Even if he hadn't known for sure that there was someone out there Kyoko loved, Kai would have known there was someone better out there for her. There was someone better out there for Shinji, too. Kai had just been lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time-- he wasn't giving that up. At least there were other ways to try and make both of them happy.

"Shinji..." He was really, truly, far too good him. Kai knew it deep down in his bones. "I'll... play it by ear. See if it ever feels right, I guess." He couldn't say he could think of a time when that would be, but who knew for sure.

"Thanks. I'm not... I don't take your trust lightly, you know?"