But back in the present, Kinuyo was no longer there...

His face was at peace as he spoke to her.

“I’m able to open my own studio now. I’m going independent as a potter.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I’m not lying.”

“How wonderful.”

Tears began spilling from Kinuyo’s eyes.

“Hey, that’s not something to cry about,” he said, handing her a paper napkin.

“It’s just...” No more words came from her.

While looking at Kinuyo’s teary face, Yukio calmly pulled out something from inside his jacket.

“So, anyway, here,” he said, placing it before her. It was the passbook and stamp that she had given him when he first left for Kyoto.

“I thought I would need it if things got hard, but I ended up not using it.”

No matter how tough life had become, he could never bring himself to use the money. It was filled with the wishes of his mother, who—never doubting his success—had believed in him as she sent him off. He was planning to return it to her when he succeeded as a potter.

“But that money...”

“No, it’s okay. Just knowing it was there enabled me to get through the hard times, no matter how tough things got. It gave me the strength to keep going. I always plowed on so that I could return it to you, Mum.” That was not a lie. “Please, I want you to take it.”

“Oh, Yukio.”

“Thank you.” He nodded deeply.

Kinuyo took the passbook and stamp from him and held them to her chest.

Well, that’s the last burden gone. Now I just have to wait for the coffee to get cold.

Yukio had never intended to return to the present.

Since hearing of Kinuyo’s death, he had thought only of this moment. He couldn’t just die. If he left debt, it would cause trouble for his family.

For the last month, he had frantically been preparing for personal bankruptcy. Although he didn’t even have the money for the bus or train fare to get to the funeral, he worked as a laborer every day until he had enough to hire a lawyer and to pay to travel to the café. It was all for this moment.

As if all the taut lines holding him together had come undone, his body felt completely drained of strength. Not having slept properly for the last month might also have been a factor. His fatigue had reached its limit. Now, everything would end.

Finally.

He felt satisfaction...

Now, it’s all much easier.

...and a sense of having been released. When suddenly...

Bip-bip-bip-bip bip-bip-bip-bip...

A softly beeping alarm sound was coming from his cup. He didn’t know the purpose of this alarm but when he heard it, he remembered Kazu’s words. He pulled the beeping stirrer from the cup.