Okay.

[But he still doesn't say anything immediately, taking a few seconds to organize his thoughts, return his gaze to the ocean. Even after speaking about it with Komaeda at the sleepover the night before, there's so much that he's fully aware his mind has repressed in an effort at self-protection. A futile effort to preserve something that's already been manipulated and played with long before his time in the dreamscape.]

I tested something. While you were gone. I tried to use heavy sedation to avoid entering the dreamscape. The logic being that if I remained in the lowest level of the sleep cycle, it would be impossible to dream.

But what I experienced instead... I lost myself. Overwhelmed with pain and fear, being torn apart piece by piece.

[He shivers, suddenly chilled himself as he keeps staring at the ocean, intentionally reaching deeper, forcing himself to remember what he'd felt.]

You... were trying to help everyone, weren't you? Your text. You tried to use your powers, right...?

Did something like... what happened to me happen to you, too?