[There's a loud thump on the other line. As though the person in question had slumped, hard, onto the ground.

Silence.]

She collapsed last week. I went to see her, and...

[That wet sound again. A loud swallow.]

She's okay. She'll be okay. She'll be okay.

[Who was he trying to reassure: Kacchan, or himself?]

It's just her heart. She can't really have much stress or move herself around for a while, so I've been taking care of everything. Cooking. Cleaning. Money. Look, I'm sorry, I should have said something to you, I would have, but--

[A pause.]

I wanted to wait until I got settled in, but then things just kept piling up, and I just...