The scent of the sea brought him home. The scent of sweet bean paste brought him back to him.
Ten years ago, Minato left the sleepy seaside town of Shiomi-cho with a camera in his hands, three words caught in his throat, and a roll of film he never developed. He made it in Tokyo—his photographs are flawless, published, praised. But flawless isn't the same as alive, and lately his camera feels heavier than it should.
Now he's back, ostensibly on assignment. Really, he's back for the boy he left
Scent of Sea Breeze and Sweet Bean Paste - Thorns of the Mortgage - Ten Years Behind the Smile
The scent of the tide drifted all the way into the earthen entryway of Matsubaya, even in the mid-afternoon.
July was nearing its end, and the town lay wrapped in summer's heat. The breeze off the sea was lukewarm, doing little more than occasionally lifting the indigo-dyed noren curtain.
Minato sat in the living room at the back of the shop, drinking the cold barley tea Yuuma had brewed. Fine beads of condensation clung thickly to the outside of the glass.
"It's even hotter today."
As Minato murmured, Yuuma—who had been preparing sweet bean paste in the kitchen—poked his head out, wiping sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his white kappougi.
"Once August hits, it'll get worse. The wind dies down around here."
Yuuma said this and settled down across from Minato. His chestnut hair clung to his forehead with sweat, and his light brown eyes looked a little tired.
"How's business?"
"Well, so-so. Tourists pick up a bit in summer, so the shio manju sell decently."
Yuuma smiled gently. A small dimple formed on his left cheek alone.
Every time Minato saw that smile, he felt a dull ache deep in his chest.
(How much is he carrying behind that smile?)
He'd been coming to Matsubaya almost every day since then. Sometimes he helped with the morning bean paste, sometimes they just talked about nothing in the afternoon like this. Slipping away between assignments, he'd find his feet carrying him to the shop before he knew it.
It was the same flow of time as ten summers ago, when he'd stopped by on his way home from the photography club.
But there was one thing that was different.
The shadow of redevelopment was closing in on the town.
What Masako Maruyama and Mitsu Otsuka had told him wouldn't leave Minato's head. Apparently there was a mortgage on Matsubaya's land and building. If they agreed to the redevelopment, that debt might disappear.
(Does Yuuma know about this?)
Minato studied Yuuma's profile as he quietly drank his barley tea.
Yuuma said nothing. He'd always been that way. He was bad at talking to people about the problems he carried.
"Yuuma, is there anything troubling you?"
Minato steeled himself and asked.
Yuuma's fingertips, wrapped around the glass, stopped for just a moment.
"What's with the sudden question?"
"No reason, just felt like asking."
"You ask things for no reason? You worry too much, you know that?"
Yuuma laughed. But his eyes weren't laughing.
Minato could tell. Yuuma was hiding something.
(So he does know.)
Just as Minato was about to say something more—
"Excuse me."
A familiar voice came from the shop's entryway.
Minato and Yuuma looked up at the same time.
"...Kento?"
Yuuma stood and walked toward the shop. Minato followed.
Standing in the earthen floor was a man with neatly parted black hair—a precise seven-to-three part. The smell of hair product drifted faintly through the sweaty air. Narrow black eyes. His tall, lean frame was wrapped in a dark navy suit. On his left wrist, an expensive-looking silver watch glinted.
Hatayama Kento.
Minato and Yuuma's other childhood friend.
"Minato, long time no see."
When Kento saw Minato's face, he called out with the same smile as always.
A pleasant, refreshing smile. Kento, unchanged from back then—able to get along smoothly with anyone.
But Minato noticed.
Kento's eyes weren't smiling.
His mouth was smiling, but deep in those narrow eyes, something glinted coldly. As if appraising him, Kento stared fixedly at Minato's face.
"...It's been a while, Kento."
Minato replied, feigning calm.
Kento shifted his gaze from Minato to Yuuma. In that instant, Kento's expression softened, just slightly.
"Yuuma, it's been a while. Have you been well?"
"Yeah. How about you, Kento—work going smoothly?"
Yuuma showed Kento a natural smile.
Watching the exchange from the side, Minato felt a small thorn prick deep in his chest.
(Kento shows a different face only to Yuuma.)
"I came today because I have something to discuss. About the redevelopment."
Kento's voice suddenly turned serious.
Yuuma's expression stiffened slightly too.
"...Ah, that matter."
Yuuma let out a small breath.
"Come in. I'll at least pour you some cold barley tea."
"Sorry to trouble you. I'll take you up on that."
Kento removed his shoes and stepped up from the earthen floor into the living room.
The three of them sat around the wooden table in the living room.
Outside, the sea breeze stirred the noren. For a while, the only sound in the room was the wall clock ticking away.
While Yuuma poured barley tea in the kitchen, Kento turned toward Minato and lowered his voice.
"Minato, can't you help me persuade Yuuma too?"
Minato looked Kento straight in the eye.
"Persuade him—you mean get him to agree to the redevelopment?"
"That's right. Matsubaya is close to the center of the planned area. If Yuuma agrees, things will move forward significantly."
Kento's voice was calm. It was the businesslike tone he used when discussing work.
"Did you properly explain everything to Yuuma?"
"I'm about to. That's why I want you present too. Yuuma will feel more at ease with his childhood friend there, won't he?"
Kento said this with a thin smile.
Something was hidden behind that smile.
Minato's intuition told him so.
(This guy is hiding something.)
His photographer's eye caught the "other intention" lurking behind Kento's expression.
Yuuma returned carrying a tray with three glasses of barley tea.
"Here you go."
Yuuma set the glasses in front of Minato and Kento.
"Thank you."
Kento picked up his glass and took a sip.
"So, to the main point."
Kento set down his glass, straightened his back, and looked at Yuuma's face.
