It was an extremely humid day in Tokyo. So the Higurashi family remained in their nice air condition apartment. While Kagome and Inuyasha handled the chores around the apartment, their nine and seven-year-old daughters, Moroha and Kiki, were lying on the living room carpet.
The sisters were extremely close, despite Moroha being the more outgoing and Kiki being more introverted. Yet, they're each other best friends since the family secret bonded them closely together. Each girl wore a new dress their maternal grandmother had made for them. Moroha's was bright red, and Kiki's was dark blue. Overall, the sisters were quite happy. Since they couldn't play outside due to the humidity, they'd decided to do something else to pass the time.
They just finished reading a Newbery Honor book, "A Single Shard," by Linda Sue Park. The children's book was a historical fiction novel about an orphan named Tree-Ear in 12th-century Korea. The two quarter-demon sisters smiled, "Shall I start?" Moroha asked her little sister, who nodded. Clearing her throat, Moroha started, "I feel the writer did a good job making us feel like we were there. It felt genuine to me. Even though we live in Japan, I could still see it in my mind's eye."
Her little sister smiled happily, "Yep, I felt it too! I felt they talked like real people. Despite being a homeless orphan, I love how Tree-Ear is an honorable young boy. Again, he did tell the man his rice basket was leaking."
"As Crane-Man pointed out, the man would've laughed that Tree-Ear didn't tell him straightaway and let some extra rice fall. But again, it truly shows Tree-Ear's got a good heart."
"I wish he wasn't mistreated for being an orphan or homeless. No one should be shunned," shivered Kiki.
"Well, we'd be shunned and possibly worse if anyone found out Daddy's a half-demon!" Moroha reminded her little sister.
"Yes, I know that! But still, big sis, no one deserves it! Especially not a child!" her little sister refuted.
"I do agree, sis. Sadly, however, that's not how the world works," as she hugged her sister.
"So, shall we move on to the subject of the story itself? Master Min's pottery? He's a gruff old man and a perfectionist. Yet, he yields such beautiful work," Kiki replied, then added a few ceramic items listed in the book.
"Well, I'm also glad it showed yet again, Tree-ear took full responsibility for breaking the box that he was willing to work off the debt. Or how Min allowed him to remain his assistant."
"Although it broke Tree-Ear's heart that he couldn't learn pottery from him because he wasn't his son," Kiki cried a little.
Moroha wiped her sister's tears away. "Yes, it's sad, Kiki. But even with a broken heart Tree-Ear still helped transport his master's work to the capital. Even if he only had a single shard to show in the end."
"I love how the emissary told off the guard, saying Tree-Ear was wasting his time with the single shard. The emissary could see for himself Min's talent just from one small piece! Only a true connoisseur could do that!" Kiki replied happily.
"The best part is that Tree-Ear became part of Min's family. So he'd a happy ending even if he'd to go through hell and back to earn it," Moroha pointed out.
"Yep, that's true. Yet, Tree-Ear remained honest, respectful, kind, and loyal throughout the book. His resilience and devotion truly helped him earn his happy ending!" Kiki added her thoughts about the ending.
"Yes, indeed, Kiki. Its not hard to see why the book earned a medal! We should clean our room before Mom and Daddy tell us to."
"Okay! As long as we can read another book together!"
"Sure thing, so let's go!" as the quarter-demon sisters scampered off to clean their shared room.
Kiki: Crystal Rao: Young Mulan Live Action.