So this was the younger one, Yuni. Mr Yanagi had really appreciated their playing, but especially hers. And yet he had decided he was too busy to go to their house today. Or had Miss Kitagawa at our office, who’d probably taken the call, made excuses on his behalf?

‘Would you be able to come over and check it out now?’ she asked hopefully.

At that moment I wanted more than anything to help them, especially to repair a piano that wasn’t playing properly. But I had to be honest. ‘I’m sorry, but I doubt I’d be much help. I don’t have enough technical experience.’

‘So you’re not a proper piano tuner yet?’ She seemed disappointed.

‘Well, yes. I mean, I suppose I am.’

But, you see, I’m still only – I was tempted to blurt out what I considered the truth, but managed to swallow my words. No, I am a tuner. This was no time for excuses.

‘Then please come over and have a look at it.’

Standing there in the middle of the pedestrian crossing, she gave an energetic bow. This was definitely how she behaved, direct and full of exuberance, just like she played the piano.

‘Just give me a minute.’ The traffic light turned green, so I pulled over to call our office and explain. ‘Is it all right if I go instead?’

‘I don’t see why not,’ said Miss Kitagawa.

‘OK, I’ll be off then. I’ll be in touch if I need to.’

‘I’ll let Mr Yanagi know. I told the client when she rang earlier that Mr Yanagi had something important on today but he would be free tomorrow.’

So it was Miss Kitagawa who’d blocked Kazune’s request.

By the time I’d finished on the phone Yuni had left her friends and was waiting for me.

‘Would you like a lift?’ I asked, rolling down the left-hand window, and she hopped in beside me. ‘You should sit in the back. It’s safer.’

‘Oh, the flat is just around the corner, so it’s fine. Besides, the back seat’s full of stuff.’

She was right – I had tossed both sets of our tuning tools in the back.

As she buckled herself in she turned to look at the rear seat. ‘Something’s fallen on the floor here.’

I wondered what it was.

‘Oh, look, it’s a sweet little box.’

‘Hmmm?’ I was concentrating on turning a corner.

‘With a ribbon around it.’ She sounded excited. ‘It looks like a box for a ring.’

‘What?!’