[ Maruki pause too, then smiles, self-effacing. ]

Well, you do always see through me...

[ Clinging, yes. Successful in it? Most people don't expect him to be. Dolph knows better, though. Of course he does. ]

I probably seem that way because Rumi let me cling to her from the moment we met. She was so much more headstrong than I was, and she had such a temper... But I loved her right away. I knew I'd marry her, even though we were just teenagers. Isn't that funny?