Baishakunin, Inc.
"Baishakunin, Inc." is a new work of fiction from Naomi Hirahara the author of the Edgar Award-winning Mas Arai mystery series and two biographies published by the Japanese American National Museum. Its main character, Caroline Mameda, starts her own match-making business after being fired from her job. Set in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo.
Stories from this series
Chapter Twelve—Matchmaker, Matchmaker
Aug. 14, 2009 • Naomi Hirahara
>> Chapter elevenAt least pretend that you’re happy to be here, I scold myself. My best friend Ginnie Lee is getting married. To a nice, decent man. What a concept—two nice people making a lifetime commitment. That’s the mission of my fledgling matchmaking company, Baishakunin, Incorporated, but while business is booming, I’m floundering. “Um—you’ve taped my finger to my gift.” The wedding guest is right—her manicured index finger is firmly affixed to her white William and Sonoma box with a …
Chapter Eleven—Cold Imagawayaki
July 10, 2009 • Naomi Hirahara
>> Chapter tenOf all the people that I decide to be completely honest with, it shouldn’t be him. I should be confessing to my best friend, bride-to-be Ginnie Lee; my staff at Baishakunin, Inc; or the guy who I was just starting to date, my landlord Jake Martinez. But no, I’m not spilling my secrets to any of them. Instead, I am sitting on the floor of a hallway of a Little Tokyo building, next to my snake of an …
Chapter Ten—Honesty Is the Best Policy
June 12, 2009 • Naomi Hirahara
>> Chapter nine“You have to tell him,” says Ginnie, slurping the last bit of noodle in her large ceramic bowl. We are in Mr. Ramen on First Street in Little Tokyo. There’s a more popular ramen house a few storefronts away, but I opt for more quiet and privacy, especially since we are talking about my new relationship with my office landlord, Jake Martinez. “That I lied about my ex-boyfriend when he had trust issues with his past girlfriend?” Sure …
Chapter Nine—Up in Space
May 8, 2009 • Naomi Hirahara
>> Chapter eightI don’t know why I set up my ex-boyfriend with the absolutely best catch in my fledgling dating service. As my best friend Ginny Lee always reminds me, I despise Rick; I have the deleted digital images in my trash folder to prove it (I know, they should be completely off of my computer after seven years). Meanwhile, Michele Sakanashi is gorgeous, has a high-paying job, and even her own duplex. She’s a kind of girl that women …
Chapter Eight—Match Game
April 10, 2009 • Naomi Hirahara
>> Chapter seven“So who’s going to be matched with who?” Ginnie asks as she licks some green tea/blood orange yogurt from her lips. We are sitting in a corner table at Céfiore yogurt shop in Japanese Village Plaza in Little Tokyo. I’ve spread the profiles and photos of the 15 women who have applied to my matchmaking service, Baishakunin, Inc. I know that working on a plastic table in a frozen yogurt shop is not that professional, but I had …
Chapter Seven—Who’s Ex?
March 13, 2009 • Naomi Hirahara
>> Chapter six“That guy is my best friend’s ex.” The lie about Laker2009, otherwise known as Rick Sleazeball Saiki, my former boyfriend, comes out so easily. He has just been in the office of my fledgling business, Baishakunin, Inc., a matchmaking service that is somehow supposed to keep my condo payments afloat. Only problem is, Rick is my first and only customer. Besides he has signed a contract in the presence of my public face, the elderly Oizumi-san, and my …
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