Huh.

Maruki considered her words, his mind following slowly in comparison to how it would usually work- given that he sort of correlated their meaning regardless of his own belief in it.

About someone being at a crossroads, and having to choose which way to move forward.

Fascinating.

He...did find himself at the crossroads. And when Ichinose walked in at the cross, he found himself turning towards his dream again. She understood why he did what he did. Why this research meant everything to him and while he can try talking and comforting as many people as he can, he will always miss someone who was either too buried under unfair circumstances to make it out on the surface or didn't find themselves opening up.

Like Ichinose herself.

He took a long bit of a pause where he parsed what she meant.

"A choice can have a major domino effect and keeping things vague enough...maybe that's how the future works as well?" He tilts his head and the more he thinks about the fact that Ichinose is the lovers...he couldn't help but laugh.
"It's somehow both bizarre and somehow believable. Cognitive pscience truly is...eye opening."

"Though the romance aspect is a bit concerning..."