[ Oh. Kaoru blinks, then says in a rush- ] I mean, I thought. I was being serious but I thought you were joking! About the whole... being a fan thing. And, um... I don't know. I didn't mean to... I should've asked.

[ That was semi-coherent, right? Kaoru shakes his head, then asks, as if the idea has just struck him: ] So you were okay with that?