Summary

At the beginning of “Burning Up” (311), Natsuko discovered that Sengawa had died since the last time she had spoken to her. Natsuko was stunned by the news. Rika, who was also surprised, explained that Sengawa had been diagnosed with cancer at the end of May. Lying in bed in the dark, Natsuko experienced what she described as not a dream but “some kind of recollection” (317). She was sitting in a restaurant with Sengawa. Natsuko asked Sengawa why she had to die so abruptly and Sengawa responded, “Too late, Natsuko” (317).

Over the phone, Midoriko told Natsuko a story about how weasels began falling out of the ceiling at the restaurant where she worked. Midoriko wanted to know if Natsuko was coming to visit for her birthday. Midoriko recalled that during their visit to Tokyo when she was a child, she had not been talking...