Synopsis
- The story is set on a small island in the Seto Inland Sea.
Akimi, a high school student, lives a quiet life, constantly at the mercy of her father’s infidelity.
Kai, a transfer student, grew up at the mercy of her free-spirited mother and feels lonely. - The two share a common loneliness, and as they live on the island, they become deeply attracted to each other.
They promise to live together in Tokyo, but reality is harsh, and misunderstandings arise. - Kai becomes a successful writer in Tokyo, but the distance between them grows ever wider.
Akimi remains on the island, grappling with caregiving and family issues while searching for her own path in life. - The story explores the meaning of love and what it means to share a life, leading to the moment when the two’s destinies intersect.
Review
■Women’s Ways of Life
A story featuring many women.
Akimi is more attracted to the lifestyle of her father’s lover, Touko, than to her mother’s, which is only natural considering the weakness of her mother’s lifestyle.
There are some things money can’t buy.
However, money can also give you freedom. For example, you don’t have to depend on someone, you don’t have to do what someone tells you to do.
These words are striking throughout the story.
Akimi’s unemployed mother’s lifestyle fell apart the moment her father left for Touko. With her husband gone, her mother likely realized how dependent she had been on him. The story doesn’t go into detail about why Akimi’s father ended up having an affair, but when you think about it, there must have been a very plausible reason for Touko’s independent lifestyle. This is clear from the fact that Touko only apologizes to Akimi.
Kai’s mother is also weak. She is a weak woman in a different way than Akimi’s mother.
As both having weak mothers, Akimi and Kai’s painful yet resilient lives stand out.
The story also makes you feel the loneliness of living alone. Akimii’s life in the countryside and her growing loneliness as she ages will resonate with many people living in the modern world. At the same time, it’s satisfying to read about her hard work, diligently living each day and achieving her dreams, despite the difficulties.
However, I’m also drawn to her determined lifestyle, as she chooses to live with Kai again, even if it means giving up the happiness she had achieved.
Akimii is still in her early thirties. I’m starting to feel like I want to know more about Akimii’s future.
