Life is not like water. Things in life don't necessarily flow over the shortest possible route.

"I believe you," she whispers after a moment. "Please find my mind."

I find myself thinking about my ongoing existence as a human being and the path that lies ahead of me. Though of course these thoughts lead to but one place - death.

When I open them, most of the books have the smell of an earlier time leaking out between the pages - a special odor of the knowledge and emotions that for ages have been calmly resting between the covers. Breathing it in, I glance through a few pages before returning each book to its shelf.

How much do you love me?' Midori asked. 'Enough to melt all the tigers in the world to butter,' I said.

In a place far away from anyone or anywhere, I drifted off for a moment.

What we needed were not words and promises but a steady accumulation of small realities.