[He's glad to leave the former topic behind, because this in and of itself is so very much to deal with, to take in, to process. It's not that it's exactly new, even though it's the first time Kashuu is hearing it from Souji. So many of the underlying sentiments there ring familiar to him that it would be impossible, entirely impossible, to hear this without strongly empathizing. That's all Souji ever wanted in the end, isn't it? To have a place where he would always be needed. In the moment he hears that, it's like everything else clicks into place; like every stray sentence, remark, comment, question that had been leading to this exact admission finally gets there, and the light of understanding hits him.

After a second, he reaches forward and his fingers sweep under Souji's eye as if there are still tears there to catch. His skin is dry, of course, but he still treats it as though it isn't.

(That's another thing that makes sense now - that hesitance Souji's always shown before letting himself cry, and even that's only happened twice.)]

So that guy gave you a home. [Because that's what a home is in the end, isn't it? A place where you'll belong no matter what.] ...And you didn't have to worry about that stuff anymore, right? About people treating you badly or not being loved, 'cause he'd be there for you.

[Though he can also read where Souji's fears come from regarding his sickness now, too. Something that had been meant as a reassurance could easily turn into a delicate promise with wording like that; instead of "you're okay, you're fine, stop crying", it could become "you won't be needed if you can't fulfill these terms."