It would have been better then saying nothing. [Although that probably would have hurt a whole lot more then her just leaving did, but he's ignoring that fact.]

And I've had so many girlfriends in the past. You know, while I was exiled and on the run. [And Zuko is going to stop flinging fire at Katara in favour of making that ice spike melt. He'd prefer not to have it go through his head.]