Kitchen

Author: (Japanese) Banana Yoshimoto; Translated by Li Ping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: Introduction to "Kitchen": After watching the car go far away, I couldn’t help but wander into a dark alley. I threw my luggage at my feet, knelt down in the shadows, and started crying uncontrollably. This was the first time I had cried so heartily in my life. Tears streamed down uncontrollably, and upon reflection, I realized that since my grandmother’s death, I had never experienced such intense sorrow. There was no particular reason for my sadness; I just wanted to cry for many past memories. When I came to my senses, I suddenly noticed white steam drifting out from the bright windows above the night sky. Focusing my ears, I heard the busy clamor of clanging and banging inside, along with the sounds of pots and pans. – It was a kitchen. I couldn’t tell whether it was bitter or uplifting, but I buried my head and gave a sad smile. Then I stood up, brushed off my skirt, and headed toward the Tanabe family’s home as planned.
"Full Moon – Kitchen 2" – A sequel to "Kitchen." After leaving the Tanabe family, began living independently. One night, a month later, Yoichi suddenly called to say that his mother had been killed by a customer a month ago. heard the news and rushed over that night, and they ended up living together again as they had in the past. Later, left for work-related reasons, and Yoichi followed suit. After learning about Yoichi’s troubles, finally understood his feelings and, without hesitation, delivered takeout to Yoichi’s hotel one night under a full moon, expressing her heart. From then on, they finally had a happy ending.
"Shadows of Moonlight" – A novel filled with surreal elements. After her boyfriend died in a car accident, Saiki was heartbroken and ran every morning, hoping to ease her grief slightly. One day, while running, she met a strange girl on the bridge at the end of her route. The girl told her that the bridge offered a rare sight once every hundred years and invited her to meet there the next morning. Saiki accepted the invitation. In the morning mist, she faintly saw her boyfriend smiling and waving at her, then the image gradually faded. This special encounter fulfilled Saiki’s longing for remembrance and allowed her to face reality again.
After watching the car go far away, I couldn’t help but wander into a dark alley. I threw my luggage at my feet, knelt down in the shadows, and started crying uncontrollably. This was the first time I had cried so heartily in my life. Tears streamed down uncontrollably, and upon reflection, I realized that since my grandmother’s death, I had never experienced such intense sorrow. There was no particular reason for my sadness; I just wanted to cry for many past memories. When I came to my senses, I suddenly noticed white steam drifting out from the bright windows above the night sky. Focusing my ears, I heard the busy clamor of clanging and banging inside, along with the sounds of pots and pans. – It was a kitchen. I couldn’t tell whether it was bitter or uplifting, but I buried my head and gave a sad smile. Then I stood up, brushed off my skirt, and headed toward the Tanabe family’s home as planned.
"Full Moon – Kitchen 2" – A sequel to "Kitchen." After leaving the Tanabe family, began living independently. One night, a month later, Yoichi suddenly called to say that his mother had been killed by a customer a month ago. heard the news and rushed over that night, and they ended up living together again as they had in the past. Later, left for work-related reasons, and Yoichi followed suit. After learning about Yoichi’s troubles, finally understood his feelings and, without hesitation, delivered takeout to Yoichi’s hotel one night under a full moon, expressing her heart. From then on, they finally had a happy ending.
"Shadows of Moonlight" – A novel filled with surreal elements. After her boyfriend died in a car accident, Saiki was heartbroken and ran every morning, hoping to ease her grief slightly. One day, while running, she met a strange girl on the bridge at the end of her route. The girl told her that the bridge offered a rare sight once every hundred years and invited her to meet there the next morning. Saiki accepted the invitation. In the morning mist, she faintly saw her boyfriend smiling and waving at her, then the image gradually faded. This special encounter fulfilled Saiki’s longing for remembrance and allowed her to face reality again.