After leaving Rio at Odeya's, Hank walked the streets alone. He sought to clear his mind, as his life had become a whirlwind. Eight days ago, pining for Anna had been his only joy. Now he had ten new friends, including her as both his PEP counselor and his pet. Twelve new friends if he counted Bumbles and Aika's sassy cat, Carolus. He thought about the lessons he'd learned from all of them, until Rio's cell phone rang in his pocket.

"Uh…" he stammered into it, unsure if he should have even answered. "Hello?"

Leanne instantly babbled. "Oh God, little Wan-chan! I'm so glad you're okay. We were worried, you know, Hank and I." She began blubbering next. "I can't bear the thought of losing you! Thinking you might be gone. Thinking maybe you might have died!"

Hank squeezed in a word when Leanne stopped to sniffle on a tear. "Ah… this is me, Leanne. It's Hank. Rio gave me…"

Leanne interrupted by squealing, forcing him to pull the phone from his ear. "Hank! You gorgeous man! You're my hero! You saved her! Thank you so very much!"

"Ah… yes. Well, thank you, too, but I didn't do much. We were lucky, though."

"Hank-sama, you listen and you listen good. You are my hero, and Rio's and everyone else's, and I'm gonna hug the stuff out of you the first time I get the chance."

Hank smiled warmly and teased. "Thanks for the warning, Nushi."

Another squeal flew through the phone. "It's so good to be home!" Leanne then seemed distracted "I can't wait to do you when your ass is mine!"

"Uh… excuse me?"

"What?"

"What will you what when you… What?"

"Oh. Yeah. This isn't Rio… but this is her phone."

"Yes. And this is Hank."

"Ah…yeah. Listen Hon, I'm discombobulated. I'm so tired, I scarcely know what I'm doing. Did you hear another plane fell?"

"I did. I'm very sorry."

Leanne's voice became a whisper. "I was almost on it. I took this one instead because I missed that flight."

Hank whirled on his heels and sprinted towards Milton's car. "I'm coming to pick you up. Wait for me until I get there."

"I'm sorry, Hon. That won't work."

"Why not?"

"I'm in New York or something. Maybe Newark. I don't know. Anyway, I'm in America, but I'm not near you."

Fear gripped Hank's chest. He recalled Odeya's warning about a future fifth airplane crash. "Listen, Leanne. Please be careful. If you feel the need, you call me on Rio's phone and I will take care of you."

"Hank. Love. I'm far away."

"I don't care. I'll come get you. Whatever you need, I'll do it."

"No. I'll come to you. I have a ticket, and we're boarding. I'm only calling because…"

"Has it been canceled?" Hank asked as Leanne suddenly went silent.

"No. It's just delayed. People are scared. I'm really scared."

"I am too. Come home to Rio and me."

"I will."

"I'll stay with you if you want."

"Excuse me?"

"On the phone, I mean. Forever, until you're home."

Leanne laughed long and strong. "Okay, Hon. We'll see. When I get home, you can stay with me then, too."

"Yay! Yes! I will!"

"You know, Hon, maybe I meant it when I said I can't wait to do…"

"Leanne…" Hank scolded, smiling again.

"Yeah! Ha ha! I know! But you're a hunk!" Leanne changed the subject. "Have you talked to Anna?"

"Uh… today?"

Leanne already knew the answer. "No. Not once since. She's scared too, in case you didn't know."

"Um… Okay. And so, how do you know?"

"She's called me at least six times."

"She has?"

"Uh-huh. Since you left her at the bar, and that plane crashed next to Aika's, she's been crying her eyes out. You haven't been answering your phone."

"I lost it at the crash site."

"Yeah. That's what I told her. Rio wasn't answering her calls either, and I guess Aika never does."

"Oh."

"You get your ass to Anna pronto, and don't bother apologizing."

"Ahm… Why?"

"If you talk to her, she might slug you. I suggest you go right to the hugging."

"Okay."

