Second, there is a reason why he's annoyed here: This one is not as narratively satisfying as the previous one. Now, I could go on about the Ochi, or punchline in Rakugo theatre, but for simplicity, he just doesn't likes the twist. It's a shite story, to be fair.

There is definitely things to learn here, but the story itself is not something he liked. And if the storyteller ain't feeling it, how can he sell the lesson to the masses, you know? Anyhow, to solve the confusion: The color is simply to indicate an aggressive/distressed/generally negative tone. Rakugo is a theatre of tones and pitches: There's only one actor playing all the characters, so to quickly signal that the reader should focus on something, I change the text color. It doesn't have to do with the storyteller's identity. For now, anyway.

As for if the stories are real or not… Well, wouldn't you want to know, weather boy?

Thanks for the read and the comment! Really appreciate it~

I guess there's some confusion with me on whether these events actually happened and Mihashirabō is re-telling them or if they really are just a play. If the events actually happened, it seems that the stories imply, through the masks and the same text color, that Mihashirabō is Sato and the masked killer. So if it's a re-telling, I'm definitely intrigued as to why Mihashirabō is doing this, but if its a play, I wonder why he is telling these types of stories, especially one he's so dissatisfied with.

There are definitely morals to learn here, like the way you can play with the idea of paying some one back for just being there, or how one can be paid back, how paying someone back isn't always material in real life, and it also speaks on the real-life issues that homeless people face. But this story doesn't have a satisfying end, and it isn't wrapped up into a clear conclusion, a tangible theme, like the last one with Sato. It makes me think about how Mihashirabō's philosophy regarding stories may be tilted differently than my own.

Very interesting story, Maxy, I hope to see more from this storyteller sometime

Is this spooky enough for the Halloween month? Violence against the homeless (A common occurrence, sadly) is terrifying, although definitely not the direction one would expect… Eh, whatever. Good enough.

Hope you enjoy and/or enjoyed the read!


Oh also, all images drawn by me.