After Dark

Midnight approaches on an autumn night in Tokyo. Murakami describes a bird’s-eye view of the metropolis, focusing in on the amusement district: A young woman sits reading a large novel at a crowded Denny’s restaurant, drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes, occasionally looking out the second-story window.

A thin young man with long, tangled hair, carrying a wind instrument in a case, walks into Denny’s. He thinks he recognizes the young woman; questioning her, he realizes she is Mari Asai, his friend Eri’s little sister. He invites himself to sit down with her, saying he has to meet someone soon. The young man orders chicken salad and toast, the only thing he considers worth eating at Denny’s.

The young man reminds Mari that they had met before: two years ago, when Mari was in high school. His friend was dating Eri. The four of them went to a pool; Mari ordered peach melba. Mari asks why he remembers that particular detail. He says it is because it was an odd thing to order and because he thought she was cute.

Mari does remember him; he has a characteristic deep scar on his cheek from a bicycle accident as a child.