Diagnosis and Devil's Bargain

A thirty-year-old postman, living a quiet, unremarkable life with his cat Cabbage, is blindsided by a terminal brain tumor diagnosis. As he grapples with the news, a doppelgänger devil named Aloha appears, offering a Faustian bargain: for each thing the protagonist erases from the world, he gains one more day of life. The catch is existential—what is worth more, his own life or the things that give it meaning? The devil, cheerful and irreverent, sets the rules, and the protagonist, desperate to live, agrees to the first exchange.

The First Disappearance: Phones

The first item to disappear is the mobile phone. The protagonist is forced to confront how much of his life, memory, and relationships are mediated by technology. Without his phone, he feels both liberated and lost, especially when trying to reconnect with his first love. The absence of phones brings both inconvenience and a strange sense of peace, as people rediscover old habits and the world slows down. The protagonist's last phone call, made from memory, is to his ex-girlfriend, setting up a reunion and a journey into his past.

Revisiting First Love

Meeting his ex-girlfriend, the protagonist is forced to confront the reality of their relationship—its joys, its failures, and the mundane details that linger in memory. Their conversation is honest, sometimes painfully so, as they recall why they broke up and what they meant to each other. The protagonist realizes that technology, while connecting them, also kept them from truly knowing one another. The encounter is bittersweet, highlighting the importance of presence, memory, and the small, irreplaceable details of love.

The World Without Movies

The next sacrifice is movies, a passion that has shaped the protagonist's identity. He agonizes over the loss, reflecting on how films have provided comfort, escape, and a sense of self. With the help of his cinephile friend Tsutaya, he tries to choose a final film, only to realize that the essence of movies—and life—is not in the spectacle, but in the memories and emotions they evoke. The blank screen at his last private screening becomes a metaphor for the sum of his experiences: a life both ordinary and unique.

Friendship and Final Films

The protagonist's visit to Tsutaya, his movie-obsessed friend, is a poignant reminder of the power of shared passions. Their bond, forged over years of watching and discussing films, is tested by the impending erasure of movies. As they search for the perfect last film, they realize that what matters is not the film itself, but the act of sharing, remembering, and feeling together. Their tears are for the loss of movies, but also for the inevitability of all goodbyes.

The Blank Screen Epiphany

At the final screening, the protagonist chooses to watch nothing—a blank screen. This becomes a powerful symbol: life, like cinema, is a collection of moments, some vivid, some forgotten, all ultimately fleeting. He recalls his first movie with his parents, the warmth of family, and the realization that what endures is not the spectacle, but the love and presence of others. The blank screen is both an ending and an affirmation of the beauty in the ordinary.

Clocks Vanish, Time Unravels

With clocks gone, the protagonist experiences a world unmoored from time. The routines and anxieties that structure human life dissolve, replaced by a sense of freedom—and uncertainty. He reflects on how humans invented time to create order, but in doing so, surrendered freedom for security. The absence of clocks brings him closer to his cat, Cabbage, whose life is governed by natural rhythms rather than artificial schedules. The protagonist begins to see the world through Cabbage's eyes, appreciating the present moment.

Talking Cat, Forgotten Mother

Aloha's magic allows Cabbage to speak, leading to a surreal and touching exploration of memory and loss. Through conversations with Cabbage, the protagonist revisits his childhood, his mother's love, and the simple joys of daily life. Cabbage's fading memory of the protagonist's mother is a metaphor for the impermanence of all things, but also for the enduring nature of happiness and love. The protagonist realizes that what matters is not the details remembered, but the feeling of having been loved.

Memories at the Hot Spring

A photo album triggers memories of a final family trip to a hot spring, orchestrated by the protagonist's dying mother. The journey, fraught with logistical mishaps and emotional distance, becomes a moment of unexpected unity between father and son. The mother's true intention—to bring her fractured family together one last time—becomes clear only in retrospect. The protagonist is moved by the realization of his mother's selflessness and the quiet, enduring love that shaped his life.

