I smoke like a fiend as I wait for her to clean herself. I took her to the sento bath that I’ve been frequenting, the same one I took Hide once. There was no word from my inquiry yet from Ito but it’s only been a couple of days and they need time to confirm some of my suspicions. If I’m correct, the witch is likely hiding her operations around that harbor, perhaps even in the small uninhabited islands and inlets surrounding the area. After all in Osaka those sea men said she owned the entire harbor of Osaka. That’s been dismantled, the Osaka police capturing a group of smuggling boats and Kato owning up to it. But that was too small an operation to be the “entire harbor”, so it was likely a herring that she orchestrated with those corrupt policemen in Osaka. Another problem, but a problem for another day and likely a case that Kawaji can leverage to get Osaka to bend to the Central police. For now, I point my nose purely to Ito and that swine Miyagawa.
I hear the shoji door slide open and Aioi emerges from it. I watch her in a half open yukata as she kneels in front of a small table to fix herself. She seems to glisten as the light from the lamp settles on her damp skin and hair. She’s back. Back to herself. I hope.
She told me that after he used her, he’d make it a point to the madame that he was -done- and to send her downstairs to the lattices. And the madame of the Hachirou was happy to do so, not only satisfying her high flying customer but earning more as she marketed Aioi like a common prostitute. That pig wanted to shame the Tayu of Sumiya, likely to fill his ego and delude himself into believing he has true power. But it was power the Tayu allowed him to have but only for that moment. And the Tayu allowed it because I asked her to.
I go behind Aioi smelling her as I did so. The Tayu now smells like she should of earthly perfume. I look at her face from in front of the mirror. Those eyes finally rid of the haunted look I saw when she came back from that prostitution den. And she smiles, a soft one. Not one that’s forced or haughty. One that told a man she’s glad to see him. Her hand reaches back towards my cheek.
“Thank you for bringing me here.” She says. “I’m clean now if you want…”
And I look at that half open yukata, inviting me. It’s true I wanted the Tayu clean from the filthy hands that touched her tonight but as for me? I didn’t bring her here to continue what those men did. So I reach to her front and close her yukata and tie the belt.
“Ah so no?”
I can’t help but stare at her, admiring her beauty. That devil in me that tends to use her in the most wicked of ways because I know with her, there are no strings and there won’t be. Was that a good reason? I don’t know but it’s as good as any.
“Have you recovered from earlier?”
She’s quiet but then leans her back into my chest. “Yes but I think I’ve failed you Hajime-han.” And then she turns towards me. I can only shake my head. “I couldn’t ensnare…” I touch her lips with my thumb to stop her from finishing.
“You did well in buying me some time.” I’d kiss her as a sign of my appreciation but it would seem manipulative if I did. And besides… I’m still, thinking of another. But I know what a contradiction that is, after all I myself used the Tayu recently.
But what that man did to the Tayu of Sumiya is -despicable- and it will go on the list of atrocities that I’ve kept of the pig. And tonight was the last time I’d use Aioi that way. She smiles up at me as if she knew what I was thinking. Should I say it? I put out the cigarette on the ashtray, letting the smoke fizzle out.
“I’ll put the plan in place tonight.” I tell her. “Hide gave me another way to get to him. One that he cannot ignore or resist.”
“She did?” She looks away and with some disappointment mutters, “But I wanted to.”
“I still need you Aioi.” I remind her, turning her chin up. Again I’m tempted to take the Tayu, erase the muck those nameless men left on her that I can’t see. But that -wrong- can be put to right, once I have the swine, Miyagawa in my hands.
I give her a letter. “Once this letter is delivered to Miyagawa, he’ll be forced to meet with you. I’ll send you two a carriage and you’ll deliver that swine to me.” And I’ll give him his due, butcher him I -will-. Kawaji did say we are -not- without fangs.
All of a sudden, I feel her grip on my arm. I look at it and then at Aioi wondering what this was about. Is she backing out? I couldn’t blame her if she wanted to. Not after what that swine did.
“Hajime-han, remember your promise.”
“What’s that?”
“That you’ll let me be present.”
“It’s not for a Tayu to…” I shake my head.
“To witness a murder. But you said as long as I don’t get in the way.”
I -did- tell her that. I can’t back out now. “Fine. But get some rest, we’ll move this afternoon.”
“So there’s time Hajime-han, here in this sento?”
And the next thing I know? We’re on the tatami and I’m doing exactly what I said I wasn’t going to do. Like those men did. There’s no going back is there?
No! You fool.
(OOC: Will post to start the Miyagawa scene on 12/26 PM)