Untilaboutamonthago,IwasoccasionallysubmittingtranslationsthatIhaddoneofvariousyet-to-betranslatedMurakamishortstories.Mostofthosewerevery,veryshort,andIthoughtmaybeIshouldtrysomethingalittlelonger.Istartedpagingthroughabookcalled"LexingtonnoYuurei"(TheLexingtonGhosts),anditseemedlikethestoriesthereinwereinmyrange.Ivenowfiwoofthem.Thefollowingisthefirstone,calledKooriOtoko(TheI).Itsaweirdlittlestory,andIdontknowquitewhattomakeofit.Illbecurioustoseewhatotherpeoplethink.SIsfairlylong,Imgoingtodivideitupintopieces,andserializeitoveracoupleofdays.Enjoy!

    P.S.Asalways,Iwouldappreciateanycriticismoradvice,especiallyfromtheJapaerate.

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    TheI

    ImarriedtheI.

    IfirstmettheIatthisskiresorthotel.IguessthatsthekindofplaeoughttomeetanI.Intheboisteroushotellobby,crowdedwithyoungpeople,theIwassittinginachairatthefurthestpossibleremovefromthefireplace,silentlyreadingabook.Thoughitroaghighnoon,itseemedtomethatthecool,freshlightofthewintermstilllingeredaroundhim.Hey,thatstheI,?myfriendinformedmeinalowvoice.Butatthattime,IhadnoideawhatintheworldanIwas.Myfrienddidntreallykher.ShejustkhatheexistedandwascalledtheI.Shessurehesmadeoutofice.ThatswhyhescalledtheI,?shesaidtomewithaseriousexpression.Itwaslikeshewastalkingaboutaghostorsomebodywithatagiousdiseaseorsomething.

    TheIwastall,andfromlookingathim,hishairseemedbristly.WhenIsawhisface,helookedfairlyyoungstill,butthatthick,wiryhairwaswhite,likeithadbeehmeltedsnow.Hehadhighcheek-bohatappearedto