Short Stories

A fictional animal fable about friendship and a storm that changes the pond.

Everyone noticed Koji’s golden scales. Few stayed long enough to learn anything else about him. The largest koi in the garden pond had plenty of admirers and very little company—until a small orange goldfish began swimming at his side.

The newcomer was much smaller than the koi, but he did not seem impressed by size. He asked Koji where the best hiding places were and whether anyone had explored behind the waterfall. Koji found himself answering questions he had not considered in years.

A fictional racing fable set in an imagined garden in Hokkaido.

In an imagined garden in Hokkaido, the annual koi race was the event everyone talked about. On race morning, neighbors gathered at the pond with opinions about every competitor. Almost nobody mentioned Kiko.

The course curved around the pond’s central planting and ended beneath a bright banner. Spectators leaned forward as the fish gathered at the start. Kiko checked the first turn, while his rivals checked one another.

A creative fantasy about a koi discovering the pleasure of words.

Hana had watched people visit the pond for years. One afternoon, she noticed what they kept looking at between glances at the fish: little notebooks covered in marks. A visitor added another mark with a pen. Hana swam closer. What could those scratches mean?

A fictional fable about a storm, recovery and the help of a community.

Sora’s orange scales were usually the first flash of color her friends saw in the morning. She liked being first to explore a corner of the pond and first to greet a visitor. On the day the storm arrived, she was first to notice the water changing.

One day, a storm swept through the area, and the pond water became turbulent and murky. Sora and her fellow fish struggled to swim against the current, and many of them were injured or swept away by the powerful waves.

A superhero fantasy about a small koi who wants to protect others.

Koji was small enough to be overlooked and stubborn enough to object when someone else was. In his garden pond, he had a habit of putting himself between the smaller fish and anyone who wanted to bully them.

One day, a group of bullies came to the pond and started picking on the smaller fish. Koji tried to intervene, but he was no match for the bullies. They pushed him around, and he ended up getting hurt.

A comic fantasy about a fish finding her place at an accounting firm.

Kiki wanted a change of scenery. When a local accounting firm advertised for a clerk, she decided that living in a pond was no reason to miss an opportunity. She submitted an application and waited for the reply with considerably less patience than a fish ought to have.

A reflective fable about familiar routines, loss and a remembered gesture.

The koi knew the pond’s morning shadows, the stones beneath the water and the empty bench at its edge. Then an old man began sitting there. At first he hardly looked at the fish, but he returned the next day, and the day after that.

Each morning, the old man sat on the bench a little longer. The koi began approaching the shadow he cast on the water, while he remained absorbed in thoughts of his own. Familiarity grew before either seemed to notice it.

A magical mystery about a hidden cave and the history of an imagined pond.

Akira knew the sound of her pond’s waterfall and the shadows beneath every flower. At least, she thought she did. One afternoon, a shift in the light revealed a narrow opening between the underwater rocks—a gap she had never noticed before.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Akira decided to investigate. She swam towards the opening and squeezed herself through the narrow gap. As she emerged on the other side, she found herself in a dark and mysterious cave.

A magical fable about using a gift for the whole pond.

There lived a beautiful and vibrant koi fish named Kato. Kato was always curious and adventurous, often exploring the pond and its surroundings.

One day, while exploring a secluded corner of the pond, Kato came across an old genie lamp. Being a curious fish, Kato investigated the lamp and accidentally rubbed against it. To Kato's surprise, a genie appeared before him, granting him three wishes.

A fictional story about a garden, a silver key and an inheritance beyond property.

Sophie had always loved her aunt's garden. It was a place of peace and tranquility, a sanctuary from the chaos of the city. So, when her aunt passed away, leaving Sophie her house and garden, she was both honored and overwhelmed.