Summary

In “A First-Rate Material,” while Nana visited with her friends Yumi and Aya, they complimented her expensive human hair cardigan. They insisted it was the perfect thing to wear when meeting her “future in-laws” (2). Nana confessed that her fiancé Naoki hated anything “made from human materials” (3). Her friends were shocked, especially when she revealed he wanted platinum rather than bone wedding rings.

Naoki texted Nana to come over. He was furious when he saw Nana’s sweater, having made her promise never to wear it around him. He started smoking, which he only did when “stressed and irritable” (6). Naoki said he would end the engagement if Nana bought any furnishings “made from human products” while visiting Miho’s shop the following day (7). Nana could not understand his aversion. Naoki insisted that making products from dead bodies was “barbaric...