Chapter 1

MODERN DAY JAPAN, KYOTO

Mikan's POV

"Mikan, keep your chin up. Back straight." I stared at the wall in front of me. I could hear the soft thumping of the bamboo rocking fountain against the stones where it sat outside in the garden. THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. The midnight breeze from the outside cooling my sweat drenched body. The moonlight creeping in to hug my form.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

It's been two hours since I last moved, poised in this position with my arms over my head in a graceful arc. Chin up. Back straight. No room for mistakes.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

"That's it. Remember what's at stake Mikan." I briefly glanced at my mentor at the far end of the room. She's more lenient towards me tonight. She must've won her bet in the gambling pits earlier. If I've learned anything about my mentor this past year aside from being the best shiva of her era, it would be she lived and breathed for money. Chiyo Sakamato, at age 35 looked no more than a prime woman in her early twenties with jet black hair and clear blue eyes. Her beauty and skills unparalleled by her fellow shivas during her time. At the height of her career, she vanished from the scene and the slow decline of the quality of shivas went spiraling.

Shivas. The number one entertainers in Japan, skilled in dancing, singing, playing instruments and beguiling men and often women. They're celebrities in their own right but no more this day. The dying culture of shivas started when wealthy men begun offering them permanent positions in their households to be consorts and concubines abandoning their skills and art to live a comfortable and luxurious life, to be waited on hand and foot by servants. Why play the koto when someone else can do it for you? Today, shivas are acquainted to A-class prostitutes, only good to look at but useless. A pretty paperweight decoration.

All that's going to change. I feel my fists clenching before I relaxed again, careful not to let my mentor notice the slight shift of my demeanor.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

At the early age of 14, I already have one goal I will definitely achieve. I'll show everyone the true meaning of being a shiva and no matter what happens, I will survive.

3 years later.

"Still celibate Ruka?" Tsubasa leaned towards his oldest friend with a questioning look. "It's been ages since you have last taken a fine woman between the sheets. You could pass off for a monk if you shave your head."

Ruka glared at Tsubasa, suddenly flushing from embarrassment. "None of your business."

"You must be a God. That's the only explanation. How can you undress and dress women and still say sane? Share me your wisdom oh holy one."

Ruka descended from a long line of Otokoshis, responsible for dressing and undressing shivas and making sure they go to and from the banquets safely. They were as the whole town would put it, the best of the best and has been in business since the first shiva emerged. Ruka sighed and looked anywhere but his friend on the other side of the table. It was past noon when Tsubasa decided to pay him a visit to his shop. Thankfully it was a weekday and many of his clients were busy.

"It's not as great as you think it is Tsubasa." Ruka petted the tiny rabbit curled on the inside of his right arm. He carried it everywhere with him, it was so small it could fit inside his pocket. He glanced around again and noticed women swooning over their direction. The smell of tobacco and alcohol permeating the whole room turned his stomach upside down. He sipped his tea before continuing, "Remind me again why YOU decided to drop by MY shop and drag me to a local bar in the middle of the afternoon.?"

Tsubasa chuckled, "You need to get out of that stuffy shop of yours. Indulge in the pleasures life has to offer!", waggling his eyebrows towards a group of women dressed sparingly next to their table.

"You look stupid." Ruka grunted and ignored the group. "I have to be leaving soon, I have an important client to attend to in an hour."

"Ruka, the only important client you have to attend to is a woman with her legs spread open over that desk of yours."

"Spare me your crudeness. My parents contacted me especially about this client. She was the number one shiva of her era."

"Of her era? She must be ancient." Tsubasa inclined his head with a grin. "Unless you prefer them ancient, I won't judge. In fact, this is a great idea. Someone with experience might suit you better friend."

"Shut your mouth Tsubasa. Apparently, she's taken an apprentice under her wing." Ruka turned pensive, sipping his tea once more.

Tsubasa studied his friend. "You hoping she might be different?"

"They're all the same. Good for nothing women only interested in a man's wallet."

Tsubasa sighed. Ruka dressed, undressed and accompanied hundreds of women, certainly far more than what Tsubasa could ever achieve in a lifetime, for a living and had zero interest in them. He regarded them as dirty gold diggers, pretty on the outside but greedy little bitches on the inside just waiting to claw into your vault. They abandoned their arts, only aiming to look for a sponsor to care for them.

"Lazy indolent good for nothing fools." Ruka once muttered angrily in a drunk stupor before. Tsubasa could never forget the disgust in his voice. To this day, why Ruka loathed shivas from their made up hair down to their pretty toes was a mystery.

"I'll take my leave" Ruka sipped the last of his tea before putting money on the table. Tucking his rabbit back inside his pocket, he turned towards the door. He glanced towards Tsubasa while putting on his coat. "What? Your face is irritating. Got something to say?"

Tsubasa shook his head looking amused before muttering, "I hope she surprises you more than she did me."

"Mikan? Mikan? MIKAN!" Mikan snapped her head to the side, her mentor obviously displeased and disappointed. "All that training already wasted? Focus and stop daydreaming!"

Mikan stiffly nodded and looked straight ahead. She was looking outside from the window of the car, to the busy streets bustling with people rushing off to who knows where. It was so loud, noisy and chaotic and she loved everything about it. She tried to tamper down the giddiness she felt.

"The outside world! Its been so long" Mikan sighed inwardly. For years, she spent every day working on her lessons, perfecting everything she was taught. Today she'll make her debut, on a stage in front of everyone, she'll show them what it means to be a shiva.

