[ straightforward and easy to understand, the young man says. kaveh brightens with something like wonder. of course he does. it is, after all, the first time he's heard someone describe alhaitham like such, in a way that kaveh has always found intuitive. ]

Yes. [ kaveh says, and brightly too. ] You know, you really are the first person that I've met who's understood him. I'm glad that the time you spent with him up until now has giving you an accurate impression of who he is. At the core of his character, Alhaitham is simple. You let him go off and explore his own interests, give him enough space to be himself, and he will inevitably think up something brilliant and unique. You can attempt to bully him into eating his metaphorical vegetables once in a while, but let it go if it doesn't work the first time around, and when he thinks he needs to, he'll loop back in time. His work is also impeccable, but only because if he doesn't do it right the first time around, someone's bound to complain and he'll waste more time having to correct it.

[ then, kaveh gives this young man a strange look. ] Now, exactly what sort of trouble have the two of you been through together for you to have such an accurate impression of Alhaitham? Were you a part of the government coup as well? He's never mentioned you, but Alhaitham never mentions anything unless you know what to ask - and I didn't know to ask about you.