Pathway to Japanese Literature

Kani's Visiting Day

Kani

Mrs. Kani

Maid

Oribe

Kogure Tae

Torii Fuyu

Komai

Mōri

Tomari

Saita

January 12th, afternoon—

An extremely ordinary combined guest room and study.

Kani today of all days should’ve been able to sleep in.
Worrying about trivial things and all that—look at this, already worn out before anyone’s even shown up.
(He flops onto his back.)

“You needn’t worry so much.”
“If we just tidy up this area by two o’clock，have the maid change her undergarments，and I take off this coat here，that should suffice.”
“Is that truly sufficient?”
“Did you get the cushions?”
“Five are plenty.”

“But it’s Kani’s first visiting day after all,” he said. “Even those who never usually come might remember and show up.”

“I have to send postcards every single time anyway,” she replied. “Besides, once a month is simply too infrequent no matter how you look at it. If it were all day or the entire afternoon, that would be one thing—but one hour from two to three? You won’t find visiting hours like that anywhere.” She paused. “Though I suppose because of that system, even people who want to come might not manage...”

“It’s just right,” he said. “If we set every Monday as visiting day—well now—the first Monday you’d have someone alone from morning till night. On the second Monday two people would show up late at night. By the third Monday you’d end up waiting around all day—hardly efficient.”
He snorted derisively. “No—that’s how it always goes.”
“Then on non-visiting days they’ll come anyway—‘just stopping by for a minute!’” His voice pitched higher in mockery of imaginary guests. “Whole hordes of them claiming they won’t take your time!”
“Before long some brazen fool will ignore visiting day altogether—‘Oh I happened to be nearby!’—then plant himself here from lunch until last train!”
“Then we’re trapped all day on visiting days and can’t work properly on other days—making this whole system worse than useless!”
He slammed his palm down with finality. “The solution? Minimize days—shorten hours! Once monthly for one hour—that’s optimal!”
A sly grin crept across his face. “Unless our social circle expands… Then maybe you could host monthly salons—women only—with yourself as centerpiece.”

“I have no interest in such things.”
“Reducing troublesome things as much as possible is my life’s motto, you see…”

“Don’t get cocky.”
“Even I don’t like troublesome things.”
“What about you, huh?”
“Don’t you take any pleasure in my social advancement?”
“The admirers flocking around me will end up worshipping you right here beside me too, you know.”

“How utterly delightful.”

“Stop joking around.”
“Don’t you think so?”

“What if I don’t?”
“I’d feel more at ease if you didn’t keep climbing higher in status.”

“Why?”

“I dislike this sense that you alone will keep ascending endlessly.”

“Ha ha ha ha.”
“Higher places were such a good idea, weren’t they?”
“Wives typically either overestimate their husbands or don’t even acknowledge them properly, but you’ve truly grasped my essence as a husband.”
“Not getting conceited, not growing despondent, yet diligently helping prepare clean manuscript copies—that supportive role of yours is truly admirable.”

Mrs. Kani—seemingly accustomed to such joking remarks—showed no reaction to her husband’s feigned enthusiasm as she faced the desk and moved her pen.

Kani wondered about February 12th of Showa’s second year… It probably wouldn’t snow.

Mrs. Kani…

“Hey Kani, it’s already half past one.”
I wonder if I’m presentable like this…
“What about wearing a housecoat on a day like this?”

“It’s fine.”

“Why do you say it’s okay?”
“Why do you say it’s okay?”
“Is that so…”

“Do you want to wear a formal crested kimono instead?”

“I don’t want to dress up.”
“I wonder if everyone else does that.”

“If it’s anyone, then anyone’s fine as they are.”
“You are you…”
“Really—who’s even coming? You just need to act normally.”
“If people come, meet them.”
“There’s no reason for us to be making special preparations when we don’t even know if anyone will show up.”

“You’re quite the laissez-faireist for a woman.”
Mrs. Kani…
“You hate drawing clear lines in things.”

Mrs.Kanii...

"Well，if even you don't care，" he said—though he really meant—"then I couldn't give a damn about clothes or anything else."

"There，you see? It's because you say such things that I made a mistake."

Here...“Her eyes，nose，lips，chin...”...Ah—she'd missed “lips”...

"That part’s crucial；take care with it."

(At this moment, a voice called out “Excuse me!”—Kani jumped up.)
The two involuntarily exchanged glances.
Again came a slightly urgent “Excuse me”—the maid seemed to go out to receive the visitor.
Soon—)

Maid (appearing): “Um, Mr. Oribe has arrived.”

Mrs. Kani (smiling at her husband): “What shall we do?”

Kani: “There’s nothing to decide.”
(To the maid) “Tell him to come up…”
(To his wife) “Never mind that…”
“Hurry with the cushions…”

Mrs. Kani (took out cushions and retreated into the back)

Kani (tidied his desk and waited for the visitor with an expression as if he had been working all along)

Oribe (guided by the maid enters): “Oh… It’s been a while.”

