Ren arrives in Kołobrzeg hoping to uncover the story behind the photo—a boy standing alone by the lighthouse. He meets Aleksy, who looks eerily similar to the boy in the image. Their first encounter is tense, but fate keeps pulling them together.
As Ren explores the town through his lens, Aleksy becomes his reluctant guide. Slowly, they unravel the mystery of the photo, which ties into a decades-old love story between Ren’s grandfather and a Polish boy during WWII.
Their bond deepens as they retrace the past, and Ren begins to see Aleksy not just as a connection to history, but as someone who makes him feel truly seen. But Aleksy struggles with his own fears—of being vulnerable, of losing someone again, of stepping into a love that feels too big to hold.

🌊 Salt in the Wind Episode 15: The Town That Forgot


The collage had grown too large for the hostel wall. Ren stood in front of it, arms crossed, eyes scanning the layers of memory. Letters. Photographs. Sketches. A cassette. A portrait. A journal. A napkin. A grave. A dock. A tree.


Aleksy entered quietly, holding a folded newspaper. "They printed something."


Ren took it. The headline was small, tucked in the corner: Local Artist Uncovers Wartime Love Story. Beneath it, a photo of Aleksy standing beside the portrait of Aleksander and Masaru.


Ren read aloud: "Some stories refuse to stay buried. Some truths demand to be seen."


Aleksy sat down. "The gallery's getting calls. Some angry. Some curious."


Aleksy hesitated. "I thought I'd be scared. But I'm not. I'm tired of hiding."


They walked to the gallery together. Outside, a small crowd had gathered—locals, tourists, a few journalists. Inside, the portrait had been moved to the front room, framed in soft light.


Ren watched as people stared. Some whispered. Some cried.


An older man approached Aleksy. "I knew Janusz. He used to talk about Aleksander. Said he was the bravest boy he ever met."


Ren stepped forward. "And Masaru loved him. That's the story."


The man looked at them. "Then tell it loud."


Later, they returned to the hostel. Ren began photographing the collage piece by piece, preparing to digitize it. Aleksy watched in silence.


Ren nodded. "So they can't be erased again."


That night, they walked to the lighthouse. The keeper met them at the door, holding a small envelope.


"This came today," she said. "No return address."


Inside was a photograph—Masaru, older, standing beside the tree with the carved initials. Beneath it, a note.


"I waited. I remembered. I believed. Thank you."


Aleksy stared at it. "Someone knew him."


Ren whispered, "Someone loved him still."


They added the photo to the wall, now spilling onto the floor. The story was no longer just theirs—it belonged to the town, to history, to anyone who had ever loved in silence.


Aleksy looked at Ren. "We're not just remembering. We're restoring."


Outside, the wind carried the sound of waves.


Chapter 15 - Episode 15: The Town That Forgot