by Eve Kaan
Peasant felt embarrassed by the wall with backward-facing boards, so he said to him: 'Father, how can you say it's perfect when you saw those two faulty boards?' Father looked at him catching his shoulder. 'Yes I saw them, but I also saw the rest which is perfectly set.' At that moment peasant understood that in his concern about two boards he has completely forgotten about all the others he had set up correctly, and with that had built a beautiful home with his own two hands.'
'Rin this is a wonderful story, but I don't understand what building a house has to do with the situation I've found myself in.' She looked at me, full of love.
'I just wanted to tell you that you have to remember all those beautiful things which made you love Utano, and not allow one single matter to stand between you two.'
'Uh-huh, hmm... I understand. This is my favourite story now. I love her, she's my sister, it's just - I need some time. '
'I know Yuna, I wanted you to be aware of what you truly feel behind all this.'
The carriage stopped in front of her house. I noticed the service, moving almost blended with nature to pass imperceptibly.
Until the late afternoon, I was with Utano in my mind. Then Gina and Nori came - entertaining me with some stories about the old ladies from Ryokan. Those women bored them with all the stories about diseases they have, telling them all the troubles which ushered them to came and soak in the water. Nori was livid because they haven't made a private onsen reservation, so they had to share a public bath with other visitors. Rin apologized for such a Ryokan, explaining that it was the only one that was close to their property. By the evening I was already quite recovered with the whole series of anecdotes from supposedly relaxing place. They switched from one topic to another until we came to the event under the masks.
Gina presented everything she agreed with the client upon, in relation to the meeting place, the number of guests and other details. We listened carefully, then Rin asked for the masks we would wear and is it too much if we were to take those from Venetian streets she has. Gina and Nori were thrilled because they completely forgot about them.
She brought several masks of different materials and patterns. By sorting them, she classified each mask explaining its meaning. Most of the masks were made of leather, but there were also those of porcelain. One of them caught my attention, the one standing in the depths below. I pulled out the mask with a long nose in the colour of gold. I was fascinated. 'It may be too intrusive. We don't wont to be so prominent.' Gina commented as I held the mask, yet Rin began the story of a doctor who designed this mask to protect himself from the plague, '... and he would place some fragrant grass in this long nose. It's beautifully designed.'
Gina came up with an idea. 'I think we would be most suitable with these Bauta masks, they are the only ones that would allow as to eat and drink without removing them.'
Rin sorted out those masks, that was mostly white, decorated with laces. Gina, Nori and I picked our choices immediately, but Rin hesitated. Nori pressed it on her face and stood in search of a mirror to see if it fits properly. The one I selected was beautiful, in the colour of pearls with white lace and golden edges. I have never seen such a beautiful mask.
Rin continued digging on them. 'That's not exactly for me, somehow they are not in my style. Perhaps this...' She pulled out some black mask from the other stack, with silver shapes in the form of cat's features,' That's perfect. Gnaga!'
She told us the story of how this mask was worn by men in order to disguise themselves, transforming into the women, and she decided to do the exact opposite. She will wear her new hakama, usually worn by men, that will suit as if she had commissioned it just for this mask - Rin commented enthusiastically. Gina questioned if that was a smart choice, considering that it covers everything except her chin and mouth, Nori interrupted her by saying to stop being paranoid. Rin made a mysterious smile. Leaning the mask on her face, she turned to me.
I couldn't believe that even this disguise can perfectly describe the sensuality she always radiates with. If I had to choose from all the masks, I would say that her choice looks exactly like she was the inspiration for it.
The masks occupied us, so we went on talking with them on our faces. The topic of secret names evolved, but in the end, we concluded that no one knows their names anyway, and Rin, however, is called 'Respected lady.' Only I stayed without a name. Gina had a variety of names that would fit with my mask, and we laughed at everything she would say.
