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smashes into him； he just works to make himself stronger。 He'd eat
slugs before he'd back down to anyone。 What do you expect to get
from a man like that？〃
〃But there's nothing I can do but wait for him；〃 said Hatsumi with her
chin in her hand。
〃You love him that much？〃
〃I do；〃 she answered without a moment's hesitation。
〃Oh boy；〃 I said with a sigh； drinking down the last of my beer。 〃It
must be a wonderful thing to be so sure that you love somebody。〃
〃I'm a stupid； old…fashioned girl；〃 she said。 〃Have another beer？〃
〃No； thanks； I must get going。 Thanks for the bandage and beer。〃
As I was standing in the hallway putting on my shoes； the telephone
rang。 Hatsumi looked at me； looked at the phone；
and looked at me again。
〃Good night；〃 I said； stepping outside。 As I shut the door； I caught a
glimpse of Hatsumi picking up the receiver。 It was the last time I ever
saw her。
It was 11。30 by the time I got back to the dorm。 I went straight to
Nagasawa's room and knocked on his door。 After the tenth knock it
occurred to me that this was Saturday night。 Nagasawa always got
overnight permission on Saturday nights； supposedly to stay at his
relatives' house。
I went back to my room； took off my tie； put my jacket and trousers
on a hanger； changed into my pyjamas； and brushed my teeth。 Oh no； I
thought； tomorrow is Sunday again！ Sundays seemed to be rolling
around every four days。 Another two Sundays and I would be 20 years
old。 I stretched out in bed and stared at my calendar as dark feelings
washed over me。
I sat at my desk to write my Sunday morning letter to Naoko； drinking
coffee from a big cup and listening to old Miles Davis albums。 A fine
rain was falling outside； while my room had the chill of an aquarium。
The smell of mothballs lingered in the thick jumper I had just taken
out of a storage box。 High up on the window…pane clung a huge； fat
fly； unmoving。 With no wind to stir it； the Rising Sun standard hung
limp against the flagpole like the toga of a Roman senator。 A skinny；
timid…looking brown dog that had wandered into the quadrangle was
sniffing every blossom in the flowerbed。 I couldn't begin to imagine
why any dog would have to go around sniffing flowers on a rainy day。
My letter was a long one； and whenever my cut right palm began to
hurt from holding the pen； I would let my eyes wander out to the rainy
quadrangle。
I began by telling Naoko how I had given my right hand a nasty cut
while working in the record shop； then went on to say that Nagasawa；
Hatsumi and I had had a sort of celebration the night before for
Nagasawa's having passed his Foreign Ministry exam。 I described the
restaurant and the food。 The meal was great； I said； but the atmosphere
got unfortable halfway through。
I wondered if I should write about Kizuki in connection with having
played pool with Hatsumi and decided to go ahead。 I felt it was
something I ought to write about。
I still remember the last shot Kizuki took that day … the day he died。 It
was a difficult cushion shot that I never expected him to get。 Luck
seemed to be with him； though： the shot was absolutely perfect； and
the white and red balls hardly made a sound as they brushed each
other on the green baize for the last score of the game。 It was such a
beautiful shot； I still have a vivid image of it to this day。 For nearly
two…and…a…half years after that； I never touched a cue。
The night I played pool with Hatsumi； though； the thought of Kizuki
never crossed my mind until the first game ended； and this came as a
real shock to me。 I had always assumed that I'd be reminded of Kizuki
whenever I played pool。 But not until the first game was over and I
bought a Pepsi from a vending machine and started drinking it did I
even think of him。 It was the pool hall we used to play in； and we had
often bet drinks on the oute of our games。
I felt guilty that I hadn't thought of Kizuki straight away； as if I had
somehow abandoned him。 Back in my room； though； I came to think
of it like this： two and…a…half years have gone by since it happened；
and Kizuki is still 17 years old。 Not that this means my memory of
him has faded。 The things that his death gave ise to are still there； r
bright and clear； inside me； some of them even clearer than when they
were new。 What I want to say is this： I'm going to turn 20 soon。 Part of
what Kizuki and I shared when we were 16 and 17 has already
vanished； and no amount of crying is going to bring that back。 I can't
explain it any better than this； but I think that you can probably under…
stand what I felt and what I am trying to say。 In fact； you are probably
the only one in the world who can understand。
I think of you now more than ever。 It's raining today。 Rainy Sundays
are hard for me。 When it rains I can't do laundry； which means I can't
do ironing。 I can't go walking； and I can't lie on the roof。 About all I
can do is put the record player on auto repeat and listen to Kind of
Blue over and over while I watch the rain falling in the quadrangle。 As
I wrote to you earlier； I don't wind my spring on Sundays。 That's why
this letter is so damn long。 I'm stopping now。 I'm going to the dining
hall for lunch。 Goodbye。
銆�
9。txt
Norwegian Wood
9
There was no sign of Midori at the next day's lecture； either。 What had
happened to her？ Ten days had gone by since we last talked on the
phone。 I thought about calling her； but decided against it。 She had said
that she would call me。
That Thursday I saw Nagasawa in the dining hall。 He sat down next to
me with a tray full of food and apologized for having made our
〃party〃 so unpleasant。
〃Never mind；〃 I said。 〃I should be thanking you for a great dinner。 I
have to admit； though； it was a funny way to celebrate your first job。〃
〃You can say that again。〃
A few minutes went by as we ate in silence。 〃I made up with
Hatsumi；〃 he said。
〃I'm not surprised。〃
〃I was kind of tough on you； too； as I recall it。〃
〃What's with all the apologizing？〃 I asked。 〃Are you ill？〃
〃I may be；〃 he said with a few little nods。 〃Hatsumi tells me you told
her to leave me。〃
〃It only makes sense；〃 I said。
〃Yeah； I s'pose so；〃 said Nagasawa。
〃She's a great girl；〃 I said； slurping my miso soup。
〃I know；〃 he said with a sigh。 〃A little too great for me。〃
I was sleeping the sleep of death when the buzzer rang to let me know
I had a call。 It brought me back from the absolute core of sleep in total
confusion。 I felt as if I had been sleeping with my head soaked in
water until my brain swelled up。 The clock said 6。15 but I had no idea
if that meant a。m。 or p。m。； and I couldn't remember what day it was。 I
looked out of the window and realized there was no flag on the pole。 It
was probably p。m。 So； raising that flag served some purpose after all。
〃Hey； Watanabe； are you free now？〃 Midori asked。
〃I don't know； what day is it？〃
〃Friday。〃
〃Morning or evening？〃
〃Evening； of course！ You're so weird！ Let's see； it's； uh； 6。18 p。m。〃
So it was p。m。 after all！ That's right； I had been stretched out on my
bed reading a book when I d