Yoshiwara

by Eve Kaan

  'Uta, calm down. You're going to be sick from the excitement.' I hugged her - seeking the strength, unable to even look at her.

  'I don't have them.' I sobbed.

  'What do you mean you don't have them?' Now she has turned pale.

  'I borrowed Sayuri's tip. I didn't want to be a failure in your eyes, the one who didn't contribute to our savings. You've always talked about how important the tip is.' Utano's now beside herself - affected by the shock. She's silent. 'I was embarrassed. I wanted to show-off and appear great in your eyes.' My chest started to squeeze. 'I am sorry Utano.' The tears are sliding from my eyes uncontrollably because of the lie I'm serving her. This is the only way, I can't be separated from Rin, and this is big enough shame that Utano wouldn't ask Sayuri for the truth. I sobbed loudly.

  'How could you lie to me?' Through tears, she was helplessly asking. 'I am your sister and you are important to me, no matter what Uta.' She squeezed me tightly.

  'Sorry, sorry, please forgive me...' I repeated.

  'We'll gather it, Uta. You need to have a little patience and freedom will be yours.' She stood up putting her coins under my futon. 'It will be safe here. It belongs to you anyway. The rest I will be gathering in my chest.' In weak sobs, I pushed her hand away from the futon.

  'You go Utano, that's your gold. You've spent enough time here.' She didn't allow me to oppose her.

  'Leave me be Uta. You are going, I've decided.' Gold was now packed here. She laid on the futon, and with a small smile through the tears, she said, 'Now you will literally be lying on gold coins.' I imitated her slight smile answering with a poor joke to make a better atmosphere.

  'Surely it's going to pinch me through the futon.' Utano started turning around to test the futon above the golden coins.

  'I must admit that it's very comfortable. You have the most expensive futon in the land, Uta. '

  We hugged - conscience persecuted me. She went out after a while - we had to wait for redness of our faces caused by tears to cease.

  I took out my tip and joined it beneath the futon. It will take her at least a year to collect the rest, and until then the coins will be safe from her eyes. This gold is a chain for me, not freedom at all.

  This is hard, I'd give her everything if I knew she was going to leave Yoshiwara, but she didn't want that either. Perhaps this is also a weight for her too, because of her heart which doesn't know what freedom is. I need Rin, I'll do anything for her. My whole being belongs to her - without hesitation.

  I dressed up and left for the Great House.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  From the moment I crossed the threshold of the Great House, I felt curious eyes of the staff on my shoulders, Sayuri really has a big mouth. I climbed up the stairs to Rin's door. She opened them, smiling widely with a cigarette of tenuous smoke in her hand.

  'I'm glad you came, Uta.' She said, pointing to a sitting spot in the middle of a room with a small waterfall.

  'I'm glad as well. I couldn't wait to come.' I blushed. 'I-I mean, because of the event and new pieces of information.' She sat next to me, passing a cup of tea for which I thanked her shyly.

  'I like your kimono,' Rin said ambiguously, then continued, 'you are very beautiful.' with a gaze I couldn't decipher - is she looking at my kimono or at what draw my attention when I saw her in that yukata, after I caught her in the bath, smoking in front of me? I want to tell her that she is the most beautiful and sensual woman in the whole world - ever, but it's not the right moment.

  'Thank you for the kind words.' I shyly took a cup, briefly glimpsing at her. 'I think the same of ladies who are charmingly smoking in elegant kimonos.' I spoke this sentence almost shamelessly, yet hiding in the cup, offering it to my lips.

  'So you think that of every lady you consider to be charming and elegant? After that sentence, she sensually took a smoke with a seductive smile on her red lips.

  'I think that only of you.'

  'And what about some other ladies you met before me, Uta?' Rin has put my affection towards her in question, and not just by her demeanour but also with this provocative question.

  'Wasn't my gesture last night clear enough?'

  'Have you ever let some other ladies know something like that before?' This was the only thing Rin said with an especially deep tone of feminine notes.

  'I'm not quite sure I met a proper lady before you. You are the only one if you must know. And, how were the ladies in Europe?'

