Asahikawa. Yeah, you know what I mean?

— You're lucky, I'm usually abroad on business for the company. Right now I have a two-week break. Atsushi picked me up after work from the Lawson store, it started raining in the evening. He's dressed in a white shirt and pants. By that point I'd gotten lucky twice - first time being that there was actually a positive CS response in my mailbox at five in the evening.

We went to his place. Being the owner of some small trading resale company, he rents a one-room apartment on the sixth floor in downtown Asahikawa. Got his higher education in the US, where he went without his parents' support and worked at a factory while studying. — Want some wine? My friend from Chile sends me three bottles every year. The apartment was tiny. A bed against the wall with a sofa in front of it, coffee table and TV on the wall. A bit to the left - you're in the kitchen, a bit to the right - in the shower. — I need to go to the grocery store, buy some food. — You'll go there tomorrow, today we're going to a restaurant, my treat. Japanese people also love going to Chinese restaurants. They order dishes to share, meaning not everyone gets their own plate, but just, say, five plates with different dishes. Atsushi, flicking his lighter, called over the waiter, who knelt down to take the order. — Arigato gozaimasu. — Merci beaucoup. The waiter asked again. — Merci beaucoup, that's in French.

— Does everyone here call waiters over with lighters? — No, just me. — he smiled smugly, adjusting his basketball jersey. — We'll stop by another place, if you don't mind. — he said after we ate. — What kind of place? — You'll like it - there are two beautiful girls there, I really like one of them. — Ok, let's go. — I want to tell her Je t'aime, you know? He paid the bill. — Domo arigato. — Merci beaucoup. — he somewhat insistently corrected the waiter. We headed to that other place.