ENTER: REBECCA WEBER, stopping off at HELENE's café for a quick little pick-me-up before she heads off to work. It's Friday. HELENE hands her a slice of sinfully chocolatey cake and a heavily-sweetened mug of coffee.

HELENE: So. Excited?
REBECCA: I just hope the dress fits.
HELENE: Come off it. You're beautiful.
REBECCA: No, yeah, it's just...
HELENE: You like him?
REBECCA, quickly: No!

HELENE narrows her eyes.

HELENE: He's different?
REBECCA: That's... that's probably it. Most men whom I interact with are either colleagues or... strangers.

CUT TO: REBECCA, pinned against a wall by a grunting Japanese lout with dyed-blonde hair, skirt hiked up to her hips. Her eyelids are fluttering, and her mouth is half-open.

CUT TO: REBECCA, clothed much more modestly, sitting at HELENE's counter. She blinks. HELENE is looking at her.

HELENE: ... yeah. Strangers.
REBECCA: Strangers. Right.

She changes the subject.

REBECCA: And, you know, did I tell you that he's brought me to his house twice?
HELENE: Really? You only told me about the one.
REBECCA: Second time was yesterday. He drove me there, too. And bought me dinner.
HELENE: Are you sure it wasn't a date?
REBECCA: He didn't tell me it was a date.
HELENE: Did you want it to be a date?
REBECCA, quickly: No.
HELENE, disbelievingly: Sure.

CUT TO: REBECCA, changing out of her scrubs. As she fiddles with the buttons on her blouse, her sweaty palms slip over the smooth discs, and she's forced to restart the whole process from scratch. When she's finally done, she exhales a soft sigh of relief and reddens as her potbelly pushes against her blouse, which appears a little tighter than usual.

REBECCA, under her breath: Fuck.

She gathers up her things and leaves hurriedly, checking her phone as it buzzes before abruptly changing directions and almost running into the DOCTOR.

DOCTOR: Ms Weber! Goodness.
REBECCA: Doctor. I'm sorry.

They begin to walk towards the carpark.

DOCTOR: No harm done. No harm done. Have a good weekend. Do you have any plans? I notice that you aren't headed for the gates.
REBECCA: Ah, yes. Well... someone's picking me up. Sorry, it looks like he's here. See you on Monday, Doctor!

They arrive at the carpark. A hulking Lincoln Continental is sitting in a nearby lot, and REBECCA makes a beeline for it, waving to the DOCTOR, who stops and waves back. As she gets into the car, the DOCTOR catches a glimpse of KOREKIYO. He strokes his chin.

DOCTOR: Curious.

CUT TO: A large apartment overlooking the Kyoto skyline. A tiny insectoid crawls over a hanging light and disappears into a lampshade as KOREKIYO emerges from his bedroom, buttoning his cufflinks. His suit clings to his broad shoulders. Crossing the floor, he heads into his guest bedroom and knocks on the door to the en-suite bathroom.

KOREKIYO: Ms Weber? Is everything alright?

CUT TO: REBECCA, pulling at her dress. It has a longer hem than she's used to; for her nighttime escapades, she favours short skirts, and jeans or leggings otherwise. This dress, on the contrary, is a deep green, and drops to about halfway down her calves. It's clingy, accentuating the width of her hips and the jut of her rear, but also has a draping element that masks the size of her round belly. She must, however, admit that it is somewhat tighter than she remembers it being from Sunday, which was when she first tried it on.

REBECCA, under her breath: ... never had to worry about this sort of thing before.

She pulls at it one last time.

REBECCA, at normal volume: Fine. Whatever. In too deep.

There's a knock on the door. KOREKIYO's voice resounds again. REBECCA crosses the floor to the door, unsteady in her heels, and opens it. She's a little out of breath. Despite her heels, KOREKIYO is still taller than her.

REBECCA: Yes! Sorry for the wait.
KOREKIYO: It's fine. Are the heels...
REBECCA: A little unwieldy, but -
KOREKIYO: We can pick up some sandals. I know a place.
REBECCA, doubtfully: Oh, you really don't have to -
KOREKIYO: But I want to.

He stammers a bit on the "But"; his voice grows stronger as he completes the sentence. REBECCA's cheeks warm.

REBECCA: Oh. Okay. Well, whatever. Is there anything else that I should bring along?

CUT TO: A large ballroom, about five to six times the size of KOREKIYO's apartment. Glasses clink. Polite conversation dominates. KOREKIYO is to REBECCA's left, and another BANKER is seated on her right.

BANKER: ... and, you know, UHNWIs can be picky, which is why I always try to have regular sit-downs with them to hash out their disposition...

A pair of well-dressed girls - one with violet eyes and a pair of distinctive crimson horns, and the other with green skin and what appears to be a number of mushrooms sprouting from her head - walk by and do a double-take. REBECCA sees them over the BANKER's shoulder. After quietly conferring with one another, the horned girl marches over, brashly interrupting the conversation.

OROCHI: Ms Weber?
REBECCA: Hello, Ms Atsushi. Ms Brooks.
OROCHI: It's Orochi. Hey, didn't know you were, uh...
JOAN: Attached. To...
BANKER: Oh, she's not with me.
OROCHI: What's his name, what's his name, what's his name... oh! Tohmatsu-sama!

KOREKIYO looks up and pales.

REBECCA: Oh, we're attached.

KOREKIYO, functioning entirely on instinct, takes her hand. REBECCA glances down at it.

REBECCA: See? Attached.
JOAN: That's, um, nice. Sorry for interrupting.
OROCHI: Interrupting? But I haven't even -

JOAN drags OROCHI away. KOREKIYO looks at REBECCA, and then down at their intertwined hands.

KOREKIYO: Sorry.
REBECCA: No, it's fine.

They disengage.

CUT TO: REBECCA and KOREKIYO in the carpark, walking over to his Lincoln Continental. KOREKIYO is tapping at his phone.

KOREKIYO: I would like to thank you for... ah... your assistance.
REBECCA: Don't mention it. 

REBECCA's phone buzzes.

KOREKIYO: The sum that I mentioned on Sunday has been disbursed into your account. Once again, thank you very much for your assistance.
REBECCA: Oh. Okay.

They stop at his car. After a brief, awkward silence, KOREKIYO walks over to REBECCA's side and opens the door for her.

KOREKIYO: I'll drop you off at a place of your choosing.
REBECCA, stiffly: Please don't hesitate to let me know if you require my services for any subsequent events.

KOREKIYO gets in on his side. He starts the engine, then glances over at REBECCA, who's staring out the window, jaw set. He adjusts the mirror and takes a deep breath.

KOREKIYO: Actually...
REBECCA, a little acidly: What? Shall I return the dress as well?
KOREKIYO: I was wondering if you would like to grab supper. Do I need to pay you for that?

REBECCA glances at him.

REBECCA: No.
KOREKIYO: Let's, then. And get to know each other. If you don't mind, that is. Ms Weber.
REBECCA: Call me Rebecca... Korekiyo.
KOREKIYO: I know a twenty-four-hour ramen place.