Kyoto on Business
I sweep my eyes over our room. It?EUR(TM)s a little untidy?EUR? Covers bundled up and?EUR? I pick up her yukata?EUR? She forgot to put it away last night. Ah?EUR? Well I do owe her?EUR? The room attendant can clean of course, so I pick up those things which are rather ?EURprivate-?EUR? Those things we touched intimately should not be privee to others. Finally finished with cleaning up the ?EURoeessentials?EUR?, I dress in a hakama, kimono and haori. It?EUR(TM)s been a while since I?EUR(TM)ve been garbed like this ?EURproperly-. It feels foreign and yet familiar. The captains of the Shinsengumi were required to be dressed properly at all times?EUR? Just like the police is required to be in proper decorum?EUR? The same and yet different, but one thing is for certain, I am no longer a Shinsengumi. And yet I am not the same person either after having met Hide. It is frightening that my life is changing and yet with a blink of an eye, the reason for that change could just disappear. I cannot think these thoughts… It clouds my judgment and I am on an official call for today.
Leaving by foot, I head straight to Shimabara. There is a young woman there who has been my contact for a while. A very ?EURinconvenient- geiko who knows how to twist men in ways unimaginable. But that is her best quality, which makes her indispensable in this mission. I wonder what information she?EUR(TM)ll give me this time?EUR? And I wonder doubly how I am going to extract it from her, money has been one of the lesser motivators for her and I do admire her for that. I sigh a bit, it is easier to work long distance from Saya. That way I just pay her and no compromises are given but I?EUR(TM)ve heard the men I?EUR(TM)m after will be leaving Kyoto soon and she?EUR(TM)s been unsuccessful in prying from them where they will be headed next.
To get to Shimabara, one has to pass Mibu?EUR? If I turn left, I?EUR(TM)d find myself at the Yagi?EUR(TM)s?EUR? and it is about lunch time?EUR? I could do that?EUR? No?EUR? I shouldn?EUR(TM)t. The sooner my mission is over, the sooner I can see Hide again. Either way I?EUR(TM)ll see her tonight or maybe tomorrow, we?EUR(TM)ll see how this goes.
Turning right I find myself in the heart of Shimabara in broad daylight. This is good, it is safer during the day?EUR? I hope Saya is there?EUR? The teahouse I find myself in is closed, but that?EUR(TM)s expected. Life here does not start till after dusk, still there should be someone inside.
?EURoeSumimasen! Is anyone home??EUR? I rap on the door lightly, masking my voice in a rather high pitch tone than usual. I am greeted by the ?EUR~head?EUR(TM) of the house. An old woman who?EUR(TM)s enterprise I?EUR(TM)m sure is ?EUR~human trading?EUR(TM). She still smells of sake, but I?EUR(TM)m not sure if it?EUR(TM)s her or if it?EUR(TM)s the men who surrounds her establishment every night.
?EURoeWhat do you want??EUR? She asks crossly.
?EURoeAno?EUR??EUR? I smile as shyly as possible and rub the back of my neck for ?EUR~effect?EUR(TM). ?EURoeI ?EURvisited- Saya last week and?EUR??EUR? I pause ?EURagain- for effect. ?EURoeI?EUR(TM)d like to see her?EUR??EUR?
?EURoeWhat the hell is wrong with you?! Everyone here knows the women are off limits till the evenings!?EUR? She replied crossing her arms.
I dig into my pocket and show her a fistful of bills. Money always get these kind of women compliant. Whispering to her I say, ?EURoeSorry I?EUR(TM)m still new around here and?EUR??EUR? I place the handful of bills in between her arms. ?EURoeI just got paid?EUR??EUR? I smile brightly while she rolled her eyes and let me in.
?EURoeDon?EUR(TM)t blame me if you don?EUR(TM)t get what you expect but her room is upstairs. I?EUR(TM)m sure being a ?EUR~patron?EUR(TM) you know where it is.?EUR?
My visit is unexpected of course. I had to make many other arrangements before leaving for Kyoto and money was one of them, so I could not send out word to Saya. I rap on her room lightly and a middle aged woman, who is slightly stocky to be a Geiko answers.
?EURoeWhat is it??EUR?
?EURoeI?EUR(TM)d like to see Saya?EUR??EUR?
?EURoeGome ne?EUR? Saya went ?EURout-?EUR? But if you want..?EUR? She smiles and opens the door wider. ?EURoeWe can have some privacy in here?EUR??EUR?
I almost choke. This woman is not even fit to be in this ?EUR~teahouse?EUR(TM) and she?EUR(TM)s offering her services?
?EURoeNo it?EUR(TM)s alright. I?EUR(TM)ll wait here outside her door.?EUR?
