Kitchen

“The place I like best in this world is the kitchen.”

Chapter 1: Kitchen

The novel opens with Mikage Sakurai, a young woman who has recently lost her grandmother, her last living relative. Grieving and alone, she finds solace in kitchens, which she sees as a comforting, almost sacred space. Yuichi Tanabe, a boy who once knew her grandmother, invites Mikage to live with him and his mother, Eriko, a transgender woman who runs a nightclub. Mikage moves into their apartment and begins to heal, forming a deep bond with them. Eriko’s warmth and Yuichi’s quiet kindness provide her with a new sense of family.

Chapter 2: Moonlight Shadow

This shorter, parallel story follows Satsuki, a woman mourning the sudden death of her boyfriend, Hitoshi. One night, she encounters a mysterious woman named Urara, who tells her about a supernatural phenomenon called “the Weaver Festival,” where the living may briefly reunite with the dead. Satsuki clings to this hope, and on the predicted day, she witnesses a fleeting, dreamlike encounter with Hitoshi on a misty bridge. Though brief, the experience helps her begin to accept her loss.

Chapter 3: Full Circle

Returning to Mikage’s story, tragedy strikes again when Eriko is murdered by a stalker at her nightclub. Mikage and Yuichi are devastated, and their grief strains their relationship. Mikage moves out and throws herself into work as a cooking instructor, while Yuichi spirals into depression. Eventually, Mikage realizes she cannot abandon him. She returns, and the two find strength in each other, acknowledging their shared pain and the fragile beauty of life.

Key Ideas

• Grief and healing through human connection.
• The transient nature of life and love.
• Finding comfort in everyday spaces, like kitchens.
• Non-traditional family structures as sources of strength.
• The intersection of loss and supernatural hope.