Nozomi freezes in place, not from the force of Eli's grasp so much as her words. Her head is hot and heavy, and she doesn't know how to make sense of them -- there's a strange, almost hopeful dip in her stomach, but unable to pinpoint its source, she can only think of it as irrational. Even her own emotions are jumbled up beyond recognition. She doesn't know what to say to any of this -- she doesn't even know what to feel.

But if Eli wants her to stay, she'll stay.

"Th-then..." Nozomi swallows through the hot bile climbing up her throat, still not turning back around. "What am I supposed to do?"