Well hello! Here is a new chapter of my Azure Redi fanfiction. I will start planning the next chapter. See you in the next chapter.
"I want to thank all of you who came to watch my show. I've been making dolls for a really long time, and introducing them to other people brings me great joy, as I hope it inspires others to do their best for their own hobbies and work", Yumemi said, speaking into the microphone in front.
Viewers applauded the woman before starting to tour the stage hall.
There were dolls on the platforms in the room. Many dolls depicted children and babies, some imperial courts, warriors and heroes, fairy tale characters, gods and(rarely)demons, and also people of everyday life in Japanese cities.
Shizuka stopped in front of the puppets representing the demons.
"Dad, don't stare at the dolls around!" Ran pulled Kogorō into place, holding Kogorō's right ear with his left hand.
"Ai ai!" Kogorō complained.
"What happened?" Shizuka asked.
"Dad stared at the court maid dolls at the Imperial Court", Ran said.
"They could easily be thought of as real people if there were no lights in the room now", Kogorō said.
"Don't lie. You tossed the big carved breasts of those dolls", Ran said to his father. "No wonder Mom left you!"
"Oh yeah. Kogorō is a bit pervet", Shizuka thought.
"Aren't they scaring you at all?" Kogorō asked after seeing what dolls Shizuka was looking at.
"Maybe in the dark it would be possible, but not now", Shizuka said.
Ran took his grip on Kogorō's ear.
"Ladies and gentlemen. Now I reveal to you my latest creation. Yuki Onna!" Yumemi shouted, and everyone looks forward to see the doll platform brought to the stage with the cloth on top. Yumemi pulled the cloth poi off the doll, and everyone saw the beautiful doll. The doll was tall, and skinny. Its skin was pale, with a white yukata worn over it, and brown sandals on its feet. Black hair made of man-made fiber tied to a bun was placed on the head of the doll. Its eyes were closed. Its face was painted so that it looked makeup.
"Yumemi-san has transcended himself", Ran said impressed.
"It's beautiful", Shizuka said.
Many applauded Yumemi.
"Thank you", Yumemi said.
Klak! Surprisingly, the stage hall doors were pushed open, and inside walked a dark-haired woman with blue eyes but seeming to glow a little red. The woman looked angry. He had pale skin. She was skinny, and her short hair was a little messy. She was wearing a black blouse with a dark red cardigan on top. He wore gray pants, and black boots. He looked 33 years old.
"Are you watching?" Yumemi asked the woman.
"Yumemi, you're so nosy. You always get all the popularity. You're that type. I've had to suffer from it, but I guess you haven't even noticed it. You let me stay in your shadow, so I guess I can drop you off your own stand to understand what it feels like to get dirt on your neck", The woman said from the stage hall angrily.
Yumemi looked a little embarrassed:
"Sorry about that recently".
"What has happened between them?" Shizuka thought, continuing to look at the dolls.
"Yumemi has always pretended to be better than me, but now things are changing", Katsuko said as he made the doll in his own studio.
On the floor lay broken dolls, and tools.
Kop kop! Someone knocked on the studio door.
"I don't have time for this now, Tsubasa!" Look yelled after smelling from the door the familiar scent of aftershave.
Shizuka walked into the showroom looking at different puppets until he saw Yumem purge in front of the window.
"He cries?" Shizuka thought after noticing that thing.
"Sorry, Yumemi-san, but is everything all right?" Shizuka asked, walking in front of Yumem.
"Yes. I guess I just had to go lash my eyes", Yumemi said.
"Okay. I'm Miyamizu Irene", Shizuka introduced himself. "Nice to meet you".
"Likewise", Yumemi said, picking up a bit.
"The dolls you make are really beautiful. Uh, who was the woman who just yelled at you?" Shizuka asked.
"She's my cousin, Murakumo Look. Sorry for her previous behavior. Look, and I've been making dolls together since I was little. Look wasn't like that before, but he changed with one incident. Since then, our gap hasn't been the same", Yumemi said.
"One case?" Kogorō asked when he arrived with Ran.
"Long ago my cousin and I made dolls for an art competition. I wouldn't want to brag, but I won that race, and Katsuko lost. The judges of that competition thought Katsuko's doll for that competition was too ahead of its time, even though he had worked hard to make that doll. Look was pretty angry about it, and even reiterated that the judges of that competition lacked vision, and that the last one laughs parharm and that they would still regret it", Yumemi said.
"Is that what he said?" Ran asked without believing his ears.
"Yeah. He even claimed that I would have bribed those judges then, even though it wasn't true", Yumemi said. "That's why I and my cousin moved away from each other, and he's been mad at me ever since".
"A difficult situation. Of course, everyone would like recognition for their actions", Shizuka said.
"True. I kind of understand him. Namely, I've never surpassed my grandfather, Murakumo Toshiko, in my skills. He was a phenomenal puppet artist, and I'm going to present his doll at tomorrow's show. Would you come see that show?" Yumemi asked.
"Sure. I'm Detective Mōri Kogorō, and here's my daughter Ran", Kogorō introduced.
"Detective? In that case, could you help me a little?" Yumemi said.
"Help? In what way?" Kogorō asked curiously.
"I have recently felt just like someone was following me. When I went to my home last week, I found traces of torture in the lock on the front door of my apartment", Yumemi said.
"Was anything stolen?" Kogorō asked.
"No, but someone had read my notebook where I had taken notes of the Yuki Onna doll I was introducing today when I was making final orders for that doll", Yumemi said.
"Maybe you have a competitor who would have tried to steal your idea from you?" Kogorō asked.
"That's what I thought at first, too, but someone scratched my car recently", Yumemi said.
"All right. I'll take the case to investigate", Kogorō said.
"Thank you. Tomorrow after my performance, there will be a race where my cousin and I are competing. Would you come to see that race?" Yumemi asked.
"All right, but what if your time of persecution comes here?" Kogorō asked.
"I hope he has already stopped my intimidation", Yumemi said.