In the foggy town of Nagasaki, a rumour was about to start like wildfire.
A tall woman came out of a fish shop holding a very unusually light bag, since the war had started and Japan decided to jump in and help out, supplies were limited. On her way out she spied her best friend, or should I say, best gossip source. This 'gossip source' was a fat, plum woman who liked to eavesdrop on the unfortunate soul who happened to be standing near.
"Got any gossip Anzu?" The tall woman whispered, staring into the distance.
Anzu, the plump lady hopped on the spot excitedly, "I got a big one today...Yoko"
"What would that be Anzu? Another one of your hair brained schemes to become more popular again?" Ironically, in Japanese Yoko meant positive female...
"Did you hear about that girl?"
"What girl? There are thousands of girls in Nagasaki, maybe describe her in a slightly more detailed way?" Yoko scrunched her face up in detest at Anzu's stupidity.
"Taro Ito" Anzu whispered, smiling.
"That pest who went off to war after his wife died, leaving his sick mother and teenage daughter alone?" Yoko did not like the young man who had captured her heart, married another woman and left her to become old and wrinkled, "What about the baka?"
Anzu swooned, "don't call him an idiot Yoko, he's smart, dreamy and-" It was at this point Anzu realized she was off track, "anyways, did you know that his daughter doesn't leave the house? She's obligated look after her grandmother."
"Really, well..." Yoko started improvising, "I heard that she sings a lullaby that makes Nagasaki fall asleep every night."
And as if improvising was a curse, Anzu quickly replied in with her own lie, "well, I heard it was a curse! The girl even has her own nick name down at the farm, you-you know near the child's house?!"
"Well I already know about that!" screamed Yoko.
"What is it then?" Anzu shouted, attracting a few on-lookers.
"You don't know so I won't tell you!" Yoko was practically leaking steam at this point.
Anzu battled Yoko in a stare-down, "OH YEAH? WELL SAY IT IN 3, 2, and 1!"
"THE LADY OF NAGASAKI!" and both women, very surprised with their own answers, said their goodbyes and set off in different directions.
