"Do you have any antiques lying in your abode? If so, we can appraise and purchase them here."

If you walk down the bustling arcade at Teramachi Sanjou1 in Kyoto, you will find a small antique shop nestled within the row of stores with linked eaves.

There is one word on the shop's signboard - "Kura"2. That is apparently its name.

(When talking about antique shops, names like "Gallery XX", "Antique XX" or "XX Hall" usually come to mind, so a one-word name like "Kura" is surprisingly simple, isn't it?)

That was my first impression of that shop.

The atmosphere inside was like that of a retro café, rather than what you would expect of a traditional antique shop.

It appeared to have a blend of Eastern and Western styles, making one think of the Meiji and Taishō periods. A tea corner was near the entrance, while the shop's goods were lined up in the back. I could see the figures of an elderly woman and man drinking coffee while chatting comfortably.

If not for the signboard, I would have really thought that this was a café.

I noticed passers-by intermittently looking in my direction as I committed my act of stealthily peeking inside the shop.

I hurriedly straightened my posture and put on an innocent look.

It was probably weird for a high school girl to loiter around the front of an antique shop.

I might be viewed as a girl who wanted to enter the shop but couldn't.

If that was what others were thinking of me… they would be correct.

Yes, I was just a deplorable high school girl who wanted to enter the antique shop but was unable to do so, only managing to loiter around outside.

I would have no problems with a Northern European-style general store or an antique shop with a lighter ambience, but the atmosphere of this "traditional antique shop" was too much for me to casually walk in.

"We can appraise and purchase them here."

After chancing upon those words, I became interested in that shop, and had thought of entering it multiple times, but I always ended up just passing it by.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that Kyoto is the best sightseeing spot in Japan. Crowds of tourists from all over the world visit this place all year round. However, to high school students living here, it is unexpectedly a town without hangout spots.

While the Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples hold beauty enough to heal one's soul, those are not places for friends to gather and hang out.

The only places to hang out are at the Karaoke lounges, large shopping malls, or in the arcade leading to Sanjou's movie theater.

By the way, Sanjou shopping street's official character, Sanjou Tori, is a bird-shaped mascot. It's pretty cute and I like it quite a lot.

The shop also had a poster of Sanjou Tori pasted near its entrance.

Ah, it's so cute as always. Aside from being comforted by the poster, I had always passed by that antique shop with only a sidelong glance whenever I went into the Sanjou shopping street.

I can't hesitate forever.

I thought as I squeezed the cords of my paper bag.

(Alright, I'm going in!)3

But at the moment I resolved myself, a middle-aged man in a suit suddenly overtook from behind me and opened the door with a clank.

"Hey, is Holmes in?"

He called out as he entered the shop.

(Holmes?)

Perplexed, I stepped into the shop, as if I was being led in by that man.

The first thing that caught my eye was an antique sofa that made me think of a reception room of a Western-style house in its halcyon days.

I also noticed a middle-aged woman cheerfully bringing a cup of coffee to her lips, a small chandelier hanging from the ceiling that was definitely not high up, a gigantic wall clock, as well as antiques and miscellaneous goods displayed on the numerous shelves at the back of the store.

It looked like quite a small shop from the entrance, but it actually extended quite far in the back.

Next to the reception space with the sofa was a counter, and a young man that looked like nothing but a university student was seated there.

"Welcome."

The guy at the counter who had to be a student looked at us and grinned.

He had a slender body, slightly long bangs and pale skin. With a well-defined nose, he was quite…

No, he was really good-looking.

…He looks so cool. Is he a part-timer?

"Holmes, would ya take a look at this?”4

The suited, middle-aged man took a seat and placed a Furoshiki5 on the counter.

"Uedsan, I wonder if you could stop calling me 'Holmes' already."

"It's fine, innit?"

Being called 'Holmes' in good grace by Uedsan, the handsome guy shrugged, put on white gloves and carefully unwrapped the Furoshiki.

In the opened Furoshiki was a flashy rectangular Paulownia6 box. That box was opened to reveal a thick, rolled-up, golden Zhuangbiao7.

It seemed to be a hanging scroll which seemed to the atmosphere of an expensive artifact.

"A gold-brocaded Zhuangbiao, huh…"

"Heh…" A sound escaped from Holmes' mouth as he looked up.

"That is quite a good kimono."

"Yeah, right? I thought so too."

I tilted my head in puzzlement while listening to that conversation.

(That's a good kimono?)

At that moment, the middle-aged lady who had been drinking coffee on the sofa stood up.

"My, my, a kimono, ya say?" She asked as she eagerly leaned forward.

"What? You said that 'it's a good kimono', but it turned out to be just a hanging scroll. Anyway, it sure is elegant, ain't it?

She unreservedly raised her voice, and Holmes-san smiled in return.

"Mieko-san, the saying of 'a good kimono' means that it is 'too elegant'."

It seemed that both of them were regular customers.

"Is it bad for it to be too elegant?"

"Just like how someone telling a lie will fluently arrange his words into believable sentences, boxes and Zhuangbiao can be made to look so elegant that they end up looking like fakes. Such objects are said to be 'kimonos that are too good', or 'to have bad circumstances'."

After listening to his calm explanation from the side, I slightly nodded and muttered, "I see."

"Oh, is that so? In other words, it's a bluff, I suppose. In that case, is that also a fake?"

