"I was not content with the way our relationship was before. To go back to just that state would honestly be more than I could bear. And so, I am deciding on the course that requires the least out of both of us, and leaves us both open to finding other options. Ones which are not bound by an ancient restriction and thus are free to progress to a satisfying ending for the both of us. I can't, and won't, be rejected as such twice. Clearly what we both would want from such a close relationship is different."

She looked Futo over, and felt a little twinge, however, of regret. She knew she was going a little overboard. But if it was going to be nothing but a hassle to try to bring things to the level she wanted to be at, then she was going to not go the path of most pain. It had always been a little difficult to deal with Futo, but Miko wasn't used to facing such rejection, and the pain involved with it. Unpleasant enough as it was, she wasn't going to continue on with it.

"You needn't go away entirely. You needn't, honestly, do anything differently with your day-to-day activities. You may be a disciple. You may be a retainer. But you have shown you can't want anything more. And so, I am adjusting accordingly. I will not send you away, you've earned your place here. But we also cannot go back to how things were before, because the natural progression and ending of all those years of growing closer was what I offered, and was rejected on. And so it was all for naught."