“I still want to see your smile.”
About the beauty of loving and being loved, and about a life that remembers that shining work.

The protagonist in “Still I” speaks to a loved one as if writing a letter.
I still want to see your smile, hear your voice, and walk with you.
The painting depicts a woman with orange hair, freckles, and dreamy eyes, eating pasta, reading a book with her chin resting on her hand on a train, and looking out at the winter sea from behind.
So, I remember you so clearly, and I still want to be with you.
The story doesn't just stop at a flashback to the past, but also follows with affection how the moments of love and the precious things left behind from those times shape the present life.
In a cafe, an elderly man sits with a handsome dog that looks only at him.
In a small cup of espresso, the shining love of one night is reflected.
Will they meet again?

The most romantic story by our beloved author David Cali
“I want to greet the rising morning together.”

David Cali, who introduced a picture book for adults with “Life is Now,” has released another picture book that will touch the hearts of adults.
We met again with Monica Barengo, with whom we have worked on various works on love, and completed the most romantic picture book they could deliver.
But this book goes beyond simply being a romantic story; it contains deeper insights and emotions about love.
Memories of love are deeply imprinted on the soul.
Sometimes it breaks our hearts, but sometimes it is an unspeakable loss that becomes a part of life.
This story makes us realize how precious the person in our memories is to us and how much that love has enriched our lives.
The times we loved each other will not fade even after separation and loss, but will remain as the brightest memories, allowing us to live with love even at this very moment.

The Shape of Love: A Beautiful Shape of Longing Drawn by Monica Barengo

Monica Barengo delicately captures moments of love and unfolds the beautiful shapes of longing left behind by memories of love.
As always, Varengo's signature faded sepia-toned illustrations evoke a deep sense of nostalgia, as if looking at old photographs, and this book, which depicts memories of the past and memories of love, conveys the intense emotion of longing.
It's not just about setting the story, it's about infusing the story with emotion and putting the reader right in the middle of that emotion.
His paintings gently show how memories of love surround us and influence our lives, seemingly telling us that life is beautiful if it is accompanied by love, no matter what form it takes.

Author's Note

“To those who still miss someone after losing them” _Monica Barengo (Dedication)

“This book is a story that came to me right after I created my first picture book, The Shape of Love, with Monica Barengo.
But I didn't want to publish it right away.
Because some stories take years to find their place.
We've worked together on several books over the years, and it's taken a full 12 years for this story to come to life.

When you write, you don't always know everything about the story you're writing.
When I wrote this for Monica Barengo, I knew the story was about absence and nostalgia, but I couldn't figure out why the "you" in the story wasn't with the narrator.
Maybe 'you' are no longer in this world, or maybe we just broke up.
Monica Barengo, as always, has made both interpretations possible in a delicate way.
Moreover, she added her own new story through the picture, while perfectly harmonizing it with my story without distorting it at all.
No words can adequately describe his wonderful work.
“We would be better off simply appreciating and accepting the work of a great artist, rather than trying to explain or understand it.” _David Cali (unpublished review)

Translator's Note

“This book showed us how everyday life, as we encounter it through shared memories, can be beautiful.
Stories filled with memories of loved ones follow the ice cream we ate together, the movies we watched together, the trips we took together, and the night sky we looked at together.
It seemed to show that even in the frozen time of the one who has left, the time of the one who remains continues to flow, and even in the daily life that seems to flow by indifferently, we can still sufficiently miss and remember our loved ones.
If you remember, new days can naturally take their place in the place you left.

…I hope this book will be a warm companion to those who love someone, those who are going through daily life after parting with a loved one, or those who are afraid of an upcoming separation.” _Jeong Lim