[#ShirokumaLiteratureClub November ②] Autumn Leaf Color

I am creating a single story using all the monthly prompts from the Shirokuma Literature Club. As a regular member, I get to know all the prompts at the beginning of the month, which is how I came up with this idea. I am challenging myself every month with a style where the first entry is a 20-character short story, and subsequent entries are stories with no character limit.

In addition to the above, the story unfolds with a grandmother reading aloud starting from the prompt, followed by a conversation with her grandchildren. I would appreciate it if you could join me to see if I can successfully complete all 12 stories in 2025.

The first one for November is here👇

The fortune teller, wearing autumn-leaf-colored blush on her cheeks, said such terrible things.

For a birthday fortune-telling, the results were so harsh that I couldn't help but raise my voice. I should have entered the room of a skilled makeup artist wearing rose-colored blush instead of autumn-leaf-colored, I thought as I tried to stand up from my seat.

“Autumn-leaf-colored blush? How rude!”

Then, the fortune teller glared sharply at me. Even though I thought she would have flinched a little when I raised my voice, she didn't seem surprised by it. More than that, I was the one who felt shaken because the fortune teller reacted to the “autumn-leaf-colored blush” that had crossed my mind.

“Huh? What?”
“That’s right. I can see right into your heart, you know.”
“……”

As I recoiled at the eeriness, the fortune teller gestured with her chin for me to sit back down in the chair. Even though I wanted to leave the fortune-telling room as quickly as possible, my body sat back down in the chair as if guided by her.

“Raising your voice and talking about autumn-leaf-colored blush. This child is truly rude! I’m going to tell your fortune thoroughly, just you wait!”

Contrary to her angry words, the fortune teller’s expression looked as if she were delighted.

I’ve come to a strange place...

While thinking that, I began to feel dazed by the sensation of being drawn into the mysterious fortune teller’s shining eyes.

Maybe it’s okay to stay here for just a little longer.

Even though I should have been angry or scared, before I knew it, I was feeling comfortable.

📚📚📚

“It’s a little scary.”

The younger brother tugged tightly on his grandmother’s sleeve.

“I’m fine! I love fortune-telling!”

The older sister seemed very interested in the word “fortune teller.” She begged her grandmother to turn the page quickly. The younger brother finally buried his face in his grandmother’s lap.

“Ah, so you are scared.”

My sister teases me with a smirk. My little brother says, "I'm not scared," while tears well up slightly in his eyes.

"Oh my, it's already this late. Time to go to sleep."

My little brother reacts quickly to the grandmother's voice. He dives into bed in a flash and,

"I'm a good boy, so I'm the first-place winner for getting into bed~♪"

he shouts, with only his face poking out.

"Hey! That's cheating! I'm the first-place winner for going to sleep faster!"

My sister also hurries to dive into her bed and squeezes her eyes shut.

Seeing them both with their eyes shut, each claiming to be the first, was so adorable that the grandmother smiled. She sat on the chair by the bed and began to gently pat them over the blankets.

When she heard their healthy, rhythmic breathing, she turned off the light and left the room.

(To be continued)

Department Head Kosuke Komaki, thank you again for this week.