‘It’s best to let the client know in advance that they can carry on as usual, to make things a little easier for them. Truthfully, though, if their phone rings, that can mess with the hertz as we tune.’

‘Don’t they often also change their appointment because they haven’t cleaned the room yet?’ Miss Kitagawa had left her desk and come over to join us.

‘We don’t care if they clean up or not, we just want them to stop postponing their appointments, don’t we?!’

Dirty rooms don’t bother us, although one home we’d visited the week before had so much stuff scattered all over the floor we had trouble finding a spot to lay down the panels and parts we’d removed. It was also a shock to discover how the clothes flung all over the floor absorbed the sound and completely altered the way the piano resonated.

Mr Yanagi saw I was stuck for a response and laughed. ‘Tomura loves things to be all neat and tidy.’

As we stood there chatting, Mr Itadori happened by, carrying a case in his arms.

‘Somebody cancelled on you?’

‘Yes.’

‘If you have time, would you like to come along with me?’

I couldn’t believe my ears, because Mr Itadori was scheduled to tune at a concert hall today.

‘Su–sure,’ I managed to stutter.

‘We’re leaving soon.’

A German pianist – a virtuoso, a keyboard magician, people called him – was touring Japan. And I had heard that Mr Itadori was to tune the piano for the recital the following day. The pianist was giving only a handful of performances in Japan, and I had no idea why he’d give one here in this little northern town so far off the beaten track, although I was certainly looking forward to it. I’d be able to hear – live – the sound I’d listened to so many times on CD. It was the first time in my life I’d ever bought a ticket to a concert.

Hurriedly, I got my things together. I figured I wouldn’t need my tuning tools. But maybe I should bring them? No, they’d only get in the way. But wait – going empty-handed wasn’t good. Maybe I should take them, just in case? No, no, that’s no good either. Oh, maybe I should offer to carry Mr Itadori’s bag for him? And I’ll need a pen and pad to take notes.

It seemed that Mr Akino, whom I hadn’t seen in a while and was now seated at the desk across from me, had said something. Without looking up he said, ‘Sounds like congratulations are in order.’

His face didn’t appear stern at all, as it often was. He wore a gentle expression, the kind that convinced you that something auspicious had taken place, but his tone was as sharp as always.