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Summer SilhouettesAuthor: Nagai Kafū
| Original Title | 夏すがた |
|---|---|
| Author | 永井 荷風 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In the sweltering heart of early 20th-century Tokyo, a middle-aged merchant’s calculated life unravels amid a haze of desire. Keizo, a shrewd businessman with modern sensibilities, secures Chiyo—a former geisha—as his mistress, drawn to her unrefined allure and carefree sensuality. Their clandestine affair blooms in a secluded Kagurazaka house, where summer’s oppressive heat strips away pretense, exposing raw intimacy and voyeuristic temptations. Yet Chiyo’s past lingers like a shadow; her casual indiscretions and lingering entanglements with former patrons ignite Keizo’s jealousy, even as he becomes ensnared by her intoxicating presence. Through open windows and paper-thin walls, the neighborhood’s secrets mirror their own—geishas’ laughter, whispered trysts, and the relentless pulse of desire blurring propriety. As autumn looms, Keizo grapples with obsession and possession, torn between societal facades and the primal pull of a woman who belongs to no one. A sultry, atmospheric tale of passion’s paradoxes, where love and ownership collide beneath the weight of fleeting summer nights. |
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