"So Masakic    by    it in a pail, and do-o-oain , all to too sell ime No. 1 ;

        "Do bears ; Sala asked.

        "Masakic o ; Junpei explained. " lying by t ;

        "And it did."

        "It really did. So Masakic to to for    up a sign: Deeelicious ural. One Cup ￥200. "

        " bears t money?"

        "Absolutely. Masakic a cub, and taugo talk and o t money. Masakic so special, teo s;

        "S;

        "Yeas ing so special? and keep away from onkicouged Masakic;

        "Poor Masakic;

        "Yeao t, and alk and all, but     a bear. So Masakic really belong to eit;

        "Didnt ;

        "Not a single friend. Bears dont go to sake friends."

        "Do you ; "Uncle Junpei" oo long for    called him Jun.

        "Your daddy is my absolute bestest friend from a long, long time ago. And sos your mommy."

        "ts good, to ;

        "It is good," Junpei said. "Youre rig t."

        Junpei often made up stories for Sala before s to bed. And and someto explain. Junpei gave a lot of t to ions eing, and s to tory elling.

        Sayokht a glass of warm milk.

        "Junpei is telliory of Masakic; Sala said. "ime No. 1     ;

        "O; Sayoko asked.

        Sala turo Junpei are. "Is Masakic;

        "Not so big," Junpei said. "In fact,    about your size, Sala. And -tempered little guy. ens to music,    listen to rock or punk or t kind of stuff. o listen to Sc, all by ;

        "ens to music?" Sala asked. "Does ;

        " up and broug ;

        "uff just o be lying around in tains?" Sala asked e of suspi.

        "ell, its a very, very steep mountain, and t all faint and dizzy, and tons of stuff t need. Rig    ;

        "I kno ; Sayoko said. "Sometimes you    to t;

        "Not me," Sala said.

        "ts because youre young and full of energy, Sala," Junpei said. "ell you t of tory."

        "O.K.," s care. t; make o better t plain ;

        "An excellent point," Sayoko said ;s    ;

        "Plos t; Junpei said. "trepreneur someday."

        It    2 A.M. by time Sala    back to bed. Junpei and Sayoko ed for o fall asleep, t to split a    of beer at tcable. Sayoko    muco drive home.

        "Sorry fing you out in t," Sayoko said, "but I didnt knoo do. Im totally exed, and youre to call takatsuki."

        Junpei nodded and took a s;Dont    me," ;Im aill ty at time of nigs no big deal."

        "You ory?"

        Junpei nodded.

        " going?"

        "Like ale em. t em. Nobody reads em."

        "I read t;

        "t; Junpei said. "But t story is on its . Like ts talk about Sala. ;

        Sayoko nodded.

        "A lot?"

        "Almost every nigime after midnigs terical fits and jumps out of bed. And I t get o st. Ive tried everyt;

        "Any idea ;

        Sayoko drank    of ared at ty glass.

        "I too many nes on t oo muc around time of t ko put tle box—too little for ao fit into. Sells     to get inside, and arts puss crad ries to stuff s w;

        "t;

        "all and skinny and old. After surning on every ligs, in t ell     a dream, but s listen to me. And s go to bed until s takes at least an ime Im    alone ;

        Sayoko almost never spilled out his.

        "try not to c; Junpei said. "t;

        "I almost never ymore. But its too late no;

        Ju for a while.

        " do you say o ts to see a real bear."

        Sayoko narro bad. It just migs do it—ts been ages. You call takatsuki, O.K.?"

        Junpei y-six, born and bred in ty of Kobe,    a private cram sc aseda Uy, in tokyo. rance exams in boterature departments. erature department    test ation and told s t ered tment. to study literature, and Junpei ention of ing four precious years studying ted o study literature, and to bee a er.

        At ty, Junpei made takatsuki and Sayoko. takatsuki came from tains of Nagano. tall and broad-sain of eam. It aken udying to pass trance exam, so ical and decisive,    made people take to    aerature department because its exam ; t; ive ;Im going to be a neer, so Ill let teaco e."

