Synopsis
The story centers on Misa Fujisawa, an employee at a company that sells building materials for home improvement stores. She suffers from the emotional upheaval of monthly PMS (premenstrual syndrome). She suddenly becomes aggressive and loses control, often causing confusion for those around her at work.
Meanwhile, Yamazoe is a new employee from a major consulting firm. Suddenly developing panic disorder has left him fearful for his life and he has lost the will to live. He relies on anti-anxiety medication and antidepressants and lives an isolated life.
One day, Misa realizes Yamazoe’s suffering when he drops his medication. The two realize each other’s pain and build a relationship that can’t be described as friendship or love, but one in which they can support each other. While the illness itself cannot be cured, having someone’s support can make life a little easier—this is a gentle and heartwarming story.
Review
- The Mysterious Relationship
Neither friends nor lovers, but a mysterious bond that seems to connect them deeply.
They naturally yet strongly recognize each other, and that awareness is reflected in their actions.
Misa, in particular, seems to have what you might call a naive personality. Despite not being particularly close, she’s highly proactive, taking Yamazoe for a haircut and listening to music at his home.
However, this proactiveness beautifully portrays the emotional connection they share despite being a man and a woman. - We can get closer to a happy life even if we can’t cure our illness.
What I particularly like about this work is that it doesn’t make “recovery” the goal. PMS and panic attacks don’t go away easily. But even while they’re dealing with them, they can still laugh and complain together. And it seems that by learning to deal with their illnesses in this way, the two are moving toward a happy life.
Reading it makes me wonder if there’s a “refuge for the heart” in my own life.
- Dawn
Towards the end, there’s a scene where Misa and Yamazoe look a little more forward. It’s not a dramatic change, but there’s a sense that the future may be bright, and I left feeling very warm after reading it.
At dawn, the sky doesn’t brighten all at once. Little by little, the colors change. This story is like that, a book that gently shines light into my heart.
