On Summer Sand

On the hills above Nagasaki, Osamu leads a simple life that is uneventful but seems to satisfy him. The aftermath of a series of misfortunes has left him hollow and isolated. With nothing to do, he sweats aimlessly through the sweltering Japanese summer. The unexpected arrival of his 17-year-old niece Yuko, who reluctantly seeks shelter with him, throws him out of his secluded everyday life. Their coexistence begins strangely and without trust: she roams the house like a seeker; he speaks irritably in half-sentences and leaves tasks unfinished. Around them, the city breathes—cicadas, stray cats, salty air, steep alleys that lead either home or simply away. Yuko tests the limits of safety and affection, while her uncle struggles with a rage that gnaws deep within him and holds him captive. Only the long-awaited rain softens the parched facade and quietly awakens hope for understanding and a little mutual comfort.