[At first, Yoosung forces a two-second apologetic smile, because of course Mishima wouldn't have known to expect this. He certainly didn't, when they were in 'school' together, and it just kind of came out all at once... but the gesture he makes next stops his smiles and tears, leaving him with just his mouth hanging open in a moment of speechlessness. To be seen as "awesome" instead of a fool throwing away his life, like always. To validate him while sharing the comfort of his body temperature - yeah, it's just holding his hand, not much different from the handshake they'd shared before, but he has new eyes with which to view such a gesture. He sees the abyss in human contact he was supposed to have, should have had with her, and needs very badly now. Yoosung hiccups and his fingers wrap around it like a lifeline. He doesn't see how he could be awesome when he had lost so much, but the offering itself is precious. He might actually be a loser, and his submission the ultimate result of his stagnation winning out, but... he never was a "bad person," right? Maybe he can believe that much... or maybe not.]

I-I don't know... I think I was just desperate... I endured the pain but I didn't have any better ideas. If I'd been smarter... or tougher... if I'd tried to kill him then m-maybe it wouldn't have ended this way...If Grantaire was allowed to kill me for whatever the hell it was...

[then surely Yoosung could have at least considered getting his hands dirty, he means. What ways could he have saved her? What timelines could he have jumped into? If only... if...]

In the end, do you think my love carried over? Did I ... really do good... I just want to know that I wasn't worthless!