And Goro heads to the fridge, not for the leftovers that are always in there (still curry most of all), but for the doings for miso soup—fresh, if you please, and not out of a packet. It's one of the first things he learned from his mother. He sets them down on the counter as he talks; there are more of them than you might think.

He has a familiar sense of being put on the spot; it vibrates against his skin. "I'm glad you're feeling better, anyway," he says, closing the fridge door and looking for a pan. "Hey, do you mind if I ask you something?"

Ominous.