Rin interrupted the laughter. 'Everyone in Yoshiwara knows you as Uta. That name doesn't belong to you. Your real name is unknown to others.' She's right. Gina and Nori became silent waiting to hear the name I was born with.
I got up and said, 'From now on, I want you to call me by my real name - I am Yuna.'
Both of them sent me a gentle smile, discovering the meaning of those few letters. Rin looked at me with pride.
Gina and Nori used every opportunity to call me by my real name, they said they liked it much better than Uta. We waved with masks playing that the event has just started. Gina tried to drink sake, but her mask was bothering her. Nori is continually wiping the drops of Gina's chin to save her yukata from stains. I noticed then how Gina gazed at Nori, she surely must be irresistible to her with that mask. She was looking at her with lust that only one excited woman could feel. Her hands sought Nori more often as the time was passing.
I pulled Rin, whispering to her that it's time to go to sleep, yet Gina and Nori were planning some other activities behind our hearing scenes. We said goodnight to them, but Rin seemed still confused. I had to secretly explain the situation - she didn't notice it even the slightest, afterward, she blushed, saying she understands. We retreated to the room where sadness began to emerge in me, but I didn't allow it to prevail. She noticed that I was struggling, yet didn't mention anything, just cuddled me gently as we watched the sky filled with stars beneath the masks. The kisses of comfort overgrown to passion. We lied merged in one being with two bodies, making love until morning came. My pain went away that night, thoughts and memories disappeared, only she existed - my present and the world where only love reigns.
It's been long since sunrise came with which we went to sleep. The afternoon view from her bed seems like a dream. Green crowns swaying in front of gray rocks with the distant sound of whirling water, making a song more enjoyable than all the instruments.
Rin is still sleeping.
I escaped from the bed so I could dive in the hot onsen to clear my thoughts while soaking the skin. I settled in the middle to watch Rin in her dreams. I wish Utano could see her through my eyes. So many beautiful moments are happening in my life, and I haven't shared even one of them with her. I miss her - I've never been separated from her for so long. Maybe tomorrow, after the event, I'll be ready for the talk. I don't want any more lies between us. I will face her with my feelings towards Rin. I want to have a sincere conversation without holding back.
While I was thinking, Rin opened her eyelids and sent me a smile to the onsen. We had a wonderful afternoon. So wonderful that I almost didn't notice when darkness had fallen.
In the evening, Nori and Gina joined us in the garden. We are nervous because of the masks event. Nori presented her choice of kimono for the evening, and Rin gave the silk bags with gold coins to each so we would look like clientele who doesn't have troubles with paying the costs.
When the moon started to light like soft silk in the sky, we went to our rooms for arranging of camouflage identities. I chose one of the kimonos from Rin's closet. She asked the service to help us dress and do the hairstyle. The treatment was better than I had in the Great House. These girls did their job in silence, I didn't have any objections, just praising for them. Rin opened the drawer with scented oils. I wanted her scent of jasmine with a note of green tea and lemon, yet instead I took the rose, it will better suit my mask, and the jasmine scent is a specific smell that would make us recognized, Rin will also certainly avoid it tonight. When all the prepa
rations and final touches with all the details were finished, we met at the exit of her quarters. She looks more sensual than ever, dressed in her black hakama with a shining glow when touched by light. Sleeve linings are in colour of ripened cherries with the silky border as if made so the mask would complement with it. From a distance, her mask seems to be silver plated, though it's actually black with only some patterns of silver. Curve formes are outlining the shape of a cat. They aren't protruding, nor they are subtle but just perfect. She's holding a silver stick with cigarette dark as the night sky. My eyes couldn't stop watching her, if we only had a little more time, I would show her how gorgeous she is.
At the door, I felt her hand on my buttock, her gesture followed with silent words, 'You are so beautiful that no one can stand up to you. I wish I ordered a separate carriage for us.' Then she pressed me firmly onto her, before moving the hand in mine.
'Are we going, or have you given up?' She asked in a teasing tone.
