F-0047 Log of someone who spoke of windows going away as small talk

(Said to be a copy of a chat log kept on a personal website. The part corresponding to the room’s name is omitted. The log is dated the night of November 15, 2000.)

Masayan> night rates are on, reporting in (23:04)

Yuki> good evening~ (23:04)

Nekojita> evening (23:05)

Masayan> cold tonight or what? I can see my breath in here (23:07)

Yuki> cold here too. can’t leave the kotatsu (23:08)

── Fujino has entered the room (23:09) ──

Fujino> Good evening. Pardon my intrusion. (23:09)

Yuki> evening Fujino~ (23:10)

Masayan> we were just talking about the cold (23:11)

Fujino> It turned cold all at once, didn’t it. I am thinking it is about time to buy kerosene. (23:12)

Masayan> stove household? all we have is the AC unit (23:13)

Fujino> A stove, yes. You can set a kettle on it, which is convenient. (23:14)

Yuki> life wisdom (23:14)

Yuki> ahh I have a vocab quiz tomorrow. haven’t studied (23:16)

Masayan> go study (23:17)

Yuki> but studying during the free hours is such a waste (23:17)

Nekojita> true (23:18)

Masayan> seriously cold though. maybe I’ll get some bubble wrap for the window (23:20)

Fujino> Does that sort of thing work, I wonder. (23:21)

Masayan> heard it helps with condensation (23:22)

Fujino> The window of my room is gone this week, so if you are going to put it up, best do it before that. (23:23)

Yuki> ? (23:24)

Masayan> your window is gone? (23:24)

Fujino> Yes. Why is it that the windows of rooms go away, I wonder. (23:25)

Nekojita> sorry, I’m lost (23:26)

Masayan> you mean like the storm shutters have been left closed? (23:26)

Fujino> There are no storm shutters. The window is gone. It is on the early side this year. (23:27)

Yuki> like a renovation? (23:28)

Masayan> no, he’d just say so if it were construction (23:28)

Fujino> It is not construction. It is the yearly thing. While it is gone, that part is wall, so it is nice and quiet, but I cannot air the room. (23:29)

Masayan> wall? (23:30)

Yuki> wait wait, someone explain what we’re talking about (23:30)

Nekojita> beats me. apparently the story is that Fujino’s room has no window (23:31)

Masayan> what is “the yearly thing” (23:31)

Fujino> They go away every year, don’t they. When it starts getting cold. (23:32)

Nekojita> no they don’t (lol) (23:33)

Fujino> So there are homes where they don’t go away. I am envious. (23:34)

Masayan> is this a dream? are you half asleep? (23:35)

Fujino> I am awake. The wall is right in front of me as I type. (23:36)

Yuki> huh (23:36)

Masayan> is this a bit? (23:37)

Fujino> Not a bit. I meant it as small talk. I am sorry. (23:37)

Masayan> no wait, gone as in frame and all? just the glass? (23:38)

Fujino> Frame and all. The curtains stay. When you open the curtains, it is wall. (23:39)

Yuki> scary scary scary (23:40)

Nekojita> frame and all (23:40)

Masayan> so, does it come back? (23:41)

Fujino> It comes back. Ten days at the longest. On the day it is back, the room smells a little dusty. (23:42)

Nekojita> ten days (23:43)

Masayan> tell your landlord (^^; (23:43)

Fujino> It is not something to tell the landlord. It is not about the building. (23:44)

Yuki> then what IS it about (23:45)

Fujino> Who knows. Why is it, I wonder. (23:46)

Masayan> that’s what we’re asking (lol) (23:46)

Nekojita> barely into the night hours and I’ve broken a weird sweat (23:47)

Nekojita> anyway, anyone listening to the radio? guest night tonight, right (23:49)

Yuki> listening listening (23:50)

Fujino> I have turned the radio off. Lately I keep the nights quiet. (23:51)

Yuki> crap, almost midnight. gonna do my vocab and sleep. goodnight (23:57)

Nekojita> night~ (23:58)

Fujino> Good night. (23:58)

── Yuki has left the room (23:59) ──

Masayan> I should probably sleep too. early day tomorow (00:15)

Fujino> I will be going out for a bit, so I will stay up until then. (00:16)

Masayan> going out? at this hour? (00:17)

Fujino> Yes. Though I imagine all of you do as well. (00:18)

Masayan> we don’t (lol) it’s the middle of the night (00:19)

Fujino> You only think you don’t. Not remembering is the normal way. (00:20)

Nekojita> wait, what does that mean (00:21)

Fujino> I mean that coming back remembering is the rarer thing. I did not remember either, in the old days. (00:23)

