The first year of the Showa Era
Downtown Tokyo.

"Thank you for the hard work today, Ito-san,"

"Oh, Toyoda-san, thank you for your hard work today. I heard that the robbery case that you handled has been settled?" Ito said while walking out of the police station with one of his colleagues, Toyoda Iwao.

"Ah, we managed to catch the robbers. It seems they are not organized and working alone. But, we continue the investigation. Oh, it's raining?" Toyoda looked up at the sky.

"Damn, I didn't bring an umbrella. Spring will end soon, it looks like it will rain in a few days," Ito sighed.

Toyoda took out his umbrella from inside his bag, "Do you want to join to the shop to buy one?"

"Do you have an umbrella with you?" Ito looked surprised.

Toyoda laughed, "My wife put it in my bag. She said the umbrella would be very useful when it's raining or hot day."

Ito sighed, "How lucky, huh? If you have a wife,"

"Ito-san, you must get married soon. So, someone can take care of you," Toyoda laughed, "What if I introduce you to my wife's acquaintance?"

"No." Ito shook his head, "I have enough with an arranged marriage." Ito laughed, "They say, love, will come unexpectedly when you don't look for it."

"I see." Toyada smiled, "See you then." he opened his umbrella and walked down the stairs in front of the police station.

Ito looked at the drizzling rain which seemed to be getting heavier. He took off his coat to protect his head and ran down the stairs. He then passed a shortcut by passing the park. The rain fell heavily, so Ito took shelter near the park.

"Damn. I got soaked." Ito squeezed the water from his coat, then saw the sky that was getting darker, "It seems like it won't stop in a short time." Ito sighed. Suddenly his eyes were distracted when he saw an umbrella lying in the corner of the shelter. It looks worn, but it looks like it can still be used.

Ito stepped up and took the umbrella. He checked every part of it, "Nothing was broken even though it was a bit worn out. I wondered if someone threw it here," Ito looked around but found no one.

The bright blue umbrella looked like made by high-quality paper parasol with decorative yarn on the inner side and beautiful glossy cashew lacquer on the outer side.

"Is it okay if I use it?" Ito thought again, "But what if the owner is looking for it?"

"Don't worry. They have thrown it away,"

Ito's eyes widened when he heard the voice comes out from the umbrella. He turned left and right, to make it sure, but there was no one there. He then looked back at the umbrella.

"It's you?" Ito, still, seemed surprised, even when he used to that kind situation.

"Oh. Can you hear me?" The umbrella said.

"Yes...you could say that. I'm a bit surprised, though." Ito nodded, "Lately, I have been caught with strange things,"

"Then ... please take me to an antique shop in this town. They said when you walk down to the narrow back alley in a certain downtown area, you can find an antique shop where old object get together and live a quiet life in solitude,"

"You mean Gen'ei's antique shop?" Ito asked.

"Is there a girl, a fox and a crow?" The umbrella asked.

"You ... maybe ... can say like that," Ito really didn't understand what he was going through. It's okay to bring anything to that store too often?

"That's the place. Bring me there or I'll be destroyed!"

"Eh?? Are you broken in some parts?" Ito asked.

"It's not like that. I need some spiritual energy from that store. Hurry!!"

"Ah, okay!!" Ito then wrapped the umbrella with his coat.

"Why don't you use me?" The umbrella asked.

"You said you were going to scatter yourself, didn't you?" Ito said while running against the rain, "I don't want to hurt you. Don't worry. I'm a fast runner." Ito laughed.

The umbrella just fell silent. The rain was getting heavier. Ito hugged the umbrella inside his coat so it wouldn't get wet.

CLINGG !!!

"Welcome to our store, dear customers. What can I do for you ..." Aki was shocked to see Ito come in soaking wet, "Oh My ... Ito-san you are soaked?" Aki gets up from her seat and took a towel from the shelf and give it to Ito, "You will catch a cold, Ito-san."

Ito was still breathing hard for running to the store, "That ... I ... brought ... something ..." Ito took out an umbrella from his coat, then put the umbrella slowly on the table, and in an instant, the umbrella turned into a little girl.

"Heh ??!" Ito widened, "I'm still can't believe this."

Aki sighed in relief and looked at the little girl, "Ito-san, you catch trouble as always?" Aki chuckles, "Oh...Kyowagasa?" Aki asked the little girl.

"Kyowagasa?" Ito asked while drying his hair with the towel.

"It's a style of an oil-paper umbrella in Kyoto. Kyowagasa is famous for completely handmade, colors and images are of Japanese features, materials are also strictly controlled. The handle and scaffold are made from the bamboo of Kameoka and the umbrella skin is made from Meinong paper of Gifu. The surface of the umbrella skin is brushed with sesame oil and tied with fine strings," Aki explained.

"It's that so," Ito nodded.

"An experienced artisan usually produces ten to twenty kyowagasa a month. One umbrella style has concentric circles on the exterior side of the umbrella skin called the janomegasa, which literally means the eye of a snake," Aki added.

The little girl looked at Aki, "Are you ... the owner of this shop?"

Aki nodded her head, "Yes. What can I do for you?"

The little girl fell silent and looked down. Her face looked sad, almost crying.

"I ... can help find your owner ... just say more details." Ito said slowly.

The little wipes her tears and sighed, "No problem," she raised her face, "I have been thrown away. I was just left there."

Aki and Ito stare at each other.

"I understand, you know. This world has changed, doesn't it? They don't need umbrellas like me anymore. Humans are always like that. Yes, they are basically their nature. Throw away old ones and use new ones. They see things just things. But, who wants to blame it? That's not their fault."

