It’s been a long time since I’ve been back here. Six years, in fact since I’ve left home: a rustic country town with a faint scent of sea breeze. The town I love and hate, with remnants of him here and there.
There was no sign of people on the dark, gray beach, only ripples coming in and out, like a beating heart, rhythmic and constant. I close my eyes and listen to the throbbing of the ocean and think back to that distant day.
It feels like it was just yesterday, that day ten years ago.
§
“Hey, Shouri, we’re leaving!”
4 a.m.
Hurriedly grabbing his luggage, Shouri, a junior high school student, followed his father. Morning came early in the port town. On weekends, he would wake up a little earlier and follow his father, a fisherman, out to sea. He loved to spend time with his father, whom he admired, and to feel the sea breeze.
It was early May and although the mornings and evenings were occasionally cooler, the seasons were changing. The magnolia flowers were already starting to wilt, preparing for the scorching heat. Summer was coming.
“I hope it’s another great day of fishing!”
“Yeah!”
The harbor was just a stone’s throw from his house. From the moment Shouri left, the smell of the sea, which he had been used to smelling for fourteen years, tickled his nose. His late grandfather once said that the smell of the tide is the smell of blood. The ocean is a world of life and death at the same time. It is infinitely wide and infinitely deep; a world where the soul lives on. Still, Shouri loved the ocean.
When he got to the side of the boat, all the fishermen were preparing to go out to sea. Old man Sato, who lived nearby, was among them as usual.
“Good morning, old man!”
“Hey, Shouri. You’ve got a lot of energy this morning.”
As he and the old man held a brief conversation, Shouri noticed an unfamiliar figure. There was a pale, slender boy hiding behind Sato’s back, looking shyly around then at the ground. He wore a white collared shirt, slim black pants and a fancy jacket and didn’t look like a country boy at all.
“Hey old man, who is that guy?”
The old man smiled, as if he was just waiting for that question.
“This is my relative’s son. Come on, Kazu, go over and say hello.”
When the old man gently urged the boy to step forward, he nodded, still avoiding eye contact. Seeing his appearance in the still white light of the morning sun, Shouri gulped.
”I’m Kazusa Uemura.” A low, soft voice that mellowed against the breeze of the sea.
He was beautiful.
His face could only be described as perfect, his skin, a milky white color that was not tanned at all. His long eyelashes and red lips were like a girl’s, but his limbs were long and slender, so thin that it’s hard to believe he has never held anything heavier than a feather in his life. The dark eyes staring at the ground had a strange, absorbing charm. He was not only an amalgamation of beautiful things but had an alluring aura surrounding him. Shouri was also a person who was often praised for his looks, but honestly, he couldn’t even bring himself to compete with the overwhelming beauty before him.
”Hi…I’m Iwasaki Shouri.”
The old man erupted in a deep-bellied laughter as he was shying away from being overwhelmed by the other boy’s almost ethereal beauty.
“Shouri-Chan, doesn’t he look like me?” The old man laughed
“No, I don’t think he looks like you.”
“You’re mean. Kazu is a newcomer to the neighborhood, you know. He doesn’t have any friends yet, so be nice to him!”
“N-Nice to meet you…” Kazusa muttered, his chestnut-brown eyes reflecting the midday sun.
His smile, which he rarely showed, was still perfectly beautiful. He was thin but not surprisingly petite, and when he lined up, he was a little taller than Shouri, who was a little over a hundred and sixty.
”Where did you come from?” Asked Shouri, hoping to make small talk.
“From Tokyo”
“’Oh, wow! The city!”
“Where I lived, not so much, but… It’s a lot bigger than this town.”
“Hey, Shouri! A little help!”
Just as the conversation was about to continue, Shouri’s father’s rough voice interrupted the pair. Shouri frowned in disappointment.
“Sorry! I have to go! Tell me all about it later, ok?”
Kazusa nodded as Shouri ran back to his father’s side.
Edited by Lychee
Helloooo its me again, your favourite translator Rei! This book is ultra sweet, ultra sad, and an amazing read! Remember to prepare tissues~
Rei
I wanted to change our catchphrase to ‘Flavourtown with Gay Fieri’ but Shallotnoodle said no ;-;
Flavourtown 
Tragedy says NU!!! I don’t know if my heart can stand it, but let’s see. This far Shouri and Kazusa are really cute. It’ll begin as puppy love, huh?
Thanks for your hard work!!
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Thank you for reading! I hope you will enjoy this novel :))))
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