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almost no friends。 And after seven years； I don't know what's going on
out there。 Oh； I'll read a paper in the library every once in a while； but
I haven't set foot outside this property all that time。 I wouldn't know
what to do if I left。〃
〃But maybe a new world would open up for you；〃 I said。 〃It's worth a
try； don't you think？〃
〃Hmm； you may be right；〃 she said； turning her cigarette lighter over
and over in her hand。 〃But I've got my own set of problems。 I can tell
you all about them sometime if you like。〃
I nodded in response。 〃And Naoko；〃 I said； 〃is she any better？〃
〃Hmm； we think so。 She was pretty confused at first and we had our
doubts for a while； but she's calmed down now and improved to the
point where she's able to express herself verbally。 She's definitely
heading in the right direction。 But she should have received treatment
a lot earlier。 Her symptoms were already apparent from the time that
boyfriend of hers； Kizuki； killed himself。 Her family should have seen
it； and she herself should have realized that something was wrong。 Of
course； things weren't right at home； either 。。。〃
〃They weren't？〃 I shot back。
〃You didn't know？〃 Reiko seemed more surprised than I was。
I shook my head。
〃I'd better let Naoko tell you about that herself。 She's ready for some
honest talk with you。〃 Reiko gave her coffee another stir and took a
sip。 〃There's one more thing you need to know；〃 she said。 〃According
to the rules here； you and Naoko will not be allowed to be alone
together。 Visitors can't be alone with patients。 An observer always has
to be present … which in this case means me。 I'm sorry； but you'll just
have to put up with me。 OK？〃
〃OK；〃 I said with a smile。
〃But still；〃 she said； 〃the two of you can talk about anything you'd
like。 Forget I'm there。 I know pretty much everything there is to know
about you and Naoko。〃
〃Everything？〃
〃Pretty much。 We have these group sessions； you know。 So we learn a
lot about each other。 Plus Naoko and I talk about everything。 We don't
have many secrets here。〃
I looked at Reiko as I drank my coffee。 〃To tell you the truth；〃 I said；
〃I'm confused。 I still don't know whether what I did to Naoko in
Tokyo was the right thing to do or not。 I've been thinking about it this
whole time； but I still don't know。〃
〃And neither do I；〃 said Reiko。 〃And neither does Naoko。 That's
something the two of you will have to decide for yourselves。 See what
I mean？ Whatever happened； the two of you can turn it in the right
direction … if you can reach some kind of mutual understanding。
Maybe； once you've got that taken care of； you can go back and think
about whether what happened was the right thing or not。 What do you
say？〃
I nodded。
〃I think the three of us can help each other … you and Naoko and I … if
we really want to； and if we're really honest。 It can be incredibly
effective when three people work at it like that。 How long can you
stay？〃
〃Well； I'd like to get back to Tokyo by early evening the day after
tomorrow。 I have to work； and I've got a German exam on Thursday。〃
〃Good；〃 she said。 〃So you can stay with us。 That way it won't cost you
anything and you can talk without having to worry about the time。〃
〃With 〃us'？〃 I asked。
〃Naoko and me； of course；〃 said Reiko。 〃We have a separate bedroom；
and there's a sofa bed in the living room； so you'll be able to sleep
fine。 Don't worry。〃
；；Do they allow that？〃 I asked。 〃Can a male visitor stay in a Woman's
room？〃
〃I don't suppose you're going to e in and rape us in the middle of
the night？〃
〃Don't be silly。〃
〃So there's no problem； then。 Stay in our place and we can have some
nice； long talks。 That would be the best thing。 Then we can really
understand each other。 And I can play my guitar for you。 I'm pretty
good； you know。〃
〃Are you sure I'm not going to be in the way？〃
Reiko put her third Seven Star between her lips and lit it after
screwing up the corner of her mouth。
〃Naoko and I have already discussed this。 The two of us together are
giving you a personal invitation to stay with us。 Don't you think you
should just politely accept？〃
〃Of course； I'll be glad to。〃
Reiko deepened the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and looked at
me for a time。 〃You've got this funny way of talking；〃 she said。 〃Don't
tell me you're trying to imitate that boy in Catcher in the Rye？〃
〃No way！〃 I said with a smile。
Reiko smiled too； cigarette in mouth。 〃You are a good person； though。
I can tell that much from looking at you。 I can tell these things after
seven years of watching people e and go here： there are people
who can open their hearts and people who can't。 You're one of the
ones who can。 Or； more precisely； you can if you want to。〃
〃What happens when people open their hearts？〃
Reiko clasped her hands together on the table； cigarette dangling from
her lips。 She was enjoying this。 〃They get better；〃 she said。 Ash
dropped onto the table； but she seemed not to notice。
Reiko and I left the main building； crossed a hill； and passed by a
pool； some tennis courts； and a basketball court。 Two men … one thin
and middle…aged； the other young and fat were on a tennis court。 Both
used their racquets well； but to me the game they were playing could
not have been tennis。 It seemed as if the two of them had a special
interest in the bounce of tennis balls and were doing research in that
area。 They slammed the ball back and forth with a kind of strange
concentration。 Both were drenched in sweat。 The young man； in the
end of the court closer to us； noticed Reiko and carne over。 They
exchanged a few words； smiling。 Near the court； a man with no
expression on his face was using a large mower to cut the grass。
Moving on； we came to a patch of woods where some 15 or 20 neat
little cottages stood at some distance from each other。 The same kind
of yellow bike the gatekeeper had been riding was parked at the
entrance to almost every house。 〃Staff members and their families live
here；〃 said Reiko。
〃We have just about everything we need without going to the city；〃
she said as we walked along。 〃Where food is concerned； as I said
before； we're practically self…sufficient。 We get eggs from our own
chicken coop。 We have books and records and exercise facilities； our
own convenience store； and every week barbers and beauticians e
to visit。 We even have films at weekends。 Anything special we need
we can ask a staff member to buy for us in town。 Clothing we order
from catalogues。 Living here is no problem。〃
〃But you can't go into town？〃
〃No； that we can't do。 Of course if there's something special； like we
have to go to the dentist or something； that's another matter； but as a
rule we can't go into town。 Each person is pletely free to leave this
place； but once you've left you can't e back。 You burn your
bridges。 You can't go off for a couple of days in town and expect to
e back。 It only stands to reason； though。 Everybody would be
ing and going。〃
Beyond the trees we came to a gentle slope along which； at irregular
intervals； was a row of two…storey wooden houses tha