"Little girl ..."

"Sumi ..." the little girl cut Ito's words, "My name, Sumi."

Aki smiled, "Is your owner giving you a name?"

"The late wife called me like that." Sumi sighed while remembering the past, "In the past. I was a gift given to a girl by the man she liked. They then married and lived happily. It seems that the craftsmen exerting too much of his soul on his works so that I was born. Strangely, the girl could see me."

"You mean, she knows that you are an umbrella?" Ito asked.

"Well, it's not like that. She only knew that I was a little girl who often passed by her house. They didn't have daughters. Only a son. I think that the wife felt very lonely. Because her feelings were so deep that she could see me." Sumi said.

"Then, after the wife dies, her husband throws you away?" Ito asked.

Sumi glared at Ito, "That day was heavy rain when the husband left the house. He still wears me as usual. But, suddenly he falls on the road. It seems like a heart attack. He was immediately taken to the hospital and I was left at that place."

"Eh? That means he doesn't throw you away. He might still be looking for you until now." Ito said.

Sumi smiled, "A few weeks later, someone who kept me at his house, finally took me home. But, when we arrived there, the husband was seen preparing to go out wearing a new umbrella."

Ito feelings mixed up, "That... might be because he thought you were missing,"

"You're really stubborn, huh, young master." Sumi pouting, "When the young man returned me, the husband said, this isn't his umbrella."

"Heh? !!" Ito was surprised.

"He has forgotten me. Humans are always easy to forget when they get something new. Don't they do the same thing with their fellow men? Young lady, can you let me stay here?" Sumi looks at Aki.

Aki smiled, "Of course. This place is indeed for antiques."

Ito looked at Sumi. He is still convinced by his opinion, "You know ... I'm sure, the husband doesn't intend to forget you."

"I already said ..."

"Aki-san, what if you put Sumi-chan in front of the window display. So that the husband can find her." Ito cuts Sumi's word.

"What are you talking about?" Sumi began to look annoyed.

"Aki-san said that antiques have a deep connection with their owners. No matter how far they are separated, they will reunite one day." Ito looked at Sumi.

"I ... no longer believe in humans ..." Sumi sighed, "Besides, sooner or later they will still throw me away. It's like fate for an object like us."

Ito was out of words while Aki could only stare both of them with a smile.

"Aki-san, say something," Ito looked at Aki.

CLING !!!!

The shop door opened slowly when a young woman entered carefully while looking around.

"Welcome to our store, dear customers. What can I do for you?"

The woman gasped at Aki's voice. She turned and saw Aki sitting and Ito standing next to him. Sumi already backs to her true form.

"Sorry...I'm just passing by and...Oh !!" The young woman was shocked. She immediately approached Aki, then took the umbrella that lying on the table, "Is this umbrella yours?" She asked while holding it.

"No." Aki smiled, "Ito-san, this young man, found it on the street. It looks worn, but this umbrella is made of expensive materials, he brought it here, thinking someone had thrown it away."

Ito looked at the young woman, "Sorry. But, the umbrella wasn't sold." Ito said, "I'm trying to find the owner."

The young woman sighed with relief while hugging the umbrella, "This umbrella, belongs to my grandfather."

"Eh ??" Ito was surprised.

"My name is Tominaga Saeko. My grandfather Tominaga Shoji is the owner of this umbrella. When my grandfather fell ill, this umbrella must have been left somewhere and it seems that nobody returned it to Grandpa." Saeko said.

"Miss, how's your grandfather's health??" Aki asked with a friendly smile.

"He had Alzheimer's since he fell ill six months ago." Saeko took a deep breath, "Later, he can't even remember us. And talks about grandma as if he was living in the past. But sometimes he remembers everything."

"Alzheimer's, memory loss? Did it happen when he fell near the park?" Ito asked.

"Yes, that's how it is ..." Saeko looked at Ito, "How do you know?" then looked at Aki. Saeko starts looking suspicious and anxious.

Ito became awkward, "That ..."

"There is a little girl." Aki said with a smile, "A little girl found the umbrella and gave it to Ito-san and said that someone had thrown this umbrella. That's why Ito-san brought it here,"

"Eh? !! It's not like that!" Saeko denied, "This umbrella is very precious for grandfather. A keepsake from grandma." Saeko smiled, "Lately it has often rained. At that time, grandfather would go around the house looking for this umbrella."

"Is that so?" Ito said with relief.

"This umbrella is given as a gift to grandmothers shortly before they get married. They always use it together. I heard that grandfather ordered it specifically at famous umbrella craftsmen at the time." Saeko said, "But, there is something strange with this umbrella."

"A strange thing?" Ito looked at Saeko.

"Grandma often tells of a little girl who always accompanied her. Grandma said she was wearing a kimono with the same color and pattern as the umbrella. But we never met the girl. When we asked her, grandma said, this umbrella brought the little girl." Saeko sighed," We thought, grandma might just feel lonely living alone with grandfather. We moved house when dad opened a new business."

"That's how it is." Ito nodded.

Saeko looked at Aki, "Can I bring this umbrella back?"

"Of course. This place isn't the place where the umbrella should be." Aki smiled. "In the same way if people have a home to return to, antique also have their own place."

"You're right," Saeko smiled.

Ito feels relieved, "That's...what was said in the book that Aki-san read, isn't that right?" Ito looked at Aki.

Aki closed her eyes with a smile and nodded her head, "There are times when maybe the owner of an item forgets them. But, don't worry. Nothing that happens is ever forgotten. Even if you can't remember it."

Tale 13
End