"Fuji needs you too, so I hear. She's shook up bad, and her leg still hurts. Two people died, you know, right in front of her face. Horrifically, I might add."

Hank rubbed his weary eyes. "Oh gosh. Things haven't been going well."

"Things have been going like crap."

"So the policeman? He died?"

"That's what Anna told me. And she and Fuji both need you. All of us need you. Very much."

"I need you too, Leanne. Please come home."

"I'll be home… I don't know. Soon. But you go now and be with Anna, and help her take care of Fuji."

"I will."

"She likes you, you know. Anna, I mean, that is."

"Oh."

"I think you like her too."

"Hello Fuji," Hank said when her smile met him at her door. He bowed and pecked her cheek. "I thought you were laid up."

"I am, but not that it matters. The PEP centers are still closed."

Fuji hobbled to the loveseat, swaying to favor her injured leg. She gave a theatrical sigh and plopped into her favorite spot. "So I sit here and wait to die!"

Anna appeared carrying the slippers she had let Hank wear during his first visit. Her eyes were politely cast down.

"Momma-san!" Anna scolded. Her eyes rose as Hank bowed to greet her. "She is such a ham."

Remembering Leanne's advice, Hank gave Anna a bigger peck on the cheek and followed it up with a hug.

"It's good to see you," he said.

She slugged him anyway. "Where have you been? I've been worried!"

Hank bowed again, low and humble. "Anna-san. Gomenasai. I lost my phone, I'm afraid."

She threw herself on him with so much force that it caused him to stumble. "Don't tell Fuji," she whispered into his mouth as they kissed. "She doesn't need to know."

"About last night?"

"About anything," Anna whispered before walking away. Speaking to Hank while facing Fuji, she said, "Yes! Leanne told me! She'll be home soon and I can't wait to see her!"

Hank thought about Anna having slept with Leanne. "Ah… you do?"

Anna whirled and attacked again, realizing what he was implying. She squeezed him under his rib cage to make him open his mouth.

"Yeah, you sexy pig," she whispered into another kiss. "I do. Now sit down and let's put on those slippers."

"Where's Sue Marie?" Hank asked as Anna serviced his feet.

Fuji waved her hand without turning to look. "Oh, she's getting ready for another gig, and her agent sent her on some casting calls."

"Agent?" Hank asked. "Casting calls?"

Anna huffed and rolled her eyes. To it, Fuji added, "Am I right, Anna-chan?"

Anna answered to Hank. "She likes modeling at hair and makeup conventions."

"And last summer she was a dancer at the MusicVision beach parties," Fuji said, proud as a peahen. "Did you see the episodes they filmed at the marina?"

"I did," Hank said. "I went there a few times myself. But the guys outnumbered the girls by about twenty to one, so I never got to go on the set. All I did was see the bands."

Hank followed Anna into the living area. They sat across from Fuji on the sofa, with the giant chabudai between them. It was clear to those who watched MusicVision's beach parties on television that professional dancers were often hired. They also paid some of the hot babes and hunky guys who showed up. As Hank tried picturing which one had been Sue Marie—hot babe or bikini dancer?—Fuji jogged his memory.

"You should have seen their eyes light up the day she came to work in her Daisy Duke denim bikini! She's got that athletic body, you know, but wow! Can she pack it in!"

"Momma-san!" Anna scolded.

Fuji responded by grunting and kicking off her house slippers. "What? Am I wrong?"

Further grunting by Fuji indicated she wanted Anna to help her get her injured leg up on the chabudai. They placed it on one of the zabuton pillows sitting nearby. Anna placed Fuji's other leg on the table too, under a second pillow. Using a third zabuton as a seat, Anna then sat on the table at Fuji's feet and massaged her legs. With a shy yet very sly smile, Anna glanced at a fourth zabuton sitting beside her, indicating she wanted Hank to sit next to her. But when he stood up, Fuji had a different idea.

