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Transient FragranceAuthor: Chikamatsu Shūkō
| Original Title | うつり香 |
|---|---|
| Author | 近松 秋江 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | Amidst Tokyo’s wintry dusk, a man wanders streets choked with year-end crowds, his heart a tempest of bitterness and longing. Tormented by Yanagisawa—a rival whose charm and wealth eclipse his own—he fixates on Omiya, a courtesan whose delicate beauty masks a fickle spirit. Their encounters are fleeting: tender moments laced with deceit, shared silences heavy with unspoken rivalry. Omiya drifts between them, her laughter echoing like a taunt, her loyalty as transient as the scarlet sunsets over Ushigome. The protagonist’s obsession festers—a wound deepened by Yanagisawa’s casual cruelty and Omiya’s capricious allure. Nights blur into fevered walks through lantern-lit markets and dim teahouses, where every glance exchanged or garment admired becomes a battleground for dignity. Yet beneath the jealousy lies a haunting vulnerability: the ache of a man unraveling, his pride and passion clashing like winter winds against paper screens. Will love or ruin claim him? The scent of transience lingers, as fragile as cherry blossoms on cold air. |
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