Strange Weather in Tokyo

by Hiromi Kawakami

“The slightest sign of life,”

“But they will all die out eventually,”

“They’ll live out their time inside ...

And then as the years passed, I turned into quite a childlike person. I suppose I just wasn’t able to ally myself with time.

I’ve managed on my own until now anyhow. I drink by myself, I get drunk by myself, and I have a good time by myself, don’t I?

“If the love is true, then treat it the same way you would a plant—fertilize it, protect it from the elements—you must do absolutely everything you can. But if it isn’t true, then it’s best to just let it wither on the vine.”