  'Certainly, they are not even close to what I saw in Yoshiwara.' A positive euphoria overwhelmed me immediately with that answer. I flashed her with a shy smile. Maybe she spent the nights with some women, but none of them were like me - and that's all I'm interested in. She's so beautiful, I can't stop looking at her. She will notice my arousal if I don't compose myself. Just a thought about Mother is enough, and I'm already sober-minded. Right then I noticed some new shungas on the wall, above the table.

  ✽✽✽

  Rin

  Uta was much bolder than expected. I find her courage very attractive when she said 'I think that only of you.' But I had to ask her about some other ladies, couldn't help myself. She looked intensely at me while answering 'Wasn't I clear enough...' Only a brush of her touch would be enough, and I think I wouldn't be able to compose myself this time. My blood accelerated from the thought of last night.

  'These new shungas are interesting.' I turned my head towards them. There are four related scenes. Two women are depicted from their backs, dressed in untied yukatas, sitting on each other enjoying the intimacy with no visible nakedness, yet it's clear that, under the yukatas, they are touching those places. 'I've never seen such beautiful shungas, like the ones you often change on the wall, they aren't vulgar in a classically explicit way. Though, this kind of intimacy is more sensual than open scenes.'

  'You noticed well.' I replayed in a slightly flirtatious tone. If she only knew that each shunga was made with her as an inspiration.

  I stayed in that mood until Gina interrupted our conversation for a bit, informing us that the clients started to arrive. I didn't talk to Uta about one last detail. Stress seized me at that moment, which made my blood pressure ease up instantly, I wasn't pulsating led by passion anymore - now it's resonating because of the tension, in anticipation of her response.

  ✽✽✽

  Uta

  'Uta.' Rin changed her mood and in a serious tone, but with a gentle glance, she began. 'I was thinking about the details of the event, there is something I didn't mention,' her voice softened, 'I doubted if it was necessary or we could do without it.' I listened carefully. 'I will understand if you don't want to. Just so you know – your decision will not change anything in our relationship.' I can't even imagine in which direction this conversation will go, she is so vague. No matter what, I'm ready to do anything for her. 'We have to tell your Mother that you were sold. In fact, we have to tell her that you spent the night with a client, as a night lady.' I winced and she reflexively caught my hand. If she tells me now that she will leave me to another woman, I will die at the same moment. I squeezed her tightly. 'I will not give you to anyone, Uta.' She told me softly and placed my hand on her lips.

  'But...'

  'We'll tell your Mother that she can't sell you to anyone, actually, we'll tell her that only the Great House can arrange it. By that, you will be protected.' Relief filled my lungs, I breathed deeply. 'Clients must think that you are one of the girls. It would be too suspicious if we bring a debutant on such events? But don't worry, Gina or Nori will supposedly be your buyers - you remember? We will take care of the gold coins.' Rin released my hand, looked at the small waterfall before she finished. 'If you don't want to do this, I will understand - I don't want to force you into anything.'

  'I will do it!' I affirmed quickly without hesitation. 'Are you aware that my Mother will be suspicious of why only the Great House can sell me? It might cause some gossips throughout Yoshiwara.'

  'I'm the Respected lady after all. A Mother
can't question my decisions, and with the gossips, we will manage. It's, in fact, our aim to stimulate the gossips, so we would sooner find out who's spreading them from our house.' Oh, I really want to tell her about yesterday's gossip, but it's too intimate I'm afraid. She could close herself off because Yoshiwara is actually in the pursuit of something that is, in fact true, yet she certainly has no one who would tell her - I hope. 'You will tell your Mother that the Respected lady sold you to her cousin Gina. The two of you had spent the evening in the Great House - your room will await you, Uta.' She continued with the details of tonight's event. How would I not agree to it, she's acting like I have to agree onto something terrible or is it that I just became unaffected by lies - no wonder after all that false stories I tangled myself into. 'It's time to go, Uta. Are you ready?'

  'I'm ready. Will you be there all the time?'

  'Of course, don't worry. You are not alone. Thank you for doing this.' We took our leave towards the door. I almost replied that I would do it for her, but this time I restrained myself.

