Before the Coffee Gets Cold

Before the Coffee Gets Cold Imagery

Unworldly Wailing (Auditory Imagery)

Desperate to travel back in time, Fumiko attempts to make the ghost woman leave her seat, which Fumiko needs to sit in if she wishes to time travel. Despite the warnings of Kazui, Fumiko impatiently and rudely grabs the ghost woman's arm, provoking the ghost to put a curse on her. Kawaguchi writes: "[Fumiko] felt as if the weight of her body had increased many times over. ... An unworldly wailing began to reverberate through the cafe." In this example of auditory imagery, Kawaguchi brings the reader into Fumiko's terrified perspective by detailing the ghostly wailing that suddenly fills the otherwise silent, serene cafe.

Swirling Vapour (Visual Imagery)

When Kazu pours the special time-travel coffee into Fumiko's cup, the world around Fumiko changes: "Just as Fumiko noticed the shimmering steam rising from the coffee that filled the cup, everything around the table also began to curl up and become indistinguishable from the swirling vapour." In this example of visual imagery, Kawaguchi illustrates the magical bending of time by making the steam rising from the cup blur the bounds of Fumiko's physical reality.

The Aroma of Coffee Drifted (Olfactory Imagery)

After she travels back in time to speak with Goro, Fumiko abruptly returns to the present; however, a dreamlike sensation lingers. Kawaguchi writes: "The aroma of coffee drifted from the kitchen. Fumiko turned to look. Kazu had appeared carrying a fresh cup of coffee placed on the tray." In this example of olfactory imagery, the familiar scent of fresh coffee attracts Fumiko's attention, situating her again in the present.

Coffee Dripping (Auditory Imagery)

When detailing why Kohtake loves to visit the basement cafe, Kawaguchi writes: "As the cafe did not play background music, it was possible to hear the soft sound of the coffee dripping, drop by drop, into the server. When Kohtake heard this dripping sound, she would smile in satisfaction." In this example of auditory imagery, Kawaguchi immerses the reader in Kohtake's perspective to illustrate the sense of serenity she experiences from hearing coffee being brewed in a siphon coffee maker.