17. The Heir to Morita Okiya, Part One (Part 1)
Part Two: Sumire
The Education of Sumire Min is a previously unpublished novel by S. Jae-Jones. Chapters will be emailed to paying subscribers every Friday at 5PM EST. If you are not yet a subscriber and would like to read the rest of the book, as well as receive all sorts of behind-the-scenes access—including a Discord server—why not give it a try?
Happiness is a transient state, one subject to the whims of changing circumstances, conditions, and moods. Happiness cannot be sustained for long, and this is precisely the reason why this mercurial, ephemeral state is all the more precious, especially for those who have had so little of it their lives. Because they know how swiftly it could vanish, like a snowflake melting in your palm. Because they know how just a little bit of happiness could could make the world that much more bleak in comparison. Because it was impossible to hold on to, no matter how hard you tried. And you always tried.
Sumire was ignorant of this, as all those who had never before experienced true bliss often are. She possessed all the optimism and enthusiasm of youth, and all of naivete's blind faith in a pleasurable outcome. She did not yet know how young and inexperienced she really was.