June flies to Massachusetts to teach at the Young AAPI Writers’ Workshop, her only remaining gig, maintained partly through the scholarship she funds in Athena’s name. She vows to avoid social media and be a generous mentor. The first session is lively and affirming; she connects with students like Christina, Johnson, and Skylar, who openly idolizes Athena.

Energized, June spends the night drafting ideas, only to realize they echo her students’ work. Passing a bubble tea shop, she watches the class write and share together, mourning how professionalization has made writing solitary and guarded for her.

The next morning, June arrives late to find the students reading Adele Sparks-Sato’s blog dissecting her alleged plagiarism and speculating about Athena. Instead of explaining, June retaliates. She scolds Skylar over printing rules, then runs a cutting workshop designed to embarrass her.

June dismantles Skylar’s Chinatown whodunnit with barbed critiques until the class accepts her harsh verdict. She feels a vicious satisfaction despite knowing she’s worsened the dynamic. After class, she searches for Candice Lee’s supposed evidence and finds only a vague, familiar quote with no new proof. She stalks Candice’s LinkedIn, belittling her move to a small Oregon press, and feels fleeting vindication.

When coordinator Peggy Chan calls about student complaints, June first deflects, then lies that her mother is unwell and abruptly resigns. Peggy accepts and promises a substitute. Relieved to escape, June reflects that “saving face” lets them part politely while her isolation and resentment harden.