        Junpei did not uand suki erest in befriending o sit alone in ening to musid errible at sports. Arangers, ill, for akatsuki seemed to    time    o make apped Junpei on t;s get someto eat." And by ts to eacher.

        takatsuki used takatsuki    someto eat?" And so tigtle group akatsuki, and Sayoko did everytogeture notes, ate luncalked about ture over coffee, took parttime jobs at t to latenigs, okyo, and drank so muc t sick toget-year college students the world over.

        Sayoko okyo girl. S of totle accessories t go raditional Japanese dress. tions, and it attracted an exclusive tele t included several famous Kabuki actors. Sayoko o go on to graduate scerature, and ultimately to an academic career. S, and santly exse versations about tiful elligent eyes. Sly and y, but deep dt makeup, but s look of il    Sayoko. tended a boys    no opportuo meet girls.

        But Junpei couldnt bring o express o Sayoko.    t Sayoko migake    t, tly balanced, fortable relationsakatsuki, and Sayoko old o leave tc.

        In takatsuki    to make a move. "I e to t you out of t Im in love ; old Junpei. "I    mind." tember of takatsuki explai    by act, w ion.

        Junpei fixed akatsuki. It took s to uand o . ter. "No," ;I dont mind."

        "I am so glad to !" takatsuki said ;You . I mean, t t    you out. But, anyo ime. If not no o er. t I    to go on being friends. O.K.?"

        Junpei spent t several days in a fog. meing not tor and slugging do quitting uy and going to some distant to life style for him, he decided.

        On to Junpeis apartment. Ss and ton pants, and her hair inned back.

        "; s;Everybodys    youre dead in your room. takatsuki asked me to c too keen on seeing t;

        Junpei said he had been feeling sick.

        "Yea; s;youve lost some    ;ao make you someto eat?"

        Junpei s feel like eating, he said.

        Sayoko opeor and looked inside     do to Junpei. "I dont kno are you feeling bad about takatsuki and me?"

        Junpei said t . And it ,     akatsuki and Sayoko to bee lovers    natural takatsuki ions. Junpei     simple.

        "Go ; Sayoko asked.

        "Sure."

        Sook a    of beer from tor and divided tents betely.

        "Its kind of embarrassing to put to ; s;but I    to stay friends    just for no even after    older. A lot older. I love takatsuki, but I need you, too, in a    make me selfis;

        Junpei    sure o ans, but he shook his head.

        Sayoko said, "to uand someto put t someto a form t you    see ely different to do bot simpler."

        Junpei looked at Sayoko in profile.    srying to say. ime raced tain on tuation o Sayoko before takatsuki o t sug would never have happened.

        ears falling on tatami, an oddly magnified sound. For a moment,    being a. But t Sayoko ween rembling.

        Almost unsciously,    and put a ly to. o    . Junpei caug of tears and dre tness of s against    some kind of sc made—like joints creaking. But t was all. As if regaining sciousness, Sayoko moved her face bad down, pushing Junpei away.

        "No," sly, s;e t do ts ;

        Junpei apologized. Sayoko said not ime. t     till t, in fact, try as    after t, o recall title or the melody.

        "You dont o apologize," Sayoko said. "Its not your fault."

        "I t; Junpei said ly.

        Sayoko read laid ;e back to sorro;

        "So muot enoug; he said.

        "ts not true," s;t is so not true."

        Juo    day, and tig takatsuki, and Sayoko tiion. Junpeis s-lived desire to disappear disappeared itself. By    day i and pressing o    least    fused. t been to make it.

        Sayoko sometimes introduced Juo a classmate of e.    of one of t     time, just before iet    eo    never passionate or devoted. Sually    elsetered itself any number of times.

        ed, Junpeis parents discovered t erature, not eics, and turned ugly. ed o take over t Junpei ention of doing t. ed to stay in tokyo and keep ing fi. t argument ensued. ords    s s again, and    it o be t    along s, Junpei    clasime he was a child.

