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industrializing rapidly. Certainly there were many bona fide dealings, as well as junkets. Tetsuo's company had to be sending him for real business reasons, or why would he have invited her along? Reiko wondered if all those stories had been exaggerated after all.

    A contingent of foreigners awaited the opening of the gate with typical gaijin impatience, speaking loudly, staring impertinently. An orderly queue of Japanese formed behind the jostling Europeans and Americans.

    Reiko's sister, Yumi, held Yukiko up to wave good-bye to her parents. The little girl seemed confused and unhappy, but determined to behave well. Already Yukiko exhibited a sense of public propriety, and she did not shame them by crying. As Tetsuo led her down the crowded ramp, Reiko felt a pang of separation, but she knew Yukiko would be all right for a few days with her aunt. At worst their daughter would be spoiled by too much attention.

    On board, Reiko saw there were a few other married couples besides themselves, all seated toward the rear of the airplane. The women seemed less at ease than their husbands, and listened attentively as the stewardesses went over emergency procedures. Finally, the great machine hurtled down the runway and propelled itself into the sky.

    When the safety lights turned off, the cabin began to fill with cigarette smoke. Men got up and drifted forward toward the lounge. Soon there was heard, beyond the partition, the clinking of glasses and harsh laughter.

    Reiko discreetly observed the other women, sitting quietly with empty seats between them. Some gazed out upon the green mountains of Honshu as the plane gradually gained altitude. Others conversed together in low tones. A few just looked down at their hands.

    Reiko pondered. So many husbands could not be bringing their wives if their business in Seoul was only concupiscent pleasure. Could they?

    She realized she was staring and quickly lowered her eyes. Still, Reiko had noticed something; all the other wives aboard were young, like herself. She turned, intending to whisper this interesting observation to her husband, and blinked quickly when she found herself facing an empty seat.

    While she had been looking around, Tetsuo had quietly slipped away. Soon Reiko heard his familiar laughter coming from just beyond the partition.

    She looked down then, and found fascinating the texture and fine lines that traced the backs of her own hands.

3.

    That evening, in their hotel room, Tetsuo told her why he had brought her along with him to Seoul. "It is time for us to have a son," he said matter-of-factly.

    Reiko nodded dutifully. "A son is to be hoped for."

    Tetsuo loved his daughter, of course, but he clearly wanted to have a boy in the family, and Reiko could hope for nothing better than to please him. And yet, had he not been the one insisting she buy birth-control devices weekly from the neighborhood Skin Lady, and use them so carefully?

    "We can afford to have only one more child," he went on, telling her what she already knew. "So we shall want to make certain the second is a boy."

    Only half-seriously, she suggested, "Shujin, I shall go to Mizuko Jizo Temple daily and burn incense."

    If she had hoped to draw a smile from him, Reiko was disappointed. Once upon a time he had been witty in his mockery of the ancient superstitions, and they had shared this delicious cynicism between them—she the daughter of a scientist and he the bright young businessman who had been to university in American. Now, though, Tetsuo nodded and seemed to accept her promise at face value.

    "Good. However, we shall supplement prayer with technology." From his jacket pocket he withdrew a slim brochure, which he handed to her. He left Reiko then to read the pamphlet in their small room while he went down to the bar to drink with friends.

    Reiko stared down at the bold type, glittering in stark romanji script.

    PAK JONG CLINIC
    GENDER-SELECTION SERVICE
    Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore,