Finally, she approached the counter, holding nothing. Her voice was soft, almost lost. "I… used to read a lot. In middle school. Naruto . Fruits Basket . But I stopped. Now I don't know where to begin."

The fluorescent lights of the "Manga & More" shop hummed a familiar tune, one that twenty-three-year-old Kenji had heard every day for the past three years. He was stacking new arrivals—another volume of that shonen about pirate chefs—when the bell above the door jingled.

"Okay," he said, pulling a slim, weathered-looking volume from the shelf. " Frieren: Beyond Journey's End . An elf outlives her adventuring party and has to figure out how to connect with people when time moves differently for her. It’s about grief, but also about the small moments that make a life worth living. It’s gentle. And devastating."

Kenji returned to his stacking. "Let me know if you need help finding something."

A tiny smile tugged at her lips.