heneer.Hewasassignedfirsttothecitydesk,whichkepthimrunningfromoneseedytothe."Iseeacorpsenowandhing,"hesaid.Bodiesdismemberedbytrains,charredinfires,discoloredwithage,thebloatedcadaversofdrowningvictims,gunshotvictimswiththeirbrainssplattered."Whateverdistinguishedonelumpoffleshfromanotherwhentheywerealive,itsallthesameoheyredead,"hesaid."Justused-upshells."

    Takatsukiwassometimestoobusytomakeithomebeforem.ThenSayokowouldcallJunpei.Shekhathewasoftenupallnight.

    "Arey?youtalk?"

    "Sure,"hewouldsay."Imnotdoinganythingspecial."

    Theyddiscussthebookstheyhadread,orthingsthathadeupintheirdailylives.Thealkabouttheolddays,whentheywerestillfreeandspontaneous.versationslikethatwouldiablybringbackmemoriesofthetimethatJunpeihadheldSayokoinhisarms:thesmoothtouchofherlips,thesoftnessofherbreastsagainsthim,thetransparentearly-autumnsunlightstreamingontothetatamifloorofhisapartment—thesewereneverfarfromhisthoughts.

    Justaftersheturhirty,Sayokobecamepregnant.Shewasagraduateassistantatthetime,butshetookabreakfromherjobtogivebirthtoababygirl.Thethreeofthemcameupwithallkindsofnamesforthebaby,butdecidedintheendononeofJunpeissuggestions—Sala."Ilovethesoundofit,"Sayokotoldhim.Therewerenoplicationswiththebirth,andthatnightJunpeiandTakatsukifoundthemselvestogetherwithoutSayokoforthefirsttimeinalongwhile.Junpeihadbroughtoverabottleofsitocelebrate,andtheyemptiedittogetheratthekittable.

    "Whydoes