Of course, Minato's intentions had never been to "mess with" Izaya at all. He was sincere, he was truthful, and he was truly kind--all he wanted was to be able to understand and give Izaya what he wanted. It was the exact wish he had for everyone. He just wanted to let people make their choices and give them the best opportunity to make "good" ones.

That was all he had ever asked of people, out of his very short life.

Izaya's words did catch him off guard, entirely for that reason. They had had little to do with the conversation thus far--at least, as far as Minato could tell. But...see him cry, huh?

Minato couldn't remember the last time he had cried. It certainly hadn't been when he was six, standing amidst the wreckage of a car accident alone and changed. No, he had not cried then. And he had not cried since.

He doubted Izaya could make him cry. He did not doubt that Izaya could make him hurt; he did not doubt that Izaya was a man to, perhaps, be feared (only he was not afraid of him). But he doubted that Izaya could make him cry.

So he didn't respond to that. By the time he had thought it through, Izaya was already speaking again, and thus he did not need to respond. But he did not forget it, the words tucked in the back of his mind, his Personas humming warnings and reassurances in his head all at once.

And his words, when Minato did speak, were simple, straightforward. "It would be more peaceful elsewhere, to be honest; I'm sure there will be a lot of people at the dorms. I don't have a preference, though. It's up to you."

After all, Minato had never really had a preference. Not on anything.