  The event is still in the beginning. There are some, for me, unknown clients and dozens of girls, including Sayuri's sister, but she is a regular on all events – Madam practices intimacy, like the ones on shungas, with her for some time now. Laughter is dominating the room while food and drinks are served. I noticed a strange gaze of Sayuri's sister on me since I arrived. I can't believe Sayuri already told her the new gossip – by the morning it will spread throughout all Yoshiwara corners.

  I was astonished by the complete transformation of Gina and Nori. They are expressing in wrong grammar with loud chuckling to fit in with today's clients of lower financial status, but still rich compared to the average population. Rin, of course, sat at the head of the table, entertaining the guests by telling them her stories from Europe, and we are constantly around them with food and drinks, it's in our job description after all.

  Rin moved away from her place when the evening had progressed quite a bit. Ladies are having fun with night girls in all corners of the room on spacious futons. They smoke cigarettes and sip sake straight into each other's mouths. I've been circulating them - each group a few times to check them out, but it seems that they aren't relevant in Yoshiwara's frauds. Actually, today's event is about a group of women who arranged a birthday celebration for the oldest one amongst them, and she is currently busy with three girls simultaneously - spooning. Besides them, there are several regular ladies, those who attend almost all the events, yet rarely buy the girls.

  I would look at Rin from time to time, she's giving me a feeling of safety. I didn't approach any of the clients intimately, a single thought of their desire was repulsive to me. I took a break to go to the main table for more sake, and then an older guest approached Rin. It's the birthday lady surrounded by night girls.

  I can't believe my eyes, is she blind. The girls started to seduce her, waiting for an excuse of their approaching. Now she's even laughing with them as she talks to this old crone. Oh, just how arrogant could they be while shamelessly trying to impose themselves on her, hoping she would show them the direction of her own chambers. I can't even look at them.

  My job is to associate with clients. Rin knows what she's doing – weeell, she can't send them away just like that. I went to Gina where some lady is talking about flowers with her. From all the topics, they are talking about how to transplant the root without drying the plant. Meanwhile, the girls are trying to dance sensually around them, but neither one of these two are even spearing them a glance. I involved joining their discussion by solving a mystery about the soil's preparation with enough nutritious elements. They were looking at me as if I unraveled some strange miracle – everyone knows how the soil should look like. They talk that much about flowers without even knowing the basics of transplanting. What a tense topic. I started yawning because of oh so great excitement. Again my eyes traveled to Rin - those just won't give up. Are they stupid, can't they see that she's not interested in them? Really, how shameful!

  Gina and the client next to her started with a new conversation about some weeds that are attacking the garden during the rainy season, pondering on how to size it. They are enthralled in the topic as if there's not any more interesting theme than this.

  And there they are again, no space beside Rin is left unoccupied. She is completely surrounded, and the old women eventually stayed alone. She is sitting on the futon, next to Rin, but they are no longer able to talk normally because of those unpresentable alley girls. What a pity, and it's her birthday. She should just leave with those unpleasant girls. How did they even got a job in the Great House, being so ugly and all, I wonder? Surely Yoshiwara wouldn't buy them if anyone could know how those girls would turn out when grown up, so the only solution must be to affiliate them with old hags of poor eyesight - they can't see their ugliness.

  Enough is enough! Oh, come on, do I see this right, that one is bold, trying to sit on Rin's lap. My mind couldn't even decipher what my body was doing when I already found myself at their table. I know I shouldn't have, but Rin certainly needs to be saved from such improper behaviour. I settled right beside her, but she didn't take notice. The old woman is retelling her whole life story. Rin laughed - surely by force, the story is not amusing at all. One of these fools is crushing me. Trying to make a space between us for herself. I intentionally pinched her butt subtly. She groaned and faced me all in wonder. Why is she looking at me like that? She knows very well that she was squeezing me here on purpose.

  Rin behaves like she is enjoying all of this. Laughing in a permissible way, leaving the impression that she doesn't mind their company at all. She is the Respected lady, if they were to bother her, she would send them away by herself.