"The redevelopment plan by Orbis Urban Development—its official name is the 'Shiomi Port Vicinity Revitalization Project'—there's going to be an information session at the community center next month. I came today because I wanted to talk to you directly before that."
"Yeah, I've heard the rumors around town. The plan to build a marina and commercial facilities on the east side of the port, right?"
Yuuma said in a quiet voice.
"That's right. And this Shiomi Ginza Street is included in the planned area. Matsubaya sits in an important spot within it."
Kento, as representative of Hatayama Real Estate, continued his explanation matter-of-factly.
"If the plan goes through, new shops will move onto this street. Foot traffic will increase far beyond what it is now. The whole town will regain its vitality."
"That sounds like a good story, but..."
Yuuma looked into Kento's eyes.
"What happens to Matsubaya?"
Kento faltered for a moment.
"...Matsubaya's building is aging. I think it'll come down to either rebuilding or relocating in line with the plan."
"Relocating, huh."
Yuuma murmured softly.
Minato listened to the two of them in silence.
Kento's explanation was, on the surface, courteous. But Minato had noticed.
Kento wasn't saying the crucial thing.
The mortgage.
That condition—that if they agreed to the redevelopment, the debt might be forgiven.
(Why won't he say it?)
Minato stared hard at Kento's profile.
Kento must have been aware of Minato's gaze, yet he refused to look his way.
"Yuuma, I'm not asking you to give an answer right away. But I want you to think about it positively. For this town's sake, and for Matsubaya's sake, it shouldn't be a bad deal."
Kento placed his hands on the tatami and bowed deeply.
"Kento, lift your head."
Yuuma smiled, looking troubled.
"I know you're doing this seriously. But Matsubaya is a shop that's been going since my grandpa's time. I can't just say 'yes, sure' so easily."
"I understand. That's exactly why I want to take time and talk it through."
Kento raised his head. There was strong resolve in his eyes.
But Minato understood.
Kento's "resolve" wasn't just about work—about pushing the redevelopment forward.
Something else, something personal, was driving Kento.
(This guy... for Yuuma...)
Something stirred deep in Minato's chest.
"Kento, I want to ask you one thing."
Minato spoke quietly.
"What is it?"
Kento turned toward Minato.
"Is it true that there's a mortgage on Matsubaya's land and building?"
At Minato's words, the air in the room pulled taut.
The color drained from Yuuma's face.
Kento's expression froze in an instant.
"...Minato, where did you hear that?"
Kento's voice dropped low.
"Rumors around town. So I'm asking. Is it true?"
Minato looked Kento straight in the eye.
Kento glared at Minato for a while, then finally let out a deep breath.
"...It's true."
Kento said, as if resigned.
"Yuuma's father, Seiichi Kajiwara, borrowed money from my father, Ryuzou, for renovation funds for the shop. At that time, the land and building were put up as collateral. The remaining debt is about eighteen million yen."
"Kento, you..."
Yuuma said in a trembling voice.
"Why didn't you tell me until now? I'd heard about the mortgage from my father. But I didn't know the amount of the debt. And I didn't know you were the one handling it."
Yuuma's hands were clenched tight on his knees.
"I couldn't say it. There was no way I could say it."
Kento's face twisted in pain.
"It's not like I'm doing this because I want to. But as the representative of Hatayama Real Estate, as the liaison with Orbis, it's something I have to do."
Kento's words came faster and faster.
"Besides, there's talk that if you agree to the redevelopment, that debt will be forgiven. Yuuma, if you agree, Matsubaya's debt will be gone. You won't have to close the shop. You can start over in a new location."
"Wait a minute."
Minato cut Kento off.
"What did you just say? The debt will be forgiven? Why didn't you tell Yuuma such an important condition until now?"
Minato raised his voice.
"I was waiting for the right timing to tell him. If I'd sprung that on him out of nowhere, Yuuma would have been confused."
"Don't give me that! That's something you decided on your own. Yuuma has the right to know everything."
Minato struck the tatami with his fist.
The thud echoed through the quiet room.
"Both of you, stop."
Yuuma said quietly.
Minato and Kento both looked at Yuuma at the same time.
Yuuma's face was pale. But his eyes were looking steadily forward.
"Kento, I understand what you're trying to say. If the debt disappears, that's for the best. But letting go of Matsubaya means losing everything I have."
Yuuma slowly stood up.
"Could you go home for today? I want to think about it alone for a while."
"Yuuma..."
"Sorry, Kento. You came all this way."
Yuuma turned his back to Kento.
Kento stared at Yuuma's back for a while, then slowly stood.
"...I understand. I'll be in touch again."
Kento glanced at Minato.
In his eyes, there seemed to be anger—and just a little jealousy.
(So that's how it is.)
Minato was now certain of what Kento's gaze meant.
Kento held special feelings for Yuuma.
They were the same kind of feelings Minato himself had carried for ten years.
Kento descended to the earthen floor without another word.
"Kento, wait."
Minato followed Kento.
The two stepped out to the front of Matsubaya.
The summer sun beat down mercilessly. Heat shimmered up from the asphalt.
"What is it?"
Kento said without turning around.
"You're still hiding something from Yuuma, aren't you?"
Minato called out to Kento's back.
Kento's feet stopped dead.
"...Why do you think that?"
"Your eyes. The way you look at Yuuma isn't the way you look when you're talking business."
Minato took a step closer to Kento.
"You're in love with Yuuma, aren't you?"
Kento's shoulders twitched.
Kento slowly turned around.
His face was more anguished than Minato had ever seen it.
"...What would you know?"
Kento's voice was hoarse.
"I've been watching Yuuma since we were kids. Even after you left town, I kept watching. I've watched from close by as Yuuma took over the shop and strugg
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