...You've a point there. Better that I suffer a little embarrassment than the city suffers another attack...

[He peels the damp shirt from his skin and shakes some of the moisture out from the collar... but eventually he just starts to shrug it off his shoulders completely and lets out a sigh.

A sigh that seems to bring the glimmering backdrop back into focus behind him.]

Though I have to wonder what inspired you to mention the latter. Does that have anything to do with Valentine's Day? [After a short pause.] I would not know. This world's the first I've heard of it.