  I was disappointed, I guess. No longer listening to their conversation. I looked at her for the last time, but she took the napkin and brought it to her mouth. She is now pretendedly wiping her self, yet she had nothing to drink or eat. Actually, that's a feigned move, just so she doesn't have to look at me. I went to get up, there is no space for me here. I should have taken the gold, and be out of here forever before any of this even happened. I leaned on my palms when I felt somebody's hand grabbing mine. I turned my eyes. Surely it's some vulgar girl that is trying to show off her small chest - she must've accidentally caught my hand targeting Rin's. Poor her, oh just how much she is deluding herself. I yanked my hand from the touch, but it clenched me stronger - she's not letting go. I looked at Rin, realizing that it's her hand holding mine far away from curious eyes, but she is still talking passionately. I felt gentle caresses on my hand and responded to her. We intertwined our fingers, and after a while, she slid her hand by drawing it slowly over my fingers - to me, it felt like an eternity, when in reality passed only a couple of heartbeats.

  Suddenly Gina was in front of me breaking the gentle touch, 'Let's go, Uta. I just bought you - I'm looking forward to your skills.'

  Rin nodded her head in sign of approval. The older client seems dissatisfied. How could I forget that napkin is the signal for Gina to come for me, which should end my evening at the event of pleasures.

  We got out of the room, and she started, 'Oh, Rin just interrupted me when we started talking about interesting topics.' I looked at her in wonder.

  'You talked about flowers Gina, who is discussing this at the event of pleasures?'

  'Uta, we didn't talk about flowers, it had been a figurative way of speaking about her journey to exotic lands and their literature of women's pleasures.' She laughed. 'The transplantation meant shifting from one point to another in the sense of providing satisfaction. I barely stayed composed when you really started talking about the soil. I couldn't believe it.'

  'You're kidding me, Gina. And weeds, what are those?' She couldn't answer from her laughter.

  'Weeds are the hair of intimate female part, and hoeing is the way of a long term pubic hair removal to keep the skin smooth.' Now I'm really flushed, like never before. 'Come on, stop, you have no reaso
n to feel embarrassed, and you've heard it all before, it could happen to anyone.' Just how I always find myself in shameful situations, I wonder.

  'Gina, thank you for taking me to the room.'

  From the stairs, I heard the chosen one of my heart as she calls my name . Gina looked back to check if someone's watching us, then said goodnight pleasantries and continued forward to her own room.

  'Hurry up Uta, get in before someone sees us.' Rin nudged me. We both entered the room, and she immediately noticed something is wrong. 'You're sad, what is it?'

  'Nothing, everything's fine.'

  'Uta, tell me if it's a client?' She insisted with agitated movements. We set on the futon.

  'It's not.'

  'Is it because of the girls? You know I don't care about them.'

  'It's not the girls.' At first, I looked at Rin before telling her how I supposedly ashamed myself in front of Gina. She couldn't help herself, she just had to laugh. I turned away acting angry, so she started to apologize for laughing, but couldn't remove the smile from her lips.

  'Gina doesn't think anything of you Uta, it could happen to anyone. The music was loud. If I was in your place maybe it would have happened to me too.' Rin leaned her hands on my back. She started to caress me. 'Come to me so I can comfort you.' I didn't even look at her even though I turned to her. She hugged me with a slight hitching from laughter still, so I tried to get out of her embrace, but she didn't let me. 'I will stop, I promise Uta.' The warmth of her body overwhelmed me. I'm truly enjoying it. I wish she could keep holding me forever. Every touch meant a newly awakened emotion in me. 'I wanted to thank you for everything Uta. Today's clients are harmless, but this has helped us to eliminate them.' She is still holding me, ceased her speaking for a moment then briefly added, 'Thank you.' From the gentle tone, I felt her giving into the emotions towards me. 'I couldn't have done this without you, Uta.' I pressed myself even closer to her, and she subsided us in a laying position. My head was on her chest, and I placed an arm on her shoulder as she gently caressed my hair. 'Uta, I should go, you have to rest - it's late.' I didn't have the strength to let her go.