"I see." Dammit. He was going to have to explain that, wasn't he. "It's... nothing that you, personally, did. My social circle is full of people who've had... strained relationships with the adults in their lives. I won't get into details because they aren't mine to share, but where I come from, and perhaps you as well, there's a cultural notion that age is somehow inherently worthy of being treated as more valuable than youth, and that children are only worth how good they can make their parents look. So the topic... touched a nerve."

Akechi took a seat, setting his cup down. "I meant what I said, however. If you want to be a flautist, don't let the notion that older people might be better at it discourage you; more than likely, if you have enough passion for it and put the time in, you'll end up better than most of them in a few years anyway."