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Back Watersong Save as PDF
Chapters (43)
  1. About the Author
  2. Title Page
  3. Prologue
  4. PART I
  5. 1 The Ear Prostitute
  6. 2 Through the Darkened Glass
  7. 3 That Coffee-Scented Summer
  8. 4 Onion and Water
  9. 5 The Woman Who Fell in Love with a Voice
  10. 6 The Polite Giant
  11. 7 Yellow Butterflies
  12. 8 The Proposition
  13. 9 Atonement and Forgiveness
  14. 10 One of Those Days
  15. 11 The Katsuragi Hotel
  16. PART II
  17. 12 Under the Bright Lights
  18. 13 Nameless Season
  19. 14 Phone Calls
  20. 15 The Rolling Acorn
  21. 16 She Must Have Been a Cat in Her Previous Life
  22. 17 In That Tiny Red Phone Booth
  23. 18 It’s Not So Bad to Live in Tokyo
  24. 19 There Is No Smoke Without Fire
  25. 20 Smoked Beef Brisket
  26. 21 Something Like Christmas
  27. 22 The Persistent Ones
  28. 23 The Cat’s Paradise
  29. 24 White Curtains, Tiny Roses
  30. 25 Hunting the Giant
  31. 26 Mizuki Harada
  32. 27 The Water and the Sea
  33. 28 Like A Mild Tokyo Earthquake
  34. 29 Water Women
  35. 30 Welcome to Singapore
  36. 31 I Hope You’re Happy
  37. 32 An Empty Tin of Mints
  38. PART III
  39. 33 Tracing Water
  40. 34 What You Didn’t Know
  41. 35 Sleeping Lotus
  42. 36 Sink or Swim
  43. Epilogue

Liyun’s eyes widened. ‘You didn’t know? Eri is going to leave Japan.’

23 The Cat’s Paradise

CHAPTER 23

THE CAT’S PARADISE

‘I told you I can get to the station alone,’ Eri protested, clutching her black workbag. ‘Didn’t I manage to find my way to your apartment?’

‘I didn’t say you’d get lost,’ Shoji said. ‘I just thought it would be nice to take a walk after dinner, enjoy the night breeze.’

They strolled through a small, sloping alley, passing low-rise apartments packed close to each other. Now and then, tree branches peeked out above the walls. In the distance, tall buildings stood, surrounded by a dizzying array of city lights.

Eventually, they passed a small playground, partially blocked by a big tree and surrounded by a two-storey house and two apartment blocks. It had a play area with a slide and two climbing frames. On one side, there were four wooden benches. On the other, there was a row of five single-person seats made out of stone. A clock perched atop a lamppost showed that it was quarter past eleven.

‘Shall we stop for a while?’ Shoji asked.

Eri nodded. ‘Sure.’

He led her to one of the benches. They sat side by side, she with her workbag on her lap. Shoji looked up. The moon was full and round but, covered by the cloud, it appeared blurry. He contemplated asking Eri about her impending move, but wondered if it was better if he didn’t say anything. She would have told him if she thought it was necessary. Or perhaps she had assumed that he would hear it from Liyun.

Shoji fished out a box of cigarettes from his pocket. ‘Do you mind?’

‘Erm …’ She pressed her lips together. ‘I’m allergic to the smoke.’

‘Ah, sorry,’ he said, putting it back.

‘I didn’t know you smoked,’ she said. ‘When did you start? You weren’t smoking when you were working in the bookshop, were you?’

‘I was, but only if a friend offered me a cigarette. I wouldn’t buy them myself.’

‘And now?’

‘I should cut down, but I’ve been saying that for a few years.’

They both laughed. The wind blew, stirring the tree branches.

Eri straightened her legs. They were quiet for a moment.

‘I heard that you’re going to leave Tokyo,’ he said eventually.

‘Liyun told you?’ She glanced at him. ‘I kind of expected that to happen. I’m going to New York.’

He turned to her. ‘That’s far.’