Shivering, he bit his lip so he wouldn’t sob. He tried to ignore the pain from his fresh bruises. He had often hidden in the shed while playing with his friends, but it was the first time he had been there at night. Without the daylight, the place was cold and terrifying.

You will stay here until you remember, he had been told, but he didn’t understand. He didn’t know what had happened.

When he pressed his head to the wall at a certain angle, he could see the night sky. Not a single star was there. The crescent moon was partially hidden by clouds. He prayed that it wouldn’t rain and that the dawn would come soon. He wanted it so badly he could almost imagine a sliver of the first morning ray.

Hang on, Shoji. Mother will come to get you soon, he told himself.

•

‘Shoji …’ Mizuki leaned forward. ‘You don’t look well. Is it because of me?’

‘No, I’m fine,’ he said quickly. He needed to get himself together. He cleared his throat and asked, ‘Are you going to continue the story from the other day?’

‘That’s right, I almost forgot.’

•

‘If you’re trying to get me to sign up for a credit card, then any time is a bad time,’ said the low voice at the other end of the line. ‘I’m not interested. Let’s not waste each other’s time.’

It was a polite rejection, but Takeshi Goda had the tone of someone firm and in control. Knowing that if she didn’t say anything, he would certainly hang up, without thinking, Mizuki said in Japanese, ‘Wait a minute.’

A brief silence ensued. ‘Are you Japanese?’

‘Yes.’ She bit her lip. Did the company manual forbid her to converse in her native language? No, it hadn’t been mentioned during the training, though she was sure it would be frowned upon.

‘What’s your name, miss? Where are you from?’

She told him her name, and that she came from Akakawa.

‘This is so nostalgic,’ he said. ‘I haven’t spoken Japanese for a long time.’

‘How long have you been in New York?’

‘Long enough to make me homesick.’

‘Why don’t you return to Japan?’

‘I’ve got a job; I can’t leave.’

They ended up chatting for half an hour, during which time Mizuki told him she was in New York to study English, but she had too much free time, so she worked part-time as a telemarketer.

‘What about you, Mr Goda?’

‘I’m a teacher.’

‘You don’t teach at this hour?’

‘Not until eleven,’ he said. ‘Miss, I’m happy to talk to you, but the longer you stay on the line with me, the less chance you have of getting a new customer.’

‘Even if I called my whole list, there’s no guarantee anyone will sign up,’ she said. ‘I have an idea. Why don’t you say yes? I would have one new customer for the day, and I can speak to you as long as you like.’