Before the Coffee Gets Cold, which centers around a mysterious café with chairs that allow patrons to travel through time. Several interwoven narratives explore the lives of different individuals who use the chairs to revisit the past, attempting to alter their present, but ultimately discovering that the present remains unchanged. The stories highlight themes of regret, love, loss, and the acceptance of fate. The novel also features a unique set of rules governing time travel within the café setting. Ultimately, the stories underscore the importance of cherishing present moments and accepting what cannot be changed.

The timeline is complicated because we deal with multiple timelines and time travel. Here is a breakdown of events as best as they can be pieced together from the provided excerpts:

Timeline 1: Fumiko's Past

• Years Ago: Fumiko and Goro begin dating after Fumiko invites him for coffee as a pretext.
• 3 Years Ago: Goro breaks up with Fumiko and moves to America. He reveals in a later conversation that he believed he was unworthy of her love due to a burn scar and never felt he could measure up to other men she might be attracted to.
• Recent Past: Fumiko learns that Goro has moved back to Japan.

Timeline 2: The Present (at the beginning of the narrative)

• Day 1:Fumiko visits Funiculi Funicula, a cafe with the ability to send people back in time.
• Fumiko learns about the cafe's rules for time travel and the story of the woman in the dress who became a ghost.
• Fumiko travels back in time to the day Goro broke up with her, but their conversation doesn't change the present. However, she learns about his insecurities and the reasons behind his actions.
• Day 2 - Several Days Later:Kohtake visits the cafe and learns that Fusagi (her husband with Alzheimer's) has been frequenting the cafe and wishes to give her a letter.
• Kohtake travels back in time to try and receive the letter. She witnesses Fusagi's struggle with his diagnosis and his desire to tell her but ends up leaving without the letter.
• Kohtake shares her experience with Kei and Kazu, leading to a discussion about the limitations of time travel and the unlikelihood of meeting someone in the future.
• Day 3 - Unknown Time Later:Kei is diagnosed with a serious illness and feels compelled to meet her future daughter.
• Kazu helps Kei travel ten years into the future despite Nagare's objections.
• Kei arrives in the future and discovers that Nagare and Kazu are in Hokkaido. She meets Miki, her sullen teenage daughter.
• Miki reveals that she overheard Kei’s conversation with Fumiko and was hurt by Kei's apologies.
• Kei struggles with her feelings of guilt and the desire to comfort Miki.
• Despite her sadness, Miki confesses her appreciation for life and calls Kei "Mum" for the first time.
• Kei is overwhelmed with emotion and returns to the present.
• Day 4 - The Next Day: Hirai visits the cafe shortly after her sister Kumi's funeral.
• Hirai learns about the cafe’s ability to send people back in time.
• Hirai travels back in time to spend time with Kumi and give her a letter she never read. They enjoy a meal together before Hirai returns to the present.
• Hirai is grateful for the experience and leaves the cafe with a lighter step.
• Later that day, an unknown girl visits the cafe.
• The girl eats Nagare’s free butter and toast but doesn’t react as he expects.
• The girl reveals she wishes to take a photo with Kei.
• After the photo is taken, the girl disappears and is replaced by the woman in the dress.