Summary

In Chapter 3, “Natsumi, 40, former magazine editor,” Natsumi rereads a passage from the book she has been carrying around “like a talisman” (119). “It’s been three months now since” she found it (120).

In August, Natsumi was working in the publisher Banyusha’s information resources department (120). Two years prior, she was the editor of “a general-interest magazine called Mila” (120). When she was 37, she got pregnant. She planned to return to work after Futaba’s birth. However, when she returned four months later, the editor in chief demoted her to Information Resources, believing motherhood would distract her. After all she had done for Mila and all her editorial dreams, Natsumi was devastated. Although she had considered finding “a new position with another magazine,” “things at home” made this impossible (123).

Her husband Shuji worked incessantly, leaving Natsumi to Futaba’s care. Natsumi felt guilty leaving Futaba at daycare...