If there's something Shinji had always been able to count on Kai for, it's being honest with him. Yes, he probably did do some harm, but not a catastrophic amount. Maybe not even as much as he might think, he won't really know either way until he can confront Kyoko directly, but... it's an encouraging thought nonetheless.

The second sentiment is harder to swallow, though. It's pretty much antithetical to how he's been trying to conduct himself, and the idea that there might be a good amount of running away seems like the kind of thing that would be incredibly difficult for someone like him to gauge. If he internalizes that too deeply, surely it would only lead to trouble.

"Maybe," he relents, knowing that Kai wouldn't intentionally ead him astray. "Still felt wrong of me."