Shine in Summer's Glimmer, 1/6
Sep. 30th, 2017 04:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
astrangestormTitle: Shine in Summer’s Glimmer
Rating: NC-17
Characters/Pairings: Sakurai Sho/Matsumoto Jun
Summary: A month at a guest house along the Chiba coast. Beachy days, quiet nights. And an attraction Sho simply can’t shake.
Notes/Warnings: Story includes a character with depression; brief mention of suicide; mentions of cheating/infidelity; sex; adult language. Title comes from Summer Splash.
let's overcome things like the past
the glimmer of summer will brighten me up
arashi / summer splash
/ / / / /
He’s in the middle of a lesson when the door slides open, and Principal Miyazawa herself is standing there. To his surprise, the students don’t laugh or start to whisper. If Miyazawa has come in person, it’s serious indeed.
“Sakurai-sensei,” she says, face serious but unreadable. “A moment.”
He looks to Kota, who’s a member of the Student Council. She’ll keep the room from descending into anarchy. He tells them all to work on the exercises on pages 42 and 43. He tells Kota to keep them on task.
He follows Principal Miyazawa down the hall, away from the classroom and into a room that’s not being used. He’s ready for the worst.
“Your father just phoned the school. It’s your mother.”
/ / / / /
It’s not what he initially thought.
In the milliseconds, in the heartbeats after Principal Miyazawa said “it’s your mother,” Sho imagined the words to follow. She’s been hurt. Or she’s dying. Or she’s already passed away.
Instead Sakurai Yukie had started her day like almost any other. She’d left the house for her usual neighborhood errands. A few letters to drop off at the post office. Items to drop off at the dry cleaners. An appointment at the hair salon for a trim. For almost two years now, the routine has been good. The routine has been working.
But not today. His mother made it through all her scheduled errands save for the last one. She made it to the grocery store, had even managed to put the bananas and spinach in her basket - two of the items on the list she had diligently put together. As far as the store manager tells Sho when he arrives, Sakurai Yukie had stood in front of the tomatoes for a good six or seven minutes before setting her shopping basket down and sitting on the floor beside it, unmoving.
Sho’s mother has depression.
For many years, she was ashamed of it. A few times when Sho was still a boy, she had gone away from home for several weeks to stay with relatives in Karuizawa. It wasn’t until Sho was in his twenties, had already moved out of his parents’ house that he’d been told that she’d been in a hospital all those times, not with relatives.
Now that her children are grown, his mother has become more accepting of her illness. Sometimes it’s hard for her to do it, but she accepts that it’s no fault of her own. She has a doctor she trusts. She’s on medication that keeps her from slipping into the lowest lows, although sometimes adjustments are needed. Sho’s sister lives in Wakayama with her fiance, and his younger brother has just started working for a company in Osaka now that he’s finished school. Sho, the eldest, still lives in Tokyo and is the one who must be around to sense when the adjustments are required.
Sho’s father loves his mother, there’s no denying it, but her illness troubles him. He’s older, he’s stubborn. He thinks that the medicine should be able to cure it entirely. He doesn’t love her any less, but he doesn’t understand. So whenever Yukie’s condition shifts, it’s Sho who is called.
Sometimes Yukie is proactive. She makes an appointment and tells her doctor that she can feel herself going down again. That sometimes she doesn’t want to do anything. That she can’t be bothered to meet up with friends, that she can’t get herself to eat much.
But sometimes the symptoms come too quickly. Or sometimes she pretends they aren’t there, and she puts on a brave face for Sho’s father. It comes at a high cost to her. The illness starts to take charge. The illness that she fights so hard starts to weaken her resolve. The illness starts to convince her of things she’d never believe when she’s feeling better. That there’s no reason to get out of bed. In those dark, frightening times, the illness tries to convince Yukie that perhaps her children and her husband would prefer it if she went to bed and didn’t wake up.
Unfortunately, this time the symptoms came quickly. The supermarket staff know her, and to respect her privacy, they’ve escorted her into the manager’s office, have somehow gotten her to sit at a table with a cup of tea to await Sho’s arrival. His father has already called the doctor. But it’s Sho who will have to bring her in.
He’s seen her look far worse, so that at least is encouraging. She’s managed to dress in matching clothes, her hair is freshly trimmed from her salon visit, and her makeup is expertly applied. But the outer appearance is often a mask, hiding the torment inside. As the wife of a government official, Yukie has always wanted to look perfect. He can see the cracks in her facade, but that’s because he’s had years of practice. She holds her hands tightly in her lap so nobody can see them shake. There’s a slight dullness in her normally sharp, intelligent eyes. And when he greets her with a “good afternoon, Mom,” the first words out of her mouth are “I’m sorry.”
He sits beside her. She’s got her bag, and he asks her permission before slipping her planner out. The planner was Sho’s idea a few years back to help her stay focused and to help set routines. There’s been a lot of upheaval in Yukie’s life now that her children are grown up, especially now that both Maya and Sou have moved away. Yukie needs something she can control, and the planner helps.
He pages through it. It serves as a way to plan her days, to document her activities, to diligently note that she has taken her medication. Her record-keeping has been faltering for the last week. He tries to call at least once a week to check in, but she hadn’t said anything the other day. Sometimes the illness tricks her, makes her think she’s surfacing again. But the proof is in the planner. The medication area for the last four days is blank. She had a grocery list today, but tomatoes are written three times. Her other appointments and errands are listed, but only because she likely wrote them in a week or two earlier.
He sets the planner aside and takes a breath. She can’t look at him. She’s a proud woman, and the supermarket staff having borne witness to her at such a low point has left her almost silent. Seeing her like this never gets any easier, but that’s just the way the illness works. It’s cruel. And it’s unfair. But Sho is here now.
“Dad’s made an appointment for you. I’m parked just outside,” he explains calmly. “Do you want to come with me?”
Sometimes she says no, and he never forces her. He just stays over at the house for a day or two until she agrees to see the doctor. He makes sure she eats, drinks, takes her pills. She usually comes around because she likes Ninomiya-sensei. His mother’s doctor is a year younger than Sho is, but apparently his youth works in his favor.
Maya has told Sho that Yukie has a little crush on Ninomiya-sensei, but “don’t tell Dad!”
As if he ever would. Whatever keeps his mother going to her appointments.
“I’m not feeling well, Sho. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, Mom.”
“You had to leave work, right? You had to leave work for this. You and Maya and Sou must hate me so much. Papa must hate me.”
He shakes his head. This is not the first time he’s heard these words, and sadly it won’t be the last. These are the words that always hurt him the most. They’re the words that make him hate her illness, hate it for making words like that seem reasonable in her mind.
“We all love you, Mom, and we want you to feel better. If we go together, I’m sure Ninomiya-sensei will know how to help.”
It will still take a few weeks for Yukie to emerge from the worst of what she’s dealing with now. Any medication adjustments take time to start working. And sometimes it takes a few tries, a combination of one drug or another, until she can find a new normal. The timing, for once, works well enough with Sho’s schedule. The month-long summer break starts next week. He’ll be able to check in with his mother every day.
Yukie nods her agreement. The supermarket manager is a kind woman, and she encourages them to use an employee exit rather than having to walk through the store again. In a few minutes, they’re in the car, and he reaches over to rest a hand on her shoulder.
She has her bag in her lap, her eyes full of shameful tears that he knows she can’t control.
“Let’s go.”
/ / / / /
Sho stays in the waiting room, not-really-reading a magazine aimed at housewives while his mother and Ninomiya-sensei talk first. There are things she’ll say to her doctor that she’ll never say in front of him, and Sho’s fine with that. Anything that allows her to open up, feel safe and comfortable.
He sometimes wishes that his father would take on a bit more responsibility. When Sho was young, when he really didn’t seem to notice how horrible things were for his mother, it was because his father had worked hard to hide it. It was why he’d sent her off, sent her away. Now there’s no need to hide it, but still he keeps back.
A year ago, his father had been saying he was finally going to retire. He and Yukie were going to sell their house in Tokyo and move to Karuizawa. To live a quieter, calmer life away from the political world that had only made his mother’s life harder all those years as she did her best to raise her children and stifle her suffering for the sake of her husband’s reputation.
The retirement talk has evaporated lately, and Sho suspects that this might be the reason for Yukie’s troubles now. His father is gone from the house for many hours each day, still so devoted to his job, and Yukie is mostly alone aside from when the cleaning woman comes over or she has a visit with friends. Maya and Sou call her almost every day, but with their jobs, it’s not always possible. Sho has told his father time and again that Yukie needs order, stability. His mother needs steady expectations.
She’d really been looking forward to planning the move, looking at houses, all the nitty-gritty details that would require her full attention. With such a big move, there’d be no room for her illness to creep back in and take control. But without that to look forward to, Yukie’s calm is threatened.
So it doesn’t actually surprise Sho when he’s called in to Ninomiya-sensei’s office, and the doctor confirms what he’s been thinking. Sho shakes his hand. Ninomiya is slim and pale and has confessed to Sho on a few occasions that if it wasn’t for his work, he’d probably be cooped up in his apartment playing games or watching TV all day.
Sho thinks Ninomiya likes to chat about his own faults and quirks to put his patients at ease. In Yukie’s case, it makes her dote on him all the more. She has advised her doctor on numerous occasions that he ought to consider vitamin supplements if he’s not getting the sunlight he needs.
Ninomiya is discreet, so he says little in the way of specifics about Yukie’s condition. He merely acknowledges that it’s time to try a new tactic with her medications. He has nothing but praise for Yukie for coming in to see him as soon as she felt able, and even though it was Sho’s dad who made the appointment, Yukie for the first time today smiles at the man’s kind words.
But aside from the medication musical chairs, Ninomiya-sensei’s next prescription is unexpected.
“Your mother needs to get out of Tokyo,” he says bluntly.
“Forever?!”
Even Yukie can’t help but chuckle at Sho’s outburst. Sitting in Ninomiya-sensei’s comfortable office, she seems in better spirits than she’d been in at the supermarket.
“No, no,” Ninomiya says, laughing with her. “Vacation.”
Vacation? Sho’s not quite sure he understands. There’s a lot of variables to account for with a vacation, especially a sudden one. Where to go, where to stay, what to eat, what to pack, what to do…
“A well-structured vacation,” Ninomiya continues, almost like he’s reading Sho’s mind.
The doctor explains it all in rather logical, easy terms. It seems as though he and Sho’s mother have already talked it all out, considered the pros and cons. A friend of his owns a guest house in Onjuku, a fishing town on Chiba’s Pacific coast. A few hours in the car or a two-hour train ride from Tokyo Station. Onjuku Beach is popular enough with young people, but not overwhelming. A change of pace from Tokyo at least. Ninomiya thinks Yukie should spend August at the guest house, taking her new medication regimen and living life a little slower for a few weeks.
