Chapter 1: A Bisque Doll’s Tears

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Kyoto Teramachi-Sanjo’s antique store Kura has many different items on display. A Shino tea bowl which is considered a national treasure from the Momoyama period, an old Kutani plate, a jar from China’s Ming dynasty... I get to admire all sorts of antiques on a daily basis while I’m working here, which I really appreciate. All of them are beautiful, and I never get tired of looking at them. I was never this fascinated with antiques until I started working here.

That said, there’s just one thing I can’t bring myself to like: the bisque doll... It’s an antique doll from the West. It wears a frilly white blouse with a red ribbon in front and a red skirt. It has long, flowing blonde hair, and there’s a hint of loneliness in its glossy blue eyes. Despite thinking that it’s very beautiful—or perhapsbecause of its beauty—I shiver when I look at it. The first time I came to Kura, I felt scared when I saw it. I’m not sure if it’s because my first impression has stayed with me, but I still feel uncomfortable around it.

I still have to take care of it, though. I combed its hair, dusted it off, and carefully sat it in its chair, the way I always do. Then I immediately looked away, my eyes settling vaguely on the tabletop calendar. It was January 8th. Both New Year’s and the Festival of Seven Herbs wer