“People’s lives are like intersecting lines. You never know when or where they’ll cross again.”
Chapter 1: The Letter in the Milk Box
The story begins with three delinquents—Atsuya, Kohei, and Shota—hiding in an abandoned general store after a robbery. They discover letters in the store’s milk drop box, one from a young boxer struggling with whether to quit after his mentor’s illness. The trio debates whether to respond.
Chapter 2: The Boxer’s Dilemma
They reply as the “Namiya General Store,” advising the boxer to follow his heart. Later, they learn he became a champion, proving their advice changed his life. Meanwhile, they find another letter from a woman torn between her music career and her family’s expectations.
Chapter 3: The Musician’s Crossroads
The trio advises the musician to pursue her passion. Years later, they discover she died saving orphans in a fire, leaving behind a legacy. Another letter arrives from a corporate worker considering betraying his boss for profit.
Chapter 4: The Corporate Worker’s Conscience
They urge him to act with integrity. Later, they learn he became a respected businessman. As dawn approaches, they receive a final letter from a woman seeking advice about repaying a debt to an old foster home.
Chapter 5: The Orphanage Secret
The trio realizes the woman is connected to the musician who died saving children. They advise her to honor the debt by helping others. As they leave, they find a newspaper revealing their own robbery failed—they unknowingly changed their own fate.
Chapter 6: The Time-Traveling Mystery
The store’s owner, Namiya, appears in flashbacks, revealing he once gave advice through letters. The timelines intertwine, showing how past and present are linked. The delinquents realize they were part of a larger, miraculous chain of events.
Chapter 7: The Final Revelation
In the end, the three delinquents decide to turn themselves in, inspired by the lives they touched. The story closes with a sense of redemption, showing how small acts of kindness ripple through time.
Key Ideas
- Interconnected lives shaping destiny
- Redemption through selfless advice
- The ripple effect of kindness
- Time as a cyclical force
- Moral dilemmas and second chances
Who should read this book?
- Fans of heartwarming, interconnected stories
- Readers who enjoy magical realism and time-bending narratives
- Those seeking themes of redemption and human connection