Before Sho can interject, Ninomiya notes that summer break starts next week, which makes him an ideal companion for Yukie. He could stay during the week. And then Sho’s father could visit on a weekend, giving Sho a break. And Maya and Sou or other relatives could come up for a weekend too. The whole family could have a beach party. But Sho knows that Yukie couldn’t be left there by herself.
Wouldn’t it be just as calm and relaxing for Sho as well, Ninomiya implies, after his long weeks of putting up with temperamental teenage students? A month by the shore, no obligations, just sun and sand and sea?
Sho’s uncomfortably reminded of childhood, of weeks with his mother gone from the house without more than one phone call home a week. But this time instead of a hospital, she’d be in a new environment. And Sho would be watching her.
“My friend’s a good guy,” Ninomiya continues, watching Sho’s reaction carefully. “If you have to go back and forth, he’s always around.”
So not only is Ninomiya-sensei drumming up business for his friend’s guest house, he’s doing his utmost to convince Sho that this might not be the first time he’s sent a patient there for a little rest and relaxation.
“I don’t want to trouble you, Sho,” his mother says, although he can tell that’s she excited at the prospect.
Normally new places and new experiences can alarm her. Having to take a different train or a taxi if there’s a delay. A familiar item disappearing from a store shelf. Having dinner with Sho’s father and one of his colleagues she hasn’t met before. But it seems that Ninomiya-sensei has really sold her on this beach adventure.
“Can you tell me a little bit more about your friend? The arrangements there?”
Ninomiya is very happy to do so. He goes onto his computer and finds some pictures. The place doesn’t have a website or TripAdvisor reviews. It’s apparently all by word of mouth. “He only does this part of the year,” he explains, and Sho presumes he’s talking about the friend.
It’s further down the beach from the resort hotels and other small inns that cater more to surfers and sunbathers, an older and quieter part of town. To one side is a bait shop for the local fishermen, on the other a small izakaya. The house is a block from the beach, but Ninomiya shows them a picture from the balcony on the second floor. It has an unobstructed view of the water, and the sunrise over the ocean is admittedly a beautiful sight.
There’s about five or six guest rooms on the second floor. En-suite bathrooms for couples or ladies traveling alone, a toilet and bathroom for men on the ground floor. The rooms are basic but very clean, Western-style with beds rather than futons, a desk and chair, and a chest of drawers. There’s a guest kitchenette on the ground floor, but Ninomiya’s friend “usually throws something together for dinner” that everyone can share.
There’s a very laidback, “help yourself” feel to the place, not something Sho’s used to. He’s more of a dine in the hotel restaurant or order room service type when it comes to vacationing, but this is a little too small for those sorts of amenities.
“Your friend won’t mind us hanging around for a whole month?” Sho asks.
Ninomiya grins. “I think J is more used to long-term stays than random overnight guests. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
“J?” Sho asks, curious.
“Actually, his name is Matsumoto Jun. J is what I called him in high school because everyone else called him Junnosuke. At his request. Or should I say, he demanded it. Which was absurd.”
Yukie laughs at that. “He forced the other students to call him Junnosuke? He sounds like some princely character.”
“Ah, he still is to some extent, but don’t let that deter you, Yukie-san. He’s come a long way from his infamous Junnosuke days. He’s an incredibly nice person. And he makes a really good hamburger steak.”
Sho had been planning to spend at least part of his summer break doing a little sightseeing, but fortunately, he hasn’t booked anything. He’s free enough to devote most of his time to ensuring his mother has a fulfilling vacation. He can have a neighbor check for mail every other day and return on weekends.
His father will probably use Yukie’s absence as an excuse to work longer hours, to order takeout. But his mother doesn’t seem the least bit concerned about this. A month without “very important” dinners with some of Dad’s colleagues and juniors. A month with only a small guest room to worry about rather than their too large, too empty house. Sho’s father’s family has always preferred the mountains for free time - skiing and hiking and soaring pines. But he knows that his mother loves the water more.
While Yukie takes her bag and goes to chat excitedly with Ninomiya-sensei’s receptionist about her vacation, Sho stays behind with the doctor airing all of his concerns.
What if she keeps going down? Call my office. Or call me directly, here’s my cell phone number.
What if she has a bad reaction to the new medication? Call my office. Or call me directly.
Will your friend “J” know about her condition? Will he be understanding?
“Sho-san,” Ninomiya assures him with a friendly hand to his shoulder, “you can call him yourself if you’re worried about it.”
He leaves the doctor’s office with Matsumoto Jun’s cell phone number and only one warning:
“Whatever you do, don’t call him before he’s had his morning coffee.”
/ / / / /
The last week of school before the break goes by in a flash. He’ll have a few faculty meetings to come back for, nothing unreasonable. His neighbor is happy to keep her eye on his apartment. It helps that she’s the floor busybody and will probably relish the opportunity to make sure nobody causes trouble in Sho’s absence.
As for Yukie, Sho’s father barely hides his palpable relief when he learns of the beach vacation. Knowing that Sho will be with her as much as possible, he doesn’t seem all that concerned about his wife being so far from home for so long. He has already said he might visit, but Sho doesn’t have high hopes for that. He doubts Yukie does either. But Maya and her fiance and Sou and maybe even his girlfriend (brand new, met at work, very pretty, Yukie brags) will likely each come for a weekend.
Yukie knows not to ask if Sho plans to bring anyone for visits to the guest house.
It’s been a long year since everything happened, everything with Kohei, and he hasn’t yet felt much need to start looking. Instead he can focus on his mom, on her health. He can focus on lesson planning, on exercising, on the stack of books he’s been meaning to read all year but hasn’t yet.
Sho and his mother are driving out first thing Sunday morning. Ninomiya has already been back and forth with Sho over email confirming their rooms will be ready, providing directions, and telling him to call Matsumoto with any questions. Sho’s father is the one paying for their stay despite Sho’s protests, so he and Yukie have already discussed that with their host.
Sho hasn’t interacted with him yet at all. With school wrapping up, he’s barely had a moment to spare regarding his accommodations or his host for that matter. All Sho really knows is that he’s Ninomiya’s high school friend who liked to be called Junnosuke…but that was nearly twenty years ago.
It’s actually Matsumoto who calls him first, just after 8:00 PM on the Wednesday before the trip.
He has a calm, slightly nasal voice. “Hello, may I please speak with Sakurai Sho-sama? This is Matsumoto Jun at the Hidamari Guest House.”
“This is Sakurai Sho, hello.”
He’s very polite. “Please forgive my interruption. Is this a good time to talk?”
“Yes, of course.”
Matsumoto is calling to confirm the details of their stay. Even though his mother already told him everything, Sho listens to his host respectfully. The details are exactly as his mother relayed them. Yukie will be staying in the room with the best view (his father had probably insisted upon it). Sho will be just across the hall...
“If that’s still alright with you, Sakurai-sama,” Matsumoto says. “I’m sorry that I don’t have another ocean view, but if you wish to change to a different room at any time…”
“No, no, there’s no need,” he interrupts. The view doesn’t matter when he’ll be at the beach every day anyhow. “I’m happy to stay in one place. I don’t wish to trouble you.”
“You’re my guest, Sakurai-sama,” comes the reply, and Sho tries not to smile at the slightly chiding tone despite the extreme politeness of Matsumoto’s words themselves. “Your happiness during your stay here is of utmost importance to me.”
Sho doesn’t know how to respond to that, so he lets Matsumoto carry on with the overview. Sho’s room does not have a private bathroom, but he will only have one other guest to share facilities with for at least the first week of his stay. Toiletries and towels provided. House curfew is midnight, but the door will be unlocked throughout the day for guests to come and go. There is a small parking lot next to the izakaya where Sho can leave his car.
“Ninomiya-sensei said you sometimes make dinner?”
“Sometimes. It’s not a guarantee. I usually decide in the morning if I feel like it.”
If I feel like it. Sho can’t help but be a little troubled by that.
“That’s…hmm…”
“But of course, Ninomiya-kun told you about the kitchenette?” Matsumoto asks. “There’s a refrigerator and a small stove. A rice cooker and an electric kettle. I have a toaster oven in my kitchen if you need to borrow it.”
“Matsumoto-san…”
“As far as local dining options go, the izakaya next door usually has a seafood lunch and the usual snack fare in the evening. I’d also recommend Triple Kitchen…it’s a little further down the beach, but if you’re looking for fresh seafood or anything grilled…”
“Matsumoto-san, I’m sorry to interrupt you.” When Matsumoto says nothing, he continues. “It’s just that my mother is used to a routine. With everyday things and with meals. It’s a vacation for her, so I can’t imagine she’ll want to cook every meal herself, but the impulsive nature of your dinners might…”
He receives a bemused chuckle in return. “Sakurai-sama,” Matsumoto says warmly, “I have already stocked the kitchenette for your mother as she directed me. When you arrive, you need only open the refrigerator or cupboard to find items labeled with your surname. She was very clear that she intends to make breakfast and lunch as much as she can and will make her dinner plans in the morning with me.”
“Oh. She didn’t tell me…”
“She also told me that you don’t like to cook, and that if she’s not here to do something about it, you’re liable to eat clams at the beach all day until you turn into a clam yourself.”
Sho pauses, embarrassed. Matsumoto must think he’s a spoiled brat. A thirty-five year old man taking a vacation with his mother and still expecting dear mother to cook all his meals for him.
“My mother said that to you?”
“Ah, to be honest, I can’t remember if she said you would be turning into a clam or a scallop. Forgive me.”
Sho can see why Ninomiya refused to call him “Junnosuke” and insisted on his own nickname just to be contrary. His host sounds respectful and polite even as he teases.
He bites the inside of his cheek, silently fuming. How close his mother and this Matsumoto Jun have already gotten, it seems! Then again, Sakurai Yukie in her better moods can be very direct and unflinching in her requirements. It comes with having three stubborn children, Sho suspects, all stubborn in their own unique ways.
“Sakurai-sama.” Matsumoto’s voice is kinder then. “You don’t have to worry. Your mother will be very comfortable here. I promise.”
“Ninomiya-sensei told you…”
“Whatever she needs, I’m here to help,” Matsumoto says quietly. “Please keep me in your favor.”
He can’t help breathing a sigh of relief. It seems Matsumoto knows enough about Yukie’s condition already.
Matsumoto is less teasing as the call continues, telling Sho what else he needs to know. The nearest pharmacy likely to have his mother’s medications in stock. The nearest gas station. The nearest hospital. The nearest surf shop. Matsumoto has extra beach towels, beach chairs, and a few umbrellas available for no extra charge. Sho even learns the Wi-fi password. It’s ‘vuitton.’
“As in Louis,” Matsumoto says, offering no other explanation.
If Matsumoto is not in the house, he is probably at the beach himself, but he has already promised Sho’s mother to tell her his plans for the day.
“I hope it’s not too much trouble.”
“I’m not the type that lives life with a set plan,” Matsumoto admits, “but if it’s for a guest’s sake, I can tell her where I’ll be down to the minute if that’s what she needs from me.”
