Before We Forget Kindness (Before the Coffee Gets Cold, #5)

by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Regret comes in two flavors: actions taken and opportunities missed. The regret from doing something stems from either not being able to undo it, or the awful outcome, such as hurting someone with an insensitive comment, or feeling wretched after declaring one’s love. The regret of not doing something, in contrast, relates to things left unsaid, or love never declared.

“When Mom and Dad were still living together, I heard tales of this café from my grandfather.”

Pain

Rather than something for himself, Yuki was wishing for his parents’ happiness.

In this world, there are countless situations where sound reasoning doesn’t necessarily lead to the right answer.

I used to love seeing Mom and Dad smile. They smiled best when they were together. When both were smiling, I couldn’t help but smile with them.

At work here was the same force that ensured that no matter how much one tries while back in the past, the reality of one’s original time will not change.

Things are hard when your parents split up. It’s okay to cry.”

“My grandson has decided to live with me. Aside from being concerned for his mom and dad, it turns out he is also worried about me, maybe because I lost my wife two years ago.”

There is never a decision made that leaves a person entirely free from doubt.

People’s hearts are forever changing. However firm one’s resolve might be, even the most trivial event can trigger doubt.

In life, there are only two paths: to act or not to act. Humans must choose one.

Human perception is subjective. Unpleasant moments feel long, while enjoyable ones feel short.

How can I manage without you? It makes me so anxious. The more I think about it, the more anxious I become.

“Then even if what you saw was a dream, wouldn’t it still be a part of your life?”

At some point, she would have had to make big life choices without me.

It’s simply impossible to always be there to help. Protection is not everything. It would have been better if I let her gain the strength to overcome adversity by herself.

With life comes many regretful actions that we can’t undo. Most of these come down to things we do or say in the heat of the moment. Fallouts that occur in a family—among parent and child, or among siblings—can take a long time to resolve. No amount of regret over past words and actions can heal the emotional wounds inflicted on someone unless that person’s feelings change.

Dad wasn’t wrong about anything. I was the one who was mistaken. If anyone is apologizing, it should be me.

“Thank you for looking after me until now. It’s been an honor to be your daughter,”

So, why do we fall in love?

Expressing your feelings honestly isn’t wrong. It’s rare for someone to take offense at being told they are liked—on the contrary, it’s a blessing. So why is it so hard to take that step? Saying “I like you” should be simple, but around each person’s heart there appears to be a massive wall. Not a physical barrier but an emotional one. When we interact with each other, we hold back because we don’t know what’s on the other side of the wall.

“In life, you bundle up the good and the bad—they’re all memories.”

“Dying without being able to express my feelings would be even more painful.”