Having completed his circuit of the room, Schön sits opposite Katsuya. "Thank you." He takes a moment to pour his coffee--he likes it heavily dosed with cream and sugar, and his movements have the brisk precision of long habit. Settling back, he holds the handle of his cup lightly with the fingers of one hand, cradling it in his other as though his palm were a saucer. "I imagine we will both feel our appetites in time."

He takes a sip of his coffee, then asks his first question: "do you feel ready to begin?"