“Uh …” The sound leaps from her throat, something between a forced laugh and regurgitation. “Hey, where’d Tillie go? We should find her.” They go away. That’s all I wanted.

“Well,” Yoshino gives me a look. “That was enlightening.”

“That’s one word for it.”

She breaks into a grin. “One good thing came out of it, though. I’m glad to hear you enjoy Zozo. With all that’s been going on I was worried you might leave. You know, with your family, and now Hitomu …”

“Ha! Don’t worry, my friend. It’ll take a lot more than a wedding and a screaming child to send me home for good.” In the opposite corner of the room I notice heads bobbing up and down. “Hey, you feel like dancing?”

“Yes! Absolutely. Let’s do it!” We finish our drinks and head on over.

I don’t know what song is playing. I’ve been out of the loop on music since GReeeeN. All I know is I’m moving more body parts than “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” could squeeze into one song. I’ve never felt so limber. The tipsy sensation I had back at our table is gone. I can spin 360-degree circles and not feel the least bit dizzy. The floor gets crowded as more and more bodies press up against one another. I keep my balance. My feet don’t stop. I can’t lower my arms. It’s too dark to see anything so I let my eyes close and let the music course through me. Yoshino yells when her guy finds her with an army of his friends. They keep their greetings short; they fall in step with the song. I don’t have to stop to shake hands. I can’t stop if I wanted to.

A woman tugs on the hem of my shirt in between the song change. “You are good dancer!” she yells at me.

“Ashi nagai!” another voice shouts in my ear.

“Where are you from?!”

I have no idea who I’m even talking to. I have no clue where Yoshino went. I don’t even know where I am. I’m floating outside of myself, over the crowd, unable to pick myself out in the smoky haze. I can’t formulate responses in time, even if I wanted to. I can feel my mouth contorting into a stupid grin as I raise my hands again and feel the groove. Several female-shaped shadows join me. They’re way too close for me to move around as much, but I do not stop dancing. The music is a tidal wave of sound. It sweeps me under. I’m a slave to the rhythm.