Series by 西炯子

Kaoru Komatsu, a 40-year-old single woman, manages a café in Tokyo until she’s abruptly transferred to a struggling branch in her hometown of Tsunoshima. Reconnecting with old high school friends, she navigates the challenges of revitalizing the café, clashing with a defiant younger coworker, Takanotsume, whose bold demeanor stirs her emotions. Kaoru’s friend Kaori, a married mother, grapples with her own complicated feelings, while others in their circle face personal dilemmas. The group’s rekindled bonds and new tensions unfold in the nostalgic island setting, blending humor and heartfelt moments. Kaoru’s unexpected journey hints at transformative changes in her life and relationships.

Yori Iwatani, a 39-year-old librarian who has returned to her hometown, believes she's left love and marriage behind, choosing instead a life of quiet solitude. That is until Makoto Maki, a childhood friend turned charming psychiatrist, reappears in her life, claiming to have always loved her. Complications arise as Makoto is married, and his wife bears an uncanny resemblance to Yori. As Makoto relentlessly pursues Yori, she finds herself caught in a web of emotions, past connections, and the complexities of human relationships. With her sister's concern and her own heart's confusion, Yori must navigate this unexpected love triangle while confronting her feelings about life, love, and what it means to truly connect with someone.

Sukumu Yamada, a 16-year-old high schooler raised by an elite businessman father, has lived a life of privilege across the globe. But after flunking out of high school in Los Angeles, he finds himself sent back to Japan for the first time, seeking a fresh start. He moves into the dilapidated Rose Merry Hotel, a quirky apartment building owned by his uncle and filled with eccentric residents, including the carefree manager Kaoru, the mysterious Chinese tenant Chen, the Iranian Mohammad, and the Tohoku native Tanaka. Alongside his cousin Kohato and a dog named Kinkan, Sukumu navigates the chaos of communal living, cultural clashes, and personal growth.

Miyuki Saito, a 28-year-old office worker, ends her long-term relationship with her live-in boyfriend to pursue a more practical path to marriage, diving into the world of arranged dating. Frustrated by her lack of success and the emotional turmoil of her choices, she begins writing her feelings in a notebook at a quiet reading café. When a stranger leaves a blunt yet insightful reply in the same notebook, an unexpected correspondence begins, sparking a connection that challenges Miyuki's views on love and life. As she navigates her search for the ideal partner, Miyuki discovers that meaningful relationships often arise in the most unexpected places.

Fifteen years ago, a completely unremarkable 28-year-old man named Ueda Atsushi takes in a baby girl from a friend who committed murder and went to prison. He raises the baby, named Suzu, as his own daughter with great effort and dedication. Suzu grows up calling him "Taatan" affectionately and remains unaware of her true origins. The father has kept the circumstances of her birth completely hidden from her. Their complicated father-daughter relationship unfolds through heart-tugging comedic situations.