“Hey Kani—did the postcard arrive?”

Oribe: “I saw that and came thinking you’d surely be here today—but you’re busy now?”

“Well… Today was hopeless anyway.”
“But someone like you—it’s fine even if you don’t keep visiting days.”
“I sent that postcard as a courtesy—but with that… well… at least you knew which day I’d be here.”

“So, you see...” Oribe began. “But isn’t once a month too infrequent?”

“Because if you want to meet someone,” Kani countered, “you can do so anytime anyway.”

Oribe: “That’s true too. I also tried setting a visiting day myself two or three years back—made it every Tuesday back then—but somehow something always came up that required me to go out precisely on that day. Drove me mad.”
“Even when I had no particular business, once that day arrived, I’d inexplicably feel like stepping out.”
“It’s not that I dislike meeting people per se—just found staying cooped up at home unbearable.”
“Strange phenomenon.”
“Eventually, without any clear moment of decision, the visiting day system simply dissolved. But when people make the effort to visit—well, depends on who—if it’s someone you actually want to see and you’re not home? Downright tragic.”
“Makes you feel utterly defeated.”

“When you say such things,” said Oribe, “I make sure to visit right away myself.
“See? You came by once when I was out—that time too…”

Oribe: “Right, right.
“That time, I was…—and then, as luck would have it…”

Mrs. Kani (bringing tea): “Welcome.”
Oribe: “Oh—the other day—”

“What’s the matter with the gas? It’s not igniting easily…”
“Please…”
(Offering tea) “Madam, would you care for anything else?”

Oribe: “Thank you.”
“Your household seems increasingly prosperous—most splendid.”

Mrs. Kani: “Hm?”
“Oh, nothing really…”
“But isn’t it peculiar?”
“When one establishes a visiting day, the first arrivals invariably prove the most considerate souls.”

Kani: “Truthfully, if someone like you would visit reliably, I might even make it weekly.”
“Though then your visitors would feel constrained too—when meetings could happen anytime, six months might pass without encounters.”
“The irony.”

“Why on earth did you settle on the 12th?”

"It's Mr.Kanji's birthday," said Mrs.Kanji.
"Oh! That explains it," replied Oribe.
"I find dates easier to remember when they're personally significant," said Kanji.
"If you forgot your own birthdate that'd be problematic," Oribe countered.
"The twelfth? Let me confirm - January twelfth?"
"That means today marks your actual birthdate..."
"I'm thirty-three," Kanji stated flatly.

Oribe: "He's young, isn't he?"

Mrs. Kani: "Oh my, how old did he say he was?"

(Of course, she knew his age and was saying this.)
That could be discerned from her gaze.
(Mrs. Kani exited to the inner rooms.)

“By the way, actually, I came here with a small favor to ask…”

“Well，can’t that wait until later?”
“We’ll talk properly later…”

“Yeah…”
“Since nobody else seems to have come yet—if I can just get this talk done—I’d like to make some other rounds today…”
“Let’s have a proper meal together one of these days.”

“Well，isn’t that fine? I’ll send everyone away by three，so after that，you…”

Oribe： “Well… The thing I wanted to talk about isn’t anything else but…”

(At this moment, a woman’s voice: “Excuse me.”)

“Well, let’s leave it for later.”

Kani (unable to suppress a smile): “I’m actually looking forward to this a bit now….”
(Pricks up ears)

Maid (appearing): “Ms. Kogure has arrived.”
Kani (tilting his head): “Kogure…?”

“Um, it’s the young lady.”

Kani…
Maid: “She did come once before, you see…”
Kani: “Ah, I see…”
(After a brief pause) “Fine, tell them to come up…”

Oribe (sensing): “A fan, I suppose?”

Kani: “Yeah—no, rather, a girl aspiring to be a writer.”

Kogure Tae (a twenty-one- or twenty-two-year-old student-like girl—she entered with a polite nod.)
(Following behind her was another woman of similar age who appeared to be her friend, hesitantly trailing along) "I apologize for intruding the other day."
"This person here is, um, my friend, Ms. Torii Fuyu."
"Well, you see... I brought Ms. Torii along because she admires your work too—would that be acceptable?"

“I see. Well… thank you for that…”

(Torii Fuyu bowed politely) “It’s a pleasure to meet you…”

Kani: “Do you go to the same school?”

Kogure Tae: “Yes...”
“But I actually graduated a year earlier, you see.”

Kani: “Huh. But you seem to be the one who came after.”

Kogure Tae: “Oh, do I really seem that way?”
“I’m told by everyone that I’ll always be a child, you know.”

Kani: “Ms. Torii—do you also write something?”

Torii Fuyu: “No.”