"Oh," she grunted as she made room for him on the loveseat. "Bring that pillow to me."

As dutifully as Anna serviced Fuji's feet, Hank serviced her head. She used the fourth pillow to lay on his chest, heaving and thrusting herself sideways in order to do so. She tucked his right arm snug on top of her tummy and under her cannonball boobs.

"Ah," she sighed, holding his arm in place. "That's better."

Trapped beneath Fuji again, Hank settled in to watch Anna massage her feet and legs. He rubbed Fuji's sore neck and shoulders with his free hand, as she wasn't the type that took well to being shoved to sidewalk.

Fuji moaned while being massaged from top to bottom. "The policeman who came to my rescue is such a dear. So brave!"

"Is?" Hank asked, knowing the man had died. "He's going to be okay?"

Anna made a host of faces, indicating that Fuji didn't know the man had died. Hank played with Fuji's hair to distract her from answering his question. He straightened the lay of her mahogany tresses across his trapped arm and lap.

"He might have died, you know," Fuji said. "Warugi almost…"

Hank scrunched low and kissed Fuji's forehead, making her shut up. "I know," he said, close and sweet. "I'd risk my life too, if it meant saving you."

"Oh Ijoufu." She rewarded him for his kindness by cupping his trapped hand to her left breast. "So brave," she sighed, as Anna soon had her dozing.

"I would, too," Hank said to Anna after a tender moment had passed.

Anna smiled as she labored. "Would what?"

"I'd lay down my life for you."

"Isn't that right?" Fuji said suddenly, half asleep and acting loopy. "About Sue Marie, I mean?"

"What about her?" Hank asked quietly.

"Her Daisy Dukes have these bandanna accents, and super hot-hot bottoms."

"I see," Hank said with a giggle.

Fuji giggled too, with her eyes still closed. "I'm proud of her," she said before dozing off again.

"That's pretty funny," Hank said to Anna about Fuji after another minute had passed..

"I got on T.V. too," Anna said.

"Did you wear a bikini?"

"Un-unh. I mean, I did, but it was under a t-shirt." Anna indicated with one hand how the shirt let her abdomen show. "I was in some of the sport shots."

"Sue Marie was so sweet," Fuji said, more awake. "She said such nice things about you to get you on the set."

"She was in the pool shots," Anna explained, "but I got filmed by the ocean. I tossed a football around with some guys, and played volleyball with a beach ball."

"Wow," Hank said. "That sounds hot."

"Mm-hmm. Sometimes, it was in the nineties."

"Uh. No. I mean, you must have looked hot."

Anna's mochigashi cheeks glowed pink. "Oh. Did you see me?"

"No, but I wish I did. If I would've known, I'd have done anything to see you."

Fuji snuggled further onto Hank. Her voice grew husky as Anna did deep work on her calves. "Well, you see her now," Fuji said, turning her head as if to look at Anna through her closed eyes. "She has such pretty beach wear."

Fuji gently snored a few minutes later, now sound asleep for good. "Would you like to see some?" Anna asked Hank, happy to have his gaze upon her. "Me in my pretty beach wear?"

"Anna," Hank said in a soft voice, so as to not waken Fuji. "I'm having a marvelous time. Please don't tempt and tease me."

"Tease? I don't tease."

He grew sly. "Do you please?"

She laughed and nodded. "I please."

Hank freed himself from under Fuji without waking her, and Anna led him into her bedroom. She bent low and straight at the waist to show off her ass while digging through a bottom dresser drawer. When she straightened up, she was holding a peach colored bikini.

"I have only a couple of these," Anna said of the bikini. "My other swimwear is tank tops and stuff." She approached Hank with her treasure. "Would you like me to wear it?"

With heavy breath, Hank took the bikini top from Anna and used it to rope her hips to his, grinding against her a bit. "Don't," he begged. "Please. Just don't."

She smiled. "What? You're my slave and we'll do as I say."

