This comic, as you’ve already guessed, is non-fictional, based on my girlfriend’s real experience, plus a few things I’ve guessed or dramatized. I think there are lots of stories just like this, of course, but this one at least is my case and I’ve written it to describe in particular what happened to me and around me.

Actually there were more stories I wanted to draw, but then the comic would have become too long, so I’ve made consistent cuts and now it’s like this. For example, stories like the following ones...

The story about before finding her body, they once said to us: “it’s inside a barrack of the JSDF”, we went to that place, but she wasn’t there. For a moment this gave us hope, but it ended in despair.

The story about when I was trying to verify some information between the rumors that were spreading on Twitter about my girlfriend’s big sister, some people just ignored me, some others were telling me something I couldn’t understand, and I thought there’s nothing more annoying than false compassion.

While checking Twitter, during the researches, I saw a message: “I want to die”. Normally, I would ignore it, but...you're out of context, think before writing!...a story about this.

The story about me heading to Sendai and going right in the area that has been swallowed up by the tsunami.

When they found her bag, we went to the police station, but there wasn’t electricity, so we had to open the automatic doors with our hands. A story about how incredibly heavy they were, and a story about the mud we found inside her bag, which was telling us how terrible the tsunami is. And a story about her unsurprisingly missing wallet.

A story about a man who wanted to express his feelings to my girlfriend’s big sister, next April.

I just can’t get out of my mind the shoulders of her boyfriend, during the first death anniversary ceremony, who was keeping on watching her photo till the very, very end. Maybe it’s because I started thinking that I could be in his place.

My girlfriend, some time ago, never knew what she wanted to do. She was really clumsy, not so brilliant and absolutely sucked at math, but now she focuses on her goals and she tries really hard to reach them. Really hard. She acts like that because she unnecessarily feels the pressure of doing the part of her missing sister. That’s why I want to try to give her my support, and I want to cheer her up.

And that’s why I won’t forgive those who said “I wish she wasn't the one to survive it” or things like that. I won’t forgive them, until the day I die.

Gee, I’m really sorry it became all so damn serious. As expected, one year passed and we feel quite down, but don’t worry, we’re all doing well! Having this said, I think it’s time to stop writing for now. Next time, I want to draw something more happy, ok?

Well then, see you somewhere.

I pray,