by Eve Kaan
'Rin, if you leave now someone might see you, then I wouldn't be of any help anymore - everyone will think that I am yours, all information would just bypass me.'
'But Uta, how are we going to sleep? There's no other futon. I shouldn't have come in.' She pretended she wanted to leave, I knew her that much to recognize her struggle. She wants everything, but fear doesn't allow her. This is just a random situation for her in my eyes, it can only function that way.
'We're going to sleep as we are lying now if you don't mind. This futon is enough for both of us.'
'Only if I hear a good night story.' A glittering smile was shining on her face. I can feel the hidden intent behind those words, but different from all the others when we found ourselves in this situation.
'What is the story you would like to hear?'
'One of the anecdotes while you were living in the village.' I was surprised, I thought she would ask for some mythological theme.
'In return, I want the anecdote from your journey.'
✽✽✽
Rin
Uta began the story about a girl who was brought to this world by an unknown woman. I don't want this to turn into something more, like every previous situation that similarly started, and I'm interested in everything about the sweet little girl who is lying on my chest right now. Every word I listened carefully. After that, my story of the cold regions and internal struggles because of the call I chose for myself followed. Our stories have turned into a whole series of surviving situations. The conversation was too interesting to fall asleep. We changed different positions of the embrace, but I still love the most when her head is on my chest. The moon was shining like a lantern on the sky when Uta sneaked out to the kitchen, bringing us a plate full of food and sake. We were holding each other's hands, even when I was smoking - she would help me with wooden sticks to light a cigarette.
With each story, I was more and more in love with her. I didn't think it was possible, but I feel Uta even deeper in my heart. She is an amazing young and strong girl - everything I pretend to be in front of the others to create authority. Along with morning, came the only moment safe enough for me to sneak out, and that is the time when the shift of night and morning service changes. They always spend some time talking about the following obligations.
'I had a wonderful time, thank you for this beautiful night, Uta.'
'This was one of the nicest nights we've shared together.' It was the last what Uta told me before I left, kissing her hand for our parting. In the morning, we secretly saw each other while she was leaving. The house was full, but we subtly sent our regards to each other with a smile on the lips. I kept myself awake until her departure just so I wouldn't oversleep the opportunity to see her sending me the last movement of her sweet lips. She had to leave early in the morning to avoid anyone getting suspicious - it's the practice with every girl after spending the intimate evening with a client in the Great House. The carriage was awaiting her in front of the house.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Uta
This time no one at home asked me if I'm still innocent. Everyone was sitting in the reception room with breakfast. Mother made a place for me, 'Uta, join us first before you leave for a rest. You must be tired, and your body needs nutrition.' The atmosphere is calm. Only a few words about the meal could be heard.
'You got back early today,' Utano said, 'body doesn't need a long time to get used to this rhythm - in time you won't need to sleep throughout the whole morning.' I wasn't aware it is so noticeable on me that I spend the whole night awake.
Now I have a chance to serve them a lie. I repeated in my mind the sequence of imaginary events. I didn't have to act my nervousness. This situation is already disturbing me because I have to lie. My heart wanted to jump from the chest. I'm trying to get started, but there's no sound coming out of my mouth. Nobody realizes that I'm struggling so hard to voice the first letter. I feel even worst mostly because of Utano, how will I convince her that my deception is actually real. Every other grain of rice is falling down from my chopsticks - I started to tremble.
'Do you want your sister to feed you - you can't even hold the sticks of fatigue.' with a smile, Utano commented. My head stayed lowered, but I felt every look directed to my chopsticks. I started, 'I-I,' ceasing in the next moment. Silence has become absolute, even the birds' singing has stopped.
'...I am -'
I desisted again. The tension in the air could be cut with a blade. It was as if everyone knew what I was trying to say, so they gave me much needed space to finish the sentence.
'...I became a woman.'
My head is still facing the ground. Mother immediately raised from the table.
'Bravo!!! Bravo, Uta!!! ', she clapped with her hands and squalled rather loudly. 'Where's our sake? This demands a toast.'
Kaoru and Hana congratulated me, only Utano remained without reaction. I looked at her, and she returned a glimpse as if reading the hidden truth. I thanked them. Mother poured sake in every cup. We raised them at the same time, only Utano's came a bit slower. Cheerful atmosphere prevailed at the table. All of them smiling while holding the sake in their hands, all except Utano. Only she had a frozen expression of her face. Mother started her questioning with the first sip.
'How was it? Tell us everything, from the beginning.'
Her enthusiasm was suddenly cut off by a serious voice.
Utano exclaimed impertinently, 'Who was she?'
I quickly answered, 'Gina! Cousine of Respected lady, she bought me.' Sister didn't stop with the gaze from which my blood was freezing.
'Cousin?' Mother repeated.
Kaoru said, 'Ah yes, she has two cousins, one of them is also Etsu's niece. I'm just not sure which one. They came here with the Respected lady, passionately enjoying the girls since then - or so Yoshiwara says. No event passes without their presence and high tips. Sometimes they do something for the Respected lady, but their stay is mostly for fun until sunrise.'