Masayan> that makes no sense (^^; where do you even go in the middle of the night (00:24)

Fujino> On flat nights, I make sure to go out. (00:25)

Masayan> flat? (00:26)

Fujino> Tonight is flat, you see. (00:27)

Nekojita> flat? what is? (00:28)

Fujino> The night is. (00:29)

Nekojita> you mean like a walk? (00:30)

Fujino> A walk is fine. It is best to think of it that way. (00:31)

Masayan> Fujino you’re kind of scaring me tonight (00:32)

Fujino> It is an ordinary topic, though. (00:33)

Masayan> do you go on rainy days too? (00:34)

Fujino> On rainy days one does not have to go. Rainy days do not turn flat. (00:35)

Masayan> “does not have to”? who decided that (lol) (00:36)

Fujino> Who — that is something I had never thought about. (00:37)

Masayan> this is a bit, right? right? (00:38)

Fujino> It is not a bit, but you are welcome to take it as one. (00:39)

Masayan> sorry, I’m logging off. night (00:41)

Fujino> Good night. Take care. (00:42)

── Masayan has left the room (00:42) ──

── Akane has entered the room (00:55) ──

Akane> evening~ just got back from my shift. glad someone’s still here (^^) (00:55)

Nekojita> welcome back~ (00:56)

Fujino> Good evening. (00:56)

Akane> I was reading the log above. what’s this about a window? (01:02)

Fujino> Small talk. (01:03)

Akane> is it still gone? the window (01:04)

Fujino> I checked a moment ago and it was there. A relief. While the window is gone, there are many flat nights. (01:05)

Akane> I see. good for you, I guess (01:06)

Nekojita> is it good? (01:07)

Nekojita> sorry, I was nodding off. goodnight (01:12)

Fujino> Good night. (01:13)

── Nekojita has left the room (01:13) ──

Akane> Fujino, what time do you usually sleep? (01:34)

Fujino> After I have gone out and come back, so it depends on the day. (01:35)

Akane> around when do you come back? (01:36)

Fujino> I do not remember, so I cannot say. In the morning I am properly at home. (01:37)

Akane> if you don’t remember, how do you know you went out? (01:39)

Fujino> That is something one simply knows. You, too, are only not trying to remember. (01:41)

Akane> no, I don’t go out (01:42)

Fujino> Yes. If you do not remember, that is as it should be. You are doing it properly. (01:44)

Akane> Fujino, do you realize you’re saying strange things? (01:46)

Fujino> I do not see which part would be strange. I have only talked about ordinary things today. (01:48)

Fujino> Only, lately, there are days when I come back remembering. (01:52)

Akane> so there are days you remember (01:54)

Fujino> Once in a while. It is not a good thing, so I wanted to tell someone. (01:56)

Akane> not good how? (01:57)

Fujino> When you come back remembering, (01:59)

Fujino> I am sorry. I will leave it there. (02:01)

Akane> come on, now I want to know (02:02)

Fujino> There are things that can be small talk and things that cannot. (02:04)

Akane> why did you tell everyone about the window and the nights today? you never do (02:10)

Fujino> Usually the small talk is enjoyable, so I do not. Tonight the window simply came up. (02:12)

Akane> so it’s like this for you all the time (02:13)

Fujino> Though I imagine it is for everyone. (02:14)

Akane> my shift ran long today and my feet hurt. it’s a tatami-floor izakaya, my place (02:24)

Fujino> Good work today. You should keep warm when you sleep. (02:26)

Akane> made myself some tea (02:40)

Fujino> That sounds nice. I will not drink any more myself. It is before going out. (02:41)

Akane> you can’t drink before going out? (02:42)

Fujino> It is not forbidden, but it is better not to. (02:43)

Akane> I see (02:44)

Akane> sorry, I dozed off for a bit (03:20)

Fujino> It is night, after all. (03:21)

Akane> aren’t you sleepy? (03:23)

Fujino> Before going out, I do not get sleepy. (03:25)

Fujino> It is almost time, so I will get ready. (03:52)

Akane> get ready how? (03:53)

Fujino> Nothing much. Turning off the lights, and so on. (03:55)

Akane> Fujino (03:57)

Akane> be careful, okay (03:58)

Fujino> Thank you. (03:59)

Fujino> Well then, good night. (04:00)

── Fujino has left the room (04:01) ──

── Fujino has entered the room (04:03) ──

Fujino> I forgot to say. Akane, please go back without remembering, too. (04:03)

── Fujino has left the room (04:04) ──

Akane> good night (04:08)