Before We Say Goodbye by Toshikazu Kawaguchi EPUB & PDF – eBook Details Online
- Status: Available for Free Download
- Author:Toshikazu Kawaguchi
- Language: English
- Genre: Time Travel Science Fiction
- Format: PDF / EPUB
- Size: 2 MB
- Price: Free
The Husband
‘So there’s nothing one could do to change the present?’
Monji Kadokura inquisitively tilted his head of grey-speckled hair,
dislodging a cherry-blossom petal that fluttered to the ground. Under the
dim sepia light of the shaded lamps – the cafe’s only illumination – he was
squinting so closely at the jottings in his notebook that his face was almost
pressed against the page.
‘What does that mean, specifically?’
‘Well, maybe I could explain it like this …’
Replying to Kadokura’s question, with long narrow eyes, was Nagare
Tokita, a huge man more than two metres tall. He was the owner of the cafe
and always wore a white cook’s uniform.
‘Take this cash register, for example. You’d be hard-pressed to find one
in Japan that is older. I’ve been told it’s very rare. By the way, even empty,
it weighs forty kilograms, to stop people stealing it. Anyway, let’s say that
one day, this cash register was stolen.’
Nagare slapped his hand on the cash register on the counter.
‘If that happened, then naturally you would want to return to the past and
hide it away somewhere or get someone to stand guard to stop anyone from
entering the cafe to steal it, right?’
‘Sure, that makes sense.’ Kadokura nodded in agreement.
‘But you see, that can’t happen. No matter how hard you tried to prevent
the cash register from getting stolen, the thief would still make their way
into the cafe and steal the cash register, even if it was well hidden.’
‘Gosh, that is so fascinating. What could be the science behind that? I
would be interested to know the causal relationship – if you know what I
mean. A kind of butterfly effect, perhaps?’ Kadokura looked up at Nagare
with excited eyes.
‘Butterfly effect?’
Now it was Nagare’s turn to tilt his head, in confusion.
‘It’s a theory that the meteorologist Edward Lorenz proposed at a lecture
given at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1972.
There is a Japanese saying along the same lines. If the wind blows, the
barrel-makers prosper.’
‘Oh, er, OK.’
‘But then, this idea of the present not changing – that’s not an effect.
More like a correction, don’t you think? If so, that would rule out the
butterfly effect. This is getting more and more fascinating,’ he mumbled
enthusiastically as he wrote something down in his notebook.
‘Well, truth be told, the only explanation we have ever been given is,
because that’s the rule, isn’t that right, Kazu?’ Nagare looked to Kazu
Tokita, standing next to him, for agreement.
‘Yes, that’s right,’ Kazu replied without bothering to look up.
Kazu was Nagare’s cousin and a waitress at the cafe. She wore a white
shirt, black waistcoat, and sommelier’s apron. She was pretty with fair
complexion and long, narrow almond-shaped eyes, but not one other feature
stood out. If you glanced at her and closed your eyes, you’d find it difficult
to describe her face. Even Kadokura had to follow Nagare’s gaze to be
reminded that there was one more person here. She cast a faint shadow, and
her presence lacked impact.
For More Read Download This Book
EPUB