tohell,andturnoutafirstdraftinthreedaysoftratedeffort.Afterfourmoredaysofpolishing,hewouldgivethemanuscripttoSayokoandhiseditortoread.Basically,though,thebattlewaswonorlostinthatfirstweek.Thatwaswhehingthatmatterediorycametogether.Hispersonalitywassuitedtothisway:totaltrationofeffortoverafewshortdays.Junpeifeltonlyexhaustiohoughtaboutwritinganovel.Howcouldhepossiblymaintainhistrationformonthsatatime?Thatkindofpageludedhim.

    Givenhisausterebachelorslifestyle,Junpeididnotneedmuey.Oncehehadmadewhatheneededfivenperiod,hewouldstopacceptingwork.Hehadonlyonesilentcattofeed.Hisgirlfriendswerealwaystheundemandingtype,andwhenhegrewboredwiththemhewouldeupwithsomepretextforendingtherelationship.Sometimes,maybeonceamonth,hewouldwakeatanoddtimeinthenightwithafeelingthatwasclosetopaniotgoinganywhere,hewouldtellhimself.IstruggleallIwant,butImnevergoingtogoahenhewouldeitherforcehimselftogotohisdeskandwrite,ordrinkuntilhecouldnoloayawake.

    Takatsukihadlahejobhedalwayswanted—repforatopneer.Sineverstudied,hisgradesattheuywerenothingtabout,buttheimpressionhemadeatinterviewswasoverwhelminglypositive,andhehadbasicallybeehespot.Sayokohadenteredgraduateschool,asplaheymarriedsixmonthsaftergraduation,theceremonyascheerfulandbusyasTakatsukihimself.TheyhoneymoonedinFrandboughtatwo-roomdoashortutefromdowntown.Junpeiwouldeoverfordinneracoupleoftimesaweek,andthenewlywedsalwaysweledhimwarmly.ItwasalmostasiftheyweremorefortablewithJunpeiaroundthaheywerealoogether.

    Takatsukienjoyedhisworkatt