A smile -- part relief and part gratitude and part genuine amusement -- broke across Ken's face. He nodded in acknowledgment and said brightly, "Probably even Koromaru too." He glanced down at the dog that followed him like a shadow, though his canine friend seemed to miss the joke and merely tilted his head. Then the boy's gaze returned to Dorian. Normally, he drank coffee when he studied at home, but he actually preferred the milder taste of hot tea and the drink sounded very appealing. "If you don't mind," he answered earnestly, "That would be nice."
He took a few steps away to place the spear he carried on the table near his stack of books, since there was clearly no reason to weild it here, then turned back. The question gave him a moment of pause because he didn't want to admit that he was still a student, even if it was obvious. But the man had been kind so far and answering was a small sacrifice. "Everything? I guess. I'm trying to keep up with my lessons for school. So that when I go home..." The use of the word when rather than the word if was disingenuous and the statement caught momentarily in his throat before he could continue. "So that I'm not behind." His eyes flicked down to his shoes, but his expression remained composed and he soon looked at Dorian again. "What about you?"