Tale 1

The first year of the Showa Era

Downtown Tokyo.

My name is Eiko Abe, 16 years old, a student at music school. A few months ago, my father, who often traveled as a merchant, returned with some souvenirs. One of them is an old telescope from western countries, a fine one. But, there is something strange about the telescope.

I heard rumors about antique shops that could help me deal with strange things. No. 49 antique shop. They said when you walk down to the narrow back alley in a certain downtown area, you can find an antique shop.

Today, for the first time I came here. I have never even passed this area before. I opened the door slowly while taking a deep breath.

Cling!!

"Welcome, dear customer! What can I do for you?" a girl's voice startles me. I jumped myself.

A girl sat in front of the table with so many books around her. She has beautiful long black hair, suit with the color of her eyes. Her face was as white as snow, she used a black kimono with a big red-floral pattern. She smiled kindly when looked at me. From the looks, she's maybe the same age as me.

"A...actually, I came to ask about the things I have with me?" I said nervously.

"Oh, a western telescope," she smiled.

I was shocked. "H...how could you know?"

"What's with the telescope? Do you want to sell it or do you want to throw it away?" she asked me kindly, ignored my question.

"Oh no. I still not decide," I shook my head, "This is a gift from my father, he spoiled me very much, and always gave a lot of presents," I sighed.

"Of course, since you were his only daughter, right?" the girl looked at me, a smile never separated from her beautiful face.

How did she know I was an only child?

"Can I check it out?" The girl asked.

"Ah, I don't want to sell it," I said again, "It's just that, there is something strange about this telescope," I held the telescope tightly.

"I know," she smiled, "That's the reason, you can enter this shop,"

"Eh ??" I'm surprised.

"Can I check it?" she asked again.

"Of...of course?" I stepped closer and put the telescope on the table.

She then took it, and slowly opened the box. I took a deep breath while paying attention to the telescope, a black, bright telescope.

Does she run this shop alone? She still seems to be my age. Didn't she go to school? The rumors said that there something strange about this shop as well as their employers.

I looked at the entire store for a moment. A lot of antiques neatly arranged. You can say the store is very clean, everything looks sparkling. It's just that, although the sun is shining brightly outside, this shop looks a little dark. Especially behind that girl. Completely dark. Is that a back door?

"Oh My. A very rare item you have, Miss," she smiled as she put the telescope in her left eye.

"Eh? Didn't you see something strange?" I asked.

She didn't answer me. Maybe she found something?

"When I...used the telescope, I began to see strange things," I said nervously, "I saw my friends like shrouded in black shadows and the next day bad things happened to them," I don't know how to explain that. "I wanted to save them, but I was afraid they would hate me and ignored me because I said something strange, "

"Hmmm ...you might not know. But there is an old story about this telescope. I wonder where the book is, " The girl muttered for a moment, then put the telescope on the table and looked at me, "The desire that you have deep inside your heart," she smiled.

"Ehh?" I looked at her in confusion, "This telescope must have been cursed. There was an evil spirit living inside it. My father might buy it from someone who was cursed and now the curse struck me," I felt my whole body shivering.

"Are you sure, it's about a telescope?" The girl asked.

"What do you mean?!" I asked her back.

"When someone has the same talent, one may succeeded and the other one may failed, then envious will arise. When someone does something they like, and it is criticized by others, then hate will arise. And when the people we love to pay more attention to others, then jealousy will appear, " The girl looked at me," Isn't that what is happening to you now? "

What she was saying?

She then smiled, "This isn't just a telescope. It reflects the desire deep into the heart of someone who used it, and grand the wishes," she took a breath and looked at me, "Your close friend has the same talent as you, but it looks like she succeeded and you don't. Your classmates also seem to mock your talent, and it seems like the person you like, likes someone else, "

My eyes are wide open while looking at her.

"This telescope shows what you want deep in your heart. You feel jealous of your friends and hope she fails. You're angry with friends who mock you and hope they experiences bad things and you're jealous with the girl who likes the boy you like, and you hope she gets hurt, "

I silence for a moment. My heart beat fast.

"But..." she took the telescope back and put it again in her left eye, "That is natural. Envy, hatred, jealousy, anger, and love, are proof that you are human," she said.

"B...but, even so, I...I never wanted them to get hurt like that," I said nervously.

