'I don't know' wasn't 'No,' so that response was comforting all on its own. If Shinji had had a firm opinion on the subject already, Kai would have nipped it in the bud right there. There'd be no need to let that particular bloom happen.

But... maybe! Maybe.

"Like... us," Kai said after a moment, regarding Shinji fondly as he said it. Like two friends that tripped and fell into something More along the way. That happening even once had seemed incredibly wild. Hell even having more than one close friend had seemed like an impossibility, so what did he even know about anything at all?

"I dunno if that'd be like... weird?"