No Longer Human ( PDFDrive )

131
"There's no doubt about it. I'll give it up. If I
give it up, will you many me, Yoshiko?"
Asking her to marry me was, however, intended
only as a joke.
"Natch."
("Natch" for "naturally" was popular at the
time.)
"Right. Let's hook fingers on that. I promise I'll
give it up."
The next day, as might have been expected, I
spent drinking.
Towards evening I made my way to Yoshiko's
shop on shaking legs and called to her. "Yoshiko, I'm
sorry. I got drunk."
"Oh, you're awful. Trying to fool me by pretending
to be drunk."
I was startled. I felt suddenly quite sober.
"No, it's the truth. I really have been drinking.
I'm not pretending."
"Don't tease me. You're mean." She suspected
nothing.
"I should think you could tell by just looking
at me. I've been drinking today since noon. Forgive
me.
"You're a good actor."
"I'm not acting, you little idiot. I'm going to kiss
«
you.