Maid (brought tea)

Kani: “Ah, right—let me make the introductions.”
“This is Mr. Oribe Kurō… You know him, right?”
“The name…?”

Oribe: “Oh, well—”

Kani (noticing the girls seemed unfamiliar): “No good—not even knowing Oribe Kurō’s name… You’re failing Literature.”
“He’s a famous playwright, you know.”
“See? *Unmei no Rappā*—”
“…the script called *Unmei no Rappā*—the one that the Mirai-za theater company performed at the Yomiuri Auditorium last summer…”
“Don’t you know it?”
There was no way they wouldn’t know… but still.
Admittedly, Mr. Oribe’s works were highly avant-garde—and there was no denying that hardly anyone in today’s literary world could understand them…

Oribe: “That’s enough—the introductions can stop there…”
(Laughing nonchalantly) “You don’t read many plays, do you?”

Kogure Tae: “We just don’t understand plays even when we read them…”
“Which magazines do you contribute to… Mr. Kani?”

Oribe: “Me?”
“Well, they’re publications you all have no business with.”

“You don’t write for *Hanazono*, do you?”

“Ah—when it comes to those sorts of magazines…”
“*Hanazono* isn’t the only literary magazine.”
“Well—that’s true enough…”
Oribe laughed—a dry chuckle—as if suddenly recalling something.

“Um, Mr. Kani—about what you wrote for this month’s *Hanazono*… there are some parts I don’t quite understand…”

“Ah… well—let’s save that for next time.”
“Since today is… you know…”
“Instead, why don’t you have Oribe tell you something about plays.”

“Well…”
“But I don’t know what I should ask about.”
“Hey, Ms. Torii.”
“Ah, that’s right—you did say you liked scripts, didn’t you?”

(A long silence)

(At this moment, another “Excuse me” was heard at the entrance.
(Eventually, the maid brought a name card.)

Kani (taking it): "Today's visiting day, so there are guests—tell them to come another time… Ah—tell my wife that and have them leave."

Maid: “Yes.”

Oribe: “Since today was visiting day, wasn’t it odd to come on another day?”

Kani: “Hmm.”

(The maid exited. A long silence.)

Mrs. Kani (appearing): That person—(looking at the name card)—came knowing today was visiting day but says it’ll just be a moment, so they’re asking you to hear them out.

“Kani, why don’t you ask what their business is?”
“All right, I’ll go.”
(Stands up and exits)

Oribe (peering at the name card): Kanto Land Corporation…
“Did you buy some land?”

Mrs. Kani: No—if that were truly the case, it would be splendid…

Mrs. Kani (offering sweets to the women) “Please have one…”
(To Oribe) “Haven’t you been playing Go lately?”

Oribe: “Go?”
“With Go…”
“It’d be nice if that could put food on the table… but…”

Kani entered with a guest. "Since there's no other room to accommodate visitors, well, here..."
"It shouldn't matter—it's not exactly confidential business anyway..."

Komai: "Oh, no—it's not that—nothing on my part..."
(He took a seat)

Kani (to Oribe): "This is Mr. Komai from Kanto Land Corporation..."
"And this is playwright Mr. Oribe..."
"As for those young ladies over there... well, I suppose there's no need to ask their names."

Komai: “Oh, no…”
(Scratches his head.)

Kani: “So to cut to the chase—you’re telling me to buy land, right? I don’t have that kind of money.”

Komai: “Oh, no… Actually, our president was supposed to come himself, but he doesn’t understand literature at all—even if he did visit, he said he’d struggle to discuss it properly… So he insisted I come instead.”
“And—though I shouldn’t say this—I do have some fondness for literature myself. Since I’ve been privileged to read your esteemed works, I thought this would be a good opportunity to meet you… That’s why I came.”
“As I know nothing about these matters, I humbly ask for your understanding…”

“Kani—does this matter have anything to do with literature?”

“There’s this thing called *Tsuchi no Bungaku* these days… you know…”

Komai: “Oh, no… The reason I’ve come today—to be direct—concerns the subdivided land we manage through our company. As for its location within Tokyo’s vicinity—the view, climate, transportation access—we believe it surpasses all others.”

Kani: “Understood. You’re telling me to write advertising copy.”

Komai: “Oh, no… It’s not exactly advertisement copy we’re requesting. Rather—since timing isn’t urgent—we hoped you might incorporate such a location into your works at some point…”

“Ah—so you’re telling me to do advertising work.”

“Oh, no…
“It doesn’t have to be explicit publicity—just including the land’s name would suffice…
“For instance, having the protagonist take a lover for a stroll there…”

“Where exactly is this land…?”

“Not the sort of place anyone would bring a lover.
“I’m certain…”

“No, really…
“If you disembark at Musashisakai Station on the Chuo Line, it’s right there.
“On fine weather days, it’s ideal for walks.
“Three-hundred-year-old traces of Musashino remain untouched—Mount Fuji floats among the mixed woods like a painted scene.”

