In Chapter 39 of Murakami's Kafka on the Shore, During his second day at the cabin, Kafka is plagued by restlessness, unable to stop thinking about Miss Saeki. After exercising and listening to music, he explores the nearby woods, eventually reaching a dense clearing reminiscent of a labyrinth. Despite his unease, Kafka presses on into the darkness until he loses his way. A crow's cry alerts him, and he miraculously finds his way back to the clearing.

That night, Kafka yearns for Miss Saeki's appearance, but she remains absent. Instead, he experiences a vivid and lifelike dream about Sakura. In the dream, Kafka joins a sleeping Sakura in bed. The sound of a crow is heard, but it remains unseen. As he touches Sakura, Kafka feels a powerful urge trying to break free from within. Overwhelmed and unable to control himself, he initiates intimacy with Sakura. She awakens and demands that he stop, claiming it is wrong because they are siblings. However, Kafka insists it is too late, and he has already made up his mind.

Crow interjects, explaining that Kafka desires control. He has already killed his father and been intimate with his mother; all that remains is to complete the prophecy by being with his sister. Only then can he free himself from the prophecy and live as he pleases. As Kafka continues to be intimate with Sakura, he feels lost in the forest, unable to remember the trees' shapes or find his way back. He reaches climax and awakens, consumed by loneliness. Crow remarks that Kafka's dark shadow has finally been exposed.