I followed up. 'Yes, they are her cousins. Nori is a cousin from Etsus side. She taught us the choreography. Gina is on the other side of the family tree.'
Utano has finally changed the expression of her face, smiled and raised sake to me.
'In that name Uta, I congratulate you!'
I felt relieved. Finally, I breathed with full lungs again. My story was a mix of experiences I had with Rin in conjunction with other stories I've heard about nighttime experiences. They believed in my lies, so I have given myself a little bit more freedom to go into some details, for example, kissing hands on our parting and a few ladylike gestures...
The story was stopped by someone's knocking on the door. Mother rushed to it. The girl brought golden coins from the Great House. I didn't care about it, nor asked Rin how much would she send. Mother showed excitement while still being in the hall.
'Utaaaa!!!' She yelled coming back to the table.
'This is the same amount you've been bought for the first time!!!' She took out some gold coins and gave them to me.
'This is for you - so you can buy yourself some nice memory. You were valuable to me as if I had two debutants in the house.'
Kaoru and Hana looked at the coins in shock. Utano smiled. Mother didn't have the custom to share her earnings with us, but she would treat us occasionally, only on rare occasions. She went to her room to store it in a secret place, although I'm not sure for whom it was a secret because we all knew where she keeps the gold - in the floor below one wobbly board, on which the futon is placed. Kaoru and Hana began to comment.
'We know it's not polite to ask, but the tip, it must be huge Uta. Now you can buy a whole set of new kimonos, scent oils...'
I just smiled. I got up from the table under the excuse that I was tired. Hana sent a joke on my behalf and the hard work I must've done. Kaoru adding some other tease through the laugh. I wasn't looking at them anymore, just hearing the laughter with my name at the top of their tongues. I closed myself in the room, pulling out th
e eighth part of my coins from the first tip. This average amount for the first night I put next to me on the futon - Utano will undoubtedly ask me about it. I arranged the golden coins so that it seemed like I just tossed them out of tiredness - without thinking, in order to transparently show her the coins. Fortunately, Rin didn't offer me a tip this time. That would be an awkward situation for both of us. Of course, with her wealth, I can't be measured even in my dreams, but that is a sufficient amount for freedom when you don't need it. Gold is the cause of all my lies.
I tried to fall asleep, but my mind constantly drifted away to stories from Rin's life. She is full of adventures from afar. Every story has been worn of internal battles, just like her arrival to Yoshiwara. If there weren't for Gina and Nori, she would probably still be in Europe spending the family fortune without constructive social contributions - or so she said. There was a strong working ethic in her, which, I think, is still doubtful to her. Especially after all the previous events. In each story, she talked about questioning her own courage with deep analyzes. I think that's the case with our relationship as well - it's just too much analyzes. To maintain Yoshiwara, this feature is desirable, but in private life an obstruction. No one can spend a life without wrong decisions. She is too big of a perfectionist to allow mistakes, that's why this situation in Yoshiwara affects her so much. She wants everything to be perfect, although nothing's perfect, not even me when we exclude her suspicions about my motives. If I were in her place, I would take Uta for my life-partner long time ago. Due to her nature, I am astonished she let it go even this far with me, it comes out of her frames. Perhaps this all is because of her emotional sensitivity. She would help everybody. Everything affects her as if it's the greatest tragedy, but from the outside, she shows just a hard armor like she has a heart of steel. Her soul is exceptionally gentle - just what I need to look after, treat and love in all circumstances...
Utano came to see if I was awake - I didn't even close my eyes. Everything goes as I planned so far - unfortunately, I'm becoming more skilled with lies. Before, I couldn't hide even a skipped breakfast from Utano.
Seeing the tip, she said that we would succeed in less than one annual cycles because we started receiving a double amount of income.
During lunch, Mother received a letter from the Great House for a meeting. It didn't take her long to come back.
S told me that only the Great House would work on my sales. I pretended to be surprised like Kaoru and Hana really were, but Utano had some doubts. Mother said that I probably have a lot of events scheduled, so they don't want me to be tired. She attributed it all to my close relationship with the Respected lady because Gina was my first.
A dozen parties I attend had passed. Everything went like at the first one - without essential pieces of information, but Rin and I spent such evenings embracing each other, with the stories until sunrise. I heard that Gina had put me in Rin's room the first time I stayed. Of course, we continued to spend our nights in it. I even think Rin invited me to some events without the right cause, just to spend time with me. Sometimes a stolen kiss would happen between us, although our relationship, even without that part, became very close.
We regularly sneaked out for a plate of food, mostly enjoying in sweet desserts - because of that I had to look after the food intake in the following days so I wouldn't get fat. It was always intriguing to me how Utano, as an extraordinary night girl, didn't partake more often in such events, but soon I realized that there participate the girls who don't have a problem to be with two to three clients the same night. To my surprise, only a few ladies were reappearing at the events of pleasures. I wasn't even aware of how many women are using the services of our dusty streets. The tips that I would take home came from the clients with a developed taste for my skills. Rin offered me gold a few times, and I sharply refused her with a claim that I was already getting enough coins, and even if that wasn't the case, the last thing for me to even think about would be taking the tips as if I were spending my time with her because of that. She didn't insist, realizing I was offended - if she believed that.
