Again, he scans her face. There are a lot of things he could mention, but won't. "I don't want to make work for you. Besides"—and his smile begins to creep back—"I'm anxious to see how you do it. I've tasted your curry, after all."

And he liked it a lot. He heads for the stairs. "I won't be long. I'll just nap."

Once he's gone, she may or may not notice, next to the carrots he's already peeled, a sakura cutter that he neglected to mention.