“Kani, did you write that passage?”

Komai: “Oh, no…”
(Scratched his head again.)

Kogure Tae (covered her face with her sleeve and laughed).

Oribe: “In that ad copy of yours—isn’t there anything different from Ogikubo or Kichijoji?”

Komai: “Oh—but… However—it’s quite far from Tokyo…”

Kani: “In that case—still…”

Komai: “No—lately—those who say being that far away is quieter and better have increased quite a bit—it seems.”

“Even if it’s remote…” Oribe leaned forward, his pen tapping against the manuscript. “So… if someone writes it into a novel…” The pause hung like a raised eyebrow. “What’s the payoff?”

Komai’s collar seemed to tighten. “Ah—regarding that point, I’d need to discuss it further with my superiors…”

“You’re not offering the land gratis, are you?” Oribe’s grin cut through the humidity of evasion.

“Oh, no…”
“We could offer a substantial discount…”

“A discount…” Oribe mused dryly.
“How pedestrian.”

Komai pressed on, ignoring him: “Might I beg your indulgence just this once, Mr. Kani?”
“Our president has authorized me to offer properties with buildings at rock-bottom prices… contingent on your circumstances…”

“Won’t work,” Kani cut in.
“Novels—listen—novels have their own logic. The author charts a course, but the protagonist might refuse to walk it.”

“You’re joking…” Komai stammered. “Because the author is precisely the one who holds the protagonist’s fate in their hands…”

“That’s absolutely right,” Oribe cut in. “What about me? If Kani won’t do it, shall I write it into my script? If it gets staged at a major theater—now that would be real publicity.” He leaned forward, eyes glinting. “In return—whether it’s a hundred tsubo or fifty—you’ll have to give me the land for free…”

“Do as he bids, Kani—entrust it to Oribe.”

Oribe: “I’ll write it like this.”
“You see, this land’s ideal in every way, so some moneybags starts trying to buy it all up.”
“Then there’s this young employee at the land company—name could be Komai or whatever…”

Komai: (Flustered) “Oh, no…”

Oribe: “The young employee defies the president’s orders and rejects the tycoon’s contract.”
“So the president tries to fire him, right?”
“Of course, the kid states his principles and begs for reconsideration—but nobody listens.”
“Having no choice, he goes to visit the president’s only daughter—absolute stunner—to casually say his goodbyes…”
(To himself) Maybe too Shinpa?

“No, thank you.”
“The president doesn’t have a daughter, but…”
“And about the land… a bit more…”

“I’ll think it over carefully later,” said Oribe. “As for my place—well, you see, the things I write…” He scribbled an address. “Here… You’ll find it immediately. Please come by soon.”

Komai bowed. “Oh, I’ll speak to the president eventually… However,” he added with a nervous glance, “please try not to portray him in too negative a light…”

“There’s no need for that concern…” Oribe waved a hand dismissively. “What nonsense—that story… It’s all a jest.”

(Everyone except Komai burst into laughter.)
(At this moment, a voice called out, "Excuse me.")

(Silence)

Komai: Would it be acceptable if I troubled you a bit longer?

“You—let’s end this conversation already.”
“If that’s settled…”

Maid (appearing while laughing): “Mr. Mōri is here.”

“Mr. Kani, please come up…”

The Maid: “There are simply too many people requesting to see you.”

“Another guest...?”
“Just come up already, she says…”

Maid (exits).

Kogure Tae: “Well, we’ll be taking our leave now.”

Kani: “Why…? Isn’t it still fine? I’ve just found a good conversation partner…”

Kogure Tae: “But… it’s a man, isn’t it?”

Kani: “Is being a man an issue?”

Torii Fuyu: (To Kogure) “Truly, we shouldn’t be a bother.”

Kogure Tae: “Well then… just a bit longer…” (While looking at her wristwatch) “That’s ten minutes…”

Oribe: “Which way are you heading home?”

Kogure Tae: “I’m in Akasaka…”
“This lady resides in Hongo.”

Oribe: “I’m in Hongo too... Well then...”
“Where exactly is Hongo?”

(A college student entered somewhat hesitantly.)

Mōri: I thought today would turn out like this, so I almost decided to come next time instead…

Kani: Even next time would be the same.
“Is school already over?”

Mōri: “I’m not leaving yet.”
“Ah—I’ve had the chance to read your latest work, Mr. Kani.”

Kani—either genuinely unconcerned or affecting indifference—began making introductions.
“This is Mr. Oribe Kurō...”
(Pause) “You know him.”
(Pause) “The playwright...”

“Ah, is that so?”

“Mōri here’s my junior from school...”
“And then, the ladies seated there—this one in green is Miss Kogure Tae, and that one over there is what you’d call ‘Orenchi’... um...”

Kogure Tae cut in: “Miss Torii Fuyuko...”

