Water Moon: A Novel

A woman inherits a pawnshop in Tokyo where customers can sell their regrets and life choices. The shop is hidden from most people—appearing as a ramen restaurant to those who cannot find it—but reveals itself to those who are lost. When Hana Ishikawa becomes the new owner, she discovers the shop has been ransacked, its most precious item stolen, and her father is missing. A charming stranger arrives offering help rather than seeking it, and together they journey through a mystical world to find her father and recover the stolen choice. Their quest takes them across rain puddles, on paper cranes, over the bridge between midnight and morning, and to a night market in the clouds. As they draw closer to the truth, Hana must reveal a secret of her own and face a choice she cannot undo. The novel blends magical realism, fantasy mystery, and romance in a dreamlike setting.