At the tiny sushi diner, the chef put the sashimi portions directly onto the bar, which he wiped with a cloth between one round and the next. They ate several types of fish and some hacked-off squid, which was so recently alive that the pieces were still moving, puckering in protest on their beds of rice.

‘By the way,’ said Takuya as they left. He walked with a basketballer’s gait, his feet splayed oddly wide as if to corner Ana. ‘Miura-san sent a message,’ he said, referring to Shigeko by her surname, Miura. ‘She mentions her regards. Actually, she is feeling sad that you do not see her.’

Clearly he knew about their disagreement. Shigeko had been annoyed when Ana refused a client, and she won the argument by kicking Ana out. Shigeko had never profited from Ana’s engagements – or not as far as Ana knew – but she liked being able to introduce her to her contacts. Having set the man up with Ana, and beset by a chronic need to please, Shigeko didn’t want to have to explain the snub. Ana could still picture her face that evening, her smile fixed and brittle, her eyes strangely bright.

‘She is worried about you,’ Takuya went on. ‘And this makes things difficult for her. Because, as you know, the role of a hostess is to bring happiness to people.’

‘Is it,’ she said tersely, irritated by the lecture.

He smiled indulgently, spread his hands and said, ‘You should meet her. It’s not too late. You can say sorry.’

‘I’m not sorry.’

Taken aback, Takuya fell silent.

‘Thanks for breakfast,’ she said, and left him to his day. It was still early and she walked aimlessly, at length finding herself on Omotesandō-dori, an upmarket shopping street. She was looking in the Prada window when Dev telephoned.

‘How was your date with eel-hands? Or whatever it is you call him.’

Ana laughed. ‘Okay.’

‘Are you going out tonight?’

‘No. Unless you want me to be out.’

‘Are you sure, Ana? You’re not bringing some boy home?’

‘No.’ She snorted, laughed again. ‘I’ll see you at the apartment.’

That night and the coming nights, a typhoon swerved in close, dousing Tokyo with heavy rain. She and Dev went out anyway, defying the weather. One night Dev arranged to catch up with his friend Nitin and asked Ana to come. ‘You need to meet new people,’ he told her. ‘No more of those idiots from before.’ He meant Shigeko and her clique. ‘You’re so flat these days, Ana. It’s as if you’ve got no crackle. No snap, crackle or pop.’

‘Okay, I’ll work on that,’ she promised.