He'd been so quick to get to his feet and bow, it's only on the way back up that he really sees who he's partnered with. "...Aikawa?" And then he's... not straightening up the entire way. He's kind of cringing. The last time they'd seen each other, it was in Junior High, at graduation, and it had been awkward and awful and he'd never kept in touch either because of it or in spite of it.... where can he even go with this?

"...it's been a while." And when he straightens up, he has a perfectly straight, slightly judgemental look on his face. Let's get all the bad feelings out of the way. They've got to have enough of that to at least pass half the exam.