Sho doesn’t get the sense that he’s exaggerating or lying. He’s just that devoted to the happiness of his guests. It’s reassuring. And it reminds him of what Ninomiya-sensei had said in his office. He’s an incredibly nice person.
Matsumoto tells Sho that he’ll be ready for them Sunday morning and to have a safe trip. Sho won’t pass judgment on the Hidamari Guest House itself until they arrive, but at least now he feels reassured that his mother will be in good hands.
/ / / / /
Sunday starts off a little rough. His mother is not yet out of bed when he rings the doorbell and his father lets him in. Sho sits in the kitchen, sipping coffee with him. They talk about things that aren’t Yukie’s condition. Mostly a bill that’s working its way through the Diet that his father expects will pass, resulting in a bit of a bump to his department’s operating budget. Not the most riveting of chats, but his father’s clearly on edge and leaning on topics that are comfortable to him.
His mother emerges an hour later in her bathrobe. She sees Sho at the table and her eyes water, but she doesn’t cry.
“We can go another day,” he says, but she shakes her head.
“I don’t want to inconvenience Matsumoto-san,” she says with more courage than Sho figures he’ll ever have. “Let me get ready.”
He calls Matsumoto to apologize, but he reaches the man’s voicemail.
“Hello, you’ve reached Matsumoto Jun and the Hidamari Guest House. If this is Sakurai Yukie-sama, I am currently out on the water surfing with a friend and will return after 2:00 PM. Please feel free to go inside and relax if you arrive before I come back.”
Sho can’t help but smile at the very detailed and up-to-date message before leaving one of his own, saying it’ll still be another two and a half, three hours before they arrive.
It’s almost an hour before they’re even on the road. His mother had packed most of her things days earlier, but she was unable to leave until she had unzipped each bag to double-check and then triple-check all the contents. She still seemed a little worried once they were locked in the trunk of the car, but she was set on going no matter what. His father actually hugged her, kissed her in front of him. He gripped Sho’s arm tight and whispered only “thank you” before bidding them farewell and slowly walking back to the house.
The traffic is bad, and his mother is using the car stereo to listen to an audiobook on money saving habits. As the car inches along toward the Aqua Line tunnel, Sho tries to ignore the common sense chattering that’s masquerading as new and innovative advice. His parents don’t really need to worry about their finances, especially since his father is still working. But he supposes it gives his mother something to focus on, that she can praise herself if she’s already doing what the book suggests.
He waits until they’re across the bay and it’s after 2:00 before he calls Matsumoto again.
“Sakurai-sama, I got your message.”
“We’re about forty-five minutes out.”
“Perfect. That gives me time to run one more errand before you get here.”
Sho knows that they were expected hours ago, but Matsumoto doesn’t sound upset. His mother turns down the stereo, holding out her hand.
“Ah,” Sho says with a smile, “please hold for my mother.”
“Of course.”
His mother takes the phone, and though her voice isn’t as strong as he knows it can be, she sounds a bit lighter than she did back at the house. “Matsumoto-san, about the fish…it’s there? Oh, that’s wonderful…”
Sho focuses on the road as it winds gently through the Chiba mountains. Her voice grows warmer, happier the longer she talks. His mother and Matsumoto talk for a few more minutes before she hangs up.
“He says ‘see you soon,’” his mother informs him, and he nods.
They finally make it to town, and Sho turns off the air conditioning in the car, rolling down the windows. The sea air hits with full force in an instant as they make their way past the train station, past surf shops, and small restaurants. They drive in circles a bit deliberately for a while so they can locate convenience stores, the pharmacy. They drive past some of the larger resorts, and they can see the ocean between the buildings, colorful umbrellas and happy visitors in the sand.
At last they pull onto a quieter street. It’s closer to a small marina full of fishing boats than to the resort areas, so Sho assumes he’ll be spending the next month smelling salt and fish in equal measure. The house is painted a light gray with a darker gray roof, and there are a few flower pots in front bringing in some color. As Matsumoto said, there’s a parking lot beside the izakaya next door, and he pulls into one of several empty spots. Most locals walk over, his host had explained, so the lot never fills up.
They get out of the car, and it feels good to stretch a little. They’re a block away, but Sho can hear the soothing sounds of the seashore, seagulls flying overhead. There’s a small outdoor patio with tables and chairs at the izakaya, and two middle-aged men are having a couple beers. They nod in a friendly manner as Sho gets the first load of luggage out of the car. It seems as though his mother has packed for a year, not a month, but he’s not going to say anything.
They’re almost to the door of the Hidamari Guest House when the green front door opens, revealing their host.
Sho nearly drops one of the bags, recovering quickly. A man steps out of the house, hurrying forward down the few steps to take the bag that his mother is holding. He’s in a pair of brown sandals, white and blue striped shorts that hit just below the knee, and a tight white t-shirt without any sleeves. Sho can’t ignore the guy’s sun-kissed skin, his muscular arms. He’s got a baseball cap on backwards, some thick silver necklace that disappears under his shirt, and a rather stylish pair of sunglasses.
“Sakurai-sama and Sakurai-sama, I presume?” and his voice matches the one on the phone, but Sho now realizes that this might not be the most relaxing vacation ever.
Because standing in front of him now, hoisting his mother’s suitcase with ease and smiling a gorgeous Hollywood smile, is one of the most attractive people Sho’s ever seen in his entire life.
His mother speaks first. “And that will be the last Sakurai-sama we hear on this trip. Please call me Yukie.”
Matsumoto keeps smiling. He looks like he just came from the beach, and Sho can see soft strands of damp black hair poking out from under his hat. “Let’s meet in the middle with ‘Yukie-san’ for now, okay?”
“Okay,” his mother agrees before turning. “This is my son Sho.”
He steps forward dutifully, inclining his head instead of going for a handshake since the both of them now have heavy burdens. And because Sho worries that he might not be able to let go. “Nice to meet you in person,” he manages to say, trying to ignore the guy’s arms, his broad shoulders and chest, his narrower waist.
It’s been a long year.
Now that killer smile is aimed directly at him. “Nice to meet you too, Sho-san. Won’t you please follow me inside?”
It’s been a long year for Sho, and now it’s going to be an even longer month.
/ / / / /
They bring all the bags in, and then they put on the guest slippers Matsumoto has for them. The house is cool, airy since Matsumoto keeps as many windows and screen doors open to catch the breezes coming off the water.
He leads them upstairs, refusing to let Sho’s mother carry anything more than her own purse. Her room is clean and tidy, and Sho’s heart clenches a little when he sees the cheerful bouquet of fresh, summery flowers settled on top of the chest of drawers. Matsumoto doesn’t even remark on it, setting Yukie’s bags down on the bed.
He has her follow him into the bathroom, and he shows her how her shower and tub work. Sho looks out the window, seeing out to the beach in the distance. The second-floor balcony starts just beside her room, jutting out a few feet from the building. It’s covered and screened-in to keep bugs out, and Sho can spy a few chairs and lanterns. It might be a nice place to unwind after a long day.
“I’ll leave you to get settled in here. No need to be formal, you can just shout downstairs if you need me. Let me bring Sho-san to his room.”
Sho still can’t manage to find many words, dutifully following Matsumoto and his striped shorts across the hall. He hands over a key and has another of his own to unlock the door. “And here we are.” He took off his sunglasses at some point, so Sho is hit with the full force of sharp, intense brown eyes. Matsumoto has large features - large eyes, thicker brows, perfect cheekbones. Everything somehow forms a cohesive, attractive whole.
The room is exactly like one Ninomiya-sensei showed him that day in the office. Double bed with a light blue comforter and plenty of pillows. Desk. Chair. Air conditioning unit. Chest of drawers. There aren’t any flowers in here, but there’s some framed photos on the wall. Black and white shots of the beach, the ocean. It’s a calm, masculine room.
Sho sets down his things. “Nice room.”
“There’s a linen closet in the hall out here,” Matsumoto says, careful to move around him and back out of the room. Sho follows. “I’ll change your sheets every day if you like, but there’s extras in here if you want to do it yourself. Towels are in here too.”
They move down the hall, and Matsumoto shows him the balcony before they head downstairs. The entry hall and stairwell, a large living room beside them with comfortable-looking sofas, a few armchairs. There’s a TV on a stand and a bookshelf almost overflowing. Matsumoto leads him past that to the kitchenette exactly as he described, with a table and four chairs for guests. Beyond that is the toilet room and the laundry room with a machine they can freely use “from after I wake up until curfew.” Matsumoto doesn’t feel the need to specify when he wakes up.
Finally, Sho is shown to the bathroom. He can already see another towel hanging on one of the racks, a toothbrush and toothpaste near the sink along with a stick of deodorant. “Nagase-san is staying in the room next to you until Friday. He’s from Yokohama, comes out here to surf. He’s a nice guy. Huge guy.”
“Huge guy?” Sho asks.
Matsumoto holds up his hand over his head. “Tall.” Matsumoto himself is of fairly average height, maybe a little taller than Sho is.
There’s a back door in the kitchenette, and he can walk straight to the beach from there if he wants. There’s one more door they haven’t gone through.
“And you’re just through there?”
Matsumoto nods. “Yep. So if I don’t come when you call, you can just knock.” He doesn’t bother to say so, but it’s implied that Matsumoto’s living space is off limits to the guests.
“Thanks,” Sho says. “I’ll go check in with Mom and make sure she settles in okay.”
Matsumoto smiles again, but thankfully not as big and bright as before. This one’s a little easier for Sho to bear. “Sounds like you’ve had a long day already. But if you do decide to go out, let me know and I can bring you around the neighborhood. Enjoy yourself. Remember. This is your vacation, too.”
He shakes his head, laughing a little. Easy enough for him to say.
Sho leaves the kitchenette behind, taking the stairs back up. He finds his mother happily unpacking. Already she has her pill bottles neatly set up on the chest of drawers beside the vase of flowers. She’s on a new dosage, and Sho will be keeping a close eye on her progress.
“Need anything, Mom?”
“I think I might have a nap,” she says, but there’s none of the sadness in her voice. She sounds tired because she’s simply tired, not tired with the stress of being away from home.
He leaves her to it, closing her door and leaving her to her privacy. In his own room, he closes the door, rubbing his hands over his face in slight irritation. Their host is too handsome, Sho declares to himself. His skin was a little pockmarked from what was probably a rough patch of puberty, but Sho couldn’t find another flaw on him.
Sho changes out of his clothes and into a new t-shirt and shorts, sighing at how pale he is. He’s barely gone out, hasn’t enjoyed the summer months at all yet. If he’s not careful with sunscreen, he’ll likely bake and burn up right away. Hopefully he can return to school in September with a healthy bit of color. Hopefully he’ll get a good amount of rest and can return without his trademark Sakurai-sensei eye bags.
