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Preferred Browser: FF for page; IE for music
Currently playing: Kamiki Village I - Okami OST
Last update: Jul. 5th, 2010 @ 5:45pm

The streets in the Shenkuu marketplace was as you expected it to be. It was, like other marketplaces, a busy place. People and animals of all types scampered through the street, all occupied with a particular activity. A man strolling a cart of chickens passed by. Two hagglers fought each other with offers for fish. The faint sound of mooing Kaus mixed in with the various chattering of the merchants. You sigh as people passed by you. You could get almost anything in marketplaces, and each visit was like an adventure.

As you were exploring the many stalls of merchandise, antiques, china and groceries, your eyes suddenly wandered to a space that broke the line of shops. Curious, you made way through the crowd for a better look. Then, you confronted the space in which where a shop should be... to find lush green grass that made your eyes roll into the view of the forest behind the marketplace. It appeared to be a forest, but instead it was a very well mannered garden with many foliage. A tall red gate stood out in the green color of the garden, and from the gate your eyes lowered down to the step-stone path into the garden. Anxious to see what was in this rare sight of a marketplace, you venture in.

The path weaved into the garden with a few light turns. Bamboo stalks proudly stood tall in the garden. There were a few square paper lanterns on the ground; some were lined up against the path. To the left you could see a bamboo water spout. You stared at the movements of it: the water filling up the bamboo and the weight of the bamboo caused it to tip down and release the water. It tipped back up to be filled again, and its process went on for infinity. Its peaceful tapping sounds echoed through the garden. The noise of the busy street was gone.

Then, you saw the house. It was mostly red colored, but the dark blue roof and the tanned window shades contrasted to it very well. There was a board at the top of the shop's entrance that said: "Tea's Exquisite."

This shop literally had almost everything that had to do with tea. The shelves were lined with various different kinds of cups and pots, and there was a huge section full of different tea types. Some of the items had even come from the other half of the world! After staring in amazement at the many tea-related merchandise, a voice startled you.

Hello there, may I help you?"

You swiveled around in time to see a young man with blue hair leave the store's counter.

When he got close enough to see your face clearly, he sprang back a little in surprise.

Oh! You're.. not from these parts are you? And woah, you seem pretty worn out from walking around in the streets huh? Yeah, I understand you... It usually gets busy around the noontime.. Yep!

The blue haired man motioned you towards the counter.

If you're new here, that must mean you've never tried out my homemade tea, correct?... Just wait there... I have plenty to share!"

After a few minutes of waiting and leaning on the counter, the blue man appeared again holding a tray with two cups of steaming tea. He placed the tray carefully on the counter and then proceeded to take one of the cups and sip out of it. A drink wouldn't hurt, so you took the remaining tea and carefully tasted it before taking a long sip.

Warm streams of tea traveled down your throat. The taste of it was so well done... and it was very relaxing. You laid your tensing muscles to rest, and the calm feeling coursed through your body. It was as if all your burdens rolled off your shoulders, and all the stress from you was released. After drifting off in your own peaceful world, you exhaled calmly, and opened your eyes.

You just had to compliment on his homemade wonder.

Wow, that tea was really good...!

The man smiled. He put his cup down and leaned back on his chair.

Thank you! You must seem curious about this shop and why it's so different from the marketplace's many necessities... If you have time, would you like to stay and chat? There's always time, so just relax and chill.

-----

My grandfather and I manage this small but humble tea store off the marketplace. We decided to design the store entrance differently so that it would attract attention to customers. The garden that you went through had enough plants to block out most sounds from the marketplace, so this store is also quite peaceful. Some locals at Shenkuu love to visit our store once in a while; some of them are even imperials! They absolutely love our various types of pots and exotic, foreign teas, and had always come back at least once a week to see what was new.~

Many of our store contents are actually imported from other countries! Some merchants who run throughout this marketplace help deliver us some certain tea merchandise according to their route. But because their routes and directions change a lot, we get to obtain different types of tea all the time! We record our customers' favorites so that we can mail to the teas' original locations for more pounds. Most of our tea bags and pots come from our family however. My family lives in a district close to the marketplace, so restocking is pretty easy. Because my family's house is already stuffed full of cousins and relatives, me and my grandfather reside in our quiet house behind this store. (I have to admit, I like living in the quietness of this house rather than being in the noisy full house of our family... Heheh. ^^)

Name: Shoeji
Alias: Shoeji, Eji (So far only his grandpa addresses him that)
Gender: M
Age: Late Teens
Species: Wolf (Usually cloaked as human)
Personality: Peaceful, Annoyed at loud sounds, Friendly, Welcoming
Parents: ...???
Family: A bunch of cousins + relatives living in another house.
Siblings: None
Occupation: Tea shop owner with his grandpa; Herbalist and Tea specialist.
Status: NOT. LOOKING/INTERESTED. ò_ό;
Other: Has a pen pal and loves chocolate too.

Dislikes: Huge loud noises, Hateful people, Anger, War, Serious fighting, Creepy people, Uncomfortableness, Malice and deep sorrow.

Likes: Peace and quiet, Friends - Family, Friendly strangers, Tea!, Birds, Bamboo, European culture/French, Dramas/plays.