Before the Coffee Gets Cold is a novel written by Toshikazu Kawaguchi that tells the story of a unique cafe in Tokyo where customers can travel back in time for brief periods. The cafe is called "The Time-Traveling Cafe," and it is said to be the only place in the world where time travel is possible. The catch is that the time-traveling experience is only available to customers who sit in a special chair and are able to remain perfectly still while the coffee in front of them is still hot.
The novel follows four different customers as they each use the time-traveling chair to visit different points in their own past. The first customer, a young woman named Kazumi, travels back in time to meet with her late mother, who died when Kazumi was just a child. The second customer, a man named Koichi, travels back in time to the day of his high school graduation, where he hopes to correct a mistake he made that has haunted him for years. The third customer, a woman named Akari, travels back in time to visit her younger self on the day of her wedding, hoping to offer some advice and guidance to her younger self. The fourth customer, a man named Yudai, travels back in time to meet with his deceased grandfather, who was a war veteran and an important figure in Yudai's life.
Throughout the novel, each of the customers discovers the joys and challenges of time travel, and learns valuable lessons about their own lives. Kazumi learns to let go of her grief and find closure with her mother's death. Koichi realizes that he cannot change the past and must learn to forgive himself for his mistakes. Akari realizes that she must trust her own instincts and follow her heart, rather than trying to live up to others' expectations. Yudai learns the importance of honoring and remembering the sacrifices of those who came before him.
In addition to the time-traveling customers, the novel also follows the story of the cafe's owner, a man named Satoru, who has a special connection to the time-traveling chair. Satoru's father was the original owner of the cafe, and it was his father who discovered the time-traveling chair and its abilities. Satoru has always been fascinated by the chair and its power, and he has dedicated his life to running the cafe and offering the time-traveling experience to others.
As the novel progresses, the stories of the customers and Satoru intersect and overlap, and they all come to understand the importance of living in the present and making the most of their time. Before the Coffee Gets Cold is a thought-provoking and heartwarming novel that explores the mysteries of time travel and the human experience, and encourages readers to appreciate and value the moments they have in life.