Chou didn't even say "oh," out loud, just let out a very soft exhale. She looked down into the water, thoughtful.

So that was it. It made sense immediately. Even more than anything Chou had had to deal with, that kind of thing was sure to turn people against you, no matter how young and innocent you were. How old was Emi when everyone found out, she wondered.

"That's a pretty stupid thing to make a fuss about, though," she said after a moment. "It's not like rotten people never come from parents with good reputations."