Sunset in a Frame [Weekly Short-Short Note]

For the first time in a while, a yakiniku party was held at the department manager's house.

Oh, Manager, what is that painting?

This is from my 'Framed' series, and I'm quite fond of it.

Is this 'Sunset in a Frame'?

You figured that out quickly.

Well, it is a painting of a sunset, after all.

Where did you buy this painting?

This painting was... from my first love... no, never mind. Manager, what is it? Did you get it from your first love?

No, from someone who looked like my first love.

You got it from someone who looked like your first love? No, I bought it.

So the artist looked like your first love?

No, I don't know the artist at all. They called out to me on the street.

By the way, how much was it?

Oh, it was cheap. They said it was the price of one cup of coffee a day.

What was the total amount?

About 500,000 yen, I suppose. It's on a loan, you see.

Manager, you've been scammed. That's an art sales scam.

No, I haven't been scammed. That woman looked like my first love and was very kind.

...

(410 characters)

I participated in the project by Tarahakani (Tahara Nika).

*This story is about a gullible manager who gets swindled into buying a painting through an art scam. I am not sure if art scams still exist today, but the content of this short-short story is fiction.

*This article is participating in the following project.