Yumi and the Nightmare Painter

In Torio, Painter begins bathing back-to-back with Yumi. He thinks about how Yumi’s personality seems to change—she was personable in Kilahito, but back in her world, she is prickly and orders him around again. Yumi insists that when Liyun arrives, Painter must apologize on his knees for his inability to stack rocks. Painter comments that Yumi will never get what she wants in the long term by acting this way; instead she will just push people away. Yumi replies that it is appropriate for the yoki-hijo to be alone.

When Liyun arrives, Painter reluctantly follows Yumi’s instructions, telling Liyun that he needs to return to training. Liyun considers this and then agrees. At the place of ritual, Painter struggles to grab rocks because they are hot, and Yumi instructs him on how to evaluate rocks. She has him pick up a stone and describes how to figure out its weight and center of gravity. Painter replies that art is about sharing emotions, not this. Yumi dismisses Painter’s idea as meaningless poetry.

Yumi has never taught another yoki-hijo and is quickly frustrated by the difficulties of teaching Painter. Her rigidity and belief in protocol clash with his artistic inclinations.

When they are back in Painter’s world, Yumi suggests that Painter try to put on the “souls” of clothing.