The Choice: Cats or Self

Aloha demands the protagonist erase cats from the world in exchange for more life. Faced with the prospect of losing Cabbage, the protagonist is paralyzed by grief and indecision. He reflects on the role of cats in human life—as companions, as mirrors, as reminders of mortality and love. Ultimately, he cannot bring himself to erase cats, choosing instead to accept his own death. This act of self-sacrifice is a final affirmation of love's primacy over mere survival.

Mother's Letter, Son's Regret

A letter from his mother, entrusted to his ex-girlfriend, arrives at the moment of greatest despair. In it, she lists not her own wishes, but the things she loves about her son, offering comfort, affirmation, and a final request: to reconcile with his estranged father. The letter is a balm for the protagonist's regrets, reminding him that he is loved and that his life, though ordinary, has meaning. It is also a call to action, prompting him to seek forgiveness and connection before it is too late.

Accepting Mortality

With the devil's bargain ended, the protagonist prepares for his death. He cleans his apartment, discards old memories, and contemplates the meaning of his life. He realizes that regrets are inevitable, but they are also proof of having lived. The beauty of life lies not in perfection, but in the accumulation of small joys, sorrows, and connections. He finds peace in accepting his mortality and the limits of his existence.

The Devil's True Face

Aloha reveals that he is not an external being, but a manifestation of the protagonist's own regrets, desires, and unlived possibilities. The devil is the self that might have been, the sum of all the roads not taken. This revelation is both unsettling and liberating—the protagonist sees that his choices, even his failures, are what make him who he is. He embraces his imperfections and the life he has lived, however incomplete.

The Last Letter

The protagonist writes a long letter to his father, explaining everything he has experienced and felt. The act of writing is both a confession and a gift—a way to bridge the distance that has grown between them. He entrusts Cabbage to his father, hoping that the cat will bring comfort and connection. The letter is a testament to the enduring power of love, memory, and forgiveness.

Reunion and Reconciliation

Dressed in his postman's uniform, the protagonist sets out to deliver his final letter in person. The journey is both literal and symbolic—a return to his origins, an attempt to heal old wounds, and a final act of agency before death. He is determined to see his father, to say thank you, and to say goodbye. The act of reconciliation is the protagonist's last gift to himself and to those he loves.

Delivering Goodbye

Arriving at his father's house, the protagonist prepares to deliver his letter and Cabbage. The act is simple, but profound—a gesture of love, humility, and acceptance. In this moment, the protagonist finds closure, not only for himself, but for his family. He is at peace with his life, his choices, and his impending death.

The World Moves On

As the protagonist's story ends, the world continues. The things he loved—cats, movies, memories—remain, not because they are eternal, but because they are cherished. The protagonist's life, though brief and unremarkable by worldly standards, has left an indelible mark on those he loved. The world moves on, but the meaning of a life is found in the connections, the memories, and the love that persist.

Characters

The Protagonist (Unnamed Postman)

A thirty-year-old postman whose life is defined by routine, solitude, and a quiet love for movies and his cat. His relationships are marked by distance—estranged from his father, haunted by the memory of his mother, and nostalgic for a lost love. Psychologically, he is introspective, self-deprecating, and prone to regret, yet capable of deep empathy and self-sacrifice. His journey is one of reluctant self-discovery, forced by mortality to confront what truly matters. He evolves from passive observer to active participant, ultimately choosing love and connection over self-preservation.

Aloha (The Devil)

A whimsical, irreverent figure who looks exactly like the protagonist but dresses flamboyantly and acts with reckless abandon. Aloha is both tempter and mirror, offering the protagonist a series of existential bargains. Psychologically, he represents the protagonist's shadow self—the sum of his regrets, unlived desires, and alternate possibilities. Aloha's role is to challenge, provoke, and ultimately reveal the truth that the devil is not an external force, but an aspect of the self.

