Gardens have a mysterious charm. The open space they offer soothes the soul. Even in densely populated areas where you can hear the conversations of neighbors when you open your window, many people make clever use of the limited space and enjoy their own modest “gardens.”

There is such a house here. Behind this two-story house there is a small plot of land. Although you can still call it a plot of land, it actually is narrow and long and is mainly used as a passageway for the neighborhood cats. The second-floor balcony of the house juts out directly above this “backyard,” and acts as a roof. Thanks to this, unless there is a very strong, sideways rain, this place is quite safe from being damaged by rain or wind. Another attractive feature of this “backyard” is that it is well-lit. The morning sun shines in at an angle from the east, so on clear days there is no shortage of sunshine, regardless of the season.

In this “backyard” stands a large flowerpot. The plant in the pot bathes in the pouring morning sunlight, swaying comfortably in the soft breeze that occasionally blows through. The potted plant grows freely day by day, and one day it blooms into a beautiful, radiant white flower. The contrast between the pure, elegant white flower and the beautiful, glossy green leaves is stunning, adding a touch of glamour to the house’s utterly ordinary backyard, like an expensive painting hanging in an empty room. Even this humble backyard has its own story….

 I wonder if SHE will look at me today.
 I wonder if SHE will call out to me.
 I wish morning would come sooner…
 When morning comes, I’ll be able to see HER.

 Who am I?
 I’m a plant.
 I’ve been living in this pot for a long time.
 Even so, I wasn’t born in the center of the pot.
 I actually live in the corner of the pot.
 It seems my seed was caught on the wind and fluttered down onto the edge of the soil in this pot.
 I don’t have any family here.
 It’s just me.
 I don’t know where my siblings ended up.
 I’ve never seen them since I was born.
 But I don’t feel lonely.
 I have something to look forward to every day.

 People call us “weeds.”
 We have proper names, but we’re still called “weeds.”
 “Weeds”…
 Nameless, miscellaneous plants.
 Hardly anyone pays any attention to us.
 We’re not good-looking.
 We don’t stand out.
 I’m sure our true names don’t matter to them.
 We just live each day to the fullest.
 But sometimes we get carelessly picked.
 While some people look at us with an annoyed expression, hardly anyone ever looks happy.
 At times like that, we are sad, feeling like we’re not needed, or mattered.
 Even when our hearts ache, even when we suffer, we cling to life with all our might.
 We don’t know any other way to live.

 But I’m not always sad.
 I have a dream.
 When I think about my dream, I feel happy.
 If my dream were to come true, my body would tremble with joy, and maybe flowers might bloom too.
 My day passes by with thoughts like that.
 Oh, I wish morning would come quickly…

The jet-black sky, like India ink, gradually turns white as if diluted with water. As the sun begins to peek out, shining brightly all around, the sounds of people getting ready for the morning can be heard coming from the houses.

Morning has finally come!
Soon SHE will open the window and pop her head out as usual.
I look forward to this moment every morning.

After a while, the curtains on the window facing the backyard opened. Soon after, the owner of the house opened the window and popped her head out. Before watering the potted plant, the owner made it a daily habit to say, “Good morning!” and “How are you today?”

Ah, I got to see HER again this morning!
SHE called out to us this morning too…
But…unfortunately, it wasn’t to me.
HER gaze is always directed at my beautiful roommate who lives in the center of this pot,
And HER words are always spoken to my beautiful roommate.
Maybe “roommate” is not the right word,
After all, I was the one who took up residence in the corner of this pot later.
I guess you could say this is my beautiful friend’s home, and I’m just a freeloader here.
As always, SHE gazes lovingly at my beautiful friend,
“You’re so beautiful,” SHE says, and gently waters the roots of my beautiful friend.
That is the moment my beautiful friend looks very happy.
As someone who lives on the same soil, I can feel my friend’s feelings all too well.

In fact, for a while, my beautiful friend only wore dazzlingly shiny green leaves. I also have leaves, but they are incomparably more radiant and beautiful. However, just the other day, my beautiful friend suddenly bloomed a single white flower. It was a stunningly vivid and elegant flower, and my beautiful friend looked very proud and dignified. I was also proud of my friend. Every time I looked up at her each petal from where I was, I was so excited. My beautiful friend’s longing to show her lovely self to the owner of the house as soon as possible was painfully clear to me, and I felt the same way.

