He'd briefly been lost for words when faced by that call of his name, balking with his voice caught in his throat; on some level he'd been prepared for such a vivid recreation of this memory to hurt, but his chest felt even tighter than he'd anticipated, having Reiji once more look at him without even the slightest trace of resentment. And while he might have eventually found his voice, even if left to his own devices ... that little push from Emet-Selch certainly helps.

The flourish of glamour is enough to earn a startled little jolt. But when he looks down at himself to realize what Emet-Selch has done, then back up to see Reiji innocently asking him what's wrong, it's hard to stay angry. The look that the now-much-younger-looking Gen shoots Emet-Selch is equal parts flustered, awkward, and grateful before he trots forward to devote his full attention to the conjuration once more.

And this time, with his mind better jogged by that little parlor trick, Gen plays along properly. There's a better sense that the memory is flowing as intended when Gen goes along with what that phantom version of Reiji says -- listening to the talk about videogames, asking him who roughed him up this time, ordering the other boy to tell him right away next time.