Hershel paused a moment before his tone softened. "Heiji, I meant to ask, are you alright? I know I saw you and Colette around sometimes." He wasn't sure if they were close but they seemed closer than Heiji was with the other people who left, besides Akiko but that was a whole other matter. It had to hurt to see her go if he was.

"Aoi surprised me the most, yes, she seemed too energetic to suddenly succumb to something like this."