“Introducing young people feels good, doesn’t it?”
“It gives me this sort of thrilling sensation somehow, you know.”

Komai bowed his head. “I’m no match for you masters.”

The maid brought tea.

“How did that matter from the other day turn out?”

Mōri: “It remains as it was.”

Kani: “That’s troublesome.”
“It’ll manage to work out somehow, won’t it?”

(A long silence)

(Another voice called out, “Pardon the intrusion.”)

Oribe: “They’re taking their sweet time coming in.”

Kogure Tae: “We’ll be taking our leave now.”

“I suppose that’s acceptable,” Kani said.

Oribe: “I should take my leave too.”
Kani: “It’s still fine.”

Maid (appearing): “A lady who goes by the name of Ms. Saeki is here.”
Kani: “What kind of person is she?”
Maid: “Um, she’s a refined lady about thirty years old.”

Kani: "Ah, I see."
(Looking slightly perplexed) Well then...
"Anyway, show her in..."
However, since this wasn't the place... he should have told Mrs. Kani...
(Turning toward the back) "Hey, just a..."

Mrs. Kani appeared. “Yes?”

“It’s apparently Saeki’s wife,” said Kani. “She didn’t have to come specifically today of all days… Is there a room to receive her?”

“Well…” Mrs. Kani hesitated.

“None, huh? Would here do? I think it’s about that matter… I’ll go visit them instead, so could you ask her to leave? Alright, I’ll handle this myself.” He stood up and exited.

Mrs. Kani turned to Oribe. “This is exactly what I meant when I said once a month wouldn’t work… Though today must be an exception.”

Oribe: First of all, choosing a day like the twelfth was a mistake.
“Even if it’s his birthday—once you call something ‘mid-month,’ it becomes prime visiting time for everyone.”
“Now if it were the thirtieth or such…”
“That’s when folks hesitate to go out—yet he makes that his visiting day?”
“If too many guests bother him…”

Mrs. Kani: But Kani treasures that number twelve, you see.
“He claims it divides neatly by two and three and four.”

Oribe: “And it’s divisible by six too, you see.”

Mrs. Kani: “What do you think...? There are twelve months in a year, wouldn’t you agree?”

Oribe: “And then there’s that whole twelve zodiac signs thing, you know.”

“I see,” said Mrs. Kani.
“And if you add up Kani’s brothers and my sisters, it comes to exactly twelve people, you see.”

Oribe: "If we're talking numbers like that, my wife and I have a twelve-year difference."
Mrs. Kani: "My, how remarkable."

Kani appeared. “Not strange at all.”
“That’s why it’s harmonious.”
He took his seat. “Twelve isn’t some mystical number like seven or thirteen—it’s thoroughly cheerful and orderly.”
“So while it might seem conventional, it actually gives you a safe feeling when managing real life.”
“I like it.”
“This number...”

Oribe leaned forward. “Personally, I prefer numbers like seven or thirteen.”
He turned to Mōri. “What about you?”

Mōri: “Well, I’ve never thought about such things before…”
(Oribe turned to Kogure and Torii) “And what about you two?”

Kogure (exchanging glances with Torii): “I still prefer twelve, though…
Sixteen is also acceptable, isn’t it?”

“I see,” Oribe said. “You…”

“I like one.”

“This seems to have some profound meaning.”
“What about you?”

Komai: "Uh, no..."
"As for me, I don't particularly..."
"The larger the number, the better, I suppose..."

[Collective astonishment] Now that's a memorable line.

(Everyone laughed.)

Komai (attempting to regain his dignity): "How about ten?"

(No one responded.
(Long silence))

(A loud voice: “Let me in!”)

Maid (appears and presents a business card)

Kani (taking it): Tomari Rokurō...
"Huh, this is unusual."
(Turning to call toward the back but stopping, standing up and thinking for a moment) Anyway, do come up...
"This is getting out of hand…"

Oribe: “Who is it?”

Kani (while preparing a space to seat the new guest): “This place is a bit cramped, isn’t it.”

Mrs. Kani (appearing): “Mr. Mōri, I’m terribly sorry, but could you please... that cushion...”
“You should be fine there.”

Mōri (removing the one he’d been sitting on): “Should I leave now?”

Kani: Yeah, well, it's fine.
What a pity.

Tomari (entered while looking around suspiciously).
(He hesitated for a moment about where to sit).

“Well, please, over here…”

Tomari (sitting at the entrance and facing Oribe in a relatively friendly tone): “Hey, long time no see…”

Oribe (flustered): “Kani is over there.”

Tomari (calmly): “Oh, is that so.”
(Looking around the group and spotting Kani) “Well, long time no see…”
“Well, I just… somehow…”

Kani: “Is that so?”
“You’re Tomari, then?”

Tomari: “Have you changed?”
“You say that… Well, hearing your voice now, you’re definitely the same as ever.”
Kani: “Now, how are you doing?”

