Hey all!
Presenting a new translated series from pixiv, Colours of Love, by Manato. Her pixiv account can be found here ~ www,pixiv,net/member,php?id=731130 (replace commas with fullstops).
The main pairing for this story is KidLaw, with slight sprinklings of MarcoAce, SanZoro and DoflaCroc.
The story's main focus is prostitution, and will definitely get NSFW in later chapters, so do be warned.
Just some ramblings before the story:
There doesn't seem to be a specified time setting, but judging from the elements in the story, it's a period piece set in the days of olden Japan, most likely Edo or old Tokyo. To narrow it down even further, the inspiration for the story could very well be Yoshiwara, the traditional pleasure quarters of Edo. Yoshiwara's wiki page gives a good introduction of this truly interesting part of Japan's history, if anyone is keen to find out more~ (´͈ ᗨ `͈)
Some Japanese words are kept intact to preserve the flavour of the story. Translations are provided at the bottom of the page.
My wonderful beta is beposbutt. Thanks for everything, bb!
So, let's begin! o((*^▽^*))o
Colours of Love
Chapter 1: ~Red~
I am a man who knows nothing about "love". "To love", nor "to be loved". The idea of holding someone dear, and to have special feelings for them, is just so foreign to me, and vice versa. I can't imagine how anyone can ever love someone like me.
Anyway, I don't need "love", nor do I seek to understand it.
As long as I'm here, it doesn't matter.
XxXxXxX
Here, is the city's famous pleasure quarters.
Here, is where many customers from all walks of life flock to night after night. These grounds, so wide that it could be mistaken for a small town, where prostitutes clamour and crowd.
Here, is where you can find whores to be had for the change in your pocket, as well as high-ranking call girls that cost entire salaries. Stick-thin girls who look like they'd break in half with a stiff breeze, and plump ladies with generous curves. Cute women, beautiful women, elegant women; the selection is endless.
Of course, the same applies for us men.
Yes, on this side of the street stands the mansion where the male prostitutes can be found.
XxXxXxX
The sun had set. I used to think that sunset was a beautiful time, but nowadays, the coming of night brought along its own sorrows.
Adjusting the coat over my kimono, I made my way down to the harimise on the ground floor. This was where I would sit, on display every night, to be bought for someone else's pleasure.
Making my way to the harimise, I spotted a familiar face.
"How rare to see you here... Firefist-ya."
"Yo, Law! Speak for yourself. I'm sure you can get customers even without putting yourself on display."
"I have some free time before the scheduled customers come in for the night. How about you, have you been well...?"
"Hmm?... Ah!"
Ace seemed to have caught sight of someone outside the mansion, and started waving frantically to the person through the wooden lattices.
"I've missed you... Marco!"
"Me too-yoi, Ace."
Ace reached out through the lattice to clasp the hand of his long-time customer, Marco.
Marco had been Ace's sole patron for quite some time, and talk had been going around the mansion that the man may extend an offer to buy Ace out of bondage soon.
To me, that was the ultimate form of prostitution: to truly be bought and owned by another human being. But watching Ace as he spoke to his patron, I couldn't help but get the feeling that he was genuinely happy. Even the smile on his face seemed different; bright and fresh like a newly blooming flower.
Maybe it was love.
It really made me wonder how it felt like, to be in love with someone.
With a wave at me, Ace and Marco disappeared into his quarters.
XxXxXxX
As night wore on, the number of people on the street outside increased steadily.
Suddenly, in the throng of curious, amused and lustful looks showered upon me, the passing profile of a particular man caught my attention. I didn't know why, but it was probably his conspicuously bright red hair.
I found that I couldn't take my eyes off him. As if sensing my gaze, he turned towards me, and our eyes met for a brief moment before he hurriedly glanced away, clearly embarrassed. I concluded that this must be his first visit to the pleasure quarters.
The red-haired man was part of a group of middle-aged businessmen, who seemed like they could be his superiors. It looked like the poor redhead had been brought here against his will for some sort of initation ceremony.
That was nothing new to us. Many of the cheaper male prostitutes were often bought for the express purpose of introducing newcomers to the pleasures offered on our premises.
I watched as the group of men entered our mansion. After a short while, a group of us, including myself, were told to return to our rooms to prepare to receive our new customers.
