‘Jin didn’t make a fuss when I was ill in his room. He even joked to make me feel better.’ She paused. ‘He has a way of making others like him.’

‘Yes, he’s a nice guy,’ Shoji said. ‘But I wouldn’t have guessed he was an exhibitionist. I just thought he loved company.’

‘Everyone has a hidden side,’ Yoko said. ‘It’s like an onion. If you want to learn about a person, you peel off layer after layer. With each layer, you’ll shed a tear. But if you peel too much, you’ll be left with nothing.’

Shoji didn’t think he was that complicated, but he let it slide. Their bus came and they got on. During the journey, as he stared out of the window, he thought of the conversation he’d had with Jin before he moved out.

After packing all his belongings, Shoji had gone to the balcony to watch the setting sun. Jin came out with two cans of chilled Sapporo beer and a box of cigarettes. They drank and smoked in silence. On the street, children were running around, chasing one another. A man on a bicycle rode past. He rang his bell, startling a napping stray cat.

‘This is it, huh?’ Jin finally said, depositing his cigarette butt into his empty beer can.

Shoji nodded. He had finished his drink much earlier. ‘Are you going to get a new flatmate?’

Jin shrugged. ‘I might do that, or I might go back home.’

‘Give me your parents’ number. Let’s keep in touch.’

‘Uh-huh.’ Jin nodded. ‘I admire you, Shoji. I wouldn’t dare to move in with a girl.’

‘You just haven’t found the right person.’

Jin laughed. ‘I don’t think I’ll ever reach that stage, but I’m curious. How many women did you have to date to know that Yoko is the perfect one?’

‘Not a lot. Nothing to brag about,’ Shoji said. ‘You know, I wouldn’t say she’s a perfect person. But she’s perfect for me. Yoko is different from other women I’ve dated. She’s not just a girlfriend.’

‘Then what is she? A soulmate?’

‘Perhaps,’ Shoji said. ‘Before her, I had never thought about life beyond the next couple of months. But with her, I can sort of picture the future. Us growing old, spending time together, having a simple breakfast, going for an evening stroll.’

Jin narrowed his eyes, sighing. ‘Don’t take this badly, but I’ve had a couple of friends who told me they had found their true love. Their one and only, stuff like that. And when the relationships didn’t work out, they were truly heartbroken. “I’ll never recover,” they’d say. But sooner or later, they found another so-called true love.’

Shoji chuckled. His friend was way too cynical. ‘You sound like you’ve lost faith in relationships.’

‘You can’t lose something you never had in the first place,’ Jin said. ‘I don’t believe in love that lasts forever. People change, and so do their needs and wants. You might think this is the life that you want. A year later, you might not feel the same. Can you be sure the two of you will stay the same? Can you predict the future?’