Rolling up the blueprints, she looked around at the village houses. All of them were about the same size, with little individuality evident in any of their designs. She wasn't sure where she expected her counterpart to live, but none of these houses seemed quite right.

As she contemplated where to start going door to door to ask after herself, the door to one of the houses opened, and two women emerged. The first paused to raise a paper parasol. She wore a gingham print kimono, pale blue and white, her dark hair styled in an elaborate pile of knots and twists atop her head.

The woman behind her looked younger, but her hair and dress were similar, though her kimono was a pink and gray chevron pattern. Or, rather, the top half of her kimono. The woman's legs, from at least the knees down, we...

Please subscribe to keep reading.