Summary

In “Parfait,” Natsumi was married with a little girl, Minami, when she fell in love with Nishino. She was unsure what love meant, but knew she felt strongly for Nishino.

Natsumi often talked to Nishino on the phone. Her husband never suspected her.

Sometimes Minami accompanied Natsumi on her dates with Nishino. Nishino always bought Minami parfait and brought her gifts. Minami “never asked anything about Nishino” (13).

Years later, when Minami was 15, she mentioned Nishino again. It had been a while since Natsumi had thought about him. Minami wanted to know if they had been lovers (15). Though they had seen “each other frequently,” Natsumi was no longer sure what they had been or if they “had been in love” (15). Minami remarked that the one “problem with Mr. Nishino” was that a “melancholy trace” always lingered after seeing him (15).

Nishino only...