The Hmph Award

Sending a love letter and waiting for a reply (it might be a nuisance to the recipient, but I've never experienced it myself, so I can't imagine it), buying a lottery ticket and waiting for the results (it's not wise when you consider the odds, but nothing starts unless you buy one), and furthermore, submitting poems and tanka as a clumsy hobby and sending novels to publishers, all while dreaming short dreams while waiting for the results. No matter what happens, I can just laugh with a 'hmph' under my nose. Thanks to that, today I have received such an honorable award. The Hmph Award. I hear that when written in kanji, it means 'not resentful.' Since I don't get resentful, I will never head in a bad direction. Of course, it's not just my own effort, but thanks to everyone. By this point, his complexion had been hit by a triple strike—the letters on the opened stationery, the lottery results, and the news of the literary newcomer award—and was dyed red, white, and blue like the flag of the Hmph-n nation. 'Thank you. Her reply would definitely be a yes in the next life, the lottery numbers were in reverse order, and the winning author's name is just one character off from mine!' The audience smiled with pity, a 'hmph.'

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I learned about a story in the news where someone was sued for 'mood harassment.' There are grumpy people out there, aren't there? I'm sure they are dealing with some frustrating circumstances. It would be nice if we could just laugh it off lightly. Both the person doing it and the person on the receiving end.

I am participating in this alternative prompt.