Yoshimoto continues her exploration of the sensations and processes of grief. From Mikage’s out-of-body sensation, the story highlights how grief can cause feelings of disassociation. Mikage has a physical need to cry, and once she finally lets herself do that, she starts to feel better, pointing to how grief is both physical and mental. The lift in Mikage’s mood is represented by the steam-filled beam of light (representing hope) that punctuates the dark (representing Mikage’s pain). The light comes from a kitchen, which is filled with sounds of life going on. Connecting with these sounds enables Mikage to feel that she, too, can go on.