‘We serve high-quality tea, but some of our patrons don’t even touch their cups. They don’t come for tea. They pay us to listen to them. We don’t judge. That’s rule number one. Do you understand?’

Shoji gave a small nod.

‘Let me ask you again. Mr Arai, what kind of clients do you think we serve?’

Celebrities, professional athletes, high-ranking government officials, company directors — he could imagine the kinds of people who might use this service. Individuals with a lot of money who couldn’t afford their private matters to be made public. He put the menu down. It sounded strange, but he needed this job. ‘Those who need our service.’

‘Exactly, and they might not always be someone you’d want to be associated with in real life.’ Madam tapped her pen on the spotless white tablecloth. ‘I’ve done a background check on you. It might feel invasive, but it’s necessary. We need to be careful about who we take in. After all, we’re dealing with —’ She paused and narrowed her eyes. ‘Extremely delicate matters.’

Shoji maintained his silence, slightly nervous.

‘I won’t ask why you want to work here. With your qualifications, I’m sure you could find long-term employment in a good company. Yoko only said you needed a job, so we’ll leave it at that. But are you sure you want to do this?’

He was about to say something, but before he could, she continued: ‘You don’t need to answer. Wanting to do a particular job doesn’t mean you’re suitable for it.’

Shoji didn’t know how to respond. Was he supposed to sell himself as being trustworthy? Or was he supposed to listen quietly?

‘Some people think of us as an obliging friend who is willing to hear their troubles. Others see us as a therapist. But we are neither. A friend offers their opinion, and a therapist works with you to fix your problem. We’re different. We respond whenever it is appropriate, but we don’t give any unsolicited suggestions or views. We’re not emotionally or professionally invested in our clients. We’re only here to listen to their problems, not to solve them.’

She stopped and stared at him. He lowered his head as a gesture that he was following.

‘Mr Arai, what would you do if a client walked over to your table, sat down, and told you he was planning to murder someone? How would you handle that?’

Shoji swallowed hard. Wasn’t this hypothetical scenario a little extreme? But he decided to play along. ‘I would listen to the client and offer no opinion unless asked.’

‘And let him murder someone?’

As if something like this would ever happen. Most likely, he would be listening to people talk about their affairs or complain about work. This was clearly just a test. ‘That would be too bad, but it’s the rule of the game. We don’t judge.’

Madam burst into laughter. Her plump body shook as she waved her pen around. ‘That’s right. You’re a quick learner. I like you, young man.’ She repositioned herself to a comfortable sitting position. ‘Yes. Even if a client tells you he committed a crime, whatever that may be, you say nothing. We listen. We don’t judge.’