It's not the first, and it's unlikely to be the last time he says it, either. Every time he comes back to that thought, it continues to strike him how much more and more comfortable he is with it, after all. Whatever reservations he may still be unable to shake, they only seem to feel smaller and smaller in comparison to the merits of being here.

Merits worth sticking around for, like that hint of a smile from Kai, like those warm words settling on his heart.

"Ah," that warmth blooms up into his cheeks, but he doesn't pay it much mind this time around. "I think... no, I know I have you to thank for that."

If Kai hand't been so stubborn about making sure he was okay, Shinji would probably still be holing himself up as much as possible, keeping himself from getting to honestly enjoy the sorts of kind experiences this world and the other people brought here opened up for him. He knows he owes Kai more than he could ever repay in that respect, the least he can do is try to put that effort paid to him to good use.

"I might not ever really like myself, but even if it's really, really hard... I want to try and be a better person than I was."