“Storm keep you awake?â€ Naoyuki sounded sympathetic, and certainly looked like he should understand. Akiko just nodded, and sat down heavily in her chair. She ordered a coffee with her food; the caffeine seemed to be the only thing keeping her awake.

“Akiko? Hello?â€ Naoyuki waved his hand in front of her face.

“Oh, sorry. I really didn’t sleep last night. What about you?â€

“The storm woke me up occasionally, but it wasn’t that bad.â€

“Your window didn’t keep blowing open, then.â€ Akiko wasn’t about to mention the dreams.

“No, it didn’t. Anyway, there’s no nomikai tonight; do you want to come round?â€ Akiko ordered her food to play for time. Naoyuki didn’t like it when she turned his invitations down, and she did enjoy spending the night with him, but she really wasn’t sure she could stay awake. She suspected that Naoyuki would be very unhappy if she fell asleep <em>in flagrante.</em> “Well?â€

“I’m really sleepy, sorry. I think I’ll just go home and get a very early night.â€

“I could come to you.â€ For a moment, Akiko panicked.

“Really, I’m just going to be asleep. No fun.â€ Naoyuki looked very disappointed as he nodded.

“It’s a shame; there are so many evening things I can’t get out of that it’s a pity to lose a free evening.â€

“Yes, it is.â€ Akiko desperately tried to stifle a yawn, and then settled for trying to keep it under control. “But I really don’t think today is viable.â€ Naoyuki smiled slightly.

“No, maybe not. Try not to fall asleep in the pasta.â€

“You think you’re joking.â€

Akiko looked around the restaurant as they ate; she wasn’t able to form coherent responses to Naoyuki’s comments, and he’d given up trying. The decor was Western style, with elaborately carved frames around the mirrors on the walls. Looking over Naoyuki’s shoulder, she could see her own face, and she was shocked at just how tired she looked. <em>I look ill,</em> she thought,<em> and old.</em>

She quickly looked away from that mirror, not needing any reminders that her life was flowing away. The one next to it was at the wrong angle to reflect her, and for a moment she couldn’t work out what it was reflecting.

Then she recognised the shrine building at Tamao Shrine, the green copper roof slick and shining with rain as a storm beat silently on it. The trees waved beyond it, leaves dark green against a black sky, and the whole scene was lit by a flash of lightning, harsh shadows falling across the ground, the rippling surfaces of the puddles frozen by the light.

Akiko’s mouth was dry, and the handles of the knife and fork dug into her hands as she gripped them tightly. Her stomach lurched, and then lurched again as lightning flashed once more in the mirror. The shrine building drew closer, or maybe she moved closer to it, and the trees seemed to leak out of the mirror’s frame.

“Akiko? Are you all right?â€ Naoyuki’s voice broke the spell, and she dragged her head round to look at him.

“I’m fine. Sorry. Just sleepy.â€

When she glanced back, the mirror was reflecting the restaurant, as it should.