esaid.

    "Thatsnottrue,"shesaid."Thatissonottrue."

    Junpeiwenttohisclassestheday,aight-knitthreesomeofJuakatsuki,andSayokotihroughgraduation.Junpeisshort-liveddesiretodisappeardisappeareditself.Byholdingherinhisarmsthatdayinhisapartmentandpressinghislipstohers,Junpeihadcalmedsomethinginsidehimself.Atleasthenolongerfeltfused.Thedecisionhadbeenmade,evenifhehadheoomakeit.

    SayokosometimesintroducedJuoaclassmateofhers,andtheywoulddouble-date.Hesawalotofohegirls,anditwaswithherthathehadsexforthefirsttime,justbeforehistwehbirthday.Buthisheartwasalwayssomewhereelse.Hewasrespectful,kind,andteoher,butneverpassionateordevoted.Sheeventuallywentelsewhereinsearchoftruewarmth.Thesamepattereditselfanyimes.

    Whenhegraduated,Junpeisparentsdiscoveredthathehadbeenmajiure,noteidthingsturnedugly.Hisfatherwantedhimtotakeoverthefamilybusiness,butJunpeihadnoiionofdoingthat.HewaostayinTokyoandkeepwritingfi.Therewasnoroomforpromiseoherside,andaviolentargumentensued.Wordswerespokenthatshouldnothavebeen.Junpeineversawhisparentsagain,andhewasvihatithadtobethatway.Unlikehissister,whoalwaysmaopromiseaalongwiththeirparents,Junpeihaddohingbutclashwiththemfromthetimehewasachild.

    Juookaseriesofpart-timejobsthathelpedhimtoscrapebyashetiowritefi.Wheneverhefiory,heshowedittoSayokoandgotherhoopinion,thenreviseditacctestions.Untilshepronouncedapiecegood,hewouldrewriteitagainandagain,carefullyandpatiently.Hehadnoothermentor,andhebeloonowritersgroup.

    Whewenty-f