Tomari: “Well, I’ll get into that later—but today’s some sort of gathering day, isn’t it?”
(He looked around the room once more)

Kani: “No—it’s visiting day.”

Tomari: “I see.”
“That worked out perfectly.”
“For the past two or three years, I had been seeing your name here and there in newspapers and magazines, so I thought about visiting you once; but since we had not met in nearly ten years, I worried that showing up out of the blue might be... well, you know.”
“I kept thinking there must be some good opportunity, and in fact, I had been waiting until today for just that.”
“But last night, when I happened to read a magazine called *Quinn*, your story was in it—I should mention that this was actually the first time I had read anything you wrote.”
“Then, the things written inside seemed to be about me.”
“That ‘he’ was definitely me—no, never mind.”
“That was fiction.”
“Right? That was how it was.”
“So it differed from the facts.”
“That it differed was the truth.”
“I knew that much myself, but it was undoubtedly modeled after me.”
“At that time, I must have indeed appeared to be that sort of man.”
“So then, if you held that much goodwill toward me, I figured even if I came to visit now, you probably would not look entirely displeased—no, this was not sarcasm, really…”
“Among recent novels, there was not one where the protagonist was treated so favorably.”
“Since I did not consider myself to be such a good person, I felt somewhat embarrassed, but I was not angry that you had cast me as one.”
“Oh—have I been talking this much all by myself?”

“That’s fine, but let’s save that talk for later, shall we? More than that, I want to hear how you’ve been since then.”

Tomari: “That’s something I could discuss anytime.”
“I’ve been thinking about that ever since I read it last night until coming here today.”
“Why on earth do you—a man like me, a man who did such a thing back then—why you view me with such a generous heart is something I simply cannot understand.”

Kani: “Well, isn’t that fine? All that…”

Tomari: “No, it isn’t.”
“That’s what I came to hear.”
“Let me hear it.”

“Today’s my monthly visiting day—as you can see, there are so many guests here that I can’t very well keep talking to you alone.”

Tomari (crestfallen): “I see.”
“But let me say one more thing.”
“In that novel, you wrote about my current wife and how we once… somewhere…” He began to say but then noticed his surroundings. “I see…”
This was bad.

"This was awkward…"
"You still haven't greeted everyone here yet, you know."

Maid (appears and presents a business card)

Kani (looking at the business card): “If it’s about a manuscript, no good for now…”
“Ah—tell my wife briefly…”

Maid (exits)

Mrs. Kani (appears)

Kani: “Listen, could you handle this? If it’s about a manuscript, turn them down.”

Mrs. Kani (laughing as she exits)

Kani (turning back to Tomari): “Given the circumstances, why don’t we calm down a bit and talk in an orderly manner? First, let me make the introductions. This is my friend, Oribe Kurō…”

Tomari (ignoring this): “Which days of the week are visiting days?”

Kani: “This is the playwright Oribe Kurō. Kindly greet him.”

Tomari: “When is the next visiting day…?”

“Hey, you—greet Oribe.”

Mrs. Kani (appearing): “While manuscripts are manuscripts… there’s someone who wishes to meet with you briefly about something…”

Kani: “Tell them Kani’s busy.”

Mrs. Kani: “But it’s visiting day…”

Kani: “That’s exactly why I can’t meet people willy-nilly.”

Mrs. Kani: “Even when you say such unreasonable things…
Mr. Oribe?”

“Then do whatever you want!”

Mrs. Kani (while standing up): “You are welcome to come up, if you wish.”
Kani: “Let those who want to come up just go ahead!”

Mrs. Kani (exits)

Oribe: “Well then, I’ll be taking my leave...”
(Starts to stand up)

Kani: “No—you can’t leave yet.”

Mōri: “I’ll take my leave now.”

Kani: “You can’t leave yet either.”

(A long silence)

Kogure Tae: "Um, we really should be going now…"
(Placing her hands on the floor as she begins to bow.)

Kani: "Uh... You all can stay if you like."

(A pause)

Komai (resignedly): “Well, I guess I’ll…”

(Sat back down)

“Ah… Please proceed then.”
“It’s a shame, but…”

Komai: “I do apologize for the intrusion.”
“Well then, everyone, if you’ll excuse me…”
(Standing up) “Um... Mr. Kani, could I... borrow your face for a moment...?”

“What is it?”
“My face?”

Komai (exiting into the hallway): “Ah, just a moment—your face...”

Kani exited into the hallway,
mechanically following Komai as he backed away
until they reached the bathroom doorway.

Komai (in a hushed voice): “Regarding the matter I mentioned earlier…”

(At this moment, a new guest was shown to the guest room.)

Kani: "Well, I’ll consider it."

Komai: “Ah, please, just one thing…”
“Regarding the gratitude part, I fully intend to take care of it properly…”
“And... well...”