I smiled accelerating in pace.
We were in the summer carriage - it finally arrived, that's the way Rin had put it. Most of our driving time was spent in exchanging the compliments with Gina and Nori about our hidden identities. The carriage came into the second part of Yoshiwara, the one I wasn't familiar with. At first glance, you couldn't notice the difference. The houses were identical to ours, as well as the cherry trees. Girls are passing by, alone or in pairs. If I didn't know better, this would look like a family settlement with happy residents. The gentleman making the only difference. In our part, clients aren't residing on the streets, but here that's a normal occurrence. Some walking along with the girls, while the others shortening their time on the porch of some house with cigarettes and sake in hands.
Honestly, such a scene seems a bit like an alley-attitude part in which there are no girls with unique skills.
The carriage turned into a small path, so narrow that it had to slow down so we wouldn't graze the walls on both sides rising high above us. We felt every stone of uneven ground beneath the wheels. I kept holding onto Rin until we stopped. My expectations were to see a huge and magical event scene, yet this house wasn't different from any other. Not one decoration tape was hanging from the porch, nor there were any lanterns to lighten our way in and designate the place as an events provider with special participants.
Rin helped me out of the carriage swallowed by darkness. The only light in this black night cames from the full moon above us.
Gina knocked on the door. In silence, we are eagerly awaiting the next step. Mask with grey eyes opened the door. Without a word, we got into the house, partially illuminated from the inside. Gina had left the whole bag of gold at the entrance, according to the agreement with the client, saying that without payment they wouldn't even open the door. We passed the dark entrance hall to the porch, from which our view reached the garden encircled in high walls from all three sides with lush green plants alongside them. This is an atmosphere I've never witnessed before. In a beautiful garden with several smaller waterfalls are set about ten tables of intimate dimensions, with capacity for up to six people. Lanterns in a red and blue mixture are hanging off the porch. The missing tapes at the entrance are hanging here in bundles, but too much of them to be considered appropriate. Although there are plenty of clients in the garden and certainly over twenty and maybe some night girls, the atmosphere is quiet. Only a weak sound of flute and fatigue voices can be heard. I have a feeling that this has revived one of the scenes from shunga in real life. The girls walked not wearing the masks nor kimonos for that matter. They're only in yukatas with almost untied obis. The girls guided us to one of the tables. We didn't have to wait long after Nori had put down a bag of gold at the table, the girls immediately started coming to us with sake and tea on their plates. I have never been in client's point of view, so I'm trying to keep my hands under the table while our drinks are served by the girls positioned on the futons, one of them between each of us.
I'm carefully observing Rin, Nori, and Gina, to learn how to imitate them. Each of them opened the silk bag to reward the girl for her effort. My bag is tangled under the obi. I'm subtly trying to pull it out, but it's stuck. With a smile, I turned around checking if somebody noticed my troubles with the golden coins. The girl in purple yukata began to chat with me about the usual topics for occasions like this one. I can't make myself to even look at her while she's serving me so unprofessionally, so much fluid is spilling outside of my cup, and she doesn't care at all. What a mess she has made as if she never served anyone before. But of course, I'm smiling and pretending to be satisfied, soon I'll have to reward her, but this bag, I can't, it's beginning to pinch me now - so troublesome, it seems to be entangled in my obi.
The girl seems somehow unsatisfied, no wonder when all the other girls around her got a coin, only she was left empty-handed. Rin noticed something is wrong. She's looking at me. I see her wondering why am I so tense, she certainly thinks I'm nervous. The girl's starting to get up, which means I'm out of time. I firmly pulled the bag, and it finally came out. I flinched as my hand accidentally hit the table. The bag fell next to me with all the golden coins, and they scattered out on the grass like tiny stones. At first, I was only staring at the site in disbelief, who would think that so much of it can fit into such a small silk purse. I think I just ripped it. The sound of the rolling coins and my clumsy waving attracted the attention of two vicinal tables.
