Der junge Herr des Omi-ya hat eine pikante Bitte an Seiji. Er soll sich über Hansuke Awaji vom Awaji-ya umhören. Sein Verhalten kommt dem jungen Geschäftsmann doch reichlich merkwürdig vor. Tatsächlich birgt Hansuke ein trauriges Geheimnis.
One day, Seiji receives an odd request from Kounosuke to look into the background of a seaweed wholesaler named Hansuke that he is on good terms with. Stylish and dashing, Hansuke is a ladies man who has a talent for business despite his age and his seaweed wholesale shop has been very successful, but Kounosuke is suspicious of his unusual generosity towards him believing that Hansuke has ulterior motives. Seiji is unable to find out anything unusual about Hansuke, but while out on a boating trip he notices that Hansuke has an odd reaction to the kiseru that Goi inhabits. What kind of past connection do Goi and Hansuke have?
Kônosuke Ômiya demande à nouveau à Seiji de lui rendre un service : Hansuke, le patron d’une prospère boutique d’algues séchées, l’a invité à une fête en bateau avec d’autres patrons et geishas. Ômiya souhaite que Seiji enquête sur ce mystérieux Hansuke, dont la générosité sans contrepartie le laisse perplexe…
ある時、清次は幸之助から、最近仲良くなった海苔問屋の半助という人物について調べて欲しいと相談を受ける。粋で鯔背、若くして海苔問屋を成功させる商売の才覚も持ち合わせる色男の半助が、見返りなく自分に良くしてくれる事に対し、何か裏があるのでは……と幸之助は疑っていた。清次から見ても完全無欠の半助だったが、皆で舟遊びに出かけたとき、半助がキセルのつくもがみ「五位」を見た瞬間、なぜか表情が一瞬こわ張る。五位と半助の間に一体、何があったのか！？
순식간에 아와지야란 가게를 크게 성공시킨 한스케를 조사해달라는 부탁을 코노스케로부터 받은 세이지. 5년만에 가게를 성공시킬 정도로 수완이 좋은 상인인데다 미남인 한스케가 유독 코노스케에게 잘해주는 탓에 꿍꿍이가 있는 게 아닐까 불안해져 나온 부탁이었다. 이에 한스케가 참가하는 뱃놀이에 세이지도 츠쿠모가미를 들고 참석하는데.
