murakami, haruki - Norwegian wood

night before, Naoko was the usual Naoko. Her eyes were in focus, her
movements brisk. Bringing her mouth to my ear, she whispered, "I
don't know, I can't sleep."
"I can't either," I said. Setting my book down and turning out the
torch, I took her in my arms and kissed her. The darkness and the
sound of the rain enfolded us.
"How about Reiko?"
"Don't worry, she's sound asleep. And when she sleeps, she sleeps."
Then Naoko asked, "Will you really come to see me again?"
"Of course I will."
"Even if I can't do anything for you?"
I nodded in the darkness. I could feel the full shape of her breasts
against me. I traced the outline of her body through her gown with the
flat of my hand. From shoulder to back to hips, I ran my hand over her
again and again, driving the line and the softness of her body into my
brain. After we had been in this gentle embrace for a while, Naoko
touched her lips to my forehead and slipped out of bed. I could see her
pale blue gown flash in the darkness like a fish.
"Goodbye," she called in a tiny voice.
Listening to the rain, I dropped into a gentle sleep.
It was still raining the following morning - a fine, almost invisible
autumn rain unlike the previous night's downpour. You knew it was
raining only because of the ripples on puddles and the sound of
dripping from the eaves. I woke to see a milky white mist enclosing
the window, but as the sun rose a breeze carried the mist away, and
the surrounding woods and hills began to emerge.
As we had done the day before, the three of us ate breakfast then went
out to attend to the aviary. Naoko and Reiko wore yellow plastic
raincapes with hoods. I put on a jumper and a waterproof windcheater.
Outside the air was damp and chilly. The birds, too, were avoiding the
rain, huddled together at the back of the cage.
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