When I was a teenager, I thought how great it would be if only I could write novels in English. I had the feeling that I would be able to express my emotions so much more directly than if I wrote in Japanese.

I'm always tripped up by the eternal who am I?

I'm a writer, not a professional runner. It's fun and it helps me write. I need powerful concentration.

When I'm running I don't have to talk to anybody and don't have to listen to anybody. This is a part of my day I can't do without.

She was, if anything, on the plain side, at least not the type to attract men wherever she went. But there was something in her face that was meant for me alone. Everytime we met, I took a good look at her. And loved what I saw.

Okay, let’s put it this way. I would like to sleep with you. But it’s alright if I don’t sleep with you. What I’m saying is I’d like to be as fair as possible. I don’t want to force anything on anybody, any more than I’d want anything forced on me. It’s enough that I feel your presence or see your commas swirling around me.

I realize now that the reality of things is not something you convey to people but something you make.