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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

Those days were the happiest in my life. We were young and carefree. We didn’t worry about much. Was I in love with you? At that time, I wasn’t certain. But now, I know that I did love you. Yes, I loved you and I still do. I always will.

I believe that, in life, the things that are meant to be will eventually happen. If something slipped away from me, then it wasn’t supposed to be mine. Because of that, I’ve never asked anyone to stay in my life. This is the first time I’ve done this, but now I know I must.

Yoko, will you come back to me?

If you’re still worried about the company, we could go to the police. I know they had men inside the Akakawa section, but the Tokyo force is bigger and my senior has connections there. I will contact them when I get home. Whatever happens, we’ll figure things out together.

Even if you don’t yet trust me, please believe in us. Take a leap of faith.

If, somewhere in your heart, you can find space for me, I’ve included my address in Tokyo.

I’ll be waiting.

Shoji

36 Sink or Swim

CHAPTER 36

SINK OR SWIM

Shoji tried to open his eyes, but he couldn’t. His eyelids felt heavy. His head throbbed as if it were going to split open. What was happening?

The last thing he remembered was taking the letter he’d written to Yoko to the hotel reception to post. He had just got back to his villa when the doorbell rang. He went to answer it. No one was outside. How odd. He stepped out of the villa. It was then that something heavy hit the back of his head.

Shoji cursed. So that was what was causing the pain. He must have passed out. But who had attacked him? A burglar? He had nothing valuable to steal.

Eyes still closed, Shoji heard footsteps getting closer, followed by the sound of a string orchestra. The tune was familiar. Had he heard it on the radio? Or was it a movie soundtrack? Someone was whistling along to the melody. A man? A woman? Why would a burglar put music on?

Shoji tried to move his arms, but they wouldn’t respond. He couldn’t feel his limbs. Had he been drugged? He gritted his teeth. At least he could still do that.

A moment passed before Shoji managed to open his eyes. He blinked a few times. His vision was blurred. It took him a while to make out the rattan lampshade. He was still in his villa, but the ceiling looked far away and his back felt cold. He must have been lying on the marble tiles.