First Clue: Unrequited Love

The Narrator's first connection is made when he sees a movie starring one of his old classmates. The movie is pretty cheesy, but the he is surprised to find that Kiki is in one of the scenes. After, viewing the film numerous times he heads back to Tokyo to find his classmate.

Before leaving the Dolphin his receptionist friend asks if he can escort a 13-year-old guest (Yuki) back to Tokyo because he eccentric photographer mother forgot her. He reluctantly agrees, but eventually finds a useful yet unusual friendship in the young girl.

"Aside from that one cameo, Kik appeared in no other scene. Forget the dumb plot, I was all eyes at the screen, and I know she wasn't anywhere. She was destined to be a one-night stand, witness to one fleeting scene in Gotanda's life, before vanishing forever. That was her role. The same as with me. Suddenly she's there, she sees what there is to see, then she's gone."

"This is real. There is no mistake. We are connected."

When he arrives in Tokyo the narrator meets up with his old classmate Gotanda. They have a great night out on the town where the protagonists learns Gotanda met Kiki through a private prostitution club, but she disappeared and he hadn't seen her since.

After the encounter with Gotanda and Kiki's former colleague (the men call prostitutes to their home for a night cap) we are at a bit of a dead-end because no one seems to have any information on Kiki's whereabouts. She seems to have vanished into thin air. However, now that connections are being made the plot thickens with new characters and a unique encounter with his young friend Yuki.

Yuki tells the narrator that she knows he saw the Sheep Man, but she doesn't explain herself as of yet.

At this point I can't put the book down. Right when the mystery seems to be unfolding Murakami writes in another spin and changes the direction of the novel. Although the protagonist is quite normal and almost pathetic on the surface, the deeper Murakami allows the reader into his psyche the more I feel for him, and can identify with his emotions.

"My awareness for things around me has sharpened. I was moving forward intently, one step at a time. I had focus, a goal. Which somehow, quite naturally, lightened my step, almost gave me soft-shoe footwork. This was a good sign. Dance. Keep in step, light but steady. Freshen up, maintain the rhythm, keep things going. I had to pay careful attention where this was leading me to next. Had to make sure I stayed in this world."