?EURoeBaka?EUR? She won?EUR(TM)t be back till the evening. She went out with some men earlier.?EUR? With that she slammed the door on my face.
I sink on the wall beside the shoji door and feel the inside of my hakama where I keep a small katana, just in case. So not until this evening?EUR? This will be a long wait?EUR? It?EUR(TM)s too bad I cannot drop by the Yagi?EUR(TM)s for dinner.
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hajimenokizu
2005-02-03 07:04 am UTC (link) Select
?EURoeHajime-han!?EUR? A voice down the hall echoes and it stirs me awake. Focusing my eyes I see that it is Saya so I get up quickly. I must?EUR(TM)ve been asleep for a ?EURwhile-. Ah.. yes I was tired yesterday and didn?EUR(TM)t sleep at all earlier.
I smile at Saya as I meet her and she pulls me immediately to another room.
?EURoeBaka! Why didn?EUR(TM)t you tell me you were coming??EUR? She smiled and took my arm, leading us inside. ?EURoeOi! Masaya go and give us some privacy ne??EUR? She winked at the woman from earlier and interestingly enough, Masaya leaves with only a grunt.
Once I?EUR(TM)m sure we are done, I remove her hand right away and sat at the end of the futon and started composing my thoughts. ?EURoeSo what did you find out??EUR? There is still time, if I hurry I should be able to be at the Yagi?EUR(TM)s by dinner.
She smiles coyly and settles beside me. ?EURoeYamaguchi Hajime! When did I just give you details? You know you have to pay me first!?EUR?
Sighing, I reach into my pocket once again and hand her the ?EUR~promised?EUR(TM) compensation. She smiles and tucks it into her kimono.
?EURoeSo?EUR? Will you talk now??EUR? I eye her expectantly.
?EURoeDon?EUR(TM)t you want something else first??EUR? She slips her arm again over mine.
?EURoeNo. Just what we talked about should be good enough.?EUR?
?EURoeAre you sure??EUR? She starts skimming her fingers on my neck.
?EURoeSaya, we don?EUR(TM)t have time?EUR??EUR?
?EURoeOh yes we do! And what?EUR(TM)s up with these neck of yours? It?EUR(TM)s so tense?EUR??EUR? She starts massaging my neck and shoulder and for a minute I was actually enjoying it?EUR? But I pull her arm so she?EUR(TM)d stop. The situation now is different?EUR? She can?EUR(TM)t just have her way with me, unlike before.
?EURoeCome Saya, let?EUR(TM)s get this over with. Tell me where I can find them before they leave.?EUR?
?EURoeWhat?EUR(TM)s wrong Hajime??EUR?
?EURoeNothing.?EUR?
?EURoeYou used to be so happy to see me?EUR??EUR?
?EURoeI still am.?EUR?
She smiles and gets up to sit on my lap. ?EURoeLet?EUR(TM)s start shall we? Kiss me?EUR??EUR?
?EURoeWill that be enough??EUR?
?EURoeMaybe, it?EUR(TM)s worth a try ne??EUR?
It?EUR(TM)s only a kiss?EUR? Yes one won?EUR(TM)t hurt and I am on official business?EUR?Hide won?EUR(TM)t mind, I?EUR(TM)m sure about that. If I can actually get away with just a kiss, instead of actually going to bed with her, that would be ?EURbetter-. So I pull her down to meet her lips. While we kissed, she start to remove my haori and I have to stop her again.
?EURoeI?EUR(TM)m needed elsewhere Saya.?EUR?
?EURoeI need you here BUT! If you?EUR(TM)re needed elsewhere, then you shall not get what you need ne??EUR?
Closing my eyes for a moment, I am bothered with thoughts of Hide. It?EUR(TM)s a job?EUR? Go do what you have to and leave Hajime. What Hide does not know can?EUR(TM)t hurt her?EUR? Saya successfully removes my haori and starts with my kimono. I should just get this over with?EUR? So I pull her and toss her on the futon and straddle her. She grabs my neck and pulls me closer for a kiss and I comply for a moment, before realizing that this isn?EUR(TM)t the person I was with?EUR? No?EUR? I can?EUR(TM)t do this?EUR? So I roll off her and stare at the ceiling.
?EURoeYour wife bothering you again??EUR? She asks softly while she fingered my chest.
?EURoeNo?EUR? It?EUR(TM)s not that?EUR? I have some place to go Saya.?EUR?
?EURoeYou know that when you leave here?EUR? I?EUR(TM)ve always told you, you are free to do what you want?EUR??EUR?
?EURoeI know that.?EUR?
?EURoeThen please tell me. You ?EURowe- me at least that much.?EUR?