He calls his Dad, letting him know they arrived safely, sending the same message in a text to his sister and brother. Once he’s unpacked a bit, he sits down on the bed, finding the mattress to be just as comfortable as the one he has at home, although just the slightest bit narrower. He lies back and closes his eyes. Matsumoto had opened the window instead of putting on the A/C, and Sho does his best to relax. His room looks out to the street, so he’s soothed with the noise of the occasional passing car, buzzing insects in the distance, the sounds of boats in the marina nearby.
Sho wishes more than anything that his mother was well, that a trip like this wouldn’t be necessary in the first place. But there’s nothing he can do to change that, so he’ll do his best to keep her happy here. And if he can manage that on most days, perhaps he’ll even have a little time to take Matsumoto Jun’s advice.
To remember that this is his vacation, too.
/ / / / /
He sleeps longer than expected, waking only when he can hear noisy laughter downstairs. He heads downstairs only to find strangers in the kitchenette chatting with his mother. He presumes one of them is the other guest, Nagase-san, because the man standing beside her has to be more than six feet tall.
The other stranger is a small man, sitting at the kitchenette table sipping a beer. He has a tired look to him, and both he and Nagase-san have tanned skin that speaks of a life mostly lived outdoors.
“Hello,” Sho says, not wanting to lurk in the doorway much more.
His mother doesn’t even look up from the frying pan. The kitchenette smells amazing. Yukie is frying up some fish fillets, and the pan on the other burner is full of colorful chopped veggies.
Nagase comes around to greet him. Though he might be a little intimidating with his mustache and strong features, he has a bright and friendly smile. He holds out a hand. “Nagase Tomoya. I’m your neighbor.”
“Sakurai Sho,” he replies, doing his best to handle Nagase’s firm handshake.
“That rude fellow over there who can’t be bothered to get up is Ohno-san.” Nagase looks over, wagging a finger at the other man. “He’s just here for the food.”
“I caught those,” Ohno replies in a softer, mumblier voice, jutting out his chin in a stubborn, but almost endearing fashion.
Sho walks over to the table himself, offering his hand. Ohno’s hands are rough, callused, and his handshake is equally strong. “Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you. Ohno Satoshi.”
“Dinner in about five minutes, Sho-chan,” his mother announces, and he reddens when the other two men grin at him in amusement.
Their host arrives, coming through the door to his living space with a bottle of wine and a corkscrew. Matsumoto smiles at the sight of him. “Ah, Sleeping Beauty’s awake.”
“Oi,” Sho protests, rubbing at the back of his neck in further embarrassment when everyone laughs at his expense.
While Nagase has a seat beside Ohno, Matsumoto stands at the stove, taking charge of the veggie pan. Yukie seems pleased with the help. Sho, feeling a little out of place, can only sit down at the table with the other two men and await the meal. An extra chair has been brought in since apparently all five of them will be dining together.
While his mother and Matsumoto put the finishing touches on dinner, a perfect partnership, Sho learns a little more about the men at the table. As Matsumoto said, Nagase-san is a surfer from Yokohama. When he’s not at the beach, he builds custom motorcycles with a friend. They own a shop together. Ohno-san is an Onjuku local, one of Matsumoto’s friends. He works on one of the boats in the marina.
“If I know that Matsujun’s cooking, I always find a reason to stop by.”
Matsujun. Junnosuke. J. People have all sorts of names for the owner of the Hidamari Guest House.
“You better thank Yukie-san, not me,” Matsumoto chides his friend. “To be fair, Sho-san, Ohno-kun isn’t a complete freeloader. He did catch our dinner.”
Ohno beams proudly.
Matsumoto refuses to let Yukie serve, instead having her sit at the head of the table. Sho hasn’t seen his mother look so calm or content in a while. He suspects that being able to cook for a table full of hungry men has lifted her spirits, given her a straightforward task to accomplish. With all her kids moved out, Sho knows that she doesn’t get much enjoyment or satisfaction out of cooking anymore. Matsumoto opens the wine, a white that Sho knows is one of Yukie’s favorites. He pours for himself and Yukie before looking over at Sho.
“Are you a beer guy or a wine guy, Sleeping Beauty?”
The others laugh again, and Sho knows he’s red. The last thing he needs is their good-looking host teasing him for the next month. “Beer,” he says defiantly, receiving an amused quirk of Matsumoto’s eyebrow. Matsumoto sets the wine bottle down, grabs a beer from the refrigerator and pours it into a glass for him.
Their fingers brush when Matsumoto hands it over, and Sho does his best not to spill it. He doesn’t miss the soft smile on his mother’s face.
Matsumoto puts rice, veggies, and fish on every plate, serving everyone before himself. He has a seat beside Sho, a strong, warm presence at his side. They all raise and clink glasses before digging in. Sho knows how good his mother’s fried fish can be, and he isn’t surprised at the reaction. Yukie seems happy when the compliments come rolling in. It’s a perfect summer meal, the perfect start to the trip.
His mother develops a fondness almost immediately for Ohno-san, asking him question after question about fishing, about the local area. Though Ohno is a little soft-spoken, his beer helps him to chat more than it seems he’s used to. In exchange, Yukie talks about their family but makes no mention of her illness, merely stating that her husband works in government, and she’s taking a break from all the politics for a while.
“And what do you do, Sho-san?” Nagase asks. “Are you a politician too?”
He feels Matsumoto’s eyes on him as he sips wine just to his side.
“Nothing so extraordinary,” Sho says. “I’m a junior high school teacher. Social studies.”
Ohno and Nagase groan, looking at each other. They commiserate over their mutual dislike for their long-gone school days. “Social studies, man. It wasn’t my worst class,” Nagase admits, offering Sho a teasing smile, “but it was so boring!”
“It’s not boring!” he protests.
“Be nice,” Matsumoto scolds them. “Unless Sho-san is assigning us homework or giving us quizzes, we have no reason to disparage his job. Teachers work hard, you know.”
He turns to Matsumoto with a shy smile, holding up his beer glass in gratitude. “Thank you very much.”
“Teacher’s pet,” he hears Nagase grumble under his breath, and Ohno nearly chokes on a bite of dinner.
“Better than the class clowns,” Yukie says, rather amused by the table’s childishness.
Discussion thankfully drifts away from Sho’s job, and to their plans for the week. Nagase intends to get out on the water to surf every day he’s able, although there’s rain in the forecast a few days from now, the remnants of a typhoon. Ohno will be on the water rain or shine, setting out from the Onjuku marina in the dark of night and not returning until the dawn.
Matsumoto tells Sho and his mother about their options. The beach. Further down the beach. And still further down the beach. Walking, relaxing, swimming, surfing. Or people watching. It’s not the most happening town, but there are a few shrines within walking distance if they have any interest in taking a short break from getting sand between their toes. If they get rained out, there’s books and TV in the house. Since Sho has a car, Matsumoto says they could drive down to nearby Katsuura for the morning market as well. Sho decides to let his mother’s interests guide them, at least for the first few days.
Dinner wraps up, and Ohno takes his leave first. He lives a few blocks away and will be sleeping a few hours before getting up and heading for the marina. Yukie tells him to come back again soon, that she’ll be happy to cook for him anytime.
“And remember,” Matsumoto interrupts, “Yukie-san’s not gonna be here forever. Don’t expect this special service to continue once she goes back home.”
Ohno’s lip curls in feigned irritation before he thanks Yukie profusely for including him in the meal. Matsumoto gets up, walks him to the door. Nagase clears the table, and Sho gets up as well, telling his mother to leave the cleaning to them. She seems a little embarrassed, but otherwise pleased.
She heads for the living room, and soon the sound of the kitchenette sink is joined by the sounds of the TV on the other side of the wall. Nagase scrubs, Sho dries, and together they work out a pretty decent system.
“You surf, Sho-san?”
“Not much. Most times I’ve been out with friends I’ve fallen off. My balance is awful.”
Nagase laughs, handing him another plate to dry. “Come out with me sometime this week, I’ll show you everything you need to know. Surfing Sensei, that’s what they’ll be calling you when you get back.”
He nods in agreement, deciding not to hold the big man’s dislike of social studies against him. “I’d like that, thanks.”
Nagase heads upstairs for the night as Sho wraps up the leftovers in some storage containers he finds in the cupboard. When he shuts off the light and heads for the living room, he finds his mother and Matsumoto deep in conversation. He stands in the doorway, watching his mother chat amiably with him. She usually doesn’t talk so openly with strangers. But Matsumoto is a diligent listener, sitting sideways on the sofa, resting an elbow against the back of it. He seems to have put her at ease, even though they’ve only known each other a handful of hours (aside from their phone calls).
Sho initially thought that this trip would push her further into her shell. It was a lot to take in. Unfamiliar town, unfamiliar house. An unfamiliar host. But there’s a softness, a gentleness to the Hidamari Guest House despite its simplicity. Maybe it’s the breeze keeping the house cool and comfortable. Maybe it’s the humble furniture, the cozy chairs and sturdy beds.
He looks at the soft smile Matsumoto gives Yukie, the way he doesn’t crowd her or interrupt her.
Maybe it’s the host.
“I’ll be up in my room, catching up on some reading,” he announces, seeing the pair of them turn to look at him.
“Happy reading,” she says, offering him a little wave.
“Let me know if you need anything,” he replies, wondering if he should say the rest of what he needs to say in front of Matsumoto Jun.
He decides that he can. Sho’s initial distress over their attractive host’s…attractiveness hasn’t entirely gone away yet, but he tells himself that what matters most about Matsumoto isn’t what he looks like. It’s his character. It’s the calm, measured voice he uses around Sho’s mother. It’s the way he’s opened his house to them, to her. It’s the flowers and the wine, the added touches Sho doubts his father had asked for.
He feels like he can trust Matsumoto Jun, at least in this. Even if they’ve only just met.
“Mom,” Sho says, “do you need any help with your night pills?”
She simply shakes her head. “No, I’ve already got them ready in my pill organizer. I’ve got the whole week set.”
“Good,” he says. Even if life is a little slower here along the Chiba coast, some things must be done properly. “See you in the morning.”
He’s brought a solid stack of books, has lined them up in order of interest on the nightstand beside the bed. The quiet is almost too much, so he turns on a small fan in the corner for some noise. He reads until well after midnight before heading downstairs to wash up.
He emerges a short time later, shutting off the light in the kitchenette. It’s in that moment that Sho sees that there’s light coming from under the other door, Matsumoto’s door. Another night owl, he thinks with a grin. He starts to walk away, but then he stops.
At dinner that night, there’d been plenty of talk. About Sho’s dad and his government position. About their family, about Sho’s life as a teacher. About Nagase’s motorcycles and Ohno’s fishing boat.
Sho only realizes now, hours later, that Matsumoto Jun hadn’t shared a thing about himself.
Part Two
Rating: NC-17
Characters/Pairings: Sakurai Sho/Matsumoto Jun
Summary: A month at a guest house along the Chiba coast. Beachy days, quiet nights. And an attraction Sho simply can’t shake.
