Nao-Cola Yamazaki

Art student Isogai first models for one of his tutors, the much older Yuri, then begins a passionate affair with her. As he gets to know her better, he struggles to understand his own emotions and his place in the world, just as he yearns to be closer to her and for her to share more of herself with him.

An unnamed narrator sits in a cafe overlooking a train station, sipping a green juice and people-watching. A small white butterfly flutters through the air; a calico cat jumps onto a wall; cherry blossom petals fall, softly, to the ground. Life stands still for one moment. He is preparing to visit his terminally ill wife in hospital. So begins this moving novel exploring the distance between people, places and memories in simple and elegant prose, as Yamazaki raises questions around what family means, how we think about death, and how we express love; particularly in a society where work is often prioritised.