Early 2nd week of June:
The telegram came and I re-read it. It certainly came from Kinosuke but the words and phrasing tells me this is from Hide.
Telegram: Frustrated Pup came by yesterday, looking for bones. Mother Hen attempted to put him off but he dug up some bones; pup remained unsatisfied, wants meat.
The frustrated pup could only mean Shindou, he fits that description, especially the -old- Shindou. But why would Hide attempt to ward him off? I light up the pipe and re-read the telegram for a third time.
Why did she have to get involve? What -happened-?
Shindou has gone dead silent and now -this- warning. Is this why he’s not responded lately?
What bones? What meat? And why did she feel the need to throw him off?
I inhale the smoke deeply and keep it in my lungs for a long time, only letting it go as I ran out of breath. Barely a week ago, everything was just fine. Perfect even. I got to see her with his help. He was to tell me when they’d attack Yoshiwara, if they were going to even.
I need to think of a plan, with or without Shindou’s help. And as for Hide, her -involvement-… That will have to wait.
I go ahead and burn the message and watch the paper disintegrate. What did he subject her to? For a moment I feel myself getting angry but I banish that anger until I -know- what exactly happened.
I’ll send him another message, just in case. If he doesn’t reply then… Then I’ll -know-.
June – 2nd week Secure Telegrams & Nights Spent Waiting
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I sit by the low table and start to compose a letter to Kawaji but the door opens.
It’s her.
I frown. “Didn’t we agree that it’s not good for you and I to meet like this? If we’re caught by Imai, we’re done for.”
She closes the door behind her and I put the pen and paper away.
“It’s him who sent me.” She holds my gaze, “A -reward- for your hard work.”
She starts to remove her obi and slides her left shoulder free from her kimono. There was a time in Kyoto I would watch this undressing intently. But I shake my head. “No reward is necessary.”
She comes over and puts her arms around me from behind, flicking her tongue to the edges of my ear. “Imai can be persistent you know. And I would get in trouble if I didn’t do something for his most trusted right hand.”
I pull her from behind me. “You can lie to him.”
“But I don’t want to.” She looks at me, “You men are all the same. Using us women and sending us off when you no longer need us.”
“How many men had he sent you to?” I swallow.
“You do not need to know that.” She snakes her arms around my neck and starts to kiss and suckle. “Remember what I told you back then? I am the best match for you. I won’t tie you down.”
I let her leave her mark. I know what it’s for.
“You -had- someone right? That’s why you stopped coming to the Yokosoya?”
I blink and look at her, “What are you talking about? I haven’t seen you Aioi since…” And it’s then that I drew a complete blank. The Yokosoya is here in Yoshiwara, just down the street. The building is only a couple of years old. There’s no way I had seen her just in the past year or two. Have I?
She grins and removes her hand from my neck and slides it down my hakama. “I see your mouth says no but,” she smiles slyly, “but down here, you’re still quite a man. Aren’t you?.”
She starts to undo the ties of my hakama and for a moment I’m frozen. Aioi needs this, this might be a test from Imai and she maybe in trouble or I or us both. She manages to touch my shaft, her hands still an expert in what she does. All I could do was watch and grit my teeth as her touching leaves me -hot- and wanting.
I’m always behind you… trusting you
I blink and shake my head, stopping Aioi’s hands. “I -do- have someone.” I look at her and remove the hand that had touched and manipulated me many times before. Taught me how to be a man and not a demon in Kyoto’s streets. How times has changed. And I wonder if I just -blew- my cover here and jeopardized several months worth of work. She -knows-, I’m not who I’m purporting to be.
“I’m not sure which I like better. The man who came here the first night and played with me with his hands, claiming to be a disgruntled Shizoku” She whispers, “Or this dishonorable man who rejects a woman who’s offered herself up to him, leaving her -embarassed-.”
“I told you before Aioi.” I start fixing my hakama, “I am not a kind man.”
She stands up and motions to my neck and smiles.
“Tell him what you want Aioi, I’ll go along with it.” I avert my eyes as she closes the shoji.
We can’t keep meeting like this. I can’t…
I try to write the letter to Kawaji but it’s obvious I’m distracted. I can’t put together a plan like this so I turn in for the night but sleep still won’t come easily. I lie awake thinking, It’s -her- I want.