Kani: “Anyway, given how things are today, please come by tomorrow instead.”
“Tomorrow... Let’s see... Any time tomorrow is fine.”

Komai: “Ah, thank you…”
“Well then, tomorrow…”
(Starts to open the bathroom door)

Kani: “If you’re leaving, it’s this way.”

Komai: “Ah, no... Just a moment...”
(Opens the door and enters.)

Kani (looking idle as he waits for Komai to emerge but soon returns to the guest room.)

“I am Saita of Asia Bungaku.”

Kani—that’s quite enough.

Saita: “Huh?”

Oribe: “As you can plainly see from this mess—there’s no way you could get any writing done.”

Saita: “No—um—today, actually, I’ve come to request a discussion transcript... This time, we’ve decided to gather insights and opinions from individuals with somewhat unusual names across various fields regarding their own names and compile them into a dedicated column…”

Kani: “My name isn’t that unusual.”

“Not at all…”
“Your name is rather distinctive.”
“The surname ‘Kani’ does indeed trace back to Ryukyuan...”

“Is that remotely relevant?”

Saita: “But…”
“In that case, why does ‘Kani’ use those particular characters…?”

Kani dismissed the very premise of “why” as absurd.
“It’s Kani because it’s Kani.”
“Why are you Saita?”
“Why?”
“Saita… Saita… What’s so special about Saita?”
“Why Oribe?”
“Why Kogure?”
“Why…?”
(trail off)

Kogure Tae (prompting): “Torii...”

“Hmph. Why Torii?”
“Huh? Why Mōri?”
“Why Tomari?”
“Tomari… Tomari….”
“There’s no such name as Tomari!”

Saita: “Well, if you say so, then I suppose that’s that…”

Kani: “If that’s where it ends, then let it end there, don’t you think? I can’t be bothered with someone like you today. No hard feelings… Well then… shall we start clearing these matters one by one? Now, Ms. Kogure—what was it again?”

Kogure Tae: “No, I… it’s nothing really…” (spread out the package as she spoke) “Would you please look at this again when you have time?” (took out the manuscript)

Kani (taking it)... “Winter on a Sled”... (tilting his head) Hmm. This title felt familiar somehow.
“Very well.”
“I’ll take a look at it.”

Kogure Tae: “Please…”
(signaling to Torii Fuyu with her eyes) “Well then…”
(They bowed to the group and rose.)

Torii Fuyu bowed and rose in turn.

Kani remained seated. “Well then—if you’ll excuse me…”

Kogure Tae stepped into the hallway: “Um… Mr. Kani—just a moment…”

“What?”
(He followed her retreating figure back toward the bathroom door.)
(The door creaked open—Komai emerged.) “Ah—had your epiphany?”

Komai (apologetically): "Oh... my deepest apologies..."
(He hurried off toward the entrance as if fleeing)

Kogure Tae (awkwardly): “Um... I’m currently facing a major personal issue... and I was hoping to consult Mr. Kani about it... to find a resolution.”
“So...”

Kani: “So…”
“If you’d like, we can discuss it next time.”

“Ah, but if I don’t hurry and settle that matter soon…” Kogure Tae trailed off.

Kani tilted his head slightly—tomorrow? No, tomorrow wouldn’t work. “Then come again the day after tomorrow,” he decided aloud. “We’ll discuss it properly then.”

“Ah…” She hesitated before continuing: “I wrote about it in detail in that story I just gave you… Though I couldn’t express it well.”

“I’ll look through it regardless,” Kani replied.

“Thank you…”
(They exited toward the entrance—Kogure and Torii Fuyu together—while Kani returned to the sitting room.)

“What were those two about just now?”

Kani (ignoring that and turning to Mōri): “Do you have any business?”

“No, not really…”
“Just… a bit…”

Kani: “What?”
Mōri: “I can’t say it here.”

“Yes…”
“It’s about the matter from earlier…”

“Then isn’t here good enough? There’s no one here who’d be troubled by hearing it. It’s all men now.”

Mōri: But…

“Kani, that’s no way to handle things…”
“Then just wait a little longer.”

(A long silence)

Oribe: “I’ll come back another time.”

Kani: “There’s no need for you to hurry, is there?”

Oribe: “No—there most certainly is.”

Kani: “I see. Then shall we settle things starting from your side? Here should be fine.”

Oribe: “Yeah… that’s still… what it is.”

“Does this require secrecy?” Kani asked. “Doesn’t suit you either. In that case—” He turned toward the back. “Hey—is everything sorted out over there?”

Mrs. Kani’s voice laughed from the back. “We’re in a bit of a bind right now.”

“It doesn’t matter where—any place will do…” Oribe dismissed the concern.

Kani wondered what he was doing. If they used the maid’s room… No, that wouldn’t work.

“Oh dear, what should we do?” came the maid’s voice from offstage.

