Togusa caught up with Paz in the elevator to the parking garage. Paz's perpetual smirk looked strained, his eyes slightly glazed. Togusa pressed the button and leaned against the wall. "Are you all right, man?"
"Is she pissed?"
"No. Well, maybe. It's hard to tell, you know her." Togusa tilted his head back wearily. "You know this has torn her up more than any of us. It has to be like losing a limb, they were so connected. She just...can't show it."
"I know. It's frustrating, is all." Paz stared over Togusa's shoulder. "It wasn't supposed to happen this way."
"What wasn't supposed to happen this way?"
"Them. We would have to be deaf, blind and stupid not to see how nuts he was for her. And she was supposed to notice too, someday. I mean, who else is there for her? Or for him? Someone in Section 9 should get a happy ending, at least."
"Aw, Paz." Togusa couldn't keep from smiling. "You're a romantic."
"Shut up."
"I know what you mean, though. I think we all thought the same thing. We were all rooting for them, secretly."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah."
"Jesus." Paz shook his head wryly. "What a bunch of idiots we are."