        Juook a series of part-time jobs t o scrape by as io e fi. ory,    to Sayoko and got    opinion, t acc to ions. Until se it again and again, carefully and patiently. or, and o nroup.

        y-four, a story of erary magazine, and over t five years Junpei ed for ted Akutagaimes, but ually . ernally promising didate. A typical opinion from a judge on ttee ;For sug of very y,    and psydency to let seake over from time to time, and tic s;

        takatsuki    of t tic s use . todays sukiyaki ic s;

        Junpei publisories before ury: "; and "Grapes." "; sold ten t;Grapes" t bad figures for s-story colles, acc to or. t none gave e support. Most of Junpeis stories    young people in situations of ued love. yle s ratioyle and grittier plots. ter all. Junpeis edited o try a novel. If e anyt s stories,    keep dealing erial over and ain. riting a novel could open up ical matter, too, novels attracted far more attention tories. riting only s stories was a o make a living.

        But Junpei ory er.     everyto urn out a first draft in trated effort. After four more days of polis to Sayoko and or to read. Basically, ttle    in t first    tered in tory came togety ed to total tration of effort over a fe only exion    ing a novel. ain ration for mont a time? t kind of pag eluded him.

        Given ere bacyle, Junpei did not need muc op accepting    to feed. ype, and    for ending tionsimes, maybe once a mont an odd time in t    o panic. Im not going any, but Im never going to go anyo e, or drink until ay awake.

        takatsuki ed—rep for a top ney    about, but t interviee scer graduation, takatsuki    a te from dooimes a     as if table ogether.

        takatsuki e to ty desk, o t. "I    see a corpse no feel a t; rains, ced cadavers of droims, guns victims tered. "ever distinguiss all t; ;Just used-up s;

        takatsuki imes too busy to make it    en up all night.

        "Are you alk?"

        "Sure," ;Im not doing anyt;

        t alk about till free and spontaneous. versations like t ably bring back memories of time t Junpei ouess of s against ransparent early-autumn sunligreaming onto tatami floor of ment—ts.

        Just after sury, Sayoko became pregnant. Se assistant at time, but sook a break from o give birto a baby girl. t decided in tions—Sala. "I love t," Sayoko told ions    nigakatsuki found toget Sayoko for t time in a long tle of single malt to celebrate, and tied it toget tcable.

        "ime s by like t; takatsuki asked     seems like only yesterday I    Sayoko, and t ts c-for uand, Junpei. Youre still living ts like you opped being a student, you lucky bastard."

        "Not so lucky," Junpei said, but akatsuki felt. Sayoko    akatsuki. tc turn back again. t    yet sure of    it.

        "I couldnt tell you t; takatsuki said, "but Im pretty sure Sayoko tracted to you to me."    than usual.

        "ts crazy," Junpei said h a smile.

        "Like    is. I knoalking about. You kno    you dont kno a ter t about you, and I figured, o ill test ill t was my rigo ;

        "Nobodys saying it ," Junpei said.

        takatsuki nodded. "But you still do. Not really.    es to anytant, youre so damn stupid. Its amazing to me t you    put a piece of fi toget;

        "Yeas a different t;

        "Any; takatsuki said ;Four of us. Four. Is t O.K.?"

        Junpei learned just before Salas sed birt takatsuki and Sayoko ic suki ime of Sayoknancy, and he hardly ever came home anymore, she explained.

        Junpei couldo grasp er ails Sayoko o give akatsuki ed anoto be test    t Sala . Besides,    Sala. "I mean, Im over at your ime, eating dinner ? But I never sensed a tself—t family."

        "Its true," Sayoko said. "e    lying to you or putting on an act. But quite separately from t    o    up. Do botoo muc better no of different ;

        Sayoko and takatsuki er. t    test problem: no recriminations, no disputed claims. takatsuki    to live o visit Sala once a    Junpei ry to be present at times. "It ; Sayoko told Junpei.    as if    tury-three.

        togetakatsuki ive self, and Sayokos bely natural, as tural t s alked about the old days.

        "ell me," takatsuki said, one January nige in t;Do you o marry?"

        "Not at t," Junpei said.

        "No girlfriend?"

        "Nope."

        " do you say you and Sayoko get toget;

        Junpei squi takatsuki as if at some t. "; he asked.

        " do you mean,    to be a fato Sala."

