Despite the joke, there was nothing but warmth in his eyes as he accepted the melonpan. Instead of diving in immediately, he turned the pastry in its wrapper with surprising care. Carefully, almost ceremonially, he folded it in half—custard peeking slightly from the top portion—before gently peeling the wrapper down around the still-intact lower half.

Then, with a little grin and childlike brightness, he held that second half out to Kuon.

"Share?"