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August 30 - September 21, 2023
Yukika knew that even if her trip to the future didn’t affect Reiko as she hoped, she could count on Saki to do her best in providing treatment for Reiko. That went without saying.
“I think it was for the best,” she said kindly. “I got to see my darling little sister’s smiling face one more time...”
“But in the end, the promise Reiko made to Yukika has brought her a light of hope, which has lit up what had gone completely dark up until now. It won’t change what happened to Yukika, but I do hope it will make a big difference to Reiko’s future.”
Inside every person is an inherent capability to make it through any kind of difficulty. Everyone has that energy. But sometimes when that energy flows via our anxiety valve, the flow can be restricted. The greater that anxiety, the greater the strength needed to open the valve and release the energy. That strength is empowered by hope. You could say that hope is the power to believe in the future.
Once upon a time, when she had been extremely averse to being involved in other people’s lives, she would not have said those words. Over a period of fifteen years, Kazu had become a parent and there were various aspects of her heart that had changed.
followed by the word donor, alarmed Reiji. His mind was blank with confusion. A long search? How long has she had this illness for? Why would she stay quiet about something so important?
As we have been friends for a long time, I know I should have told you. You passed your audition, and I didn’t want to get in the way. I’ll never be someone like Setsuko.
You managed to pass the audition on some pretty lousy material. Must have been a strange whim of the gods. Go seize that opportunity! I’ll always be cheering you on! Nanako
Even if I went, what would I do? Now of all times is not the time to be standing around like that doing nothing. Countless times I failed auditions and each time it felt terrible. But I didn’t give up and finally this is surely my chance.
feelings. “The important part is what I am about to say,” Yukari continued. “Even if you found out that it was true that she liked you, the present reality hasn’t changed, has it?”
“If it were just a matter of traveling back to the past, anyone could do it. But this café chooses people...by its rules...and some people hear those rules and give up. But those people who are resolved to go back, despite the rules, have a reason for doing so. It doesn’t matter what that reason is. If there is someone they must see, or someone they should see...even if the present reality won’t change...then, that’s all that matters.”
“Yeah, Nanako said she might not see me for a while, so we finished it together.”
“When I asked her why, she said it was because dying was scary.” On hearing Nanako’s words, Reiji’s expression changed.
“You are in the womb of your mother, who is in labor. If the world were to end tomorrow, which would you do?”
People never know when they are going to die. In fact, Yayoi Seto’s parents were killed in a car crash, Setsuko had died from illness. Even Yukika, whom he’d worked with, had left this world just a month after being hospitalized.
Reiji was now realizing how important the ordinary life that we take for granted is and how much happiness can be experienced from having someone you care about by your side. Things that you put off saying until tomorrow are sometimes never said.
In other words, Yukari had known about Nanako’s illness since before. Reiji found himself annoyed that he was the only one who didn’t know. Nanako picked up on his mood and knew what he was thinking and quickly added, “I was going to tell you the other day, but...”
Perhaps I’ve always liked Nanako. I’ve just always taken it for granted and simply never questioned it. Maybe my dream and Nanako are inseparable.
“You go, come back and become my wife.” After all... “Huh?” “Congratulations.”
“Well, you’re the one who insisted we get married, you see?” ...whatever I say is not going to change reality back in the present.
“It doesn’t look like Yukari will be coming home for a while,” remarked Saki, looking at the postcard Reiji had passed to her.
“I can’t help thinking that things might have turned out differently with the Todoroki incident if Yukari hadn’t sent the postcards to congratulate the two on winning the Comedian Grand Prix.”
“Well, I read that when you give a gift to someone who is striving to achieve their dreams, you have to give them the most cherished thing you have. Some days, that person who is chasing their dreams will not be able to find the strength to keep going. It will be bitter and painful, and they will have to weigh up their dreams and reality to make a choice. When that happens, the person gifted with the most precious thing will be able to fight on a little more. It apparently helps them to feel they are not alone. So, I’m giving you this book because I want you to fight for your dream.”
Something I strongly believe is that we mustn’t allow the death of a person to be the cause of
unhappiness. The reason for that is simple: if we let everyone who dies be a cause for unhappiness, that would mean people are being born to become unhappy. But the opposite in fact is true. People are always born for the sake of happiness.
