As explained in other works in this exhibition, the phrase “Tsuki ga kirei desu ne” is widely associated with an anecdote attributed to the Meiji-era writer Natsume Sōseki. Although the story is now considered a later-created urban legend, the phrase has come to represent a subtle and indirect way of expressing love in Japanese culture.
 
This work features the phrase “Shindemo ii wa” (“I could die happy”), which is often understood as a response to “Tsuki ga kirei desu ne,” meaning “I love you too.” It is commonly paired with an anecdote attributed to Futabatei Shimei, who is said to have rendered “I love you” in this emotionally charged yet indirect form.
 
The calligraphy is designed in an egg-like shape, which the artist views as a symbol of life. A newly hatched chick instinctively follows the first moving presence it sees, believing it to be its parent. Through this form, the work expresses a singular devotion—“you are the only one, and I love only you.”
 
Size : 6' x 1'10" (183cm x 50cm)