"Oh, you're that guy? I should've guessed." Nero seems hit by a sudden realisation, setting the brush down again to turn and regard him with surprise. The conversation was definitely coming back to him now, and even back then, Ken had made it obvious he wanted to be taken more seriously than his age. It lined up with how he'd acted just now.

Too bad Nero isn't often the best at taking things seriously.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me," he winks. "You know, about wanting to pet animals and stuff."