DzǨdz‹›‘•Š‹•—††‡Ž›•Š‘—–‡†–Š”‘—‰Šƒ‘—–Šˆ—ŽŽ‘ˆ hamburger steak. DzǥŠƒ–ǫdz DzŠƒ–ǯ•ƒgreat ‹†‡ƒǨdz She swallowed the bite that was already in her mouth and stared at me with her usual intense eyes. I knew in that moment that I made a mistake. Dz…Ž—„ǥŠƒ–ǯ•‹–ǤI could start one! Why did I ‡˜‡”–Š‹‘ˆ–Šƒ–ǫǨdz She took out a memo pad and started scribbling something on the paper. Dzƒ‹–‹‰ƒ”‘—†–‘ˆ‹†•‘‡™Š‡”‡–Šƒ–ǯŽŽƒ……‡’–‡‹•ƒ™ƒ•–‡‘ˆ–‹‡Ǥ †‘ǯ–‘™Š‘™‡˜‡””‡ƒŽ‹œ‡†–Šƒ–ǤŠƒ•ˆ‘”–Š‡ƒ†˜‹…‡Ǩdz Her cheeks pinked in elation. Dz‘ǡ—Šǡ–Šƒ–ǯ•ǥ‘–™Šƒ–™ƒ•‰‡––‹‰ƒ–Ǥdz Dz‘™ƒ›’‡‘’Ž‡†‘›‘—–Š‹™‡‡‡†–‘ƒ’’Ž›ˆ‘”ƒ…Šƒ”–‡”ǫ ‹˜‡ǡ ƒ›„‡ǫǯ†‡‡†–‘‘ˆˆ‹…‹ƒŽŽ›…‘ˆ‹”–Šƒ–ǡ„—––Š‡”‡ǯ•ƒŽ”‡ƒ†›–™‘‘ˆ—•Š‡”‡ǡ so I –Š‹™‡Œ—•–‡‡†–Š”‡‡‘”‡Ǥdz Dzƒ‹–ǡƒ”‡›‘—‹…Ž—†‹‰‡‹–Šƒ–—„‡”ǫdz Dz‡ŽŽǡ‡ƒǡ‹–™ƒ•›‘—”‹†‡ƒǡƒ‡†‡Ǩ†™‡ǯ”‡ˆ”‹‡†•ǡƒ”‡ǯ–™‡ǫǨdz We had already reached the point where Akiyoshi sometimes called me by my first name. I assumed it was to lessen the awkwardness of asking favors or thanking me. I hardened my face just enough to not overtly dampen her enthusiasm. DzŠƒ–•‡‡•Ž‹‡ƒŽ‘–‘ˆ™‘”ǥdz Dz‡ƒǡ™‡ǯŽŽ•–ƒ”–‘ˆˆ™‹–Šƒ…–‹˜‹–‹‡•–Šƒ–™‘ǯ–„‡„‘”‹‰™‹–ŠŒ—•– –Š‡–™‘‘ˆ—•Ǥ‘—†‘ǯ–Šave to do anything that makes you unhappy. We …ƒŽ‡ƒ˜‡–Š‡”ƒ‰‡‘ˆƒ…–‹˜‹–‹‡•’”‡––›™‹†‡‘’‡ǡ–Š‘—‰ŠǤŠǡ™‡ǯŽŽŠƒ˜‡–‘ ƒ‡•—”‡™‡•–‹…–‘‘—”’”‹…‹’Ž‡•ǡ•‘™‡†‘ǯ–Œ—•–•‡‡Ž‹‡•‘‡™‡‹”† ƒ†—Ž–•Ǥdz Her vision was expanding outward infinitely with no destination in sight, and I had a front row seat. Dzǡƒ‹••‹‘•–ƒ–‡‡–•—…Šƒ•ǥǫdz Dz‡…‘‹‰‘—”‹†‡ƒŽ•‡Ž˜‡•™‹–Š‹ˆ‘—”›‡ƒ”•Ǥdz DzŠǤdz