Notes/Warnings: Story includes a character with depression; brief mention of suicide; mentions of cheating/infidelity; sex; adult language. Title comes from Summer Splash.
let's overcome things like the past
the glimmer of summer will brighten me up
arashi / summer splash
/ / / / /
He’s in the middle of a lesson when the door slides open, and Principal Miyazawa herself is standing there. To his surprise, the students don’t laugh or start to whisper. If Miyazawa has come in person, it’s serious indeed.
“Sakurai-sensei,” she says, face serious but unreadable. “A moment.”
He looks to Kota, who’s a member of the Student Council. She’ll keep the room from descending into anarchy. He tells them all to work on the exercises on pages 42 and 43. He tells Kota to keep them on task.
He follows Principal Miyazawa down the hall, away from the classroom and into a room that’s not being used. He’s ready for the worst.
“Your father just phoned the school. It’s your mother.”
/ / / / /
It’s not what he initially thought.
In the milliseconds, in the heartbeats after Principal Miyazawa said “it’s your mother,” Sho imagined the words to follow. She’s been hurt. Or she’s dying. Or she’s already passed away.
Instead Sakurai Yukie had started her day like almost any other. She’d left the house for her usual neighborhood errands. A few letters to drop off at the post office. Items to drop off at the dry cleaners. An appointment at the hair salon for a trim. For almost two years now, the routine has been good. The routine has been working.
But not today. His mother made it through all her scheduled errands save for the last one. She made it to the grocery store, had even managed to put the bananas and spinach in her basket - two of the items on the list she had diligently put together. As far as the store manager tells Sho when he arrives, Sakurai Yukie had stood in front of the tomatoes for a good six or seven minutes before setting her shopping basket down and sitting on the floor beside it, unmoving.
Sho’s mother has depression.
For many years, she was ashamed of it. A few times when Sho was still a boy, she had gone away from home for several weeks to stay with relatives in Karuizawa. It wasn’t until Sho was in his twenties, had already moved out of his parents’ house that he’d been told that she’d been in a hospital all those times, not with relatives.
Now that her children are grown, his mother has become more accepting of her illness. Sometimes it’s hard for her to do it, but she accepts that it’s no fault of her own. She has a doctor she trusts. She’s on medication that keeps her from slipping into the lowest lows, although sometimes adjustments are needed. Sho’s sister lives in Wakayama with her fiance, and his younger brother has just started working for a company in Osaka now that he’s finished school. Sho, the eldest, still lives in Tokyo and is the one who must be around to sense when the adjustments are required.
Sho’s father loves his mother, there’s no denying it, but her illness troubles him. He’s older, he’s stubborn. He thinks that the medicine should be able to cure it entirely. He doesn’t love her any less, but he doesn’t understand. So whenever Yukie’s condition shifts, it’s Sho who is called.
Sometimes Yukie is proactive. She makes an appointment and tells her doctor that she can feel herself going down again. That sometimes she doesn’t want to do anything. That she can’t be bothered to meet up with friends, that she can’t get herself to eat much.
But sometimes the symptoms come too quickly. Or sometimes she pretends they aren’t there, and she puts on a brave face for Sho’s father. It comes at a high cost to her. The illness starts to take charge. The illness that she fights so hard starts to weaken her resolve. The illness starts to convince her of things she’d never believe when she’s feeling better. That there’s no reason to get out of bed. In those dark, frightening times, the illness tries to convince Yukie that perhaps her children and her husband would prefer it if she went to bed and didn’t wake up.
Unfortunately, this time the symptoms came quickly. The supermarket staff know her, and to respect her privacy, they’ve escorted her into the manager’s office, have somehow gotten her to sit at a table with a cup of tea to await Sho’s arrival. His father has already called the doctor. But it’s Sho who will have to bring her in.
He’s seen her look far worse, so that at least is encouraging. She’s managed to dress in matching clothes, her hair is freshly trimmed from her salon visit, and her makeup is expertly applied. But the outer appearance is often a mask, hiding the torment inside. As the wife of a government official, Yukie has always wanted to look perfect. He can see the cracks in her facade, but that’s because he’s had years of practice. She holds her hands tightly in her lap so nobody can see them shake. There’s a slight dullness in her normally sharp, intelligent eyes. And when he greets her with a “good afternoon, Mom,” the first words out of her mouth are “I’m sorry.”
He sits beside her. She’s got her bag, and he asks her permission before slipping her planner out. The planner was Sho’s idea a few years back to help her stay focused and to help set routines. There’s been a lot of upheaval in Yukie’s life now that her children are grown up, especially now that both Maya and Sou have moved away. Yukie needs something she can control, and the planner helps.
He pages through it. It serves as a way to plan her days, to document her activities, to diligently note that she has taken her medication. Her record-keeping has been faltering for the last week. He tries to call at least once a week to check in, but she hadn’t said anything the other day. Sometimes the illness tricks her, makes her think she’s surfacing again. But the proof is in the planner. The medication area for the last four days is blank. She had a grocery list today, but tomatoes are written three times. Her other appointments and errands are listed, but only because she likely wrote them in a week or two earlier.
He sets the planner aside and takes a breath. She can’t look at him. She’s a proud woman, and the supermarket staff having borne witness to her at such a low point has left her almost silent. Seeing her like this never gets any easier, but that’s just the way the illness works. It’s cruel. And it’s unfair. But Sho is here now.
“Dad’s made an appointment for you. I’m parked just outside,” he explains calmly. “Do you want to come with me?”
Sometimes she says no, and he never forces her. He just stays over at the house for a day or two until she agrees to see the doctor. He makes sure she eats, drinks, takes her pills. She usually comes around because she likes Ninomiya-sensei. His mother’s doctor is a year younger than Sho is, but apparently his youth works in his favor.
Maya has told Sho that Yukie has a little crush on Ninomiya-sensei, but “don’t tell Dad!”
As if he ever would. Whatever keeps his mother going to her appointments.
“I’m not feeling well, Sho. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, Mom.”
“You had to leave work, right? You had to leave work for this. You and Maya and Sou must hate me so much. Papa must hate me.”
He shakes his head. This is not the first time he’s heard these words, and sadly it won’t be the last. These are the words that always hurt him the most. They’re the words that make him hate her illness, hate it for making words like that seem reasonable in her mind.
“We all love you, Mom, and we want you to feel better. If we go together, I’m sure Ninomiya-sensei will know how to help.”
It will still take a few weeks for Yukie to emerge from the worst of what she’s dealing with now. Any medication adjustments take time to start working. And sometimes it takes a few tries, a combination of one drug or another, until she can find a new normal. The timing, for once, works well enough with Sho’s schedule. The month-long summer break starts next week. He’ll be able to check in with his mother every day.
Yukie nods her agreement. The supermarket manager is a kind woman, and she encourages them to use an employee exit rather than having to walk through the store again. In a few minutes, they’re in the car, and he reaches over to rest a hand on her shoulder.
She has her bag in her lap, her eyes full of shameful tears that he knows she can’t control.
“Let’s go.”
/ / / / /
Sho stays in the waiting room, not-really-reading a magazine aimed at housewives while his mother and Ninomiya-sensei talk first. There are things she’ll say to her doctor that she’ll never say in front of him, and Sho’s fine with that. Anything that allows her to open up, feel safe and comfortable.
He sometimes wishes that his father would take on a bit more responsibility. When Sho was young, when he really didn’t seem to notice how horrible things were for his mother, it was because his father had worked hard to hide it. It was why he’d sent her off, sent her away. Now there’s no need to hide it, but still he keeps back.
A year ago, his father had been saying he was finally going to retire. He and Yukie were going to sell their house in Tokyo and move to Karuizawa. To live a quieter, calmer life away from the political world that had only made his mother’s life harder all those years as she did her best to raise her children and stifle her suffering for the sake of her husband’s reputation.
The retirement talk has evaporated lately, and Sho suspects that this might be the reason for Yukie’s troubles now. His father is gone from the house for many hours each day, still so devoted to his job, and Yukie is mostly alone aside from when the cleaning woman comes over or she has a visit with friends. Maya and Sou call her almost every day, but with their jobs, it’s not always possible. Sho has told his father time and again that Yukie needs order, stability. His mother needs steady expectations.
She’d really been looking forward to planning the move, looking at houses, all the nitty-gritty details that would require her full attention. With such a big move, there’d be no room for her illness to creep back in and take control. But without that to look forward to, Yukie’s calm is threatened.
So it doesn’t actually surprise Sho when he’s called in to Ninomiya-sensei’s office, and the doctor confirms what he’s been thinking. Sho shakes his hand. Ninomiya is slim and pale and has confessed to Sho on a few occasions that if it wasn’t for his work, he’d probably be cooped up in his apartment playing games or watching TV all day.
Sho thinks Ninomiya likes to chat about his own faults and quirks to put his patients at ease. In Yukie’s case, it makes her dote on him all the more. She has advised her doctor on numerous occasions that he ought to consider vitamin supplements if he’s not getting the sunlight he needs.
Ninomiya is discreet, so he says little in the way of specifics about Yukie’s condition. He merely acknowledges that it’s time to try a new tactic with her medications. He has nothing but praise for Yukie for coming in to see him as soon as she felt able, and even though it was Sho’s dad who made the appointment, Yukie for the first time today smiles at the man’s kind words.
But aside from the medication musical chairs, Ninomiya-sensei’s next prescription is unexpected.
“Your mother needs to get out of Tokyo,” he says bluntly.
“Forever?!”
Even Yukie can’t help but chuckle at Sho’s outburst. Sitting in Ninomiya-sensei’s comfortable office, she seems in better spirits than she’d been in at the supermarket.
“No, no,” Ninomiya says, laughing with her. “Vacation.”
Vacation? Sho’s not quite sure he understands. There’s a lot of variables to account for with a vacation, especially a sudden one. Where to go, where to stay, what to eat, what to pack, what to do…
“A well-structured vacation,” Ninomiya continues, almost like he’s reading Sho’s mind.
The doctor explains it all in rather logical, easy terms. It seems as though he and Sho’s mother have already talked it all out, considered the pros and cons. A friend of his owns a guest house in Onjuku, a fishing town on Chiba’s Pacific coast. A few hours in the car or a two-hour train ride from Tokyo Station. Onjuku Beach is popular enough with young people, but not overwhelming. A change of pace from Tokyo at least. Ninomiya thinks Yukie should spend August at the guest house, taking her new medication regimen and living life a little slower for a few weeks.
Before Sho can interject, Ninomiya notes that summer break starts next week, which makes him an ideal companion for Yukie. He could stay during the week. And then Sho’s father could visit on a weekend, giving Sho a break. And Maya and Sou or other relatives could come up for a weekend too. The whole family could have a beach party. But Sho knows that Yukie couldn’t be left there by herself.
Wouldn’t it be just as calm and relaxing for Sho as well, Ninomiya implies, after his long weeks of putting up with temperamental teenage students? A month by the shore, no obligations, just sun and sand and sea?
