That's right. [Akira doesn't look up as he checks on the rice. Probably a few more minutes. His voice is nice and even, without any inflection as he continues.] If you don't come by at least every other week, you'll give Maruki-sensei empty nest syndrome.

[And he's going to leave it there. He intends to. He should. But the words creep out of him anyway, almost as if he has no control over them.]

...And I'll be disappointed too, if I don't get to share a meal with you every once in a while.