Hideo yanked his sword out of the fleshy vessel that had just been occupied by Tsutomu, then stepped aside to allow room for Ichiro to pass.

At the edge of Ichiro's vision, he could make out another ghostly figure in black drifting along, but that did not matter now. He reached his body as it lay limp and dead-eyed upon the couch, then shot his right leg forward, followed by his left. Immediately, he found himself being pulled into it in much the same way a whirlpool would suck up anyone unfortunate enough to fall in.

He instinctively cried out whilst disappearing into his own solid flesh, and the next thing he knew, the blurred figures of Kumiko and Hideo presented themselves to him before becoming discernible from each other.

With a shallow breath, he stared in awe at the woman he loved, feeling almost as if he was seeing her for the first time.

He raised his hands and began moving his fingers one at a time. "Kumiko, look. I can..."

"I know," she replied as tears welled in her eyes. "You're finally back..."

She ran towards him with arms outstretched and enveloped him in an embrace that made his back ache. He gasped before protesting her strength.

"Please, stop. You're hurting me..."

"Oh." Kumiko let go of him in haste. "I'm sorry. I'll be gentle from now on." She turned to address Hideo whilst Tsutomu hovered a few feet away. "Thank you for what you've done. Will this be permanent?"

"Yes," the shinigami responded with a slight nod. "If our plan succeeds, then you should be able to enjoy his company for as long as he lives. I shall report back to you when I get a verdict from the Queen."

Ichiro breathed deeply in relief at such news. He had once dreamed of growing old by Kumiko's side, and now it seemed like this might become a reality.

Nevertheless, he feared that things would end prematurely like last time, so he tapped Kumiko on the shoulder to get her attention.

"Yes?"

"We... We'll make sure nothing happens to me this time, right?"

"Of course," she promised. "I'm different from who I used to be, and I daresay that you are too."

"Huh?" Ichiro blinked in confusion.

"I'll explain later." Kumiko rose to her feet to accompany Hideo out of the room. "After this current business has been sorted out."

"Right," Ichiro said halfheartedly. He found it difficult to contain his curiosity now that another mystery had become apparent, and the subsequent advice from Tsutomu only fueled his restlessness.

"You're lucky to have a woman who still loves you. Don't ever take that for granted."

"What makes you think I will?"

"You'll know what I mean soon enough," Tsutomu simply replied before he exited the room and left Ichiro in confusion about what was to come.

******

It seemed like even the strangeness of Hideo opening a swirling portal to the Underworld in the living room and Akane giving a heartful speech could not spare Ichiro from the various questions dancing through his mind.

Was Isa really awaiting his return somewhere out there? And, if so, how much had she changed over the years? Also, what would Kumiko tell him that might cause him to take her for granted after everything they'd been through?

"...And that is why I am deeply sorry for leading you on," Akane apologized to Tsutomu with a bow. "You have a special place in my heart, and I will try my best from now on to avoid preying on your kind."

"That is hardly comforting, but I appreciate the thought," Tsutomu muttered, clearly unmoved by Akane's honeyed words. "Have a safe journey, won't you?"

"Oh, I will." She turned towards Hideo whilst flashing bright white teeth through a gap in her bandages. "Would you mind if I called you Daddy?"

Hideo flinched a little but quickly recovered. "Whatever makes you feel at ease. I'm just here as your guide."

Akane clasped both hands to her face. "Sounds good enough to me. Will I ever be returning to this world?"

"Perhaps, if you stay on your best behavior. Any questions before we leave?"

"No, I'm ready to go," Akane insisted. "Daddy."

The second utterance of that word was enough to make Hideo shrink back an inch. He reached out to nudge Akane towards the portal with visible discomfort, then turned to address Ichiro and everybody else.

"Well, this is goodbye. I shall return in a few days to check on your progress. Take care!"

Without hesitation, Hideo pushed Akane through the portal, prompting a scream from her. Then, he brought his luggage close and calmly stepped through.

The whole proceeding was amusing enough to put Ichiro at ease, even though he had little idea of Akane's history with the others. He raised his hand to wave goodbye as the portal shrunk and vanished altogether, leaving only the couch behind it.

Ichiro took a deep breath whilst feeling as if he ought to be more affected by Hideo's departure. However, he simply could not wait to be alone with Kumiko and learn what she had meant about him having changed as well.

He looked at her, and she returned his gaze with a smile before speaking to Tsutomu. "I think you know what I have in mind, but I'll say it anyway just to be sure. Futoshi could do with some company, and since you've already met, maybe you can stay at his place for a while?"

"Of course." Tsutomu gave a firm nod. "I understand that you want some privacy..."

The older man made good on those words by drifting backward through the nearby wall until he was out of sight.

Ichiro made eye contact with Kumiko again as he closed some distance between them. "So, what was it you wanted to tell me earlier? I'm listening."

"Well..." Kumiko averted her eyes, apparently reluctant to let him know now that nobody else was around. "This may come as a shock to you, but there was something I found out while you were gone. It concerns your body in question."

"My body?" Ichiro anxiously looked down at his torso and legs. "Is there something wrong?"

"Not quite. Some people would consider it an advantage, in fact."

"Please, just be direct. You're making me worry."

"All right, I'll say it." Kumiko shifted her feet in succession. "You're just like Yukari. Able to heal instantly and, as far as we know, stuck at the age of your death."

Ichiro could not believe his ears and wondered if she was playing some elaborate prank. "No, that's impossible. I still look like any other human."

Kumiko sighed before sliding right up to him. He felt his entire body grow tense below the neck. "That's true, but don't you realize this is the case for me too? Appearances can be deceiving."

"So, are you saying...?"

"Yes. I don't know how long you have left, but considering Yukari is seventy, I can only guess this is the beginning."

Ichiro finally understood Tsutomu's earlier warning. Although the idea of spending countless years with Kumiko sounded wonderful, there was always the possibility of them becoming tired of each other and losing the love that had made things so exciting at the start.

He stared down at his wife in shock. "Kumiko, why?"

"I didn't know. Nobody told me it would happen."

"But, Hideo-"

"I met him just last night, same as you."

"Oh." Ichiro felt embarrassed at forgetting something so important. "I'm sorry. What would you suggest we do from now on?"

"Take life one day at a time and focus on the present, like I have done for the past few hundred years."

"I suppose that's wise. It is quite overwhelming, though."

Kumiko reached up to brush his cheek. "We all feel that way at some point, but I'll guide you along. And be a shoulder to lean on whenever you need it."

Ichiro released air from his lungs with a heavy sigh. "Do you really mean that?"

"Of course. We're a couple, remember?"

"Right you are." Ichiro drew a breath inward and observed Kumiko's delicate features. Most would never guess the sheer strength beneath them, and he felt glad to have his perfect woman by his side. "Can I hold you?"

Kumiko simply nodded before he wrapped both arms around her slender waist and brought her close. Her face came to rest against his collarbone, which filled him with a yearning to touch her elsewhere and perhaps do even more.

He found the will to express this wish after a few moments of silence. "I... I hope this isn't too much to ask, but can we go to bed? All I want is to-"

"It would be my pleasure," Kumiko responded while raising her head with a wink. "You have no idea how long I've waited."