Exchange of Sake
By YFF
DISCLAIMER: Seiji and Nasuti and their playmates are all someone else's creation. I just took them out for a joyride.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Rated Pg for a fussy old matchmaker. Enjoy
A rush of cold air brought her eyes open. Seiji was entering through the tea garden, ducking under the paper-sliding door. A shiver was more than a chill swept her skin. She quickly took his practice sword made of bamboo and laid it back on the wall, out of sight. He would come looking for it as it was time for his daily practice of Iaido and this was the room where he practiced.
She shuffled back to the middle of the small room, her white tabi made swishing noises as they slid across the tatami mats. It was hard to walk without tripping on the kimono; hard to breath through the obi that was wound tightly around her ribs and breasts. She kneeled down on the floor with her legs tucked under. This was a challenge, even with the plush silk cushion to soften the floor. How Seiji preformed this and sat for hours without letting on that his legs felt like needles of discomfort shooting through his calves was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. She took another deep breath and wiggled, it was time to compose herself. Composer on the other hand was not an easy task; she felt starched and primped and dare she think it — yes, ridiculous.
The sound of Seiji's footsteps came to a stop as he took his shoes off and walked onto the mats. With shaking hands she laid them neatly on her thighs, bent her head and tucked her heels. He walked forward until his stocking feet touched her knees. From her position she could see his hakama still held their knife-like crease. She felt his hand as he delicately fingered a golden comb ornament that dangled from her hair. "What's all this?"
Seiji stared; conflicted by what he saw and not sure of what to make of it: Nasuti sitting in the middle of his training room, head bowed down and face pancake in white and pink. It was a blank canvas onto which desires and fantasies may be created. A brief glimpse of fluttering eyes showed him they were outlined with black eyeliner, heavy and full. So unlike the natural, energetic presence they usually held. A crimson half-moon was drawn on her lips with tiny creeks of red that filled the tiny cracks. Her hair was pulled into a bouffant bun on top her head and adored with three gorgeous comb ornaments. Her hair was not in traditional form in which small soft wads of nylon filaments were inserted as stuffing under a perfect shaped wig and therefore, small pieces of auburn hair refused to be tightly confined and framed her face. Her chose for clothing was very traditional for a kimono. A white colored and wide, heavy obi covered in reddish- pink cherry blossoms, wounded around her waist under her breast, giving a more voluptuous tone to the conventional outfit. The flowing midnight purple kimono itself was obviously made of the finest silk and adorned with white cranes with eyes of diamonds. Seiji could not tell if those were real diamonds or if they were crystals, but all drawn together it was positively breathtaking. However, it made him worry as to why she dressed in such a way and behaved so submissively. This was not Nasuti- not the girl he knew at least.
She grinded her lips together as his response kept repeating itself in her head; it sounded startled and yet his words had came out as detached. Why couldn't he put more force behind his words, at least then she might know what he was thinking, let it be negative or positive. She began to regret the efforts she made to gain his attention. Perhaps she should have never gone to the Mi-ai for assistance. But then again had she not been trying to gain his attention before, only to be overlooked. This indeed was bold, but it got him this far. Nasuti tried to remember the old woman's words of advice:
It's not enough to wear a kimono for one night, pretend to be humble and expect him to come into your arms and listen. You must be ready to change the patterns of your life and must be patient.
I'm do not know, Miss Taeko. This is all beyond me. I've been patient for the last three years and look where that has gotten me. Three months away from a wedding that I'm not even sure I'm ready for.
How can you not be sure when you told him yes- did you not accept his proposal, why not say no.
It was different- he's different.
You speak with two tongues.
Would I insult you if I told you I took offence to that?
Yes.
The bottom line, Miss Taeko, is that the problem is –well, simply put…………I don't know.
To know what we do not know is the beginning of wisdom.
That was a fine verse, somewhat encouraging.
Oh- yes, thank you Miss Yagyu. Got it off of Yahoo.