        "Is t t;

        takatsuki sighick arm around Junpeis shoulders.

        "s tter? Dont you like t t of stepping in after me?"

        "t doesnt bot s a question of decy."

        "t; takatsuki said. "And its got noto do ? You love Sala, too, dont you? ts t important t your o. But to me it looks like youre trying to pull off your ss    taking off your pants."

        Junpei said notakatsuki    into an unusually long silence. So so tation, e breato t.

        "In any case," Junpei said, "youre an absolute idiot."

        "I o give you credit," takatsuki said. "Youre rig deny it. Im ruining my o Im telling you, Junpei, I couldnt . t a stop to it. I dont k o    just     ;

        Junpei felt as if ;Do you remember o me t t Sala    Sayoko est    you could never find ao take ;

        "And its still true. Nots ed. But t very fact    sometimes make t;

        "I dont kno," Junpei said.

        "And you never ; takatsuki said    word.

        t by. Sayoko never    back to tea editor friend of o send ory to translate, and sain flair. tor ial ne very good, but it added to akatsuki ably.

        t oing at least once a    business kept takatsuki a togetable     takatsuki, and tion turo oddly muters. A stranger    a typical family.

        Junpei    on ing a steady stream of stories, bringing out ion, "Silent Moon,"    received one of tablisers, and title story o a movie. Junpei also produced a volume of music criticism, e a book on oral gardening, and translated a colle of Jo stories. All er little by little, eady readersable ine.

        io t asking Sayoko to marry     t it, and for a time o    still    make up    about it, t seemed to    ioly    akatsuki    of ed taken Sayoko, married akatsuki o marry    t tion. And no time for o be uurn    Junpei couldnt    t a bit too easy.     for o decide? And so    on    deg. And thquake came.

        Juime, doing a story for an airline magazine. uro el in to find tV ne looked like termat took Junpei a y . "Youre from Kobe, arent you?" ographer asked.

        But Junpei did not try to call s. t oo deep, and oo long for to be any ion. Junpei fleo tokyo and resumed urned on television, and    a        set foot os since ion, but still tastrop o    aspects of ly, but pletely. Junpei felt airely neion. I s, . Im not ected to anything.

        Early on t to take Sala to to see takatsuki called to say t o fly to Okina to pry tervie of t;Sorry, but youll o go to t me. I dont suppose Mr. Bear oo upset if I dont make it."

        So Junpei and Sayoko took Sala to ted to t, blackest bear and asked, "Is t one Masakic;

        "No, no, ts not Masakic; Junpei said. "Masakid er-looking, too. ts tougonkic;

        "tonkic; Sala yelled again and again, but ttention. t Junpei and said, "tell me a story about tonkic;

        "ts a ; Junpei said. "t t many iing stories about tonki ordinary bear.    talk or t money like Masakic;

        "But I bet you    tell me somet ;

        "Youre absolutely rig; Junpei said. "t least one good to tell about even t ordinary bear. ot. ell, tonc;

        "tonkic; Sala corrected ouce.

        "Aonkic co to be really fast to do somet. tonkic test bear on tain, but co eat. But    go to too sell ra salmon, because    knoalk."

        "ts easy," Sala said. "All o do rade ra salmon for Masakicra ;

        "Youre rig; Junpei said. "And ts onkico do. So tonkicarted trading salmon for    to knoer all, and Masakikic just a toug, t friends. tonkic catc colleg    t from t;

        "A bolt from t;

        "Like a flasning from a clear blue sky," Sayoko explained. "All of a sudden,    ;

        "All of a sudden t; Sala asked, ;But w;

        "ell, all t toget going to s river anymore, because a bear onkic catkiot salmon after t. t c it, but t-tasting t to eat is a skinny salmon."

        "Poor tonkic; Sala said.

        "And ts onkic to t; Sayoko asked.

        "ell, ts a long, long story," Junpei said, clearing . "But, basically, yes, ts w ;

        "Didnt Masakikic; Sala asked.

        "ried. t friends, after all. ts onkic let you do t. Itd be like taking advantage of you. Masakic o be suger onki, youd do t you? "

        "Sure ; Sala said.

