Chapter 17

I realized I was in love with Akemi- it was no longer a question of whether but how- when we were separated for some months to reflect on our future course. We’d pledged not to get in touch until the date when we’d meet and confer. But I kept in touch with her friends—couldn’t help it. One afternoon, I called Akemi’s best friend Hiroko, and a kid answered the phone. Hiroko and the others were tired of me calling them, though on that particular occasion, I hadn’t in a while.

And indeed, when I came over, it was the kids who answered the door. The adults were still out. But I talked to a young woman who happened to be visiting, also waiting for them. She spoke about her plans to study engineering. We looked out the window at the view, as if at her wonderful future. I felt envious, wished I was in my early twenties again, could study something different than I had, choose a career other than the dull ESL teaching I’d ended up with by happenstance. She was beautiful, too. Her jeans fit well—I saw from the back as she knelt and leaned toward the wide windowpane in front of us. She had long legs.

Hiroko and Akemi’s friend Kaori showed up, dropping by after her part-time job, and was friendly to me, showing only pleasure at my presence. We liked each other, after all. That remained. She and the young woman hung out and talked a while, and when we were alone, Kaori asked me what I thought about their friendship.