Mascara Blues

Mascara Blues collects three short stories about young women navigating attraction, uncertainty, and the risks of falling in love. In the title story, Mugino is drawn to boys who seem to “sparkle,” but that quality fades after they begin dating. When she discovers that her friend Shuuya sparkles too, she hesitates to pursue him, afraid that losing interest could damage their friendship. In “Draft of Romance,” Tsuda keeps looking at Takasuga because she believes he is the boy who once helped her pick up a dropped bag. His intimidating glares leave her unsure whether she has identified him correctly. In “So I Can Be Myself —A Long Dream—,” Hikaru meets hairstylist Mashima Eiji, who asks her to model for him. Though her friends warn that he may only play with her feelings, Hikaru cannot stop thinking about him and wonders whether he would take her confession seriously.