Life in Smokey Blue

Azuma Sakutaro, 38 and unemployed, lives a careless, self-indulgent life. He was once the top-performing sales MR, but there is hardly any trace of that former self left. One night,… read more

Sakutaro starts working part-time as a translation assistant under Kuji and begins visiting Kuji’s old, beautiful house regularly. One morning, when his sister Fumiko asks what kind… read more

One morning, while Sakutaro is helping with translation work at Kuji’s house, Tamaki unexpectedly visits. He explains that he followed Sakutaro because he was concerned about the… read more

As Sakutaro continues visiting Kuji at his home, Kuji’s older brother Minoru, who lives in America, temporarily returns to Japan. When Kuji hears that his brother has come to look… read more

Sakutaro had been thinking about enrolling in a translation school, but the high tuition costs were giving him a headache. Just then, he received a message from Tajimi, a mentor from… read more

Sakutaro is staying at the Kuji household, keeping busy with work as a cram school teacher and at a translation school. Meanwhile, Kuji has been gradually sorting through books and… read more

After saying goodbye to the Kuji family, Kuji leaves on a months-long trip overseas. Meanwhile, Sakutaro gets busy as the cram school where he works enters exam season, and he juggles… read more

Even after Tajimi passes away, everyday life goes on. Carrying the weight of his loss, Sakutaro continues focusing on both his job and his translation studies. But at the cram school,… read more

Sakutaro is encouraged at his translation school to enter a competition. Meanwhile, Kuji agrees to write the closing essay for a new edition of his late father’s book, but he struggles… read more

After their hot spring trip, Sakutaro and Kuji settle back into a peaceful everyday life. Having finished writing his essay, Kuji seems refreshed and at ease. Meanwhile, Sakutaro receives… read more