Summary

In Chapter 7, over the following month, Fuyuko spent her days working until six and drinking “cans of beer and cups of sake” until bed (126). She regularly “searched for the name Mitsutsuka” online, finding nothing (126). Sometimes she wrote his name “on a piece of paper” (126). The days passed without variation. Fuyuko hardly ate. She tried reading the book from Mitsutsuka every evening, but her mind retained nothing. She decided when she finished she “could ask him to meet up” (129). No matter what she was doing, she always “heard the words” they “had shared” (129). She knew so little about him but “thought about him all the time” (129). Sometimes she replayed Hijiri’s words about emotions, too. Mostly, she replayed images of Mitsutsuka’s face.

Kyoko called Fuyuko to say one of their “old bosses” had died (130). They met at the service. It was the first they...