        "But t stay t ; Sayoko interjected.

        "t stay t ; Junpei said. "tonkiasakico be friends. Its no do all to do all taking: ts not real friendsain no friends. So ted. But after tonki,    knoside    onkic o t;

        "Couldnt you ter ending? Like, everybody lives er?" Sayoko asked Junpei later.

        "I    t of o."

        togetment. Sayoko boiled a pot of spagti and defrosted some tomato sauce co Sala from a picture book, but wime came sed.

        "Please, Mama, do trick," she begged.

        Sayoko blus;Not no; s;e ."

        "No, ," Sala said. "Junpeis not a guest."

        "s t?" Junpei asked.

        "Its just a silly game," Sayoko said.

        "Mama takes s it on table, and puts it ba again. So keep one able. And ime !"

        "Sala!" Sayoko gros just a little game    s not meant for anybody else."

        "Sounds like fun to me," Junpei said.

        "Please, Mama, s once. If you do it, Ill go to bed rig;

        "Os t; Sayoko muttered. Sook off al c to Sala. "No going to give me any more trouble about going to bed, rig ready to time me o t;

        Sayoko er. S botable and ted, "One . . . t; Like a turtles rag into its s    back-scratc. Out came t     up its sleeve. Sayoko turned    a bit, and t    e bra—a small oest ed motion, t back up t again. t    t again. ted     on table.

        "ty-five seds," Sala said. "ts great, Mama, a ime so far y-six seds."

        Junpei applauded. "onderful! Like magic."

        Sala clapped oo. Sayoko stood up and announced, "All rigime is over. to bed, young lady. You promised."

        Sala kissed Junpei on t to bed.

        Sayoko stayed il eady, t;I o make," s;I ced."

        "Ced?"

        "I didnt put t pretended. I slipped it out from under my ser and dropped it on t;

        Junpei laug; a terrible mot;

        "I ed to make a ne; s seen    simple, miscime. time s axis inside Junpei, like curtains stirring in a breeze. ook    embrace. ite naturalness, t ime teen.

        "e so begin ; Sayoko o ;But you did. You just did. Not till t;

        took tly. t time. took time, until t last Junpei entered Sayoko and she drew him in.

        None of to Junpei. In t,    as if ed bridge t    on and on forever. ed to e, but , o hing would vanish.

        t creaking sound. t from took turo see Sala standing against t. Sayoko . Gat to s, she hair on her forehead.

        Sala    g or screaming.     stood t t seeing notiness.

        Sayoko called her name.

        "to e ; Sala said in a flat voice, like someone    of a dream.

        "t; Sayoko asked.

        "told me to tell you. ing ell you t, and you and."

        Sala slept in Sayokos bed t    t, but    sleep. tV faced time ared at t ting    a cter ed, it did not go away.

        rying to sleep and    to tc at tcable to drink it, but    somet. It ill lying t up and    on t ion. It ess .

        Ju about ill akatsuki t time t, saying, "s get someto eat," in t sukis friendly smile t seemed to say, "Relax. t going to keep gettier aer."    t time, Junpei    hing special.

        "o go to lunc; Junpei    day. takatsuki tapped emple e fidence. "I alent for pig t friends at t times in t places."

        And takatsuki    been , setting cable. uitive knack for pig t friends. But t    enougo love over te a different matter from finding friends. Junpei closed    about tretcime     to t as somet any purpose.

        As soon as Sayoko o marry    e aaking care not to make a sound,    Sayoko and Sala sleeping bundled in a forter. Sala lay o Sayoko, ip of irred. o ted floor by t to cheir sleep.

        Eyes fixed on t about t of tory for Sala. o find a o end tale of Masakikico be a o save tonkicraced tory from to sprout in tle by little, it took shape.

        tonkic as Sala:    Masakiced to bake    didnt take o realize t alent for making crisp, delicious ook to too tonkikico separate again: ter in tains.

        Sala o love t to e stories t are different from tten so far, Ju. I    to e about people    to end,    t rigo stay yo ary to put to t crazy box, not even if th a roar.
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