Rafael took a single, small step to close the distance between them. Something sad crept into his eyes as he watched his one-time acquaintance, as he glimpsed what lingered in that sad expression. He slipped easily into Spanish, though every word still held a hint of his own mother tongue.
"Te perdono, por supuesto. Eso no significa que tenemos que ignoran." He looked back toward the party. Even those who had noticed their exit did not seem to be interested now. His teeth worried at his lower lip. This had gone well enough, and some part of him knew he should count that as a blessing and leave. They owed one another nothing, after all, and even this small thing felt like too much to ask. But for some reason -- shared history, perhaps, and a knowledge of at least a few of one another's secrets -- he could not walk away. "Solo quiero un nuevo comienzo. Eso es todo."