A/N: This was a story that I wrote for Literature class in Japanese…it was supposed to be…about recurring themes in Asian stories, like gods/spirits, greed, etc. Yeah. Just read it.

Yusochi opened his shop early on a Tuesday morning. He was a sword smith in a small town in the outskirts of Kyoto. He made a small profit off of his swords – enough to feed his family and take care of his home.

He was the finest sword smith for miles about, but nobody actually needed swords for anything but display in modern-Japan.

Almost as soon as the shop opened, the door swung open, and what looked like an orderly businessman stepped indoors. He was wearing a suit entirely of blue. Yusochi looked up, and asked his normal question. “May I help you?”

“Yes,” replied the businessman. “I’m looking for a sword. I asked a few friends from Kyoto and they all pointed me here.” Yusochi was surprised, for this man didn’t seem like the kind of person who would want a sword, even to display in his home.

“Oh,” the sword smith said. “Here, let me show you to the display room. He pointed to a door that led further into the building. The businessman started off in the direction Yusochi was pointing.

“Thank you.”

It had been at least a half an hour before the businessman came back into the main room. He was holding a sword – the sword that Yusochi loved the most. His heart almost instantly fell.

Oh well, he thought. It is for sale, no matter how much I love it.

The businessman approached the sword smith, and inquired, “How much for this sword?”

Yusochi could’ve lied. He could’ve asked for a price so absurd that it would discourage the man from buying it. But that would be clashing with his morals, so he replied honestly. “Twenty-eight thousand yen.”

The business man smiled, as he removed the proper amount of yen from his briefcase, and gave it to Yusochi.

“Thank you,” the man said, before exiting the shop, the sword tucked between his arm and torso.

Business was pretty much slow for the rest of the day. Yusochi couldn’t help but think about the man for the rest of the day.

It was time for the shop to close. Yusochi sighed as he locked all the doors and windows. He walked farther into the building, where these was a flight of stairs leading to the second story – his residence. He climbed the steps, still thinking about the man.

At dinner, he told his wife about the businessman and the sword. He told her how he would’ve preferred to sell a different sword, but what was done was done.

He then stored the money he’d received that day into the family safe. He crawled into bed, still thinking about the man.

Yusochi woke the next day, and swiftly prepared to open his shop. And, same as yesterday, almost as soon as shop opened, the businessman strode in the door.

Yusochi looked up. “May I help you?” He noticed an object in the hands of the businessman today.

“No, not today. I just wanted to say that the sword you sold to me yesterday is the finest I’ve ever seen. I had a celebration for my daughters wedding yesterday – which is the reason I purchased the sword, by the way – and received so many compliments about it that I can’t remember them all! Here. Take this as a token of my appreciation.” He offered the object – which Yusochi now recognized as a small, silk box – to the sword smith.

He took the box into his hands, wondering what it was. “As you know, the Ōmisoka celebration is coming in four weeks. Promise me you will not open this box until then. If you heed my warning, great fortune will find you. However, should you open the box before then, misfortune will befall you.” The man disappeared out the door before Yusochi could say anything.

That night, he took the box up to his home, and found a safe place for it, still wondering what sorts of mysteries the box hid. He didn’t tell his wife though, for she was the impulsive type that would immediately want to open the box. Instead, he hid it in the family safe, with all his money.

* * *

Two weeks had passed since Yusochi had received the mysterious box. It was long lost and forgotten by then. Yusochi was too busy trying to sell his swords, and his wife, Kii, was busy with Ōsōji (year-end cleaning) and had no time to look into the family safe.

Yusochi had finally made enough money to deposit into the safe. He found a slightly-dusted box, and almost instantly remembered where it came from. He thought about what the businessman had said.

As you know, the Ōmisoka celebration is coming in four weeks. Promise me you will not open this box until then. If you heed my warning, great fortune will find you. However, should you open the box before then, misfortune will befall you. Like most would be, he was very curious to know what was in the box that would bring him fortune or misfortune.

It was nighttime when Yusochi found the box. His shop was closed and he was getting ready to go to bed. He thought to himself, Well, I guess it would be okay if I just had one tiny peek. I might even get an early fortune if I do! I bet that warning was false. That was his mistake.

The lid of the box was slightly opened, and a blue mist emanated from the opening. Yusochi gasped in surprise, inhaling some of the small brume. He nearly choked.

“Are you alright?” asked Kii. She got a round of heavy coughing as her response, but the choking had ceased within five seconds.

Yusochi went to bed that night, and laid his head down on the pillow. What a waste! he thought. I didn’t get to see anything because of that stupid cloud of blue. He fell asleep, into a deep, dreamless sleep.

He woke the next morning, feeling rather the same. His wife was still asleep, as it was still 5:30 in the morning. He swiftly got dressed, but it seemed to hurt him when he bent over, and went about his normal routines.

He entered the bathroom to brush his teeth and whatnot. He looked into the mirror above the sink, and nearly screamed in shock. His face had become – older. His hair was mostly gone, his teeth were very yellow, and his skin was almost white.

What has happened? I can’t work in this state! he thought. Then he remembered the businessman’s warning. I should’ve paid attention to that man’s words! Now look at me!

He hurried down to his shop; it took an extra long time to get down the stairs, as he had obtained arthritis in this process of aging. When he entered the main room, he found the man standing by the door.

“What? How did you get in?” Yusochi asked.

“Yusochi, you have paid no attention to my warning. You now know the consequences of your greed. You have grown old, and are no longer able to work. Take a look at your swords.”

Yusochi quickly walked into his display room. All the swords were crooked, and no longer the fine quality that they used to be. “What has happened? My swords! I cannot sell them now!”

“Yes.” The businessman was standing in the doorway, watching Yusochi’s every move. “Your greed has caused this. You wanted a fortune, but you couldn’t be patient and wait two weeks. Now look at what has happened.”

Yusochi gaped in horror. He then turned to the man. “What is your name?”

“Bokkusu,” the man said. “Bokkusu no Seirei is my full name.” Spirit of the Box! So that was why there was that blue mist.

“You were- that blue mist that came from the box?” Yusochi asked.

“Yes. Now, pay the consequences of your greedy actions!” The man slowly began to melt away, as if he were made of air. Soon, there was a small cloud of blue mist, and then nothing, leaving Yusochi and his swords in a poor state.