I was preparing myself for another event down the line when Utano came to my room.
'I'm in a hurry!' I said briefly.
She has been strange since I came home with a big lie. Utano walked through the room, examining everything she'd come across, taking some item or the other from my belongings in her hands.
'Why are you always in such a hurry? It's not even the sundown yet. Events are beginning with the rising of the moon.'
Utano is right. I would always go out earlier to drink coffee with Rin before dinner. Well, I'm not sure anymore if I was more addicted to her or the coffee, but we would really spend the whole night without yawns under the stars. The conversation with an exotic drink is always focused on the job. I would retell tiny gossips from the streets to her, and then we connected them setting theories of conspiracy. Our coffee time wasn't suspicious to anyone as she also talked about business with other girls - but without coffee or tea, of course. This true story my sister really can't find out.
'Utano, before events we always have conversations about how to behave, and in which way we need to entertain our clients.' She is standing, her back facing me, while spinning my comb through her fingers.
'And is it only you who have this kind of conversations or the other girls have it too, Uta?' I don't understand, what kind of questions are these.
'Other girls too, Utano.' I answered confidently.
She hesitated a little, 'Fine. Just be careful Uta.'
✽✽✽
In the Great House, Rin welcomed me gaily with black coffee, a little bit of sugar in it and her beautiful smile from which I shivered.
'Uta, today's exactly thirty passing of sun and moon shifts since you supposedly became a woman.' She laughed subtly, emphasizing the last few words. We were sitting on a futon near the small waterfall - coffee already served between us. 'I want to thank you for the effort you're giving to Yoshiwara.' She became more excited. 'Close your eyes, Uta.' I complied without questioning. Certainly, some juicy fruit from her garden would be a surprise, although most of all I would like for my desire of her lips to be satisfied. I felt her putting a soft item down to my lap. She gently said, 'Open your eyes.'
I froze seeing a folded kimono from expensive silk. I don't want luxury gifts – she will think I'm here for her gold. I frantically flinched in intention to return the kimono to her.
'I don't want...' It was like she dropped live coal on my lap. I jumped suddenly, flipping myself in the process, then slipped into a small stream. Kimono ended up on the floor, behind her back from my vigorous throw.
'Uta!' Rin shouted from fright, giving me a hand, 'Did you get hurt?' the stream is shallow, but I was all soaked either way. 'Come, take my hand.' This is my life's biggest embarrassment. If I could, I would drown myself. Unfortunately - water is too shallow, barely reaching up to my knees.
'I'm fine.' I tried to say angrily, but the embarrassment didn't allow me. I lied in the water with the full length of my body.
'Thank you for your help, I can do it myself.' I stood up in the water, all wet, even my hair being sodden.
'We could've gone to the oiled bath, you didn't have to seek refreshment in this shallow water.' Rin thought she was funny. 'Come out of this water, don't be angry now.' She got up and took a sheet from the futon on which she supposedly slept for the staff, though I don't understand, from so many rooms - she's like, sleeping in the office. 'Uta, stop being angry. Calm down, you got a little refreshed. It's also hot for me too, but I haven't made such a drastic step.' Rin said while caring a sheet. She just can't help herself not to tease me. I wasn't angry, but I need something to cover my embarrassment.
✽✽✽
Rin
'I accidentally slipped.'
Uta said softly with an angry facial expression. Standing in front of her I couldn't pretend to be blind watching the wet kimono on her feminine features. The clo
th is pressed onto her skin, outlining the whole body. I noticed that I stood too long just watching her with this sheet in my hands. Then I started to embrace her, and she changed her facial expression. All anger and discomfort disappeared.
She's watching me with vulnerable emotion. Uta made a step towards me as I held the sheet behind her back, stopping almost pressed against me. Looking down at kimono and leaning over to cover her shoulders, I felt her soft hands on my wrists. She was breathing fast, and the tense skin of her female attributes raised and lowered in the same rhythm. The heat spread throughout my body by watching the drops which are flowing gently down her chest. I slid my right hand over her neck removing the watery trace. Her skin goosebumps under my touch. She started to tremble.
I lowered my arms to her obi stopping the movement of my fingers. She approached my neck leaving her breath on my skin. The sheet fell on the ground when she drew me closer.
Each heartbeat became stronger in my intimate part. She overtakes me in just a blink of an eye. I slowly untied her. Kimono remained squeezed around her body. I couldn't compose myself - putting my hand under the fabric on her shoulder, undressing her slowly, exposing the back. My kisses were all over her, from the collarbone across the neck all the way to her lips. I want her more than anything. She pulled my hand through the kimono to the bottom of her back where a tight curve leading to a female part for pleasure is starting. I traced my hand a little lower, pressing her against me gently, caressing the bottom of excitement thrill. She moved away by a small step to pull my obi off, but I didn't stop holding her. My kimono became dissolved, and she snuggled her naked body onto mine.