[It's been so long since he saw his Aoko at home reach out to him like that, worried and asking for the reassurance of a friend. It almost takes him off guard, before he remembers that once upon a time he was her best friend.]

Am I-- yeah. [a pause; he thinks he knows why she asked] Kaito Kuroba, just... a few years older than you're used to, I think.

[he lifts a hand and scratches the back of his head awkwardly. It's been a while since he's felt like this]

Look, this is gonna sound really weird, but even if I am Kaito, I'm not the same one you know.