I met Karen through a friend. We were introduced at a lunchtime cafe, so today was the first time we'd had a proper conversation. Lunchtime cafes are always about superficial things, right? Today's spot is a rather fancy Japanese izakaya, a place that looks like it could be featured in the Tokyo Calendar. If you want to woo a good woman, start with a good place. A good place creates an atmosphere conducive to doing it. Perhaps that paid off, as she took me home with the words, "I won't do anything." I was a little taken aback, since I'd thought she'd be pretty guarded. And it makes sense, since she seems to keep a clear distinction between romance and playfulness. Since she came right away, I guess she was just looking for fun, which is exactly what I wanted. Both men and women dislike people who can't accept it and then complain later. We continued drinking, assuming it was a pretense. Pretense is important. I learned some things I didn't know: she's from Kyushu, she hasn't had a boyfriend in a year, and if she's going to hang out, she wants a guy who's used to playing around. That's me. Let's have loads of fun, with a no-nonsense attitude.