[Akechi focuses on watching the onions in the pan to avoid looking at Akira, but he does listen. He always listens, even when he knows the words aren't things he wants to hear. Aren't things he's prepared to hear. He licks his lips absently, shifting his weight back to both feet so he isn't touching Akira, outside of their hands which are still loosely tangled.]

I wanted to be. [A hero. He admits to it, because he figures especially to Akira, it's obvious. Nearly all of them had seen him for what he was by the time he was declaring himself in the engine room, and if Sakamoto Ryuji could figure him out, there was no way Akira hadn't. He lets that be all he says for a long time, trying to not hate the taste it leaves in his mouth too much, and he finally looks up to meet Akira's eyes, if only briefly.] ...I didn't plan for it to be "almost". You misunderstand me-- I wanted to repay a debt, yes, and I knew I could entrust handling Shido to you, but... [He shakes his head slowly.] I don't know that I wanted to die, specifically, but I was so completely and utterly exhausted. I just wanted everything to stop.