“We can’t do that…”
“Well then, if you would excuse yourselves to the entrance…”
“I’ll light the heater now.”

Kani: “Well then, let’s do that…”
(Stands up)

Oribe (to Mōri): “Well then, excuse me.”
(Exits.)

(The two head to the entrance.)

Tomari (to Mōri): “Are you still single?”

Mōri: “If you say that...”

Tomari: “If by ‘alone’ you mean ‘unmarried,’ then yes.
“With all that, does Kani have a good reputation?”

Mōri: “Well...”

Tomari (facing the back): “Mrs. Kani.”

Mrs. Kani’s voice (after a while): “Yes?”
(Appears)

Tomari (smirking): “I am Kani’s old friend.”
“From now on, I’ll be imposing on you from time to time, so please be kind…”
“Mrs. Kani, when did you come here?”

Mrs. Kani: "Well... it was the year before last."

Tomari: "The year before last..."
"So that would make it exactly the year I lost my eldest child."

Mrs. Kani: "Oh my."

“As I mentioned earlier, I am grateful to Kani.”
“Though I may look this way, I’m a man who can’t face society.”
“Sooner or later, you’ll hear about this from others… No—or perhaps you’ve already heard—but when I was in school, I stole money from Kani, who was close to me at the time, on a sudden impulse.”
“Of course, Kani didn’t make it public.”
“But from then on, it was I who naturally drifted away.”
“Why did I drift away?”
“You must understand that.”
“However, dragging this heavy burden of sin in my heart and having left my closest friend behind, my life only grew more desolate day by day.”
“I quit school.”

“Mrs. Kani, wouldn’t it be better to stop with such stories now?”
“That has nothing to do with me…”
“Since you’ve come all this way after so long—if only Kani’s heart would thaw—you should naturally resume your former closeness.”
“Mr. Mōri…”

Mōri………….

Tomari: “Just now—over there—a child was run over by a cart.”
“Right at that liquor store’s corner…”

Mrs. Kani: “Huh? A child…”

Tomari (silently crosses his arms and ponders)

Mrs. Kani began clearing away the tea bowls and such.

Saita: “Mr. Kani, are you busy right now?”

Mrs. Kani: “Huh? What is it? I’m afraid there’s no time left.”
“The tea must have gotten cold.”

(Exits.)

Kani’s voice: “In that case, tomorrow… No good. The day after tomorrow won’t work either, so make it two days after tomorrow.”
(Pause) “No—the morning would be better.”
(Pause) “Hmm… Well then, I’ll take my leave.”
“I’ve been rather tied up today…”
(Returns to the drawing room.) “So then…”
“Why don’t you come again next time?”
“I’m exhausted today.”
“Moreover, things like names—I have not the slightest interest in them, so please spare me.”

“This has become quite troublesome,” said Saita.
“If it turns out there’s nothing from you, Professor, then this entire project will become rather meaningless…”

“That can’t be the case,” retorted Kani.
“First of all, you’re an idiot for even planning such a thing….
“Aren’t there plenty of more clever titles out there?
“Today—I beg you—please take your leave.”

“Ah—if I could just have another hot cup of tea now…” Saita stalled.

“Is that so?” said Kani.
(Facing the back) “Hey—a cup of hot tea…”

Mrs. Kani’s voice responded: “Yes—right away….”

“If you’re tired, then I’ll take my leave…”

“Well…”
“In that case, do that. You’re in a hurry too, I suppose.”
“Tomorrow, the day after, the day after that… they’re all booked up, so the next day… (counting on his fingers) the 16th, right? Let’s do that….”

“Around what time…?”

“Any time’s fine.”
“Morning or evening….”

“Then I’ll do as you say,” said Mōri. “I’ve imposed on you.”

Mrs. Kani’s voice called out, “Mr. Mōri, I’ll make coffee right now…”

“Ah, thank you,” said Mōri.

The maid brought in coffee.

Everyone silently sipped their coffee.

A long silence.

“In the West, when drinking coffee or something, I hear it’s not done to make so much noise.”

(A long silence)

Saita: “Would you happen to know how to read ‘the forest of eastern seas’ when written as 東の海の林?”

Kani: “I don’t know! I’ve got no clue about such things…”

Mōri: “Thank you for the hospitality…”
“Well then, Professor… On the sixteenth….”

(They all exchanged greetings and stood up.)

Kani was fine.
He said goodbye….

Mōri (Exits.)

“Well then—I too…”
“I shall return soon enough with another request.”
Kani…

“Excuse me….”

“Well then, I’ll take my leave here….”
“Please….”
(Exits while laughing)

(An extremely long silence)

Tomari: “You must be free by now today.”

Kani: “Ah... I’m free...”
(Weakly covering his head with both hands, he rested his elbows on the desk.)

Tomari: “Mind if I take my time?”

“Ah, sure….”

――CURTAIN――