When Rosa and I first came into the world, we were in the middle of the store, near the magazine table, and even from our seats, we could see more than half the windows.
So I could see the outside world. (…) On lucky days when I could see the sun moving like this, I would stick my face out and try to receive as much of the sun's nutrients as possible.
When Rosa was around, I told her to do the same.
--- pp.11, 12

The boy who was with us, AF Rex, told us not to worry, that the sun could come to us no matter where we were.
Rex said, pointing to the floor.
“That’s the sun’s pattern.
If you're worried, just touch that.
Then it will become strong again.”
--- p.12

Sometimes the person who stopped walking didn't seem interested in us at all.
Just take off your sneakers and try to do something
Or sometimes I would stop to look at Oblong.
But there were also people who came up to the window and looked inside.
Mostly children, the age group we most closely resembled, approached us and seemed to enjoy seeing us.
Children came alone or with adults, pointing at us, laughing, making weird faces, tapping on the glass, and waving.
Sometimes the child would come up to us and look at us, with a sad or angry expression on his face, as if we had done something wrong.
This child quickly changed and began to smile and wave like other children, but after two days of standing in front of the window, I could still sense that there was something different among the other children.
--- p.21

Josh walked close enough to the window to allow pedestrians to pass behind him, then stopped and smiled at me.
“Hello,” Josh said from beyond the window.
“Can you hear me?”
Because the child spoke to me, I was able to turn to the child, smile back, and nod.
“Really?” said Josh.
“It’s so noisy that I can’t hear my own voice very well.
“Can you really hear my voice?”
I nodded and Josh shook his head as if he was curious.
--- p.24

As they reached the RPO building, the two hugged each other tightly as if they were one body.
However, seeing that sight, he poured out all his nutrients on the two of them.
The coffee cup lady still couldn't see his face, but she could see that the man had his eyes tightly shut.
I couldn't tell if I was happy or upset.
“I guess you’re really happy to meet those people.” The manager said, and I realized that he was looking at the two of them as I was.
“Yes, you look very happy.
But strangely enough, it also seems like he's upset."
“Oh, Clara.
“You’re not missing anything,” the manager said quietly.
--- p.39

The manager turned around again, as if about to leave.
"That's not it, Clara. You don't think you made a promise to anyone, do you?"
I wish the manager would scold me like he scolded the two boys AF for laughing at the beggar man in the window.
I thought so.
But the manager put his hand on my shoulder and spoke in an even lower voice than before.
“Listen to me carefully.
Kids make promises all the time.
Come to the window and make all kinds of promises.
Tell him you'll be back and don't follow anyone else.
That happens all the time.
But there are many more children who never come back.
In more severe cases, the child comes back, but unfortunately, he ignores the AF he was waiting for and chooses another AF.
That's just how kids are.
You have always learned a lot by observing the world.
Keep this in mind too.
Do you understand?
"yes."
"good.
“Well then, let’s call this story a day.” The manager patted my arm and turned around.

--- pp.56, 57