Their first year away from home had been quite the adjustment. Isamu, of course, had thrown himself into his studies, making high marks in the both the core curriculum and his beginning engineering classes. Minoru had thrown himself into one job after another, and was currently bored stiff working register at a local grocery store. Coming home for the New Year celebration was a welcomed break, but by the time spring came, they were feeling the homesickness yet again.
That was, until Minoru walked in after a painfully dull 6 hour shift…
“Woah.” He perked up the minute he opened the door to their tiny apartment. It was unmistakable - that rich, yet mellow aroma of spices, the lightly roasted smell that comes from frying flour in oil, the fragrant scent of freshly sautéed vegetables. He kicked off his shoes and hurried over to the kitchenette. “That smells just like Mama’s curry!”
“I would hope so.” Isamu smiled, looking up. “It is.”
“Man, that smells just like home.” He grinned, leaning over the counter. The pan was full of thick, meaty mushroom slices and colorful chunks of kabocha, eggplant and asparagus.
“I know our birthday is not for another couple of weeks, but I did not have any afternoon classes today, and so I thought, why wait? You looked like you could use the pick-me-up of an early present.”
“Thanks, Bro…” Minoru closed his eyes and just took in the scent. He could almost taste it. “You know, I still remember when Mama made it like that for the first time.”
“Indeed. We were eleven. It was the first dish she made after you announced to everyone that you were now a vegetarian, three days before Christmas, mind you.”
Minoru laughed. “And Papa eagerly offered to take my portion of the fried chicken if I didn’t change my mind.”
Isamu chuckled as well. “You did not change your mind.”
“Nope…”
Isamu knew how much the meal (and the memories) meant to his brother when, on their birthday, instead of a book, he too received a present that involved a well-loved scent: A candle that smelled like books.
1. Familiar Scents
That was, until Minoru walked in after a painfully dull 6 hour shift…
“Woah.” He perked up the minute he opened the door to their tiny apartment. It was unmistakable - that rich, yet mellow aroma of spices, the lightly roasted smell that comes from frying flour in oil, the fragrant scent of freshly sautéed vegetables. He kicked off his shoes and hurried over to the kitchenette. “That smells just like Mama’s curry!”
“I would hope so.” Isamu smiled, looking up. “It is.”
“Man, that smells just like home.” He grinned, leaning over the counter. The pan was full of thick, meaty mushroom slices and colorful chunks of kabocha, eggplant and asparagus.
“I know our birthday is not for another couple of weeks, but I did not have any afternoon classes today, and so I thought, why wait? You looked like you could use the pick-me-up of an early present.”
“Thanks, Bro…” Minoru closed his eyes and just took in the scent. He could almost taste it. “You know, I still remember when Mama made it like that for the first time.”
“Indeed. We were eleven. It was the first dish she made after you announced to everyone that you were now a vegetarian, three days before Christmas, mind you.”
Minoru laughed. “And Papa eagerly offered to take my portion of the fried chicken if I didn’t change my mind.”
Isamu chuckled as well. “You did not change your mind.”
“Nope…”
Isamu knew how much the meal (and the memories) meant to his brother when, on their birthday, instead of a book, he too received a present that involved a well-loved scent: A candle that smelled like books.