Tori no You ni

A collection of six short stories by Yumiko Ooshima, each exploring the inner lives of young women and girls as they navigate moments of transition, longing, and self-discovery. In the title story, a girl dreams of flying like a bird, using her imagination to escape the confines of her everyday life. Another tale follows two friends as they prepare for a shared future that may never come, while a third centers on a girl who imagines herself as a mythical sea queen.

Other stories delve into themes of time, memory, and connection: a woman reflects on a past love during a 144-hour countdown, a young girl grapples with the meaning of an apostrophe in a name, and a poignant encounter unfolds on the seventh of July. Through delicate artwork and quiet, introspective narratives, Ooshima captures fleeting emotions and the bittersweet beauty of growing up.