'This work takes for its title that of the gegika novel by Yoshiro Tatsumi which deals with the interconnected lives of two young brothers and their obsession with Japanese manga. They end up reading each other's attempts to write manga themselves and eventually form a collective. The idea of two children growing up whilst criss-crossing artistically fitted with my initial ideas for this work for two pianos commissioned by Cambridge Suzuki Young Musicians.'Tarik O’Regan May 2010