Your Story by Sugaru Miaki

It's been half a year since I read Your Story, and it's one of the best novels I have ever read; it fully changed me for better or worse. And I think I've been infected by it. What I mean by infected is that I believe my fated partner is somewhere in this world. You see, at the end of the novel, there's a part where Chihiro is talking about how the mimories he created acted a little like a virus. Every time that virus is activated, the infected will be possessed with the illusion that their fated partner exists somewhere in this world. You can't get rid of that feeling; you won't be satisfied unless you obtain it.

This part about a fated partner has always been in the back of my mind ever since I read the novel. Because of Your Story, now there is always this blank space in my body that I've been missing. It's even worse considering that I've never fallen in love with someone before, so I never really believed in this fated partner until now.

I've been re-reading Your Story whenever I'm getting that feeling again. Every time I read about how empty Chihiro's life is until Green Green, or Touka's backstory, or that unfortunate couple that didn't meet until they were old and wrinkled, or Chihiro telling the dying Touka about their fake memories together and him telling new fake memories about their life together, it keeps violently shaking my body and makes me keep having that same feeling again. I've been re-reading it for so long that I can vividly read it in my mind like a memory.

In my early adulthood, I've been searching for this partner of mine. I've been trying to find my heroine, but I have yet to find her. And I think I'd rather die alone than settle for an imperfect relationship. I believe I'll be able to find her with just a look or a glance (damn, I really have been re-reading it that much, huh?).

Your Story, as a novel, is not really a popular book. There are barely any videos about it or people talking about it (but they are all positive reviews). I believe it's not because the novel is bad or anything, but I think you have to be on the same wavelength as the author for you to fully be infected by it. That's what I believe as to why it's not getting as much attention. Maybe they already found their fated partner.

Anyway sorry about my little rant, I just want to get this feeling somehow.