Sho’s uncomfortably reminded of childhood, of weeks with his mother gone from the house without more than one phone call home a week. But this time instead of a hospital, she’d be in a new environment. And Sho would be watching her.
“My friend’s a good guy,” Ninomiya continues, watching Sho’s reaction carefully. “If you have to go back and forth, he’s always around.”
So not only is Ninomiya-sensei drumming up business for his friend’s guest house, he’s doing his utmost to convince Sho that this might not be the first time he’s sent a patient there for a little rest and relaxation.
“I don’t want to trouble you, Sho,” his mother says, although he can tell that’s she excited at the prospect.
Normally new places and new experiences can alarm her. Having to take a different train or a taxi if there’s a delay. A familiar item disappearing from a store shelf. Having dinner with Sho’s father and one of his colleagues she hasn’t met before. But it seems that Ninomiya-sensei has really sold her on this beach adventure.
“Can you tell me a little bit more about your friend? The arrangements there?”
Ninomiya is very happy to do so. He goes onto his computer and finds some pictures. The place doesn’t have a website or TripAdvisor reviews. It’s apparently all by word of mouth. “He only does this part of the year,” he explains, and Sho presumes he’s talking about the friend.
It’s further down the beach from the resort hotels and other small inns that cater more to surfers and sunbathers, an older and quieter part of town. To one side is a bait shop for the local fishermen, on the other a small izakaya. The house is a block from the beach, but Ninomiya shows them a picture from the balcony on the second floor. It has an unobstructed view of the water, and the sunrise over the ocean is admittedly a beautiful sight.
There’s about five or six guest rooms on the second floor. En-suite bathrooms for couples or ladies traveling alone, a toilet and bathroom for men on the ground floor. The rooms are basic but very clean, Western-style with beds rather than futons, a desk and chair, and a chest of drawers. There’s a guest kitchenette on the ground floor, but Ninomiya’s friend “usually throws something together for dinner” that everyone can share.
There’s a very laidback, “help yourself” feel to the place, not something Sho’s used to. He’s more of a dine in the hotel restaurant or order room service type when it comes to vacationing, but this is a little too small for those sorts of amenities.
“Your friend won’t mind us hanging around for a whole month?” Sho asks.
Ninomiya grins. “I think J is more used to long-term stays than random overnight guests. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
“J?” Sho asks, curious.
“Actually, his name is Matsumoto Jun. J is what I called him in high school because everyone else called him Junnosuke. At his request. Or should I say, he demanded it. Which was absurd.”
Yukie laughs at that. “He forced the other students to call him Junnosuke? He sounds like some princely character.”
“Ah, he still is to some extent, but don’t let that deter you, Yukie-san. He’s come a long way from his infamous Junnosuke days. He’s an incredibly nice person. And he makes a really good hamburger steak.”
Sho had been planning to spend at least part of his summer break doing a little sightseeing, but fortunately, he hasn’t booked anything. He’s free enough to devote most of his time to ensuring his mother has a fulfilling vacation. He can have a neighbor check for mail every other day and return on weekends.
His father will probably use Yukie’s absence as an excuse to work longer hours, to order takeout. But his mother doesn’t seem the least bit concerned about this. A month without “very important” dinners with some of Dad’s colleagues and juniors. A month with only a small guest room to worry about rather than their too large, too empty house. Sho’s father’s family has always preferred the mountains for free time - skiing and hiking and soaring pines. But he knows that his mother loves the water more.
While Yukie takes her bag and goes to chat excitedly with Ninomiya-sensei’s receptionist about her vacation, Sho stays behind with the doctor airing all of his concerns.
What if she keeps going down? Call my office. Or call me directly, here’s my cell phone number.
What if she has a bad reaction to the new medication? Call my office. Or call me directly.
Will your friend “J” know about her condition? Will he be understanding?
“Sho-san,” Ninomiya assures him with a friendly hand to his shoulder, “you can call him yourself if you’re worried about it.”
He leaves the doctor’s office with Matsumoto Jun’s cell phone number and only one warning:
“Whatever you do, don’t call him before he’s had his morning coffee.”
/ / / / /
The last week of school before the break goes by in a flash. He’ll have a few faculty meetings to come back for, nothing unreasonable. His neighbor is happy to keep her eye on his apartment. It helps that she’s the floor busybody and will probably relish the opportunity to make sure nobody causes trouble in Sho’s absence.
As for Yukie, Sho’s father barely hides his palpable relief when he learns of the beach vacation. Knowing that Sho will be with her as much as possible, he doesn’t seem all that concerned about his wife being so far from home for so long. He has already said he might visit, but Sho doesn’t have high hopes for that. He doubts Yukie does either. But Maya and her fiance and Sou and maybe even his girlfriend (brand new, met at work, very pretty, Yukie brags) will likely each come for a weekend.
Yukie knows not to ask if Sho plans to bring anyone for visits to the guest house.
It’s been a long year since everything happened, everything with Kohei, and he hasn’t yet felt much need to start looking. Instead he can focus on his mom, on her health. He can focus on lesson planning, on exercising, on the stack of books he’s been meaning to read all year but hasn’t yet.
Sho and his mother are driving out first thing Sunday morning. Ninomiya has already been back and forth with Sho over email confirming their rooms will be ready, providing directions, and telling him to call Matsumoto with any questions. Sho’s father is the one paying for their stay despite Sho’s protests, so he and Yukie have already discussed that with their host.
Sho hasn’t interacted with him yet at all. With school wrapping up, he’s barely had a moment to spare regarding his accommodations or his host for that matter. All Sho really knows is that he’s Ninomiya’s high school friend who liked to be called Junnosuke…but that was nearly twenty years ago.
It’s actually Matsumoto who calls him first, just after 8:00 PM on the Wednesday before the trip.
He has a calm, slightly nasal voice. “Hello, may I please speak with Sakurai Sho-sama? This is Matsumoto Jun at the Hidamari Guest House.”
“This is Sakurai Sho, hello.”
He’s very polite. “Please forgive my interruption. Is this a good time to talk?”
“Yes, of course.”
Matsumoto is calling to confirm the details of their stay. Even though his mother already told him everything, Sho listens to his host respectfully. The details are exactly as his mother relayed them. Yukie will be staying in the room with the best view (his father had probably insisted upon it). Sho will be just across the hall...
“If that’s still alright with you, Sakurai-sama,” Matsumoto says. “I’m sorry that I don’t have another ocean view, but if you wish to change to a different room at any time…”
“No, no, there’s no need,” he interrupts. The view doesn’t matter when he’ll be at the beach every day anyhow. “I’m happy to stay in one place. I don’t wish to trouble you.”
“You’re my guest, Sakurai-sama,” comes the reply, and Sho tries not to smile at the slightly chiding tone despite the extreme politeness of Matsumoto’s words themselves. “Your happiness during your stay here is of utmost importance to me.”
Sho doesn’t know how to respond to that, so he lets Matsumoto carry on with the overview. Sho’s room does not have a private bathroom, but he will only have one other guest to share facilities with for at least the first week of his stay. Toiletries and towels provided. House curfew is midnight, but the door will be unlocked throughout the day for guests to come and go. There is a small parking lot next to the izakaya where Sho can leave his car.
“Ninomiya-sensei said you sometimes make dinner?”
“Sometimes. It’s not a guarantee. I usually decide in the morning if I feel like it.”
If I feel like it. Sho can’t help but be a little troubled by that.
“That’s…hmm…”
“But of course, Ninomiya-kun told you about the kitchenette?” Matsumoto asks. “There’s a refrigerator and a small stove. A rice cooker and an electric kettle. I have a toaster oven in my kitchen if you need to borrow it.”
“Matsumoto-san…”
“As far as local dining options go, the izakaya next door usually has a seafood lunch and the usual snack fare in the evening. I’d also recommend Triple Kitchen…it’s a little further down the beach, but if you’re looking for fresh seafood or anything grilled…”
“Matsumoto-san, I’m sorry to interrupt you.” When Matsumoto says nothing, he continues. “It’s just that my mother is used to a routine. With everyday things and with meals. It’s a vacation for her, so I can’t imagine she’ll want to cook every meal herself, but the impulsive nature of your dinners might…”
He receives a bemused chuckle in return. “Sakurai-sama,” Matsumoto says warmly, “I have already stocked the kitchenette for your mother as she directed me. When you arrive, you need only open the refrigerator or cupboard to find items labeled with your surname. She was very clear that she intends to make breakfast and lunch as much as she can and will make her dinner plans in the morning with me.”
“Oh. She didn’t tell me…”
“She also told me that you don’t like to cook, and that if she’s not here to do something about it, you’re liable to eat clams at the beach all day until you turn into a clam yourself.”
Sho pauses, embarrassed. Matsumoto must think he’s a spoiled brat. A thirty-five year old man taking a vacation with his mother and still expecting dear mother to cook all his meals for him.
“My mother said that to you?”
“Ah, to be honest, I can’t remember if she said you would be turning into a clam or a scallop. Forgive me.”
Sho can see why Ninomiya refused to call him “Junnosuke” and insisted on his own nickname just to be contrary. His host sounds respectful and polite even as he teases.
He bites the inside of his cheek, silently fuming. How close his mother and this Matsumoto Jun have already gotten, it seems! Then again, Sakurai Yukie in her better moods can be very direct and unflinching in her requirements. It comes with having three stubborn children, Sho suspects, all stubborn in their own unique ways.
“Sakurai-sama.” Matsumoto’s voice is kinder then. “You don’t have to worry. Your mother will be very comfortable here. I promise.”
“Ninomiya-sensei told you…”
“Whatever she needs, I’m here to help,” Matsumoto says quietly. “Please keep me in your favor.”
He can’t help breathing a sigh of relief. It seems Matsumoto knows enough about Yukie’s condition already.
Matsumoto is less teasing as the call continues, telling Sho what else he needs to know. The nearest pharmacy likely to have his mother’s medications in stock. The nearest gas station. The nearest hospital. The nearest surf shop. Matsumoto has extra beach towels, beach chairs, and a few umbrellas available for no extra charge. Sho even learns the Wi-fi password. It’s ‘vuitton.’
“As in Louis,” Matsumoto says, offering no other explanation.
If Matsumoto is not in the house, he is probably at the beach himself, but he has already promised Sho’s mother to tell her his plans for the day.
“I hope it’s not too much trouble.”
“I’m not the type that lives life with a set plan,” Matsumoto admits, “but if it’s for a guest’s sake, I can tell her where I’ll be down to the minute if that’s what she needs from me.”
Sho doesn’t get the sense that he’s exaggerating or lying. He’s just that devoted to the happiness of his guests. It’s reassuring. And it reminds him of what Ninomiya-sensei had said in his office. He’s an incredibly nice person.
Matsumoto tells Sho that he’ll be ready for them Sunday morning and to have a safe trip. Sho won’t pass judgment on the Hidamari Guest House itself until they arrive, but at least now he feels reassured that his mother will be in good hands.
