Makoto Shinkai

I imagined myself growing old, living in my little apartment, surrounded by lots of cats.

The idea that words could change my world was a little scary.

morning when I arrived, some had spilled over from my colleague’s desk and knocked over my penholder, but pointing it out seemed a bit petty.

didn’t think she’d done anything wrong. I was the only one who saw her every day. She was always so much kinder and lovelier than anyone else, trying harder than anyone to live her best life.

With humans, there are any number of people jostling for space in the same territory. You might think they all get along fine together, but that’s all just show, and in reality, there is just one person controlling any given territory.

We fancied the same guys too. The only reason this never became a problem was because we only ever really fancied manga characters.

She always greeted me properly, so I’d meow back when I felt like it.

“I don’t fear death. It’s no different from sleeping—it’s like we practice dying every night.”

A shooting star flashed in the distance, and she thought of making a wish but realized there was nothing left to hope for.

For the first time, it somehow dawned on me that this society didn’t need me.