BEFORE READING
BEFORE READING
There are characters you grow so fond of that it’s very difficult to stop thinking about them, or to stop thinking about stories that involve them. That’s how I feel about Yuzuki and Masamune.
They were my first children to see the light of day in self-publishing, and they allowed me to become a self-published author.
Their story ends in their book, Hinomoto Monogatari: The Rabbit on the Moon, but it didn’t seem to be enough.
I began to imagine them in a modern world, what their tastes would be, and how they themselves would be in a world like ours.
From there, this extra story, Hinomoto Monogatari: A Crazy Christmas, was born, because Yuzu and Masa deserve this story.
Although they are characters who appear in my first self-published book, this story can be read by everyone (even if they haven’t read the book) and will provide a good time while preparing Christmas dinner. Hehe. If by pure chance you have already read the book, many references will make more sense. To all the readers of my Hinomoto Monogatari series: The Camellia and the Kitsune. I hope you enjoy this story. There are also a few things that might seem familiar.
As always, there are several Japanese terms that I’ve tried to explain within the text, but if you have any questions, leave a comment and I’ll answer it as soon as I can (at the time of this publication, I’ll be traveling in Japan).
Speaking of:
Hinomoto is based on Japan, and this time on a modern Japan, more or less like the one we know today, only with some differences (In Japan, unfortunately, LGBTQ+ marriage is not legal, and in this alternate world it is).
As always, I write with respect and admiration for Japanese culture and history, avoiding stereotypes and trying to represent its people and culture in the most respectful way. That’s why I think it’s important to clarify that, while the name Hinomoto was the name given by locals to the Land of the Rising Sun in ancient times. The world and story told in the following pages are entirely fictional.
This story was originally written in Spanish, but for this occasion I took the time to translate it into English. I want to tell you that my English isn’t the best, and there will surely be many mistakes and many things that could be written much better in another way.
Even so, I hope it’s understandable enough for you to enjoy it.