/ / / / /
Sunday starts off a little rough. His mother is not yet out of bed when he rings the doorbell and his father lets him in. Sho sits in the kitchen, sipping coffee with him. They talk about things that aren’t Yukie’s condition. Mostly a bill that’s working its way through the Diet that his father expects will pass, resulting in a bit of a bump to his department’s operating budget. Not the most riveting of chats, but his father’s clearly on edge and leaning on topics that are comfortable to him.
His mother emerges an hour later in her bathrobe. She sees Sho at the table and her eyes water, but she doesn’t cry.
“We can go another day,” he says, but she shakes her head.
“I don’t want to inconvenience Matsumoto-san,” she says with more courage than Sho figures he’ll ever have. “Let me get ready.”
He calls Matsumoto to apologize, but he reaches the man’s voicemail.
“Hello, you’ve reached Matsumoto Jun and the Hidamari Guest House. If this is Sakurai Yukie-sama, I am currently out on the water surfing with a friend and will return after 2:00 PM. Please feel free to go inside and relax if you arrive before I come back.”
Sho can’t help but smile at the very detailed and up-to-date message before leaving one of his own, saying it’ll still be another two and a half, three hours before they arrive.
It’s almost an hour before they’re even on the road. His mother had packed most of her things days earlier, but she was unable to leave until she had unzipped each bag to double-check and then triple-check all the contents. She still seemed a little worried once they were locked in the trunk of the car, but she was set on going no matter what. His father actually hugged her, kissed her in front of him. He gripped Sho’s arm tight and whispered only “thank you” before bidding them farewell and slowly walking back to the house.
The traffic is bad, and his mother is using the car stereo to listen to an audiobook on money saving habits. As the car inches along toward the Aqua Line tunnel, Sho tries to ignore the common sense chattering that’s masquerading as new and innovative advice. His parents don’t really need to worry about their finances, especially since his father is still working. But he supposes it gives his mother something to focus on, that she can praise herself if she’s already doing what the book suggests.
He waits until they’re across the bay and it’s after 2:00 before he calls Matsumoto again.
“Sakurai-sama, I got your message.”
“We’re about forty-five minutes out.”
“Perfect. That gives me time to run one more errand before you get here.”
Sho knows that they were expected hours ago, but Matsumoto doesn’t sound upset. His mother turns down the stereo, holding out her hand.
“Ah,” Sho says with a smile, “please hold for my mother.”
“Of course.”
His mother takes the phone, and though her voice isn’t as strong as he knows it can be, she sounds a bit lighter than she did back at the house. “Matsumoto-san, about the fish…it’s there? Oh, that’s wonderful…”
Sho focuses on the road as it winds gently through the Chiba mountains. Her voice grows warmer, happier the longer she talks. His mother and Matsumoto talk for a few more minutes before she hangs up.
“He says ‘see you soon,’” his mother informs him, and he nods.
They finally make it to town, and Sho turns off the air conditioning in the car, rolling down the windows. The sea air hits with full force in an instant as they make their way past the train station, past surf shops, and small restaurants. They drive in circles a bit deliberately for a while so they can locate convenience stores, the pharmacy. They drive past some of the larger resorts, and they can see the ocean between the buildings, colorful umbrellas and happy visitors in the sand.
At last they pull onto a quieter street. It’s closer to a small marina full of fishing boats than to the resort areas, so Sho assumes he’ll be spending the next month smelling salt and fish in equal measure. The house is painted a light gray with a darker gray roof, and there are a few flower pots in front bringing in some color. As Matsumoto said, there’s a parking lot beside the izakaya next door, and he pulls into one of several empty spots. Most locals walk over, his host had explained, so the lot never fills up.
They get out of the car, and it feels good to stretch a little. They’re a block away, but Sho can hear the soothing sounds of the seashore, seagulls flying overhead. There’s a small outdoor patio with tables and chairs at the izakaya, and two middle-aged men are having a couple beers. They nod in a friendly manner as Sho gets the first load of luggage out of the car. It seems as though his mother has packed for a year, not a month, but he’s not going to say anything.
They’re almost to the door of the Hidamari Guest House when the green front door opens, revealing their host.
Sho nearly drops one of the bags, recovering quickly. A man steps out of the house, hurrying forward down the few steps to take the bag that his mother is holding. He’s in a pair of brown sandals, white and blue striped shorts that hit just below the knee, and a tight white t-shirt without any sleeves. Sho can’t ignore the guy’s sun-kissed skin, his muscular arms. He’s got a baseball cap on backwards, some thick silver necklace that disappears under his shirt, and a rather stylish pair of sunglasses.
“Sakurai-sama and Sakurai-sama, I presume?” and his voice matches the one on the phone, but Sho now realizes that this might not be the most relaxing vacation ever.
Because standing in front of him now, hoisting his mother’s suitcase with ease and smiling a gorgeous Hollywood smile, is one of the most attractive people Sho’s ever seen in his entire life.
His mother speaks first. “And that will be the last Sakurai-sama we hear on this trip. Please call me Yukie.”
Matsumoto keeps smiling. He looks like he just came from the beach, and Sho can see soft strands of damp black hair poking out from under his hat. “Let’s meet in the middle with ‘Yukie-san’ for now, okay?”
“Okay,” his mother agrees before turning. “This is my son Sho.”
He steps forward dutifully, inclining his head instead of going for a handshake since the both of them now have heavy burdens. And because Sho worries that he might not be able to let go. “Nice to meet you in person,” he manages to say, trying to ignore the guy’s arms, his broad shoulders and chest, his narrower waist.
It’s been a long year.
Now that killer smile is aimed directly at him. “Nice to meet you too, Sho-san. Won’t you please follow me inside?”
It’s been a long year for Sho, and now it’s going to be an even longer month.
/ / / / /
They bring all the bags in, and then they put on the guest slippers Matsumoto has for them. The house is cool, airy since Matsumoto keeps as many windows and screen doors open to catch the breezes coming off the water.
He leads them upstairs, refusing to let Sho’s mother carry anything more than her own purse. Her room is clean and tidy, and Sho’s heart clenches a little when he sees the cheerful bouquet of fresh, summery flowers settled on top of the chest of drawers. Matsumoto doesn’t even remark on it, setting Yukie’s bags down on the bed.
He has her follow him into the bathroom, and he shows her how her shower and tub work. Sho looks out the window, seeing out to the beach in the distance. The second-floor balcony starts just beside her room, jutting out a few feet from the building. It’s covered and screened-in to keep bugs out, and Sho can spy a few chairs and lanterns. It might be a nice place to unwind after a long day.
“I’ll leave you to get settled in here. No need to be formal, you can just shout downstairs if you need me. Let me bring Sho-san to his room.”
Sho still can’t manage to find many words, dutifully following Matsumoto and his striped shorts across the hall. He hands over a key and has another of his own to unlock the door. “And here we are.” He took off his sunglasses at some point, so Sho is hit with the full force of sharp, intense brown eyes. Matsumoto has large features - large eyes, thicker brows, perfect cheekbones. Everything somehow forms a cohesive, attractive whole.
The room is exactly like one Ninomiya-sensei showed him that day in the office. Double bed with a light blue comforter and plenty of pillows. Desk. Chair. Air conditioning unit. Chest of drawers. There aren’t any flowers in here, but there’s some framed photos on the wall. Black and white shots of the beach, the ocean. It’s a calm, masculine room.
Sho sets down his things. “Nice room.”
“There’s a linen closet in the hall out here,” Matsumoto says, careful to move around him and back out of the room. Sho follows. “I’ll change your sheets every day if you like, but there’s extras in here if you want to do it yourself. Towels are in here too.”
They move down the hall, and Matsumoto shows him the balcony before they head downstairs. The entry hall and stairwell, a large living room beside them with comfortable-looking sofas, a few armchairs. There’s a TV on a stand and a bookshelf almost overflowing. Matsumoto leads him past that to the kitchenette exactly as he described, with a table and four chairs for guests. Beyond that is the toilet room and the laundry room with a machine they can freely use “from after I wake up until curfew.” Matsumoto doesn’t feel the need to specify when he wakes up.
Finally, Sho is shown to the bathroom. He can already see another towel hanging on one of the racks, a toothbrush and toothpaste near the sink along with a stick of deodorant. “Nagase-san is staying in the room next to you until Friday. He’s from Yokohama, comes out here to surf. He’s a nice guy. Huge guy.”
“Huge guy?” Sho asks.
Matsumoto holds up his hand over his head. “Tall.” Matsumoto himself is of fairly average height, maybe a little taller than Sho is.
There’s a back door in the kitchenette, and he can walk straight to the beach from there if he wants. There’s one more door they haven’t gone through.
“And you’re just through there?”
Matsumoto nods. “Yep. So if I don’t come when you call, you can just knock.” He doesn’t bother to say so, but it’s implied that Matsumoto’s living space is off limits to the guests.
“Thanks,” Sho says. “I’ll go check in with Mom and make sure she settles in okay.”
Matsumoto smiles again, but thankfully not as big and bright as before. This one’s a little easier for Sho to bear. “Sounds like you’ve had a long day already. But if you do decide to go out, let me know and I can bring you around the neighborhood. Enjoy yourself. Remember. This is your vacation, too.”
He shakes his head, laughing a little. Easy enough for him to say.
Sho leaves the kitchenette behind, taking the stairs back up. He finds his mother happily unpacking. Already she has her pill bottles neatly set up on the chest of drawers beside the vase of flowers. She’s on a new dosage, and Sho will be keeping a close eye on her progress.
“Need anything, Mom?”
“I think I might have a nap,” she says, but there’s none of the sadness in her voice. She sounds tired because she’s simply tired, not tired with the stress of being away from home.
He leaves her to it, closing her door and leaving her to her privacy. In his own room, he closes the door, rubbing his hands over his face in slight irritation. Their host is too handsome, Sho declares to himself. His skin was a little pockmarked from what was probably a rough patch of puberty, but Sho couldn’t find another flaw on him.
Sho changes out of his clothes and into a new t-shirt and shorts, sighing at how pale he is. He’s barely gone out, hasn’t enjoyed the summer months at all yet. If he’s not careful with sunscreen, he’ll likely bake and burn up right away. Hopefully he can return to school in September with a healthy bit of color. Hopefully he’ll get a good amount of rest and can return without his trademark Sakurai-sensei eye bags.
He calls his Dad, letting him know they arrived safely, sending the same message in a text to his sister and brother. Once he’s unpacked a bit, he sits down on the bed, finding the mattress to be just as comfortable as the one he has at home, although just the slightest bit narrower. He lies back and closes his eyes. Matsumoto had opened the window instead of putting on the A/C, and Sho does his best to relax. His room looks out to the street, so he’s soothed with the noise of the occasional passing car, buzzing insects in the distance, the sounds of boats in the marina nearby.
Sho wishes more than anything that his mother was well, that a trip like this wouldn’t be necessary in the first place. But there’s nothing he can do to change that, so he’ll do his best to keep her happy here. And if he can manage that on most days, perhaps he’ll even have a little time to take Matsumoto Jun’s advice.
