Takao, a stout 28-year-old company worker, was taking a subway train around seven o’clock in the evening that day. He was so exhausted after the day’s hard work that he soon fell asleep as soon as he sat on the seat.
About seven minutes later when he awoke, he saw a beautiful woman around 23 years old sitting on the seat opposite from his. “She must be an actress or a fashion model,” he thought. He could not help appreciating her beauty by looking at her stealthily from time to time. As she was absorbed in reading a book, she did not notice him. Her long eyelashes, well proportioned red lips, waving hair, and her slender body in a green sweater—everything about her was irresistible.
When the train stopped at the next station, several passengers got on and a middle aged man stood just in front of him obstructing his sight as if the man knew what Takao had been indulging in. Takao wanted to shout, “You are blocking my view!” Instead, he leaned his body to the left to secure the vision.
The train reached Kanayama Station, where he had to get off the train. He reluctantly stood up, when she also did the same. He watched her walk hurriedly toward the ticket gate. When she reached it and took out a commuter pass from her purse, she dropped a small notebook. Not noticing it, she went through the gate. When Takao passed through it, he bent down and picked up the notebook. He ran to catch up with her and cried, “Hey, Miss, you’ve dropped something.” She did not stop but walked hurriedly to the Meitetsu Line station. He tried to catch her but gave up, because he thought he would miss his train.
When Takao got on the train, he opened her notebook out of curiosity. It was just an ordinary notebook full of schedules. At the end of the notebook was written her name (Kaori Hanai) and telephone number.
When Takao returned home and switched the light on, he called her up remembering her face which was firmly embedded in his memory. While the beep was ringing, he was excited. “I can talk to a super-beautiful girl,” he thought. After a few beeps, he heard her voice.
“Hello,” Kaori said.
“Hello,” he said. “I think you dropped your notebook? I happened to pick it up.
There was a moment of silence.
“Are you still there?” he said.
“Yes, yes,” she said a little surprised. “Thank you. I am very grateful to you. I thought I would not be able to get it back. Could you return it to me? It’s important.”
“Of course. Is it all right with you that we meet at Kanayama Station tomorrow?”
“Yes, what time shall we make it?”
“How about seven in the evening? I’ll be standing in front of the Japan Railway ticket machine.”
“That’ll be fine. How can I identify you?”
“Oh, my name is Yamada. I am 28 years old and will be carrying a black bag.”
“Fine, I’ll be there at seven. Mr. Yamada,” she said.
That night Takeo could not sleep. He would be meeting with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life. She would say, “How can I thank you?” he would say, “No, no, you don’t have to thank me.” She would say, “But, could I treat you to dinner?” “No, don’t,” he would say. She would insist. So, he would have dinner with her. She would become fond of him, and, and . . . .
Ten minutes before seven, Takeo was standing in front of the ticket machine. She might appear at any moment. He searched for her among the busy people.
At seven o’clock she did not appear.
At seven fifteen, she did not appear. He thought she had some urgent business. He decided to wait for her for another fifteen minutes, when a man’s voice called him from behind, “Mr. Yamada, I presume.” Takao turned around and saw a handsome man around 30 years old. He felt like his head had been struck by an iron bar.
“Yes, I am. I’m Yamada. Are you . . . .?”
“My name is Hanai. I am sorry to have kept you waiting, but Kaori has an urgent business and asked me to meet you.”
“Oh, I see.” Takao said totally disappointed not unable to see her. “So she is married to this man,” he thought.
The man said, “So, could you return the notebook?
“Yes, of course,” Takao said and returned it.
“Thank you. This is a token of our thanks. Please accept it,” he said trying to hand in an envelope, apparently containing some money.
Takao refused to accept it in spite of his insistence.
Soon they parted ways. The man walked briskly into the crowd, and Takao plodded wearily. He thought he had no chance at all to marry her. He did not know that the man was her brother.
About seven minutes later when he awoke, he saw a beautiful woman around 23 years old sitting on the seat opposite from his. “She must be an actress or a fashion model,” he thought. He could not help appreciating her beauty by looking at her stealthily from time to time. As she was absorbed in reading a book, she did not notice him. Her long eyelashes, well proportioned red lips, waving hair, and her slender body in a green sweater—everything about her was irresistible.
When the train stopped at the next station, several passengers got on and a middle aged man stood just in front of him obstructing his sight as if the man knew what Takao had been indulging in. Takao wanted to shout, “You are blocking my view!” Instead, he leaned his body to the left to secure the vision.
The train reached Kanayama Station, where he had to get off the train. He reluctantly stood up, when she also did the same. He watched her walk hurriedly toward the ticket gate. When she reached it and took out a commuter pass from her purse, she dropped a small notebook. Not noticing it, she went through the gate. When Takao passed through it, he bent down and picked up the notebook. He ran to catch up with her and cried, “Hey, Miss, you’ve dropped something.” She did not stop but walked hurriedly to the Meitetsu Line station. He tried to catch her but gave up, because he thought he would miss his train.
When Takao got on the train, he opened her notebook out of curiosity. It was just an ordinary notebook full of schedules. At the end of the notebook was written her name (Kaori Hanai) and telephone number.
When Takao returned home and switched the light on, he called her up remembering her face which was firmly embedded in his memory. While the beep was ringing, he was excited. “I can talk to a super-beautiful girl,” he thought. After a few beeps, he heard her voice.
“Hello,” Kaori said.
“Hello,” he said. “I think you dropped your notebook? I happened to pick it up.
There was a moment of silence.
“Are you still there?” he said.
“Yes, yes,” she said a little surprised. “Thank you. I am very grateful to you. I thought I would not be able to get it back. Could you return it to me? It’s important.”
“Of course. Is it all right with you that we meet at Kanayama Station tomorrow?”
“Yes, what time shall we make it?”
“How about seven in the evening? I’ll be standing in front of the Japan Railway ticket machine.”
“That’ll be fine. How can I identify you?”
“Oh, my name is Yamada. I am 28 years old and will be carrying a black bag.”
“Fine, I’ll be there at seven. Mr. Yamada,” she said.
That night Takeo could not sleep. He would be meeting with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life. She would say, “How can I thank you?” he would say, “No, no, you don’t have to thank me.” She would say, “But, could I treat you to dinner?” “No, don’t,” he would say. She would insist. So, he would have dinner with her. She would become fond of him, and, and . . . .
Ten minutes before seven, Takeo was standing in front of the ticket machine. She might appear at any moment. He searched for her among the busy people.
At seven o’clock she did not appear.
At seven fifteen, she did not appear. He thought she had some urgent business. He decided to wait for her for another fifteen minutes, when a man’s voice called him from behind, “Mr. Yamada, I presume.” Takao turned around and saw a handsome man around 30 years old. He felt like his head had been struck by an iron bar.
“Yes, I am. I’m Yamada. Are you . . . .?”
“My name is Hanai. I am sorry to have kept you waiting, but Kaori has an urgent business and asked me to meet you.”
“Oh, I see.” Takao said totally disappointed not unable to see her. “So she is married to this man,” he thought.
The man said, “So, could you return the notebook?
“Yes, of course,” Takao said and returned it.
“Thank you. This is a token of our thanks. Please accept it,” he said trying to hand in an envelope, apparently containing some money.
Takao refused to accept it in spite of his insistence.
Soon they parted ways. The man walked briskly into the crowd, and Takao plodded wearily. He thought he had no chance at all to marry her. He did not know that the man was her brother.