Climbing the stairs back to my quarters, I drew the sliding door close and knelt just behind it, waiting for my customer to enter. Through the thin doors, I caught snippets of conversation as the group of businessmen made their way along the corridor.
"Don't worry, I can vouch for this one! He's quite expensive, afterall..."
"Yeah, just do it! My treat today! It's your first time, right? Just go and have a good time!"
"Huh? But... I don't know what to do-"
"Come on! Just go for it!"
The door to my suite suddenly slid open, and I caught a glimpse of a middle-aged man pushing another across the threshold before sliding the door close again. The latter stumbled as he lost his balance, before landing in a heap right in front of me.
"Hey, are you alri-...!" I started to ask hesitantly before stopping short.
The one in front of me was the man with the bright red hair.
Quickly regaining my composure, I tried again, "I saw you through the harimise a while ago. Is this your first time here?"
"...Tch! Were you eavesdropping on us?!" the man accused grumpily.
"It can't be helped. You were all speaking so loudly."
The man looked away angrily. Yes, this must really be his first time in the pleasure quarters.
Moreover, I was willing to bet that this was his first time with a man. The redhead had picked himself up and was now kneeling on the tatami floor, albeit a considerable distance away from me. Yet his manner was strangely refreshing; I couldn't remember the last time a customer didn't have his hands roving all over my body within five seconds of entering the room.
I decided to switch tactics. "Was that your superior? He must be a generous man, to have bought me for your pleasure."
"Yeah... He gets rather generous with his cash whenever he's drunk. Anyway, I'm guessing you don't come cheap. You popular around here?"
"Relatively. Well, I don't know how much a businessman earns these days, but I think that with hard work, even I can be quite an affordable indulgence."
"I guess... Though I definitely won't spend my money on something like this. I've never even thought about it before, actually..."
The man's voice trailed off. I guess he was probably still nervous, from the way his eyes darted constantly between my body and the floor near where he knelt. After a while, he started speaking again.
"Erm, I just wanna apologize... for buying you. I mean, I've never thought about doing it with a man..."
"Just because you bought me doesn't mean we need to have sex. You just have to wait until your superiors leave, right? We can stay here and talk."
"Huh? If that's ok with you..."
"Of course! Would you like some drinks? Come, I'll serve you the first round of sake and snacks, free of charge."
"...! T-thanks for everything."
And that was how we ended up chatting the entire hour away. The man was an extremely engaging conversationalist, and I soon found myself enjoying his company.
"Fufufu, that's so absurd! Did it really happen?"
"Of course it did! Isn't that funny?!"
Yes, it was. In fact, when was the last time I truly laughed like this?
The alloted hour was up too soon.
"It's time," I reminded the customer, straining to hide the disappointment in my voice.
"Yeah... I had a great time," the man replied sheepishly.
"Me too. I've not enjoyed myself like this in a long while," I confessed quietly.
There was a tense silence, before the man quickly piped up, "Oh! Names! I didn't quite catch yours when they told me at the reception... I'm Eustass Kid."
"Nice to meet you, Eustass-ya. I'm Trafalgar Law."
"-Ya? What's that?"
"It's just my style of addressing people. Is that alright with you?"
"Of course. Call me whatever you like."
With that, the man - Eustass-ya, left the establishment with his fellow colleagues.
"...It's so quiet," I whispered to myself, suddenly aware of the silence echoing throughout the room.
Everything was as per usual, yet it felt so strange; this new sense of aching loneliness which I'd never felt before after a customer had left.
I wondered if he would ever come again.
No, of course not. He was not interested in men, much less in a male prostitute like myself.
A strange sense of guilt overtook the loneliness. I had been bought and paid for, yet I had spent the entire time talking to the customer, providing none of the other services which I should have provided.
I fell back onto my futon; it was the first time the bed had not served its intended purpose. Devoid of the usual stench of semen and sweat, the sheets smelled of warm sunshine.
Closing my eyes, I linked this fragrance to the persistent memory of bright red hair. As I fell asleep, a sole thought dominated my mind.
Eustass-ya will never come again.
Japanese phrases
Kimono: traditional Japanese attire
Harimise: latticed cages at the fronts of the brothels where prostitutes are put on display
Tatami: woven mat flooring
Sake: rice wine
Futon: Japanese style bed
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