The proprietor was younger than people expected. Her hair was tied back in a loose knot, and a patchwork apron hugged a slim frame. The market regulars called her Ume; strangers called her “the medicine seller.” She arranged jars of herbs and tiny glass vials, each labeled in neat, looping script. The air around the stall smelled of citrus peel, lavender, and something faintly metallic—like dawn after rain.
Representation, themes sensitivity, and ethical considerations The proprietor was younger than people expected