It’s almost the afternoon and Yuunosuke-san and I have spent most of the day at the temple and along the paths surrounding it, waiting, watching and speaking to people. We’re dressed in pilgrims clothes which mostly hide us which is -good-! The last thing I want is for Hajime to catch us snooping around.
But just as we’re likely hard to discern, we too are unable to get even a whiff of his shadow, which means he must take other paths. Exhausted, I ask Yuunosuke-san to sit with me. Soon we’re going to have to turn in before he gets back to the house.
“I guess it’s no use after all. Lake Biwa is so huge…”
I take a wrapped onigiri from my pocket. “Here Yuunosuke-san, lunch?”
“Care to buy some fresh watermelons with that?” An old merchant man shows us his wares, “I even have water in little cups, -my- invention.”
“Oh no thank you.” I tell him.
“But I’ve been watching you two go around in circles since this morning.” He smiles up at me and closes his eyes, “I might be able to tell you a story or two but I haven’t made my quota for today so I really can’t take a break just yet.”
Would this man really know anything? I put my hands on my waist. He’s likely just trying to make money off us newcomers!
I guess it’s no use after all. Lake Biwa is so huge…
“Well, it’s worth a try,” I tell her with a sigh. I’m glad when she suggests sitting and pulls out some lunch. “I was told to be patient,” however I’m not sure if it’s the size of the temple complex or the throngs of crowds out on a nice fall day have made it hard to find out anything.
A watermelon vendor approaches us. Saya-san dismisses him, but I look at him carefully when he mentions us circling. And how unusual to have watermelon this late in the fall…?
“Oh, dear, don’t we have a few coins for such a treat?” I ask her, as half of a pilgrim couple. “Besides I like this man, he has a face like someone we know, with the smile like that?” I take out a few battered coins. “Perhaps a piece for my wife, then, of this late season treat?”
Saya:
“I was told to be patient,”
I look at him. Patience is not my strong suit, is what I’d like to say but that wouldn’t make a good impression and besides, he’s here helping.
He starts speaking to the merchant and I turn my nose a little bit at that.
“Besides I like this man, he has a face like someone we know, with the smile like that?”
“Your “Great Uncle” I suppose.” I reply back and cross my arms.
“Perhaps a piece for my wife, then, of this late season treat?”
My eyes go a little wide. Wife? Me? We didn’t agree to pose as -that- kind of couple did we?
“Oh yeah… that…” I stammer, “Umm… Fine.” I pull up some coins. “Give us two old man.”
“Why thank you for trusting such an old geezer.” He grins and pulls on his moutache. Then gives Yuunosuke-san a wink, as if he -knew- something! Like we were “posing”.
He reaches into his deep basket and takes pre-cut watermelons and put them on bamboo leaves. He gives us small packets. “Put that on the watermelons and it will taste wonderful.”
“Are you sure these are good?” I inspect them, “Aren’t they a little pale and the salt! You’re probably trying to mask the flavor with it!”
I look again at Yuunosuke!
OOC – have to handle something. Will continue tomorrow.
Your “Great Uncle” I suppose
She doesn’t see it? I guess Saitou-san only does that face with people he’s trying to be polite to. Of course, he still took me wrong…
She’s a little surprised that I call her wife for our cover. She didn’t think that I was meant to be her father, did she? I don’t know her age (and know better than to ask!) but I can’t be so terribly older….
But the old man winks at me. Maybe for being with such a cute young woman… I must be looking old lately.
Are you sure these are good? Aren’t they a little pale and the salt! You’re probably trying to mask the flavor with it
“I suppose the salt will help, these are either old watermelons or very late season,” I say, as it is nearly October. I don’t stalk fruit vendors like oneesan used to as pear season approached, but I know the basics. I look at the old man. “So, since we’re resting our feet and bought your watermelons, how about the story you promised?”
Old merchant:
“So, since we’re resting our feet and bought your watermelons, how about the story you promised?”
“I’ve been selling here so long, hardly anyone notices me.” I pull on my hat, “But I notice every new face that comes and goes along with every old face that never leaves. This place just like most places changes at twilight too. Bad spirits.”
The young woman looks at me with some disdain and I can only smile back at her.
“Lake Biwa attracts many kinds of people and this road on the side of Kyoto is the shortest and most convenient path.”
The woman looks at the young man, “So this wouldn’t be the path he would take…” And gives him a look, that spouted, this is -so- -obvious-.
