It ƒ’’‡ƒ”‡†•Š‡…‘—Ž†„‡‘˜‡†‘ˆ”‘ƒ…‘˜‡”•ƒ–‹‘‹ˆ†‹†ǯ––ƒ‡ her bait. Finally, something I could use to my advantage. I made a mental note to use that tactic again. Full-bellied, we left the yakiniku restaurant and went above ground, where the bright summer sun glared down at us. Reflexively, I squinted. DzŠƒ–ƒ„‡ƒ—–‹ˆ—Ž†ƒ›ǡdz•Š‡•ƒ‹†ǡŒ—•–•‘ˆ–Ž›‡‘—‰Š–Šƒ–™ƒ•ǯ–•—”‡‹ˆ ™ƒ•‡ƒ––‘”‡•’‘†ǤDzƒ›„‡•Š‘—Ž††‹‡‘ƒ†ƒ›Ž‹‡–Š‹•Ǥdz I decided to stick with my newfound strategy: ignoring her, like how people say not to look a wild animal in the eyes. We started walking toward a large shopping mall directly attached to the train station. On the way, we shared light conversation, although if you ‰—‡••‡†•Š‡†‹†‘•–‘ˆ–Š‡–ƒŽ‹‰ǡ›‘—ǯ†„‡”‹‰ht. A home improvement center anchored the mall. Nobody sold ropes •’‡…‹ˆ‹…ƒŽŽ›ˆ‘”Šƒ‰‹‰‘‡•‡Žˆǡ„—––Š‡›ǯ†’”‘„ƒ„Ž›Šƒ˜‡•‘‡–Š‹‰…Ž‘•‡Ǥ Š‡ƒŽŽ™ƒ•’ƒ…‡†™‹–Š„—•–Ž‹‰…”‘™†•ǡ„—––Š‡•–‘”‡ǯ•”‘’‡ƒ‹•Ž‡ was empty. The only people looking to buy rope on a nice day like this were probably contractors, cowboys, and dying schoolgirls. I went a little farther down the aisle to compare nail sizes. I could hear some children laughing and playing somewhere in the store. I also heard my classmate call over ƒ›‘—‰™‘”‡”ƒ†•ƒ›–‘Š‹ǡDzš…—•‡‡ǡ ǯŽ‘‘‹‰ˆ‘”ƒ”‘’‡–‘Šƒ‰›•‡Žˆ™‹–ŠǤ‘™ǡ†‘ǯ–™ƒ––‘Ž‡ƒ˜‡ƒ› ƒ”•‘›•‹ǡ•‘™ƒ•™‘†‡”‹‰™Š‹…Š”‘’‡‹•–Š‡•ƒˆ‡•–ˆ‘”–Šƒ–Ǥdz –—”‡†–‘Ž‘‘ǡƒ†–Š‡‡’Ž‘›‡‡ǯ•‡š’”‡••‹‘™ƒ••‘bewildered it made me laugh a little. Then I felt annoyed at the girl for making another of Š‡”Œ‘‡•ƒ–›ƒ†–Š‡™‘”‡”ǯ•‡š’‡•‡Ǥ•ƒˆ‡•—‹…‹†‡Ȅthat was just the ‹†‘ˆ‹†‡ƒ•Š‡ǯ†ˆ‹†ˆ—›Ǥ†‘™•Š‡Šƒ†‡Žƒ—‰Š‹‰ǡ–‘‘Ǥ‹–Š‘—– bothering to make sure I put the correctly sized nails into their proper containers, I replaced them and approached the put-upon worker. My …Žƒ••ƒ–‡ǯ•„ƒ…™ƒ•–‘‡ǡ„—–ˆ”‘–Š‡™ƒ›•Š‡™ƒ•‘˜‹‰ǡ…‘—Ž†–‡ŽŽ she was giggling. Dzǯ•‘””›ǡdz•ƒ‹†ǡ‘ˆˆ‡”‹‰Š‹”‡•…—‡ǤDzŠ‹•‘‡†‘‡•ǯ–Šƒ˜‡—…Š –‹‡–‘Ž‹˜‡ǤŠ‡ǯ•ƒŽ‹––Ž‡–‘—…Š‡†‹–Š‡Š‡ƒ†Ǥdz …‘—Ž†ǯ––‡ŽŽ‹ˆŠ‡ǯ†ƒ……‡’–‡†›•–‘”›‘”‹ˆŠ‡ǯ†Œ—•–‰‘––‡†‹•‰—•–‡† with us, but either way, the worker walked away and returned to his duties. Dz™ǡdz•Š‡•ƒ‹†ǡDz–Š‹ he was about to show me the right one to buy. Š›ǯ†›‘—Šƒ˜‡–‘”—‹‹–ǫdz‡”‡›‡•–™‹Ž‡†ǤDz‘—Ž†‹–„‡›‘—™‡”‡‰‡––‹‰ Œ‡ƒŽ‘—•™ƒ•‰‡––‹‰•‘…Ž‘•‡™‹–ŠŠ‹ǫdz