[Kei is being charming and playful again! Kaoru decides he didn't end that all a moment too soon; any later would just have been prolonging Kei's suffering.]

Hey, don't give me too much of a hard time about that. You didn't get to choose to be related to Akiteru-san, right?

[He's teasing back, because of course he actually likes Kei's older brother. He inadvertently embarrasses Kei so much and gives Kaoru lots of stories about his brother's childhood. But he sobers up, too, because he knows what Kei needs to hear.]

I think you were amazing. Just like I knew you would be. [He smiles.] She liked you. Everyone liked you. But I like you most of all.