"Don't get too excited. The battle ahead is a long and grueling one." Her mentor eyed her student with a critical eye assessing her from head to foot. Not a single hair out of place, perfect. "We're heading to an Otokoshi, the most famous one in town. Be on your best behavior."

Mikan showed her flawless practiced smile and in a gentle tone, "Yes sensei."

"Chiyo Sakamato" Ruka muttered mainly to himself as he stared at the woman who just entered his shop. Her jet black hair was up, her face clean of make up and wearing a simple crisp white tailored suit but damn if she didn't command attention as soon as she entered the room.

Nope, his parents were not exaggerating about her, and that's a first.

Chiyo nodded her head and that's when Ruka noticed she was still by the door holding it open for someone. A gust of breath Ruka didn't know he was holding suddenly left him. A girl, no, definitely a woman even in her late teens took a stride inside peering discreetly around the shop before landing her gaze on him.

Auburn. The most rich auburn eyes he's ever seen on a heart shaped face with as rich auburn hair flowing behind her.

His mouth suddenly went dry and he cleared his throat before he managed to say, "Good afternoon, I'm Ruka Nogi. I'll be attending to you today."

Mikan was staring at her mentor looking composed, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes closed while waiting for the blonde man to come back to the room. He had blue eyes, like her sensei, but brighter and more life like while her sensei's were hard, cold and unforgiving.

Mikan liked his eyes better, she decided to herself.

She glance around her surroundings, different colors and sizes of kimonos lined the open closets with a variety of design. Hair ornaments were laid on a glass tables. Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Mikan was beside herself with awe.

"You forget yourself Mikan." Chiyo had one eye open trained to her.

Mikan instantly straightened and smiled, just in time for Ruka to come back with a stack of papers.

"All you have to do is sign here." Ruka gestured towards a dotted line on several papers he placed on his desk. Chiyo moved towards it and began picking up and reading them.

Ruka couldn't help but looked towards Chiyo's apprentice. Her grace must be innate, he concluded. From the set of her chin, her back, her hands folded on her lap down to her feet and her eyes trained towards her front always. Certainly not like his other clients who were oozing with sex and seduction, their gazes hungry as soon as they caught sight of him.

"Look at me." His sudden thought disturbed him. Chiyo straightened up from signing the papers of consent, since he was going to undress and dress someone and snapped him out of his reverie.

"All the papers have been signed. I'll leave you in her care." Chiyo coolly left the room. If not for the multitude of thoughts running through his head, he would register that meant Chiyo trusted him and his taste and should be flattered. But then all he could think of was the woman sitting in front of him who didn't spare him a glance so far.

"May I ask where you will be performing tonight?" He found himself asking. Damn it, he never asks questions with his clients. Never, its like an instant invitation of unwanted interest.

"I may have a few pieces that I would like to suggest, depending on the occasion." He followed to say, feigning nonchalance. Nope, he also never bothers with details such as this. His clients, mostly the new generation of shivas would often prefer the short kimonos, baring lots of leg and skin.

Finally, she turned towards him, her eyes gentle and a small smile playing on her full lips, "Tsubasa said you were a fine man, equaled by no one with your expertise. I'll be in your care."

That fucker knew she was coming. "I'm going to kill him when I see him" he thought.

Ruka cleared his throat before moving to the closet closest to him, pull it together man.

Mikan stood up and went beside him, her interest and curiosity clear on her face. "Tonight, I'll be performing at the Shinomoto Gala. It will be my first. I would like to make an impression."

Shinomoto Gala, once a proud event that takes place in Kyoto every year debuting shivas. Now it has become one of the seediest places in Japan. Shivas no longer perform the arts and instead just flaunt themselves in front of the audience in tiny kimonos enticing men.

A sudden rush of anger flared inside Ruka. "Of course you'll want to perform there." The words slipped out before he could control himself, the disgust apparent in his voice.

Mikan raised a brow and cocked her head to the side, "Have I offended you?"

Ruka shook his head. What the fuck is wrong with me? He glanced at her, stared deep into her rich auburn eyes and knew instantly the piece that would suit her, the best one he kept and damn her for making him want to give it to her.

"I'll be right back." he muttered angrily to himself before storming off to another room leaving Mikan bewildered alone.

"Well what the fuck was wrong with that guy?" Mikan thought to herself. Ever since she sat down, she was internally having a mental breakdown. Remember your training Mikan, breathe in breathe out. A total stranger is going to see you naked, be cool. When Chiyo left the room, it took everything in Mikan not to hyperventilate right there and then. Such a heartless woman, "CHIYO SENSEI HOW COULD YOU?"

In addition to that, the blonde man totally hates her. She could feel him staring holes at her face for long periods of time. Mikan paced while waiting, it was easier said than done. She remembered all the training she went through, all the hardships she had to face while growing up and she came to a stop.

"I'm ready for this. I'm ready for this" Her body began to relax and she let out a breath.

"Come inside. We'll start undressing." she whipped her head to the blonde man standing by the opening of a door to another room.

"Fuck. I'm not ready for this."

Author's Notes: Hi! For everyone's information, I loosely based the idea of shivas to geishas and maikos. I originally wanted to use geishas and maikos in this story instead but figured there's a lot of facts I don't know about them which would make it harder for me to work on the story. Natsume, Hotaru and the rest are going to come up in the next chapters of the story. This is modern Japan, with the modern cars and buildings. I'm not quite well versed with the culture, especially with how you call names like with -san and -chan so I didn't use them also. I hope you enjoyed it

If there's anything confusing. Just let me know in your reviews. Thank you!