[Ryou's very quiet now, not sure what to say for fear of setting the spirit off again. He lets the spirit speak, then finally responds, still hesitant but unwilling to let his friends get called out like this.]

...They helped me, when I barely knew what was happening with you and the Ring. And I...I was okay with staying back, if it meant they could go.

[If his crying as he ran away that day was any indication, no, he wasn't okay with being left out. Ryou has a habit of self sacrificing for others, sacrificing his happiness, even his very soul during that Monster World game, to help those he cares about.

And really, considering how lonely he was by the time he found out just why all his previous friends were comatose, was it any surprise he latched onto his current group of friends after they helped to free him that day?]