Cabbage (The Cat)

Cabbage is more than a pet; he is the protagonist's confidant, comfort, and link to his mother. When magically granted speech, Cabbage becomes a vehicle for exploring memory, happiness, and the limits of understanding between species. Psychologically, Cabbage embodies the unconditional presence and acceptance that humans crave. His eventual silence and disappearance force the protagonist to confront loss, love, and the meaning of companionship.

The Mother

Though deceased, the mother's influence pervades the narrative. Her wisdom, warmth, and self-sacrifice shape the protagonist's values and choices. Her posthumous letter is a catalyst for healing and acceptance, offering affirmation and a final request for reconciliation. Psychologically, she represents the ideal of unconditional love and the enduring impact of parental care.

The Father

A clockmaker whose emotional reserve and focus on work create a gulf between him and his son. The father's love is expressed through actions rather than words—gifts of stamps, repairing watches, and caring for cats. Psychologically, he embodies the difficulty of expressing emotion, the pain of regret, and the possibility of forgiveness. The protagonist's journey toward reconciliation with his father is central to his acceptance of mortality.

The Ex-Girlfriend

A philosophy student and cinephile, she represents the protagonist's youthful hopes, romantic ideals, and the bittersweet nature of memory. Their reunion is marked by honesty, humor, and the recognition of irreconcilable differences. Psychologically, she is both a source of comfort and a reminder of the limits of connection. Her role is to prompt the protagonist's self-examination and to deliver his mother's letter at a crucial moment.

Tsutaya (Movie Friend)

A shy, obsessive cinephile whose friendship with the protagonist is built on a shared love of film. Tsutaya's encyclopedic knowledge and emotional vulnerability provide comfort and perspective as movies disappear from the world. Psychologically, he represents the importance of shared passions and the healing power of friendship.

Lettuce (First Cat)

Lettuce's death is a formative experience for both the protagonist and his mother, teaching them about grief, love, and the impermanence of life. Lettuce's memory lingers as a reminder of the cycles of attachment and loss.

The Ex-Girlfriend's Role as Messenger

By delivering the mother's letter, she becomes a conduit for healing and closure, connecting the protagonist to his family and his own sense of self-worth.

The Devil as Doppelgänger

Aloha's true identity as the protagonist's alternate self underscores the psychological theme that our greatest temptations and regrets are internal, not external.

Plot Devices

The Devil's Bargain

The central device is the devil's offer: for each thing erased from the world, the protagonist gains a day of life. This structure forces the protagonist to confront the value of the things he takes for granted—technology, art, time, companionship—and, ultimately, his own existence. The bargain is both literal and metaphorical, serving as a lens for examining what makes life meaningful.

Gradual Disappearance

Each disappearance—phones, movies, clocks, cats—raises the emotional and philosophical stakes. The progression moves from the trivial to the essential, mirroring the protagonist's journey from superficial desires to core values. The device also allows for exploration of how loss shapes identity and meaning.

Doppelgänger/Shadow Self

Aloha's role as the protagonist's double externalizes the internal struggle between self-preservation and self-transcendence. The revelation that the devil is a projection of the protagonist's own regrets and unlived possibilities adds psychological complexity and underscores the theme of self-acceptance.

Letters and Memory

Letters—both the mother's and the protagonist's—serve as vehicles for confession, affirmation, and reconciliation. They bridge the gaps between past and present, parent and child, self and other. The act of writing becomes an act of love and legacy.

Magical Realism

The narrative employs magical realism to explore existential questions in a whimsical, accessible way. The talking cat, the devil's bargains, and the erasure of fundamental aspects of life create a dreamlike atmosphere that allows for deep psychological and philosophical exploration without losing emotional resonance.

Foreshadowing and Circular Structure

The story is structured around a week, echoing the biblical creation story and underscoring themes of creation, destruction, and rest. Recurring motifs—lists, letters, memories—create a sense of inevitability and closure.

Analysis

Last updated: May 14, 2025