He ducked slightly when the water ran over him, jarred out of his increasing melancholy long enough to sigh and reach up to rub his face.

"I am complaining over trivial things. I apologize. I believe I get on well enough with most of the people I meet, honestly. I do not know why I am having so much trouble. I did not think I was particularly resistant to communicating with others, but I do not like making house calls uninvited. I have allowed my doors to remain open to others, but it is difficult for me to make the same concessions in etiquette. I rarely find that I have anything to talk about with them. Speaking of their cultures always seems to upset them and that is the only thing I can question and discuss. Their private lives are simply that, and my interest or advice is rarely welcome," he sighed, describing at length only a few of his problems, but enough to emphasize that there really was one.

"I am not good at small talk, Kaoru. I am not...hm. I was never a very good noble."