Johanna

“I have been told I've got a darkish personality. A few times."
Takahashi swings his trombone case from his right shoulder to his left. Then he says, "It's not as if our lives are divided simply into light and dark. There's shadowy middle ground. Recognizing and understanding the shadows is what a healthy intelligence does. And to acquire a healthy intelligence takes a certain amount of time and effort. I don't think you have a particularly dark character.”
― Haruki Murakami, After Dark

“Real things in the darkness seem no realer than dreams.”
― Murasaki Shikibu, The Tale of Genji

“What happens when people open their hearts?"
"They get better.”
― Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood

“I guess my mom was all he had-the one flower that smelled like freedom”
― Banana Yoshimoto, The Lake