He put his hands on hers, holding them tight. He would never let her go again. He wouldn’t lose her again. Climbing on top of her, he turned her body around and saw her bare back.

‘You got a tattoo,’ he said.

‘Yes. It was done by a local artist.’ Yoko turned her head to face him. ‘Are you surprised?’

He gave the tattoo a closer look, tracing it with his fingertips. There was no mistake. It was the same design as the one he’d seen in his dream. How could that be possible?

‘Why did you choose an open heart?’ he asked.

Her eyes widened.

‘The tattoo,’ he said. ‘It’s an open heart, isn’t it?’

She laughed. ‘What are you talking about? No matter how you look at it, it’s a flower.’

‘What kind of flower?’ He ran his finger over her skin. ‘A lotus?’

‘Very close. It’s a sleeping lotus.’ Yoko got up and walked to the window. The afternoon sun illuminated her skin and the tattoo on her back. ‘What do you think? Does it suit me?’

He looked at Yoko and held his breath — her messy hair, her jutting collarbone, her tiny wrists, her smooth back, now inked with an illustration of a sleeping lotus. She looked so gorgeous.

‘Yes,’ he said. ‘It really suits you.’

She closed her eyes, and a smile drifted across her face. The sun sunk lower and the room gradually darkened. The two of them had finally found each other. The years of separation seemed to evaporate.

•

The morning sun crept through the open window, shining on to Shoji’s exposed skin and warming him. He squinted until his eyes adjusted to the brightness. Next to him, Yoko was sound asleep. Not wanting to disturb her, he got up quietly and went to the bathroom to freshen up. When he returned, Yoko was awake. She sat on the bed, staring at the sea.

‘Good morning.’ He went over to her. ‘Did you sleep well?’

‘I did.’ She turned to him. ‘This is a rather fancy place, don’t you think?’

‘I’ve got no complaints. Are you leaving for work?’

Yoko glanced at the clock. ‘It’d be late even if I made a move now.’ She folded her legs in front of her chest and hugged them. ‘What about you, Shoji? Where do you work now?’

‘I’m an assistant editor.’

‘Isn’t that what you always wanted to do?’

‘Kind of.’

‘Do you enjoy it?’

‘It’s all right, and it pays the bills.’

‘That’s great,’ she said, and chuckled. ‘It feels strange asking you all these questions. It makes me realise how little I know about you now.’

‘All the more reason to ask me,’ Shoji said. ‘What would you like to know?’

Yoko smiled at him. ‘All right, but give me a couple of minutes. My brain freezes in the morning.’