"No. That's what you want, but you just don't believes that really happened. That's why it scares you," she looked at me sharply.

I suddenly feel scared, "My...my best friend, always good at playing the piano. Even though we practiced with the same teacher, I could never be like her. My classmates began to mock me, saying I should stop. But, I really like the piano, it's not about getting a trophy or not. The boy I like is a violinist, later he became familiar with my best friends and often practiced together. Everything that happened, made me feel everyone left me behind, " I clenched my fists tightly, "But..."

"It doesn't matter," she cut off my words, "All humans have that feeling. In life sometimes you will get a bad time once a while. The problem is how they faced it. There are people who faced by patience, but not a few faced it with anger," the girl said while continuing to use the telescope. I wonder what exactly she saw.

"I'm the one who faced it with anger?" I asked.

"Humans have positive and negative particles in themselves. Envy, hatred, and jealousy in your heart are negative particles, but the uneasy feeling you have after you hurt them is a positive particle,"

"Does it mean that the negative particles in me are bigger?" My heart beat faster. I feel like I don't know myself anymore.

"You came here because you were worried, it was proof that the positive particles in you were bigger," she smiled, "If your negative particles were bigger, then, you would continues to use this telescope and feel satisfied when you saw them suffer,"

"I won't do anything like that!" I raised my voice, tried to convince myself.

"That's very good of you. Don't forget, people who have a lot of negative particles will be drawn deeper into hell," she put the telescope back on the table, then looked at me, "So what are you going to do with this telescope?" she smiled again.

I think about that for a moment, I'm not sure about bringing it back, "It seems...I will give it to you," I looked at the telescope, "I don't need it," I smiled.

"It's the first time you smile since coming here, Miss," she said.

I looked at her, "As you said, it's normal to have all the feelings. As long as I don't have the telescope, I think I will be fine," I said.

"That's very good. Is fine to have those feelings, the important thing is how you reflect your feelings," she smiles, "Be honest. The book says, there are always change of success, but...if there isn't any, you just have to make one. Trying to train your to mind to see the good in everything,"

I nodded my head. I almost did something bad just because I'm angry with the people around me. I should work hard from now on and proved that I could.

I feel relieved and looked at the telescope for the last time, "Please take care of it from now on," I took a deep breath.

"Very well then, I'll keep it here," the girl smiled, then put the telescope back into the box.

This girl ... is she a fortune teller?

"Can I ask you something?" I took a chance to ask, I did think she was a little scary.

"Yes?"

"How did you know I was carrying a western telescope?"

"Hmm...you carry items with wooden boxes. From the box size and type, there are two possibilities, generally it can be a music box or telescopes, but the size of a music box is usually smaller, so it's probably a telescope," she smiled, "Beside...most of the type of telescope with wooden box comes from western countries,"

"But, how do you know I'm an only child?" I still feel curious.

"A telescope is not a common object given to a girl. That means, your father gave it to you because he didn't have a son. And if you have a sister, you will not come to this place alone. Again it's just an assumption," she smiled.

I'm dumbfounded. She is indeed a fortune teller, "You said, this telescope shows what you want deep in your heart. It means when you used it, it shows you about yourself, isn't right? How could you know about my problems?"

The girl looked at me for a moment. I'm waiting for her answer.

"That's...a company secret," She smiled.

I'm stunned and took a deep breath, "You sound like a detective," I looked at her with a lot of questions.

"Oh no. I'm just an antique shopkeeper," she smiled.

"Well then. See you later," I stepped towards the exit and slowly pulled the door when the sunlight blinked my eyes.

I looked back one last time. The smiling girl seemed to be hiding behind the darkness.

"Thank you for patronage, " I hear her voice from afar.

When I stepped outside the store, I just realized the store is a little colder.

I took a deep breath and looked at the clear blue sky. I feel like I'm free from a very heavy burden in my heart.

I wonder who she really is?

***

"Oh ... what did you get today?" Aoi asked when he saw Aki cleaning the telescope.

"Rare item. The telescope that will grant your wish," Aki said.

"Another weird stuff, huh?" Aoi grumbled.

"I read a story about the telescope before. I don't believe we can have one. See something when using it?" Chikage asked while putting a book on the bookshelf.

"Well...I didn't see anything," Aki chuckled, "Only humans are possessed by such a feeling. After all, everything is only an illusion,"

Tale 1

End