But he did like to drink in good company – and now he had a girlfriend who very much enjoyed drinking saké.
When Yuki drank good saké, it seemed to put her in especially high spirits.
She had been the one to suggest from the start that they split the bill on their dates – the exceptions being when they were celebrating one another’s birthday – and she always made sure to check with Masashi before ordering a glass of expensive saké.
And whenever she did, she seemed to truly savour it. Her expression would be so delighted that Masashi always suggested she have another glass, but Yuki always refused. Apparently, when it came to fine saké, her self-imposed rule was just one glass. This ensured that she would appreciate it to the fullest – and also perhaps kept her drinking in moderation.
He imagined that at drinking parties with work colleagues, when they encouraged her to let her hair down, she probably deflected the pressure in a similar way, saying that she wanted to be able to enjoy the taste of whatever they were drinking.
Knowing her appreciation, Masashi was excited to share this rare local saké with Yuki, and he hoped that her curiosity about this renowned brand might prove to be a chink in her armour.
He called her on the phone to extend the invitation. It was not the kind of bottle that they could bring to a restaurant or bar. They’d have to drink it at one of their apartments.
‘I managed to come into a bottle of Keigetsu saké from the brewery in Kochi …’
‘When you say “Keigetsu” do you mean the Keigetsu?!’ Yuki had taken the bait. It was remarkable that she knew it by name, considering that it wasn’t one of the major saké brands in Japan. ‘A while ago, I tried it at a bar somewhere in Osaka … it was delicious.’ Her voice was resonant – it sounded as though she was relishing the memory of its taste. ‘Someone at the drinking party was from Kochi and he recommended it. He also mentioned how rare it was to come across it around here.’
It was true – the saké from Kochi that Masashi had seen in local bars was usually either Tosatsuru or Suigei, brands that were available throughout the country.
‘And he told me something else that was interesting. He said that to produce good saké basically requires good water and good rice. Makes sense, huh? Most places that are famous for saké are also famous for their rice, right? Like Niigata. But Kochi is in the countryside so they must have fresh, clean water, even if they’re not really known for their rice.’
Also true – he had never heard anything special about the rice in Kochi.
‘So you’d think they’re already at a disadvantage when it comes to making saké, but they regularly win the gold prize at the annual saké awards – like fifteen or sixteen times in a row. I think altogether they’ve won, like, more than thirty times so they’re way ahead of the rest of the country. I wonder how they do so well when they start out a step behind?’
‘Huh, dunno. Maybe they have an exceptional technique for making it?’
‘Nope. According to that guy, it’s because people from Kochi prefecture are able to overcome their greediness when it comes to saké!’
She was right about that too – it was a well-known stereotype that people from Kochi were drinking aficionados. Even the women. They might say, ‘Only a sip,’ and before you knew it, they will have downed three litres of the stuff.
That was quite a track record for Kochi, regardless of whether or not they had had to overcome their fondness for drinking, and it was an amusing story to boot.
But Masashi found that he couldn’t just laugh along with Yuki. Despite her genuine mirth as she relayed the story, he felt a petty, niggling twinge.
He knew that, at their age, of course they each came with a past, though he couldn’t help but wonder whether this person that Yuki talked about had been someone special to her, and Masashi would find it troubling if he was still in her orbit.
‘This guy from Kochi … is he senior to you at your company?’
‘Yeah. We still work together.’
Did the fact that she could speak about this person so serenely mean that, if they had been boyfriend and girlfriend, things had ended amicably? And if so, that they were still in such close proximity could mean there was a not-insignificant chance of them getting back together.
‘This guy fits the three-litre stereotype too,’ Yuki added.
‘You might have said so before,’ he blurted out.
‘Does that worry you?’ Her question murmured into his ear over the phone.
‘I hate to admit it …’
‘Sorry. Well, that’s reassuring.’ But Yuki kept right on talking, before he could ask her what was reassuring. ‘I guess I could come over to your place to drink it. You’re in Obayashi, right?’
The arrangements were made – the date was set for that weekend, the meal would be teppanyaki, using his hot plate – and Yuki said goodnight and hung up.
On the appointed day, Masashi cleaned his place meticulously and went to the station to meet Yuki at the agreed-upon time.
They bought groceries at the supermarket in front of the station and were on their way to Masashi’s apartment when they passed by the local library.
‘Wait a minute, the western branch of the library is in Obayashi?! Does that mean that you use both this one and the central library …?!’
‘Well, yeah.’
‘That’s cheating!’
‘You say it’s cheating, but it’s only one stop away from Sakasegawa. You could come here too.’
‘But from Sakasegawa I’d have to go in one direction to get to the western branch here and then in the opposite direction to go the central library – that doesn’t make sense! I wish I’d known, I would have looked for an apartment in Obayashi!’
‘I guess so, but Sakasegawa’s pretty convenient, right? And then you’re closer to the bigger library.’
‘You do have a point, but …’
While they were talking, they reached Masashi’s apartment, and he invited her inside.
He found it amusing that the always-fearless Yuki seemed a bit reserved as she stepped into his place. Maybe she was nervous; her eyes darted around the room curiously.
‘It’s pretty neat, isn’t it?’
‘I cleaned it today. It’s usually a bit messier.’
It was a studio apartment, with a kitchenette stuffed into the hallway that consisted of an odd little sink and a single electric ring. He hardly ever used it – if friends came over to drink, he pulled out the hot plate or a camping stove.
Knowing these were the facilities, that was why Yuki had suggested they could use the hot plate for teppanyaki, so they could grill things to accompany the saké.
‘What do you usually do for your meals?’
‘I get onigiri from the convenience store or prepared food from the supermarket we went to.’
‘Wow, I bet you don’t get enough vegetables. Tonight you’ll have your fill.’ And she set about cutting up the vegetables in his cramped little kitchen.
They had met up in the late afternoon, so by the time they’d finished their preparations, it was dinnertime.
They started grilling the meat and the vegetables on the hot plate, and at long last, the Keigetsu made its appearance.
Yuki let out a cheer. ‘Amazing – a magnum! We’ll really be able to savour it, won’t we?’
Masashi wasn’t sure what to make of her statement – did that mean she intended to come back here again? Or that he could bring it over to her place sometime?
As Yuki devoted her attention to the first glass of this extravagant indulgence, her delight was apparent. Masashi, who was tasting Keigetsu for the first time, now understood what all the excitement had been about.
‘Shall we have another glass?’
After much hesitation, she finally agreed to a second glass, but when he offered to fill it a third time, she covered her glass with her hand.
‘Later I will have one last glass,’ she said.