Summary

In “Cream,” an unnamed narrator told a friend about an incident that occurred when he was 18 years old. He had graduated high school but failed the university entrance exam and was spending most of his days in the library reading novels. He received an invitation to a recital from a girl he once took piano lessons with. This was strange, as the two were barely acquaintances and he had not spoken to her in years. Nevertheless, he decided to attend the recital. He bought flowers for her and took the bus to a neighborhood in the mountains in Kobe where the recital was being held. It was a quiet neighborhood overlooking a harbor and the day was overcast. When he arrived at the concert hall, it was locked and deserted. He could not understand why he had received an...