Iknowitslateahing,butItotallyhateants.Soe?"

    Inthedarkness,Ishookmyheadviolently.WhointheworldwasthisMayKasahara?WhowasthisMayKasahara,whohadrobbedmeofmyeels?

    Itriedaskihesequestions.

    "Oh,Imsosorry.Imusthavemadeamistake,"saidMayKasahara,soundinggenuinelyapologetic."Thisantproblemhasreallygotmeflustered,eversiheymovedtheir.Sorry."

    Heavingasigh,Icrawledbamyfuton,yeyes,andtriedtofindthosefriendlyeelsihickmudofsleep.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    TAKAYAMANoriko-sanandmysexualdesire

    ByMURAKAMIHaruki

    TranslatedbyOSAKABEYoshio

    Uptonowinmylife,IhavewalkedwithmanywomensidebysidebutnotwithsuchaquianwalkerasTAKAYAMANoriko-say-fiveyearsold.Shestridesthestreetswithaverycheerfulway,swingingherarmsbadforthrefreshingly,asiftosay,“I’mjustoiled”.Fromalittlefarway,sheseemslikeaspider-flywearingtransparentwings.Sheissoswiftandsmooth,looksveryhappylikealightaftertheheavyrain.

    WhenIwalkedwithherforthefirsttime(wewalkedfromthefrontofSendagayaelementaryschooltoAoyamaIe),Iwassoastohherspeedandthoughtmypanyannoyedherandshehopedtopartfrommeassoonaspossiblewithsuunusualspeed.OrIthoughtsheplaleasttoreducemysexualdesirewithafuriousspeed(however,asIhadnosexualdesiretoher,Iwoworkedornot.)

    Ittooksomemonthstorealizeherquickspacehasnospecialmeaningbutsheonlylikestowalkasifflying.EarlywinterIsawheratthefrontoftheYotsuyastation,walkingaloneincrowds,alsothenshemov