Rin, Gina, and Nori began collecting the scattered coins, and I'm just feeling the heat rising in my face. I collected one of them giving it to the girl who gave up on me. She looked in my mess as if I just came out from an institution. The girl went away - of course, and didn't come back for the rest of the night. Rin folded up the torn bag on the table, filling it with gold - as much as it could fit, the rest she arranged into their bags, so it wouldn't be all over the table. Fortunately I'm wearing a mask, otherwise, my clumsiness would make me run far away from this event.
Rin leaned over to me, barely breathing because of laughter. 'This could've happened to anyone, don't worry - nobody knows who you are.'
I sarcastically thanked her on the comforting gesture. She begged me not to be angry, though she's still laughed. It's a pity she can't see my face because my expression would erase that smile with which she can't stop teasing me.
In the end, I shortly told her that I was no longer interested in this topic, but she wasn't giving up, she took hold of my thigh under the table - her sensual gesture wouldn't leave anyone indifferent, despite my anger.
Gina and Nori were having fun with the girls at our table - theirs and Rin's as well. When the percussion sound came and merged with the flute, seven girls came out on the porch. Three of them were one step ahead of the last four. And that little murmur amongst guests silenced with music becoming louder. All the girls left our table, noticing that they wouldn't receive further payment. Their faces weren't familiar to me anyway. We agreed to spend just a single coin per girl, to make them all came to our table at least once for a tip – it would take them only to have a small chat and maybe pour a cup of sake for it. The girls started the dance on the porch. I noticed that Rin is in a good mood.
Nori quietly commented only for us to hear. 'This is some alley event, it's not at the level of any Yoshiwara's sections.'
Rin smiled, 'I already at the entrance concluded that I exaggerated with fears. He is trying to imitate some kind of entertainment he imagines to be happening in our part, but on something shameful like this – our ladies will come once, and then escape as far as the wind would carry them. Well, this is for women of the lower class, which can't afford the service of our girls.'
We observed the dance. It was bordering the steps of a beginner. I feel embarrassed even watching them.
'We only have to find out which of our girls are here so I can handle it further.' Rin briefly expressed a new assignment.
Some girls came to us, but not one of them set beside me. I tried to get into the conversation, but th
ey didn't accept me. Perhaps because of my ripped bag, it looks poor in comparison to those bursting of golden coins. I was listening to stories of these girls, and that wasn't at the level of wealthy ladies, in fact, those stories weren't intended for women amusement at all. They were educated for male entertainment, and that was obvious from the first word. It didn't take me long to figure it out. Seems to me that Gina, Nori, and Rin got the same impression as they stopped participating in the conversation. I'm thinking about how it would be wonderful if we were to find out in the end that this event is free from our girls. Unfortunately, I just saw Sayuri's sister as she came to Gina. I knew she was always in all the gossips and in places she didn't need to be - well, I'm not surprised.
As time passed, we recognized three girls from our part for now. Rin decided to wait till the end of an event, and then send them straight to the Great House. A fair number of our clients left the event when the moon was still young, without escorts under their hands. It was like Rin assumed, this is a lower class style that is on the alley level without high-quality skills. Those small groups of ladies still preset are already under the strong influence of sake. Some of them are even vulgar in spooning with night ladies.
'I think we've met all the girls, it's time to go.' Rin commented, seeing the vulgar scenes surrounding as from all sides. We started to collect our things from the table when another round of dance with clumsy moves started, and girls began to take off their clothes in front of everyone. All four of us looked at each other in disbelief, and Rin commented on how they imitate the 'Okuni kabuki' dance. Alley girls customized it by removing clothes from themselves. We continued to gaze at her in silence, so she added, 'Well, I was educated for this, I didn't attend those events for my personal satisfaction. Stop looking at me like that. It's my profession.' Rin turned her entire body in my direction. 'I'm not like that. Well uh... you know I'm not interested in such things. I'm a lady.'