“Perhaps you can describe the person you are looking for?” I look up to the sun catching some of its rays.
“No that’s not possible.” She sighs.
I simply nod. Whatever her reasons are, I accept. After all she must have good reason to disguise herself and with her reaction to the younger man – certainly seems they’re not who they claim to be, a married couple. I’ve seen much sweeter in my past.
“Anyone who doesn’t belong here sticks out like a sore thumb.” I smile and show them my crooked teeth. “Like those women from the pleasure district being escorted by men in uniform like clockwork the past few months.”
She doesn’t hide her interest at my mention of this. “Unfortunately once they disappear from the path”, I nod on the path leading to the foot of the mountain, “Aside from them turning to the nearby town to the right Otsu, it’s always curious they’d go to the less trodden path up North or at least that’s what my friend, another vendor at Hiyoshi-Taisha shrine tells me.”
“Do you know what’s up there old man?”
I shrug, “I told you I’ve never left from here. There’s no reason.” I smile looking up at the large temple, “Everything I need and all my customers are here.”
“Well that’s not much help.” She adds. I see she’s not one to spare even an old man like me.
“My friend did tell me though that the town of Otsu is a bustling town and it’s become crowded that certain personages have looked to developing the area up North called Ogoto.”
“Hmm…” She looks thoughtful and taps her chin, “So these women you mentioned, will they be coming this week? When and what time?”
“Oh dear… I sat here for too long. Now I have to catch-up my sales again or I’ll get in trouble with my wife.”
“You old fart!” She quickly gives me a bit more cash, “TELL ME…”
“You have such a generous lady, young sir.” I grin at him and then at her. “I’m sure a group will come tomorrow at dusk. They’re hard to miss, as I said they and their companions stick out like a sore thumb.”
“Thank you.” She tells me.
I bow to both of them and say, “May I suggest you two head on home. After all you don’t look like you’re from here. Well then I’ll take my leave.”
(OOC: Old merchant is leaving unless there’s anything else)
Saya-san takes over questioning the old man and… well, she is a trained cop. Well, I’m not certain that insulting and upping the bribe is standard procedure, but it gets what she wants.
I wait for the vendor to leave. “He’s right about Ogoto – it’s a very “new money” area and in Kyoto, the new money isn’t usually that clean.” Kyoto is being left behind – not just by the Imperial Court and government power, but Western-style industry is setting up either by the coast or where the resources are.
I put down the watermelon. It’s… not the best. The salt brings out what little sweetness is left, but who can blame and old man for trying to make the best of what he has?
“So… back here tomorrow?” I ask. I look over at her. “And pilgrims again, or something better for nighttime trail walks?”
“He’s right about Ogoto – it’s a very “new money” area and in Kyoto, the new money isn’t usually that clean.”
“Mmmm.” I finish up the watermelon. “It’s illegal these days to have prostitution outside of the red light district.” Even after the so called “emancipation”, prostitution was even more prevalent in the Meiji than in the Tokugawa – even if outwardly the Meiji banned such activity outside of Shimabara.
“So… back here tomorrow?”
I stand up and shake my head and smile softly at Yuunosuke-san. “I think I should be getting back.” It’s gotten late and if he’s going to do anything, knowing him, it will likely be tomorrow.
“Thank you for helping me Yuunosuke-san. This was exactly what I needed.”
(OOC: Saya is going to exit unless stopped.)
It’s illegal these days to have prostitution outside of the red light district.
“And most of that area is just across the border into Shiga prefecture – so what leaves Shimabara, I guess, gets “lost” once they’re out there,” I say. “And with most of the prefecture rural…”
I ask about tomorrow and she shakes her head. “We should be getting back, but.. I’m coming tomorrow.” I take her arm to help her up – I worry about her having walked so much today. “You can look out for him… and I’ll look out for you.”
(OOC – you may close)
Saya:
“And with most of the prefecture rural…”
It can’t be that difficult to find what’s lost there. After all aside from privacy, the man we’re after seems to like “convenience”.
“We should be getting back, but.. I’m coming tomorrow.”
I merely nod at Yuunosuke-san. He doesn’t seriously think I’ll let him go with me would he? He’s a -civilian-.
“You can look out for him… and I’ll look out for you.”
With a light laugh I say, “That man doesn’t need a lot of looking after and besides I’m not doing it for him.”
(OOC: Close)