"I think about you so much, and teasing me makes me go crazy."

Anna spoke husky like Fuji and ground herself harder on Hank. "Well, maybe I like crazy men."

"Then you have the right guy, little doggie."

"Alsatians are not little dogs. We're big and mean, and we bite."

Hank sighed. They both lost a little spark as the weight of the world bore down.

"Aika's been so right," Hank lamented. "Bad things keep happening. Every time I close my eyes, I see that plane coming down."

"When I close mine, I see that bitch Warugi."

"What if the bad things keep happening?"

Anna stopped teasing and hugged Hank for comfort. "Aika also talks about how good people protect us. So if you don't leave us, we'll be okay. Every time…" She shuddered. "When you're gone and I can't find you, all I think about is how some Dots disappear after failing their second PEP test."

"I never knew you knew so much about me. And you knew for so long."

"I know."

"It was kind of a sin, you know. Loving you when you were young."

Anna squeezed Hank with all her might. "You never did anything wrong."

"How did you know? I mean, how did you figure it out?"

"I'm smart, my Hank-sama. I see things others can't."

"You do?"

"Hai, sōshoku. And about you, like all the time. Sue Marie often asked me, 'How can you stand knowing he loves you, and neither of you say a word?'"

"And?" Hank asked close, nibbling on Anna's ear.

She swooned and bit his neck. "And I'd say, 'When the time is right, we'll know.'"

Anna rose to her toes and pressed her lips to his. She gained control of their passion by gently biting his tongue to pull it further into her mouth. She sucked on it so hard, his knees nearly buckled.

"Sweet Tea," she cooed from her dominant position. "Someday I won't be your counselor."

Hank burbled and gurgled while trying to speak. "You won't?"

She plastered his face with forceful pecks, speaking to him between them. "One day… you won't… need one. When that… day comes… you'll be… just for me."

She admired his flawless white skin as he swooned, a grin growing big on her face. "Because if you're not there for me when I call, I'll eat your eggs for sure."

Hank blinked and shook his head to gain control of his senses. "My eggs?"

She grabbed his balls with both hands, proving she dldn't have to let go. "Yeah. Your lovely, golden eggs. They're mine!"

She powered her way through another strong kiss before disengaging by slapping his rump. He responded with two slaps to hers, one for each of her mighty butt cheeks. As the ass-slapping fight carried on, their giggling wakened Fuji.

"When is Squirrel Girl coming home?" Anna called out from her bedroom, to keep Fuji from inquiring about their shenanigans. Anna then teased Hank further. "She's such a boyfriend thief."

Having heard Anna's aside, Fuji grunted and rose to her feet. "Now, tut-tut. Don't speak like that! She paid for your share of expenses last month. She always pays her own way, and you still get money from your sofubo."

"But I do their shopping!" Anna offered as a weak defense.

Fuji entered the bedroom. "I need her too," she said to Hank about Anna. "She helps me keep Sue-san in line."

"How so?" Hank asked as he pinned Anna's arms to her sides to keep her hands off his balls and butt.

Fuji feigned dismay. "Sue-san brings home so many boys. Sometimes three or four! Anna helps me take care of them."

"Fuji!" Anna cried. "Watch your words!"

Fuji laughed lustily. "Oh, it's not like that! I mean you help me get rid of them. She helps kick them out." Fuji fanned herself at the thought of hot men in her home as she left Anna's room. "Sometimes though, it's hard," she lamented. "They can be so yummy-num!"

"Yum-num?" Hank asked Anna as she grew warm in his grasp.

"Squirrel Girl can score big nuts," she said, looking a bit squirrelly herself.

He pushed her away in fun. "You girls are naughty!"

"Hmm," Anna said in agreement. She turned to bend low and straight at the waist, displaying her ass again while putting her bikini back in its drawer.

Hank glanced at a clock. "Anna-san," he said as an apology, bowing low. "I want to go home, if I may. It's getting late and I haven't slept much these past few days."