The morning after my beautiful friend bloomed, the owner of the house popped her head out the window as usual. It’s the moment I look forward to the most in my day. SHE couldn’t believe the view in front of HER and stared in amazement for a while at the sight of my beautiful friend that had suddenly bloomed.


“What?”
“A flower?”
“A flower has bloomed?” 
“Really?”
“How beautiful!”
“Oh, how wonderful!”
SHE was overjoyed and hurried back inside to get her usual watering can.

The window was left open, so we could hear HER words of joy one after another in the backyard where we were. My beautiful friend, who was showered with all sorts of compliments, looked extremely happy. The owner gently gave a plenty of water around the roots of my beautiful friend and gazed lovingly at the beautiful flower that my friend had grown.

I thought…
Does SHE really love flowers that much?
If so, would SHE be just as happy if I bloomed a flower?
Would SHE speak to me lovingly just as SHE did with my beautiful friend?
And would SHE water my roots as well?

Lately I’ve been feeling…a little…thirsty…

The rainy season this year was shorter than usual, and the amount of rainfall was significantly less than in other years. People were beginning to worry about possible water shortages during the summer season. Footages showing reservoirs with less water than usual were frequently broadcasted on television, and changes were beginning to happen in that small backyard as well.

The early summer sunlight that had been gently shining down on us until now has gradually turned into scorching sunshine. Plants have become thirsty and are now craving more water than ever.

Something’s strange.
I’ve been feeling very thirsty lately.
Recently, it hasn’t rained at all.
When will the rain come?
Rainy days make me feel excited.
Depending on the wind direction, a little bit of rainwater splashes on my body.
If I’m lucky, the rainwater reaches my roots, quenching my thirst and making me a little taller and healthier.
I look forward to rainy days, thinking that if I keep growing taller, maybe one day I too will bloom.
My beautiful friend absorbs plenty of water into her roots every day and thrives even in the scorching sun.
Occasionally, I too get to share a little bit in the water given to my beautiful friend.
During days of relentless sunshine and no rain,even the slightest splash of water is very much appreciated.

But still…
I’m very thirsty.
My body feels tired.
I feel like my strength is gradually leaving me.
Maybe I should lie down for a bit…
Just a little bit…

If it rains tomorrow, I’ll be able to stay stand again.
If it rains tomorrow, I’ll find my strength again.

Then, this time, perhaps flowers will bloom on me.
If I were to bloom, will SHE be happy?
Will SHE speak to me with her gentle voice?

Oh, maybe SHE will really look at me.
Oh, maybe SHE will really speak to me.

If SHE speaks to me, what should I say to HER?
Just thinking about that might happen makes me so excited.
Maybe my dream will finally come true…
If only it rains tomorrow…

The intense heatwave didn’t stop for a while. It’s been nearly a month now without any substantial rain, just scorching sunny days dragging on and on. This year has been one of the hottest in recent years. In areas that haven’t been tended, the soil has dried up and cracked.

Just then, news broke that there was a risk of a Linear Precipitation Band forming and crossing the entire islands of Japan. Perhaps because of a long drought, the arrival of long-awaited rain was greeted with cheers on the streets. While people were hoping for a welcome shower, TV news programs are urging viewers particularly in areas at risk of torrential rain to prepare. Newscasters repeatedly issued warnings, such as:
“If possible, please close your shutters. If you don’t have shutters, please keep the curtains closed to prevent glass from being shattered by flying objects.”
“Please bring your potted plants, playground equipment, and other items left on balconies or outdoors inside, as they could pose a hazard.”

The homeowner, who had been watching TV in the living room, immediately opened the window leading to the backyard and moved the potted plant that had been placed there to the front entrance of the house to protect it from any potential damages.

The owner kindly said to the beautiful potted plant she had moved to the front entrance,
“You’ll be fine here,”
“Stay here until the storm passes.”

The owner was once again captivated by the beauty of the plant, which looked even more beautiful indoors, and returned to the living room with a look of relief on her face.

The forecast said the storm would pass through this area later tonight. The potted plant will spend the night safely indoors. The heavy rain won’t wash the soil out of its pot, nor will strong winds break its branches. Once the rain passes, it will be returned to its usual spot in the backyard tomorrow.

The magnificent white-flowered plant, nurtured with devoted care and showered with affection, seemed to know it all, standing calm and composed. And beside that beautiful plant, there lay a withered, dried-up weed.