The scene opens with a flashback to the previous night, in which the narrator explains that he had run into Sebastian and that they had a "mutual impulse" to get together. Sebastian, however, does not recall that he was with the narrator that night, and the narrator is sure that it was not a sexual encounter, but rather a mutual "inward impulse" . The narrator is certain that Sebastian's sweat smells bad, and that the smell is bringing back all of the unpleasant memories he has of Sebastian. He asks Sebastian to "dump the smell" of his sweat on his face, and he does so. He then turns to look at Sebastian, who is staring at him with a red face. Sebastian tries to turn his head away from the narrator, but he is too close to him. He tries to kiss him, but the kiss is too fast, and Sebastian is not prepared for it.