Koiwai had allowed Jumbo to come over and visit their house.
After his shift, he jumped into his car. He was driving quite absent-mindedly, his thoughts frequently returning to Asagi. She was truly the girl of his dreams – her smile, her shining eyes… those legs…
The sun was just about to set and the sky was dappled pink and orange. He finally pulled into the cross street and down the road of Koiwai's residence. As he got out of his car, he saw something moving from his peripheral vision.
There was Asagi. No illusion this time. She was wearing a crisp, white dress that brazenly hugged her slim figure. There was a sunflower tucked behind her straight, brown hair. She looked infinitely happy.
In his surprise, Jumbo's heart slammed against his chest. His legs suddenly became weak and he slid into car once more, carefully closing the door. He was not normally a shy person, but decided to gather his strength before facing her. Simple pieces of conversation and pick-up lines crossed his mind as he eyed her through the rear-view mirror.
Then he noticed she was walking in someone else's company. To left of Asagi was a woman who was equally as slender, smiling, lifting a cigarette to her lips. Jumbo instantly recognized her as the pale woman he saw at his work. For the next few seconds, Jumbo's breath was still.
Asagi gently took the cigarette from the flower-shop woman, dropped the bud to the ground and extinguished it with her sandal. Then the two embraced, with Asagi's arms slowly enveloping the other woman's waist. Their lips locked and their hands explored each other's bodies fervently and openly in the street. There was no restraint in their actions. They were lost in their own world.
A moment later, they whispered to each other, joined hands and ran back to Asagi's home. Asagi was oblivious as they passed Jumbo's car, but the flower-shop woman, Torako, caught a glance at Jumbo's awkward, shocked expression. He thought he saw something like a smile appear across her face.