"You know~" The voice chimes in, seemingly from nothing. "I've been told that when a mans nose is really red it means he's sick with a very serious disease.. Only I can't remember what it is. You're nose is really red though. Are you feeling well?"
Maybe, Haaki thought, he would get used to this one day. Maybe one day he wouldn’t jump clean out of his seat at the sound of Chira’s voice. But today was not that day, and after such a long period of silence, he hesitated. It was Splendid’s happy barking and snuffling around on the ground which eventually convinced him to say,
‘Chira? Is that you? I really hope it’s you. If it’s not, I probably sound kind of strange.’









