In the magical café of Tokyo, where customers can travel to the past for as long as a cup of coffee lasts, four new stories unfold:

• A father who did not allow his daughter to marry.
• A woman who failed to offer chocolates to her beloved on Valentine's Day.
• A boy who wishes to show his smile to his separated parents.
• A young widow with a nameless child in her arms.

Each story explores the desire for redemption and solace, highlighting the importance of kindness and forgiveness.

Readers express particular appreciation for the emotional intensity and tenderness of the stories. The author's ability to combine the fantastical element of time travel with deep human emotions makes the book a moving reading experience.

“Yuki regretted that time he burst into tears in that café.

It had all started during breakfast last Christmas. Suddenly, his father, Kenji, said: “Yuki, how about we go to Disneyland?”

Yuki was taken aback: Kenji often said he had too much work and was rarely at home.

“Don’t you have work?”
“What? Don’t you like the idea?”
“No. That’s not it.”

Yuki glanced across the table at his mother, Aoi, who was eating toasted bread. Whenever Aoi asked Kenji’s opinion about something, he would always say: “I have work, I’ll leave the household matters to you,” so Yuki thought he should consult his mother before accepting his father’s invitation.

“It sounds nice to me. It’s Christmas, after all, right?” said Aoi.
“Exactly,” Kenji agreed.

It had been a while since Yuki had seen Aoi smile in front of Kenji, so he exclaimed happily: “Okay, let’s go!”

They went to Disneyland by car. Aoi was driving and Yuki sat in the passenger seat. At first, the trip went smoothly, but it was Christmas and there was heavy traffic. At some point, they started arguing: about the route, about whose fault it was, about who was more right. As always. Ever since Yuki was born, his parents had changed. Their values clashed, small tensions turned into big fights. And in the back seat, a child in an elementary school uniform with a shiny satchel on his back absorbed every word without understanding why love can wear out so easily.”

Toshikazu Kawaguchi was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1971. He has worked as a producer, director, and writer for the theater group Sonic Snail. His first novel, "Before the Coffee Gets Cold," was based on his own play and achieved great success, launching a series that has been loved worldwide.