 Holmes-san shook his head in response to Mieko-san, who had lowered her gaze to the hanging scroll.

"No, I'll have to take a look at it now. I cannot be taken in by any preconceptions, after all."

He gingerly retrieved the hanging scroll and slowly opened it to reveal a drawing of Mt. Fuji inside the gold-brocaded Zhuangbiao.

In the foreground were some cherry blossom trees.

Behind it was Mt. Fuji, towering over its surroundings with a tranquil atmosphere.

That image had an intensity that could take away one's breath.

(…Amazing)

I remember being deeply overwhelmed by the Mt. Fuji in that hanging scroll, even as I secretly peeked at it.

"Oh, this is…"

Holmes-san murmured, apparently moved.

"Yeah, it's amazing, ain't it?"

Uedsan leaned forward with a twinkle in his eye.

"Yokoyama Taikan's Mt. Fuji and Cherry Blossoms. This is quite a great work."

"Right? It's still in good condition, too. It's amazing, yeah?"

"My, it's a Yokoyama Taikan, to boot! Won't it be worth a bundle?"

Mieko-san looked at Uedsan as she spoke.

"Well, if it's the real deal, five would be too little. If I put it up on auction, it'll reach ten, don't ya think?"

"Ten million! Uedsan, that's amazing!"

"Right?"

Looking on at the excited pair, Holmes-san frowned, with a slightly apologetic expression on his face.

"…I see. It is very beautiful, and it is indeed in fine condition, but I regret to inform you that this is a 'replication'."

Upon hearing those words, Uedsan stopped moving and furrowed his brows in doubt.

"…Really? A replication of a major work usually has a seal saying that it's just a 'replica', right? There's no such seal, yeah? So ain't this real?"

"No, this is definitely a replication."

With Holmes-san stating his opinion without hesitation, Uedsan's shoulders suddenly drooped weakly.

I didn't know what a "replication" was, but it seemed to be some sort of fake.

(…What?)

Just like the person named Uedsan, I was also disappointed.

I'd been moved by that picture, after all.

 What a shabby person I must be, to be moved by a fake!

But the shock must have been greater for the person who had brought it in thinking it was real. He definitely would not accept that appraisal.

This shop clerk's pretty young. He might still be inexperienced.

I whispered those unspeakable words in my heart, but to my surprise, Uedsan immediately displayed a pleasant look on his face.

"Okay, I hear ya. I was just thinking that maybe it could be the real thing. Well, if ya say it, it's gotta be true."

Uedsan took a breath and rested his chin in his hands.

(…Huh? He just agreed so easily.)

As I peeked on at the situation, I was let down by how simply he withdrew.

He even said something like "if ya say it, it's gotta be true". He must have a great deal of trust for the young, handsome shop clerk.

Even though he looked like a mere university student in my eyes.

"Hey, Holmes, what price would ya put on it?"

"I see… it is in good condition, so about a hundred thousand, I suppose. Would you like us to buy it off you?"

"It's fine. I'll just bring it to an antique shop that doesn't have a good eye for this kinda thing."

Uedsan said with good grace, then wrapped the scroll with the Furoshiki.

…A hundred thousand.

That is quite a sum. I myself would certainly be more than happy to receive so much money.

As I listened in on their conversation, I felt awkward for spying on them from such a small distance away, so I hastily headed for the back of the shop.

"…Wow." I unconsciously let out a sound.

On a row of shelves were vases and tea bowls displayed neatly.

On the opposite end, there were also Western antiques like tea sets and candle stands.

While there were many kinds of objects laid out, from expensive artifacts to cheap goods that were within even my reach, they gave off a feeling of tidiness, rather than one of disorder.

I could tell that they had been well taken care of.

(There sure are a wide variety of things here.)

I noticed a vase that wouldn't look out of place in a Chinese palace, a Tansu8, as well as a set of tea utensils. There was even a Western antique doll.

The doll was beautiful, with skin made of china, large blue eyes, and flowing blonde hair.

As I stared at it, I shivered for some reason.

It's certainly a beautiful doll, but at the same time, it's somewhat scary.

I hurriedly turned to look at something else.

Ah, this ornament is amazing! There's even some rare packs of black tea!

I enjoyably looked at this and that, but stopped at a tea bowl on display in a glass case.

At first glance, it looked like a crooked, distorted, reddish-brown tea bowl with a white base.

It looked simple and didn't have much splendour, but for some reason, it made me feel like saying, "This is great."

I stood there on the spot and gazed fixedly at the tea bowl, when I heard a voice.

"…Have you taken a liking to this tea bowl?"

Surprised at hearing a voice coming from behind me, I whirled around to see Holmes-san with a gentle smile on his face.

"Ah, no, I mean, I don't know. I was just somehow thinking that it looks nice."

I replied nervously.

That person looked even more handsome from up close.

He had silky hair, he was tall, he had long legs. And most importantly, he looked really elegant.

His lips continued making that gentle smile even as my eyes swam.

"I see. In that case, please take your time to browse."

With those words, he turned back, but I instantly called out to him. "U-Um!"

"Yes?" Holmes-san turned around again.

I'd planned to present my paper bag and say, "I would like you to appraise this", but the words wouldn't come out.

"Uh, umm… Why are you called 'Holmes'?"

Having been asked a regrettably outrageous question, he blinked in surprise.

"I-Is it because you know a lot of things, like Sherlock Holmes