I believe, it was in fact written by Maha Sthavira Sangharakshita-
Your patients need work, but your miss-know-it-all, gives-too-much-information attitude needs more work.
Yes Miss Taeko.
The petite matchmaker gave other words of advice as well; somewhatslightly misplaced. Things like how it would be impossible to find any used tabi for a woman with feet her size, but that she had somehow managed. And what was wrong with her feet? Kimono attire, what the old woman had lying around, would not be easy to find and adjustments might be needed. Apparently, the old woman was not use to having customers who were five-foot-seven, shoe sized seven-and-a-half and weighed about a hundred-and-twenty-five pounds. That led Nasuti to think the matchmaker had set shop up in munchkin-land. The old woman over exaggerated and it had not bothered Nasuti earlier. She knew it was simply her nerves that troubled her, but instead of being calm and reserved, she found herself hating every moment of this charade.
She blinked away the moisture that tried to pool in her eyes and held her chin high. Indeed Seiji was right to be surprised, the transformation was startling. If there was a mirror she probably would not have recognized the person she would see. She probably looked more Japanese than she ever had before; gone was her mother's French heritage that was always present in her smiles, her hazel eyes and tall posture. Even her shapely body had been camouflaged into something demure. There was nothing she could do at the moment though, what was done was done and she was not about to back down.
He hunkered down besides her, one knee popping as he did. He lifted her face to the side, his thumb tracing the white pancake face that looked so unnatural. "Nasuti, can you please answer me? Why?"
Again she held her breath for the hundredth time, and gained what composure she had left. How women ever breathed with their obi's wound so tightly she'll never know. She wished the Mi-ai had told her she would need an oxygen tank with the dress. Chin still held high she looked directly to him and slowly answered in a crisp voice, "I'm sorry. Have I done something that wrongs you?"
He shook his head, visibly throwing off his confusion. Whatever game she was playing he was not going to understand it unless he played the role as well. So she was the demure creature bowing at his feet- did this make him the head of the house-master? Touching her white cheek again with the tip of his finger he brought his other knee under him and bowed his head slightly. "You look pretty. Let me gather another cushion and we'll sit together." She allowed herself to wiggle again, trying to gain some circulation back in her legs as she waited while he grabbed another cushion. Her nerves doubled with every passing second. Add to that, his unexpected reaction and her nerves tripled. Calm she thought, forcing her breath out in an even steam. And Nasuti was far from anywhere but being calm.
To be continued in chapter 2
Author's note: Thanks to Max for doing a quick buddy read. I appreciate it darling… There are 2 other chapters that I will be posting as of every Tuesday. oh- and in the latest news… I'm MOVING to HAWAII- Oahu. Whoppie! I'll be there by Aug. 23 or 25. I don't know what I did, but I must have done something right to be able to move from MI to Hawaii.
Just hang lose, just have fun.Sipping on a drink lying in the sun. Have no worries- have no fears. Because when you're in Hawaii you just don't care.Don Ho me up baby!
Glossary:
Iaido- is the art of reacting to a surprise attack by counter attacking with a sword.
An in-depth reading of the Japanese characters for iaido is:
I being, AI harmony, DO way "The way of harmonising oneself in action・
The Iaidoka (a practitioner of iaido) wields a sword: not to control the opponent, but to control himself. Iaido is mostly performed solo as a series of Waza. The Iaidoka executes various techniques against single or multiple imaginary opponents. Each Waza begins and ends with the sword sheathed. In addition to sword technique, practitioners require imagination and concentration in order to maintain the feeling of a real fight and to keep the Kata fresh. In order to properly perform the waza, Iaidoka also learn posture and movement, grip, and swing. Iaido is never practised in a free-sparring manner.
Tabi- also called tabi boots or tabi socks are Japanese socks that have a split in the sock.
Hakama- are a type of traditional Japanese clothing. Hakama cover the lower body and resemble a wide, pleated skirt.
Mi-ai- Japanese matchmaker
Kendo-gi- Thick top shirt