to connect to others.

And more than that... she can use them to connect with him.

Even if the thought of that is selfish. ]

I do know. Or, well... maybe I'm just being presumptuous. But the Atsushi that I knew always tried to protect me. And even when I knew about the tiger, even though I was scared...

... I always wanted to help.

[ That hasn't changed, even now. She still does want to help. After all, isn't that why she's decided to use her nullification in this way in spite of how much she's despised supernatural abilities? ]

I still want to. If I have to, I'll figure out a way to kick the ass of the voice that torments you. Even if it means I have to hold you like this the whole time, or I have to tell an embarrassing story. I'll do it.