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“If Arsène was anyone else, it would be. However, working for my childhood best friend has many advantages.” I gestured around us. “Any job that lets me come here and play in paradise for a week can’t be too bad, eh?”

He relaxed as he laughed. “I’d love that kind of job.”

I seized on the natural opening. “What do you do?”

“I’m a grad student in the Japanese department at Sunnyside University.”

His answer was too good to be true. It also explained his earlier comment about being in Japan. “Then it seems our paths would cross no matter what.”

He tilted his head with a cute, puzzled expression. “What do you mean?”

“My boss fell in love with his American boyfriend, who goes to your school, so we moved from Paris to Sunnyside. We set up a second studio there, so it’s where I live most of the time now.”

“You’re joking!”

His reaction amused me. “Non, it’s the truth. One of our best models is a French studies graduate student there.”

His mouth dropped open. “Wait, do you mean Rune Tourneau?”

“Oui. Do you know him?”

He shook his head. “Not personally, but I’ve heard he goes to my school.”

“If you’re here, that must mean you’re on spring break?”

“I am, but I’m also here for school.”

I arched an eyebrow in surprise. “Oh?”

“Oahu University is hosting a Japanese studies academic conference.” He grew excited as he talked. “I’m presenting on a paper I wrote about Japanesekintsugiart. It’s a repair technique for broken ceramics where gold is used to put it back together and transform it into something more beautiful.”

I enjoyed hearing people talk about their passions, so I wanted to encourage him to keep going. “Can you show me an example?”

“You really want to see?” He seemed suspicious.

“Sincerely.”

After a moment of hesitation, he pulled up a picture on his phone and showed me a speckled blue plate. It had vibrant gold cracks highlighting where it had shattered.

“C’est magnifique! It’s even more beautiful for having once been broken.”

His cheeks flushed a pretty pink. “Thank you. I’m proud of how well that one came out.”

The information stunned me. “You made that?”

He sheepishly ruffled his hair. “Yeah, I have an online store where I sell my work on the rare occasion someone buys something.”

“Would you share a link with me? I’d love to look at the rest of your art.”

“You don’t have to ask to be polite.”

“Non, my interest is genuine.” I held his gaze so he would believe me. “That was an exquisite piece, Zio.”

He hesitated again before pulling out his wallet to take out a business card and hand it to me. The front of the card was black with gold foil crackles to mimic his pottery with a white box featuring his name. On the rear was his contact information with a link to his online store. “Thanks. I play with it to unwind from school stress.”

“How did you get interested in it?”

“I took an art history class where the teacher mentioned it. It fascinated me when I looked it up. An art form based on the principle that there’s beauty in the imperfections appealed to me as somebody who is far from perfect.”