To remember that this is his vacation, too.
/ / / / /
He sleeps longer than expected, waking only when he can hear noisy laughter downstairs. He heads downstairs only to find strangers in the kitchenette chatting with his mother. He presumes one of them is the other guest, Nagase-san, because the man standing beside her has to be more than six feet tall.
The other stranger is a small man, sitting at the kitchenette table sipping a beer. He has a tired look to him, and both he and Nagase-san have tanned skin that speaks of a life mostly lived outdoors.
“Hello,” Sho says, not wanting to lurk in the doorway much more.
His mother doesn’t even look up from the frying pan. The kitchenette smells amazing. Yukie is frying up some fish fillets, and the pan on the other burner is full of colorful chopped veggies.
Nagase comes around to greet him. Though he might be a little intimidating with his mustache and strong features, he has a bright and friendly smile. He holds out a hand. “Nagase Tomoya. I’m your neighbor.”
“Sakurai Sho,” he replies, doing his best to handle Nagase’s firm handshake.
“That rude fellow over there who can’t be bothered to get up is Ohno-san.” Nagase looks over, wagging a finger at the other man. “He’s just here for the food.”
“I caught those,” Ohno replies in a softer, mumblier voice, jutting out his chin in a stubborn, but almost endearing fashion.
Sho walks over to the table himself, offering his hand. Ohno’s hands are rough, callused, and his handshake is equally strong. “Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you. Ohno Satoshi.”
“Dinner in about five minutes, Sho-chan,” his mother announces, and he reddens when the other two men grin at him in amusement.
Their host arrives, coming through the door to his living space with a bottle of wine and a corkscrew. Matsumoto smiles at the sight of him. “Ah, Sleeping Beauty’s awake.”
“Oi,” Sho protests, rubbing at the back of his neck in further embarrassment when everyone laughs at his expense.
While Nagase has a seat beside Ohno, Matsumoto stands at the stove, taking charge of the veggie pan. Yukie seems pleased with the help. Sho, feeling a little out of place, can only sit down at the table with the other two men and await the meal. An extra chair has been brought in since apparently all five of them will be dining together.
While his mother and Matsumoto put the finishing touches on dinner, a perfect partnership, Sho learns a little more about the men at the table. As Matsumoto said, Nagase-san is a surfer from Yokohama. When he’s not at the beach, he builds custom motorcycles with a friend. They own a shop together. Ohno-san is an Onjuku local, one of Matsumoto’s friends. He works on one of the boats in the marina.
“If I know that Matsujun’s cooking, I always find a reason to stop by.”
Matsujun. Junnosuke. J. People have all sorts of names for the owner of the Hidamari Guest House.
“You better thank Yukie-san, not me,” Matsumoto chides his friend. “To be fair, Sho-san, Ohno-kun isn’t a complete freeloader. He did catch our dinner.”
Ohno beams proudly.
Matsumoto refuses to let Yukie serve, instead having her sit at the head of the table. Sho hasn’t seen his mother look so calm or content in a while. He suspects that being able to cook for a table full of hungry men has lifted her spirits, given her a straightforward task to accomplish. With all her kids moved out, Sho knows that she doesn’t get much enjoyment or satisfaction out of cooking anymore. Matsumoto opens the wine, a white that Sho knows is one of Yukie’s favorites. He pours for himself and Yukie before looking over at Sho.
“Are you a beer guy or a wine guy, Sleeping Beauty?”
The others laugh again, and Sho knows he’s red. The last thing he needs is their good-looking host teasing him for the next month. “Beer,” he says defiantly, receiving an amused quirk of Matsumoto’s eyebrow. Matsumoto sets the wine bottle down, grabs a beer from the refrigerator and pours it into a glass for him.
Their fingers brush when Matsumoto hands it over, and Sho does his best not to spill it. He doesn’t miss the soft smile on his mother’s face.
Matsumoto puts rice, veggies, and fish on every plate, serving everyone before himself. He has a seat beside Sho, a strong, warm presence at his side. They all raise and clink glasses before digging in. Sho knows how good his mother’s fried fish can be, and he isn’t surprised at the reaction. Yukie seems happy when the compliments come rolling in. It’s a perfect summer meal, the perfect start to the trip.
His mother develops a fondness almost immediately for Ohno-san, asking him question after question about fishing, about the local area. Though Ohno is a little soft-spoken, his beer helps him to chat more than it seems he’s used to. In exchange, Yukie talks about their family but makes no mention of her illness, merely stating that her husband works in government, and she’s taking a break from all the politics for a while.
“And what do you do, Sho-san?” Nagase asks. “Are you a politician too?”
He feels Matsumoto’s eyes on him as he sips wine just to his side.
“Nothing so extraordinary,” Sho says. “I’m a junior high school teacher. Social studies.”
Ohno and Nagase groan, looking at each other. They commiserate over their mutual dislike for their long-gone school days. “Social studies, man. It wasn’t my worst class,” Nagase admits, offering Sho a teasing smile, “but it was so boring!”
“It’s not boring!” he protests.
“Be nice,” Matsumoto scolds them. “Unless Sho-san is assigning us homework or giving us quizzes, we have no reason to disparage his job. Teachers work hard, you know.”
He turns to Matsumoto with a shy smile, holding up his beer glass in gratitude. “Thank you very much.”
“Teacher’s pet,” he hears Nagase grumble under his breath, and Ohno nearly chokes on a bite of dinner.
“Better than the class clowns,” Yukie says, rather amused by the table’s childishness.
Discussion thankfully drifts away from Sho’s job, and to their plans for the week. Nagase intends to get out on the water to surf every day he’s able, although there’s rain in the forecast a few days from now, the remnants of a typhoon. Ohno will be on the water rain or shine, setting out from the Onjuku marina in the dark of night and not returning until the dawn.
Matsumoto tells Sho and his mother about their options. The beach. Further down the beach. And still further down the beach. Walking, relaxing, swimming, surfing. Or people watching. It’s not the most happening town, but there are a few shrines within walking distance if they have any interest in taking a short break from getting sand between their toes. If they get rained out, there’s books and TV in the house. Since Sho has a car, Matsumoto says they could drive down to nearby Katsuura for the morning market as well. Sho decides to let his mother’s interests guide them, at least for the first few days.
Dinner wraps up, and Ohno takes his leave first. He lives a few blocks away and will be sleeping a few hours before getting up and heading for the marina. Yukie tells him to come back again soon, that she’ll be happy to cook for him anytime.
“And remember,” Matsumoto interrupts, “Yukie-san’s not gonna be here forever. Don’t expect this special service to continue once she goes back home.”
Ohno’s lip curls in feigned irritation before he thanks Yukie profusely for including him in the meal. Matsumoto gets up, walks him to the door. Nagase clears the table, and Sho gets up as well, telling his mother to leave the cleaning to them. She seems a little embarrassed, but otherwise pleased.
She heads for the living room, and soon the sound of the kitchenette sink is joined by the sounds of the TV on the other side of the wall. Nagase scrubs, Sho dries, and together they work out a pretty decent system.
“You surf, Sho-san?”
“Not much. Most times I’ve been out with friends I’ve fallen off. My balance is awful.”
Nagase laughs, handing him another plate to dry. “Come out with me sometime this week, I’ll show you everything you need to know. Surfing Sensei, that’s what they’ll be calling you when you get back.”
He nods in agreement, deciding not to hold the big man’s dislike of social studies against him. “I’d like that, thanks.”
Nagase heads upstairs for the night as Sho wraps up the leftovers in some storage containers he finds in the cupboard. When he shuts off the light and heads for the living room, he finds his mother and Matsumoto deep in conversation. He stands in the doorway, watching his mother chat amiably with him. She usually doesn’t talk so openly with strangers. But Matsumoto is a diligent listener, sitting sideways on the sofa, resting an elbow against the back of it. He seems to have put her at ease, even though they’ve only known each other a handful of hours (aside from their phone calls).
Sho initially thought that this trip would push her further into her shell. It was a lot to take in. Unfamiliar town, unfamiliar house. An unfamiliar host. But there’s a softness, a gentleness to the Hidamari Guest House despite its simplicity. Maybe it’s the breeze keeping the house cool and comfortable. Maybe it’s the humble furniture, the cozy chairs and sturdy beds.
He looks at the soft smile Matsumoto gives Yukie, the way he doesn’t crowd her or interrupt her.
Maybe it’s the host.
“I’ll be up in my room, catching up on some reading,” he announces, seeing the pair of them turn to look at him.
“Happy reading,” she says, offering him a little wave.
“Let me know if you need anything,” he replies, wondering if he should say the rest of what he needs to say in front of Matsumoto Jun.
He decides that he can. Sho’s initial distress over their attractive host’s…attractiveness hasn’t entirely gone away yet, but he tells himself that what matters most about Matsumoto isn’t what he looks like. It’s his character. It’s the calm, measured voice he uses around Sho’s mother. It’s the way he’s opened his house to them, to her. It’s the flowers and the wine, the added touches Sho doubts his father had asked for.
He feels like he can trust Matsumoto Jun, at least in this. Even if they’ve only just met.
“Mom,” Sho says, “do you need any help with your night pills?”
She simply shakes her head. “No, I’ve already got them ready in my pill organizer. I’ve got the whole week set.”
“Good,” he says. Even if life is a little slower here along the Chiba coast, some things must be done properly. “See you in the morning.”
He’s brought a solid stack of books, has lined them up in order of interest on the nightstand beside the bed. The quiet is almost too much, so he turns on a small fan in the corner for some noise. He reads until well after midnight before heading downstairs to wash up.
He emerges a short time later, shutting off the light in the kitchenette. It’s in that moment that Sho sees that there’s light coming from under the other door, Matsumoto’s door. Another night owl, he thinks with a grin. He starts to walk away, but then he stops.
At dinner that night, there’d been plenty of talk. About Sho’s dad and his government position. About their family, about Sho’s life as a teacher. About Nagase’s motorcycles and Ohno’s fishing boat.
Sho only realizes now, hours later, that Matsumoto Jun hadn’t shared a thing about himself.
Part Two
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no subject
Date: 2017-10-04 01:42 pm (UTC)I'm taking my epic sweet time to read this and thought I'd jot down some random comments PER PART I READ (because I am annoying af :P)
I like this premise and I really like how detailed you were with the path towards Hidamari Guest House. I live in Chiba and have personally driven on the Aqua line to get to places... so I got a little excited.. when I saw that little detail written.. *squee*
Also, Social studies JHS teacher Sho... bahahahahahaha <3
And sexy Guest House Host J.
Loving it. .. *goes and reads more*
no subject
Date: 2017-10-04 10:11 pm (UTC)I'm glad the Chiba stuff seemed accurate enough since I'm mostly going off Google Maps and Wikipedia to help me out! I'll never be 100% accurate but I try :)
I hope you continue to enjoy :) :)