of it. o t nigice, and he’d drown.”

    “Did he really drown?”

    Miyake sh morphine.”

    “So ion didn’t come true. Or maybe o make sure it  come true.”

    “On t least, it looks like t,” Miyake said, pausing for a moment. “But in a sense, .  to tions can stand for sometimes. And tand for can be a lot more intense ty. t’s t t ion. Do you see w I mean?”

    Junko t about it for a w see w .

    “I’ve never once t about o die,” s t it. I don’t even know o live.”

    Miyake gave a nod. “I kno’s guided by to die.”

    “Is t how you’re living?” she asked.

    “I’m not sure. It seems t imes.”

    Miyake sat do to Junko. tle more ed and older t and sticking out.

    “ kind of pictures ing?” she asked.

    “t ougo explain.”

    “Okay, t’s t ted?”

    “I call it Landscape iron. I finis t’s just a picture of an iron in a room.”

    “ so tougo explain?”

    “Because it’s not really an iron.”

    S  an iron?”

    “t’s right.”

    “Meaning it stands for something else?”

    “Probably.”

    “Meaning you can only paint it if you use someto stand for it?”

    Miyake nodded in silence.

    Junko looked up to see t tars in tance. Miyake t piece, to to touco . Sook in a long, deep breat.

    “You knohing?” she said.

    “?”

    “I’m completely empty.”

    “Yeah?”

    “Yeah.”

    S, tears ill ears  stop.

    “t all in er, . Empty.”

    “I know w you mean,” he said.

    “Really?”

    “Yea.”