Before the Coffee Gets Cold

Set in a hidden Tokyo café called Funiculi Funicula, *Before the Coffee Gets Cold* invites readers into a magical and poignant corner of time. This unique establishment allows its patrons to travel back to specific moments in their past—but only under one strict condition: they must return before their coffee cools. The novel follows individuals who arrive at this seemingly ordinary basement café carrying profound regrets, unsent letters, and unasked questions. Each visit is a chance for a second chance, an opportunity to mend broken relationships or gain clarity on lost moments. The café itself feels like a character, its age-old walls steeped in the emotional weight of every visitor's memory. Through beautifully written prose, Toshikazu Kawaguchi weaves a tapestry of love, loss, and the bittersweet nature of time. It is a deeply moving exploration of second chances, forcing characters to confront whether revisiting the past truly changes anything, or if some memories are meant only to be cherished in their original form.