There's one sentence that keeps on confusing Yukio. I am an angel. Even though religion has always been a strong presence in Yukio's life thanks to Father Fujimoto, he's always seen the texts as being more conceptual. Not at all tangible. The man standing in front of Yukio looks normal, like an everyday person — how it is that someone like him can be an angel?

He doesn't understand, but he nods anyway, and smiles faintly when the dog makes her enthusiasm known.

"Thank you," he says quietly, rubbing at his eyes one more time before setting his shoulders squarely, and rubbing his mittened hands behind Annie's ears.