Eyeing up her slave, she acquiesced. "I know," she conceded. "I haven't either."

With a cheerful smile between her apple dumpling cheeks, Fuji steered Hank by his arm into her tiny kitchen. "First you must help with a chore. I want to clean under the sink because it's gross, but I can't get all the stuff out that's in there."

She made him squat down to look under the sink by pressing on his back. She got him to stay there by leaning on him. Together they stared into the cupboard beneath the sink.

"Can you do it for me?" Fuji asked in her perfect Queen's English, her chin on his shoulder. "I'll get my butt in there and do the cleaning, but my arms are too short to reach what's behind the pipes!"

Anna huffed at the sight of Fuji resting one of her massive breasts square on the small of Hank's back. "It's not your butt that doesn't fit," Anna said.

Fuji played along. She pressed down on Hank with a forearm to look up at Anna. "Don't tell me what fits where!"

"What are you guys doing?" Sue Marie asked, startling everyone as she entered the kitchen.

Fuji labored stand up straight. "Oof! Ugh! We're just doing some cleaning."

"You're under the sink."

"Hai."

"With Hank," Sue Marie added, sounding rather dumbfounded.

"Yes, Sue-san. I know."

Hank straightened up to bow. "Hello, Sue Marie. Konnichiwa."

Sue Marie bowed her head. "Konnichiwa, Hank-sama. Have you been outside?"

"No. I mean, not lately."

In a daze, Sue Marie walked to a window and pulled the curtains aside. Dusk was getting ready to settle on a clear fall day. Everything seemed normal.

"What are we looking at?" Anna asked.

Sue Marie glanced about. Her pecan eyes went back and forth from the window to each person, all of whom stared at her. "There's something in the park." She pointed without looking. "Where the dogs go. Down there."

From the third-floor apartment, the view was good for many blocks. "I don't see anything," Anna said, approaching the window and squinting. "Tell me what you saw."

Sue Marie pressed a finger to the glass. "Look what's in the air."

"Oh. I see something," Hank said, drawing near.

"Bugs," Fuji said, also noticing. "Thousands of them. Maybe millions."

"What are they?"

"Butterflies," Anna said in a voice that was softer than Sue Marie's. Everyone now stared at her. "Blue ones."

"How can you be sure?" Fuji asked. "They're so small and far away."

Anna reached out and held a finger near Sue Marie's curly locks. When she pulled it back, a tiny butterfly was perched upon it, slowly fanning blue wings.

"You brought one home with you," Anna said to Sue Marie.

"I never knew she was there."

In an instant, Hank recalled everything Aika had taught him.

I am that butterfly. You never notice me, and I make your dreams prettier simply by being in them.

Anna opened the window with her other hand and stuck her finger out. "Let's see if she flies away."

The butterfly remained. With everyone focused on Anna's finger, the swarm approached unnoticed. Another butterfly entered the apartment, soon followed by many more.

"Oh!" Fuji exclaimed, as one of them landed on her chest, directly beneath her chin. "You're right!" she said. "I can't feel him!"

The butterfly on Anna's finger flew back to Sue Marie's head. "Where's yours?" Anna asked Hank, as another again perched on her finger.

"I guess I don't get one."

No sooner had the words left his lips than the swarm entered through the window. They swirled around the ceiling in silence, causing no alarm. As they filled the room, they descended, encircling both Hank and Anna.

"They like you!" Sue Marie squealed.

With his arms out and palms extended, Hank invited Anna to embrace him. "I know why they're here," he said to her in quiet, as the world disappeared behind a blanket of blue. She held his hands with her eyes wide open, awaiting further words.

"They carry good news. Each one has a message, like stay strong, have faith, persevere."

"Do you mean for me?"

"For the everyone, Anna-san. They're telling us we'll be all right."

Buffeted by a breeze, the butterflies dispersed. They took random paths while exiting the window, as Anna held on to Hank like she'd never let go.