Before We Forget Kindness by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Before We Forget Kindness by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Before We Forget Kindness by Toshikazu Kawaguchi explores the emotional journeys of characters who visit a Tokyo café that allows time travel through special coffee. Each visitor grapples with their past, seeking closure and understanding amid themes of love, loss, and regret. The narrative includes poignant stories, such as a boy wishing to reunite his divorced parents, a mother yearning to name her child, and a father confronting his estranged daughter. This touching collection is ideal for readers interested in heartfelt explorations of familial connections and the complexities of human relationships.

Key Points

  • Explores time travel through a café in Tokyo, allowing characters to confront their pasts.
  • Features diverse narratives, including a boy's wish to reunite his parents and a mother's desire to name her child.
  • Addresses themes of love, loss, and the emotional weight of regret in familial relationships.
  • Weaves together multiple poignant stories that highlight the complexities of human connections.
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About the book
In the fifth installment of the acclaimed Before the Coffee
Gets Cold series, Toshikazu Kawaguchi invites us back to the
enchanting café where time travel offers a chance for healing
and resolution. Four new guests arrive, each with their own
poignant story: a father grappling with his daughter's marriage,
a woman yearning to express her love, a boy wishing to unite
his divorced parents through his smile, and a mother nurturing
a child without a name. Bound by the café's strict rule to return
before their coffee cools, these visitors embark on emotional
journeys to confront their pasts, seeking solace and
understanding as they navigate the complexities of love and
loss. In "Before We Forget Kindness," Kawaguchi weaves a
touching narrative about finding closure and the courage to
embrace a hopeful future.
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Chapter 1 Summary : The Son
Chapter Summary
1: The
Son The café Funiculi Funicula in Tokyo offers a time travel experience through special coffee, crafted by
waitress Kazu Tokita, in a setting marked by loss. Owner Nagare Tokita mourns his late wife, affecting his
daughter Miki and cousin Kazu. The magical coffee allows patrons to revisit the past for a limited time, with the
caveat that they cannot alter events.
Seven-year-old Yuki Kiriyama wishes to revisit a Christmas before his parents' divorce, hoping to mend
painful memories. His backstory with parents Aoi and Kenji reveals emotional alienation leading to their
separation. Yuki seeks to show his parents a smile instead of tears.
The chapter explores themes of familial love, loss, and regret, emphasizing that while the past can be
revisited, the emotional weight remains unchanged. Yuki's desire to relive the Christmas is granted, offering a
bittersweet chance to confront his feelings amid the complexities of adulthood.
Summary of Chapter 1: The Son
In the heart of Tokyo's Jimbocho, a unique café named
Funiculi Funicula beckons patrons with the promise of time
travel through its special coffee brewed by Kazu Tokita, the
taciturn waitress. The café carries a poignant atmosphere,
heightened by the loss of its owner Nagare Tokita's wife, Kei,
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two years prior, which deeply affects his daughter Miki and
cousin Kazu. The café’s magical coffee allows customers to
revisit past moments, but with strict rules: the experience
lasts only until the coffee cools, and none of the past choices
can alter the present.
Among the café’s visitors is seven-year-old Yuki Kiriyama,
who expresses a longing to go back to a significant day—a
Christmas spent with his parents before their divorce. Yuki
recalls a Christmas morning where a simple outing to
Disneyland turned into an emotional family moment, soon
overshadowed by his parents' constant quarreling and
eventual separation. Seeking to rewrite his own past, he
reveals to Kazu that he wishes to return to that day—not to
change events but to ease his regrets, particularly over the
tears he shed when learning of the impending divorce.
As he shares his story, the background of his parents, Aoi
and Kenji, unfolds, revealing misunderstandings and a
gradual emotional alienation that led to their separation.
Yuki, however, holds on to hope; he wants to show his
parents a smile rather than tears and believes revisiting that
day could achieve this.
Through Yuki's innocent desire and genuine kindness, themes
of familial love, loss, and the nature of regret emerge
poignantly. The café operates under the weight of magical
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FAQs of Before We Forget Kindness by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

What is the main theme of Before We Forget Kindness?
The main theme of Before We Forget Kindness revolves around the complexities of love, loss, and the emotional burdens of regret. Each character's journey reflects their desire to confront past decisions and seek closure, emphasizing how unresolved feelings can linger over time. The café serves as a magical space where these themes unfold, allowing characters to revisit moments that shaped their relationships.
Who are the key characters in Before We Forget Kindness?
Key characters include Yuki Kiriyama, a boy wishing to mend his parents' relationship; Megumi Sakura, a mother seeking to name her child after her deceased husband; and Mochizuki, a father reconciling with his estranged daughter, Yoko. Each character's story intertwines with the café's time-traveling coffee, showcasing their emotional struggles and the impact of their past choices.
How does time travel function in the café?
In the café, time travel is facilitated by special coffee that allows patrons to revisit specific moments from their past. However, there are strict rules: visitors cannot alter the events they experience, and the journey lasts only until the coffee cools. This mechanism emphasizes the fleeting nature of time and the importance of confronting one's emotions without the ability to change outcomes.
What emotional journeys do the characters undertake?
Characters in Before We Forget Kindness embark on deeply emotional journeys as they confront their pasts. For instance, Yuki seeks to relive a Christmas before his parents' divorce, hoping to ease his regrets. Megumi wants to show her newborn daughter to her late husband, while Mochizuki aims to reconcile with his daughter Yoko. Each story illustrates the characters' struggles with their feelings and the desire for connection.
What lessons about familial relationships are presented?
The narrative presents several lessons about familial relationships, particularly the importance of communication and understanding. Characters learn that unresolved issues can lead to emotional distance and regret. The stories highlight how love can endure despite loss and the necessity of confronting difficult emotions to foster healing and connection within families.

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