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affluent background。 Worried that Nagasawa would do nothing else if
allowed to live alone in Tokyo； his father had pelled him to live
all four years at university in the dormitory。 Not that it mattered much
to Nagasawa。 He was not going to let a few rules bother him。
Whenever he felt like it； he would get an overnight permission and go
girl…hunting or spend the night at hi s girlfriend's flat。 These
permissions were not easy to get； but for him they were like free
passes … and for me； too； as long as he did the asking。
Nagasawa did have a steady girlfriend； one he'd been going out with
since his first year。 Her name was Hatsumi； and she was the same age
as Nagasawa。 I had met her a few times and found her to be very nice。
She didn't have the kind of looks that immediately attracted attention；
and in fact she was so ordinary that when I first met her I had to
wonder why Nagasawa couldn't do better； but anyone who talked to
her took an immediate liking to her。 Quiet； intelligent； funny； caring；
she always dressed with immaculate good taste。 I liked her a lot and
knew that if I could have a girlfriend like Hatsumi； I wouldn't be
sleeping around with a bunch of easy marks。 She liked me； too； and
tried hard to fix me up with a first…year in her club so we could
double…date； but I would make up excuses to keep from repeating past
mistakes。 Hatsumi went to the absolute top girls' coll ege in the
country； and there was no way I was going to be able to talk to one of
those super…rich princesses。
Hatsumi had a pretty good idea that Nagasawa was sleeping around；
but she never plained to him。 She was seriously in love； but she
never made demands。
〃I don't deserve a girl like Hatsumi；〃 Nagasawa once said to me。 I had
to agree with him。
That winter I found a part…time job in a little record shop in Shinjuku。
It didn't pay much； but the work was easy… just watching the place
three nights a week … and they let me buy records cheap。 For
Christmas I bought Naoko a Henry Mancini album with a track of her
favourite 〃Dear Heart〃。 I wrapped it myself and added a bright red
ribbon。 She gave me a pair of woollen gloves she had knitted。 The
thumbs were a little short； but they did keep my hands warm。
〃Oh； I'm sorry；〃 she said； blushing； 〃What a bad job！〃
〃Don't worry； they fit fine；〃 I said； holding my gloved hands out to
her。
〃Well； at least you won't have to shove your hands in your pockets； I
guess。〃
Naoko didn't go home to Kobe for the winter break。 I stayed in Tokyo；
too； working in the record shop right up to the end of the year。 I didn't
have anything especially fun to do in Kobe or anyone I wanted to see。
The dorm's dining hall was closed for the holiday； so I went to
Naoko's flat for meals。 On New Year's Eve we had rice cakes and
soup like everybody else。
A lot happened in late January and February that year； 1969。
At the end of January； Storm Trooper went to bed with a raging fever。
Which meant I had to stand up Naoko that day。 I had gone to a lot of
trouble to get my hands on some free tickets for a concert。 She had
been especially eager to go because the orchestra was performing one
of her favourites： Brahms' Fourth Symphony。 But with Storm Trooper
tossing around in bed on the verge of what looked like an agonizing
death； I couldn't just leave him； and I couldn't find anyone stupid
enough to nurse him in my place。 I bought some ice and used several
layers of plastic bags to hold it on his forehead； wiped his sweating
brow with cold towels； took his temperature every hour； and even
changed his vest for him。 The fever stayed high for a day； but the
following morning he jumped out of bed and started exercising as
though nothing had happened。 His temperature was pletely
normal。 It was hard to believe he was a human being。
〃Weird；〃 said Storm Trooper。 〃I've never run a fever in my life。〃 It
was almost as if he were blaming me。
This made me mad。 〃But you did have a fever；〃 I insisted； showing
him the two wasted tickets。
〃Good thing they were free；〃 he said。 I wanted to grab his radio and
throw it out of the window； but instead I went back to bed with a
headache。
It snowed several times in February。
Near the end of the month I got into a stupid fight with one of the
third…years on my floor and punched him。 He hit his head against the
concrete wall； but he wasn't badly injured； and Nagasawa straightened
things out for me。 Still； I was called into the dorm Head's office and
given a warning； after which I grew increasingly unfortable living
in the dormitory。
The academic year ended in March； but I came up a few credits short。
My exam results were mediocre … mostly 〃C〃s and 〃D〃s with a few
〃B〃s。 Naoko had all the grades she needed to begin the spring term of
her second year。 We had pleted one full cycle of the seasons。
Halfway through April Naoko turned 20。 She was seven months older
than I was； my own birthday being in November。 There was
something strange about her being 20。 I。 felt as if the only thing
that made sense； whether for Naoko or for me； was to keep going back
and forth between 18 and 19。 After 18 would e 19； and after 19；
18； of course。 But she turned 20。 And in the autumn； I would do the
same。 Only the dead stay 17 for ever。
It rained on her birthday。 After lectures I bought a cake nearby and
took the tram to her flat。 〃We ought to have a celebration；〃 I said。 I
probably would have wanted the same thing if our positions had been
reversed。 It must be hard to pass your twentieth birthday alone。 The
tram had been packed and had pitched so wildly that by the time I
arrived at Naoko's room the cake was looking more like the Roman
Colosseum than anything else。 Still； once I had managed to stand up
the 20 candles I had brought along； light them； close the curtains and
turn out the lights； we had the makings of a birthday party。 Naoko
opened a bottle of wine。 We drank； had some cake； and enjoyed a
simple dinner。
〃I don't know； it's stupid being 20；〃 she said。 〃I'm just not ready。 It
feels weird。 Like somebody's pushing me from behind。〃
〃I've got seven months to get ready；〃 I said with a laugh。
〃You're so lucky！ Still 19！〃 said Naoko with a hint of envy。
While we ate I told her about Storm Trooper's new jumper。 Until then
he had had only one； a navy…blue pullover； so two was a big move for
him。 The jumper itself was a nice one； red and black with a knitted
deer motif； but on him it made everybody laugh。 He couldn't work out
what was going on。
〃W what's so funny； Watanabe？〃 he asked； sitting next to me in the
dining hall。 〃Is something stuck to my forehead？〃
〃Nothing；〃 I said； trying to keep a straight face。 〃There's nothing
funny。 Nice jumper。〃
〃Thanks；〃 he said； beaming。
Naoko loved the story。 〃I have to meet him；〃 she said。 〃Just once。〃
〃No way；〃 I said。 〃You'd laugh in his face。〃 〃You think so？〃
〃I'd bet on it。 I see him every day； and still I can't help laughing
sometimes。〃
We cleared the table and sat on the floor； listening to music and
drinking the rest of the wine。 She drank two glasses in the time it took