How does Kafka repay Sakura for letting him sleep on her couch?

• A. He cleans her apartment
• B. He buys groceries
• C. He cooks dinner
• D. He pays her rent

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that repayment for hospitality is shown through a tangible, everyday gesture rather than grand or material claims. In this moment, Kafka chooses to clean Sakura’s apartment as a quiet, practical way to say thank you and take responsibility for the favor she offered him by letting him crash on her couch. It’s a modest act that fits the intimate, private tone of Murakami’s scenes, highlighting gratitude through service and respect for someone’s space.

This choice stands apart from the other possibilities because those actions imply different kinds of ongoing arrangements or motives that aren’t what he offers in this situation. Cleaning the apartment is a simple, self-contained repayment that acknowledges her kindness without changing the nature of their relationship, whereas groceries, cooking, or paying rent would suggest ongoing dependency or different dynamics that aren’t depicted in this moment.