I look back to her?EUR? It?EUR(TM)s been quite a while since I?EUR(TM)ve been to Kyoto. And it is hard to tell her these things when we clearly had been more than friends before.
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hajimenokizu
2005-02-03 07:05 am UTC (link) Select
?EURoeI found someone?EUR? That I love?EUR?
She frowns a bit and I heave a sigh. Things like this shouldn?EUR(TM)t be talked about.
?EURoeLove is a strong word, even for you Hajime?EUR? You?EUR(TM)ve never told me that before either.?EUR?
?EURoeIt is a strong word?EUR??EUR? Looking back at her I get up slightly.
?EURoeYou sure about this??EUR?
?EURoeOf course.?EUR?
?EURoeAh that explains why you are so tense.?EUR?
I look back at her quizzically.
?EURoeI?EUR(TM)m not tense.?EUR?
?EURoePeople in love are usually happy Hajime. I watched you earlier, and felt your neck?EUR? Aside from that you kissed me. That?EUR(TM)s pretty troubled for a person who claims certainty in their affections.?EUR?
?EURoeWell?EUR? What do you know? You haven?EUR(TM)t met her.?EUR?
?EURoeNo I haven?EUR(TM)t?EUR? But I can almost tell you right now how you met and how you found yourselves.?EUR? She laughs a bit and I narrow my eyes. I hope she?EUR(TM)s not implying, anything similar to what she and I did back then.
?EURoeIt?EUR(TM)s different?EUR??EUR?
?EURoeAnd you are not sure ne??EUR?
?EURoeI AM SURE! How many times do I have to tell you that onna??EUR?
?EURoeSo why are you getting angry? And again?EUR? Why did you kiss me earlier? That?EUR(TM)s pretty sad for someone who?EUR(TM)s SURE about someone else.?EUR?
?EURoeWhat do you want me to do?!!!?EUR?
?EURoeAll you have to tell me is what troubles you.?EUR? She smiles and takes my hand. ?EURoeEventhough I?EUR(TM)m jealous, you?EUR(TM)ve never reacted this way about us.?EUR?
?EURoeYou know what our relationship was. I told you the first time already, that I just needed company.?EUR?
?EURoeOf course.?EUR?
?EURoeNow tell me?EUR? the truth?EUR??EUR?
I narrow my eyes again. What is she getting at?
?EURoeYou?EUR(TM)re sure and yet you?EUR(TM)re really not. I know you too well. There is a problem ne??EUR?
?EURoeFine! She?EUR(TM)s meant for someone else! She?EUR(TM)s probably deep inside wanting to be with someone else!?EUR? I?EUR(TM)m angry now?EUR? Very angry that I get up and take the nearest sake bottle and jug out of it.
?EURoePut that down?EUR?. You?EUR(TM)re acting like a child Hajime?EUR? It?EUR(TM)s very unbecoming.?EUR? She stands up and pries the bottle and embraces me from my back.
?EURoeIt?EUR(TM)s hard ne? But you?EUR(TM)re in good company. At least I?EUR(TM)ve been through that a dozen or so times.?EUR? She grins a bit. There?EUR(TM)s some truth to that I think. With her profession being the way that it is.
?EURoeI?EUR(TM)ll try to help you. But don?EUR(TM)t act like an ahou?EUR??EUR? She calls me that?EUR? She?EUR(TM)s the only one who is brave enough. Perhaps the fact that she knows she can actually get away with it, helps a lot.
?EURoeI?EUR(TM)ve got to go Saya?EUR? When you?EUR(TM)re ready to tell me where I can find them. I?EUR(TM)ll be staying here.?EUR? Giving her a card I ready myself to leave. Dinner at the Yagi?EUR(TM)s?EUR? Not really sure if that?EUR(TM)s what I need right now but, perhaps if I see her things will be fine.
?EURoeOh I?EUR(TM)m coming with you! You?EUR(TM)ve paid the madam after all, and if she sees me free?EUR? Well I just don?EUR(TM)t want to work today!?EUR?
She?EUR(TM)s right?EUR? I better take her along. It might be a good cover after all with Hide?EUR(TM)s brothers. It?EUR(TM)s not like they know, much less approve if they ever find out. Of course Hide is very careful about those things.
?EURoeAlright. Just don?EUR(TM)t cause too much trouble.?EUR?
?EURoeI won?EUR(TM)t.?EUR? She wraps her arm around my waist as we go out. Making no motion to remove it, we continue the short walk towards the Yagi estate.
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hajimenokizu
2005-02-03 07:24 am UTC (link) Select
OOC: Two post. Could not contain to one post only for character limit. Will be continued in another thread when dinner actually starts at the Yagi.