Oh, hell. She's going to have to actually say it. A tsundere's worst nightmare... Part of her wonders if Nozomi's doing this to her on purpose. Mami definitely would, if the mood took her.

But. After facing down the regret of having never properly replied to what Yondu had told her -- This is the kind of thing she needs to get better at. This is the best way to make sure she doesn't have that kind of regret again. Even if trying to get herself to say it feels worse than pulling teeth.

"I wasn't about to leave you out here like that." That's the first step. That's the easier thing to say. And she tries to use it to ramp herself up for the next. "What kind of friend would I be if I did?"

Nozomi said best friend, but from Kyoko, friend, out loud, is just as big.