[Jade takes the lecture without a complaint. He can't very well argue, and while he could explain his logic at the time, there's nothing to say she hasn't already heard. It had been the lesser evil, they were out of options, it was the only way... No, Anise wouldn't be happy with that, and it wouldn't do any good to defend himself anyway.

Being lectured doesn't sting nearly as much as the soft confession that follows it. For a moment, Jade is at a loss. Withdrawing clearly wasn't the right thing to attempt, and he can't erase what happened. So what can he do?

But at the end of the day, he already knows.]

Alright, alright. I'm sorry. [This apology isn't heavy like the previous one. The old mischievous grin is back, as though Anise had just caught him stealing from the cookie jar.] If it makes you feel any better, I'm not in a rush to take up the villain role a second time. Even if I am rather proud of my evil laugh.♥

[This is his job. Smiling when he shouldn't and always, always bouncing back. Being the one that never breaks.]