July 23rd, in some five-star hotel in Venice, in some double-bed room.
The white curtains gently swayed, blocking the bright afternoon sunshine, with dappled light and shadow falling on the floor, slightly undulating like fish swimming under water.
Ayase Origami and Xia Pingzhou indulged in a long-lost lie-in, both sleeping until 2 PM without waking.
Their sleep postures were disordered and unsightly: one was lying on the edge of the bed, with an arm extended off the bed, the loose sleeve of a kimono hanging down; the other had rolled straight onto the room's floor, face buried in the carpet, and right hand still making moves as if holding chess pieces.
Moments later, Xia Pingzhou finally woke up, slowly turned over, glanced at the ceiling, then looked at Ayase Origami's sleeping face, and picked up the phone that had fallen to the floor.
