Pathway to Japanese Literature

← Back

• View English Version
• View Japanese Version

Original Title	四年のあいだのこと
Author	久坂 葉子
Genre	Modern Short Fiction
Author Type	Female Author
Summary	In Kusaka Yōko's "Four Years' Time," a woman’s ordinary afternoon takes an inexplicable turn when a bouquet of sweet peas and a forgotten scent draw her to A Station. There, a fleeting glimpse through frosted glass ignites a torrent of memories, plunging her back to her youth and the enigmatic "shadowy figure" who became her first, unspoken love. Years unfurl, marked by a determined career, an emotionally detached marriage, and the relentless echo of a love that was never truly hers. His image, a haunting presence, steers her life’s course, even as she tries to outrun its grasp. Now, standing before his house once more, she must confront the enduring power of a passion that has shaped her very soul. Can she finally sever the invisible thread that binds her to a past she can neither reclaim nor escape?