The Importance of Companionship

Tsukuru was a teenager when he met the four students who became his best friends. They were Ao, Aka, Kuro, and Shiro. The five of them were devoted to each other after they met as volunteers for an after-school program. They had some things in common but they also complemented each other with their intelligence, personalities, and talents. Tsukuru always felt that he was an integral part of the group though he also felt that he had less to offer than other members of the group. Despite his decision to leave his home town to study in Tokyo, he depended on the companionship of the group and almost died when he was deprived of it. As adults, Aka, Ao, and Kuro all indicate that their childhood friendships were important to them and they all hold fond memories of their time together.

Tsukuru became...