"Exactly! Fair's fair," she repeated, content with the exchange and understanding. Getting Maruki not to be so distant... it's fine if it costs her opening up about some things. She can trust it won't hurt the people she's hiding that pain from.

Age doesn't seem to register with her much - she'd befriended Tanaka, Mutatsu, Bunkichi, Mitsuko... she'd opened up a little to them and them to her in turn.

"We both need a friend we can talk to about this stuff."