Hank felt such sadness for Rio, for he knew in her heart, she was dying.

I want to help.

He placed his hands on her shoulders, to pry her tear-stained face from his chest. When she found him removed from her embrace, she took a step back for balance. She glared at him with death-ray eyes, made more intimidating by the lack of her round red glasses.

Hank noticed this, and pulled her back in. She threatened him from the depth his chocolate pullover shirt, wanting to stay buried in it forever.

"I swear, Kon'aro, if you say one word to Milton about my feelings toward you, I will kill you."

Rio jabbed Hank with a switchblade fingernail as she cussed him out in Japanese. Yet when she paused to press it against his chest, he captured it, and brought it to his lips for a kiss.

Rio spoke in misery as he suckled her fingertip. "I'm really sorry, but he's all I have. Without him, I am nothing."

Hank snatched her other hand to kiss all its fingers. Suddenly, she worked free of his grasp. She held him by the temples with both hands, getting high on her toes to plant kisses on his lips.

"You did this to me," she said into his mouth. "Now say it, or I'll eat your tongue."

Hank gulped on their spit as he tried speaking between kisses. "Kokoro kowareta toki…" he began.

Rio heaved on his neck, forcing his mouth close to hers, thrusting her tongue deep inside.

Hank broke free to finish his praise. "… Anata wa kirei."

"Oishī! Sore ga suki!" she blurted, quite by surprise, as Hank gasped for air. "Daisuki! Now say it!"

"I love you, too," he said.

Rio delved deep into Hank.

Anata o tabetai.

Oh my God.