eer.Atnoon,he’dbuyaboxlundintheeveninghe’dbuyacoldofbeerandasnack—thesamething,dayafterday.HeandJunkoneverexgedmorethanthebarestcivilities,butshefoundherselfdrawntohimafterawhile.

    Whentheywerealohestoreonem,shetookadaskedhimabouthimself.Whydidheeinsooften,evenifhedidliveclose-by?Whydidbuylotsofmilkandbeeraintherefrigerator?Wouldn’tthatbemoreve?Ofcourse,itwasallthesametothestorepeople,butstill...

    “Yeah,Iguessyht,”hesaid.“It’dmakemoreseockup,butI’t.”

    “Whynot?”Junkoasked.

    “Well,it’sjust,like—I’t,that’sall.”

    “Ididopryoranything,”Junkosaid.“Pleasedobotheryou.It’sjustthewayIam.I’thelpaskiionswhenIdon’tknowsomething.Idon’tmeananyharmbyit.”

    Miyakehesitatedamoment,scratghishead.Then,withsomedifficulty,hesaid,“Tellyouthetruth,Idon’thavearefrigerator.Idon’tlikerefrigerators.”

    Junkosmiled.“Idon’tlikerefrigeratorsmyself,butIdohaveone.Isn’titkindofinvenothavingone?”

    “Sureit’sinve,butIhatethethings,sowhatIdo?I’tsleepatnightwhenthere’sarefrigeratoraround.”

    Whataweirdguy,thoughtJunko.Butnowshewasmoreiedinhimthanever.

    Walkingonthebeaeeveningafewdayslater,JunkosawMiyaketendingabonfire,alowasasmallfiremadeofdriftwoodhehadcollected.JunkospoketoMiyake,thenjoinedhimatthefire.Standingbesidehim,shewasagoodcoupleofialler.Thetwoofthemtradedsimplegreetings,thensaidnothingatallastheystaredatthefire.

    ItwasthefirsttimethatJuacertain“something”asshewatchedtheflamesofabonfire:“something”deepdown,a“wad”offeeling,shemighthavecalledit,