Hi, hello. I have this feeling like fanfiction dot net is trying, and succeeding in screwing me over. I posted chapters one and two not long after the prologue... but they don't seem to be netting the same views as the prologue, probably because it says that they were all posted at the same time. Hmmm... Anyway, here is another chapter, I'm slowly getting in the hang of writing longer ones every time so i hope you enjoy that. This chapter I feel is more descriptive of the characters and surroundings, hope you can imagine it while you're reading.

Legend: Kamuro-were children, usually seven to fifteen years of age, who served as courtesans' attendants. Generally, a courtesan had only one kamuro in the 1600s, while in the 1700s, each courtesan (above a certain rank) came to have two kamuro accompanying her.

Oshoku: The best selling courtesan at the time. They change depending on a lot of things, but mostly they're the ones bringing in the most cash.

Shinzo: were courtesans-in-training, usually 13 to 23 years of age, who usually served as attendants to higher-ranking courtesans.

Hikomi: A courtesan, most likely in training, who has a lot of potential to become an oshoku in the future.

Tatami: A rush-covered straw mat forming a traditional Japanese floor covering.

Shoji: A translucent screen consisting of a wooden frame covered in rice paper, used as a sliding door or partition in a Japanese house.

Seiza: Japanese term for one of the traditional formal ways of sitting in Japan. Our boy, unknowingly, sits in the typical female position where the knees are pressed together.

If I missed anything you can always ask... Or just Google it.


It wasn't a good sleep that I had that night. My bed, if you could even call a futon that, was uncomfortable, suffocating and too warm. But that was just the surface of what was really bothering me, and that was the fact that I had no fucking idea what to do next. It's not like I knew before, but... Before it wasn't as important as it is now, and now if I don't somehow magick up a plan... I. Am. Fucked. Seriously.

I'm not really sure what last night's fiasco accomplished, apart from getting me into more shit. Maiko-nee found out about me on the account of being in the wrong place at the right time, and mother... As much as her behavior bothers me I know she isn't as stupid as she makes herself out to be. So that means that mother figured me out too. The only good thing about that is that she would probably distract Jiraiya from thinking about me too much.

It's time for me to do my chores... I guess the only thing I can do about last night is wait for the concequences of my stupid plan.

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It wasn't until the next day that I got a summons from my mother to come to her entertaining room. Once I got there, as I was kneeling in front of the shoji door, I could see two silhouettes, they were conversing, and they were both female. So that means that Jiraiya, at least, didn't think me suspicious. As per usual etiquette I knocked on the wooden door frame, waited to be allowed entrance and once I opened the door I bowed low, my forehead touching the well kept tatami mat beneath me. I turned around, closed the door, and as calmly as I could sat in a proper seiza between the two ladies already occupying the room. My head was kept down but I already knew who was in attendance with my mother. It was Saeko-sama. The Okaa-san. The boss lady. The one who could very well decide to throw me out on the street for pulling shit I had no business, or training in doing.

"Hello Mitsuki."

It was Okaa-san that spoke first. Her face set in a polite smile. Her makeup subtle but complimenting her natural beauty. Saeko-sama wasn't young by any means, but you would be remiss to call her old. She wasn't extremely beautiful, nor ugly. She just had this polite face, one that calms you, reassures you. But her countenance makes you think twice about being anything but perfectly polite and cordial in front of her, it makes you respect her without knowing what about her is deserving of that respect. It's that same thing that allowed her to make this place one of the most lucrative brothels in Tanzaku town. And she knows it.

"Good afternoon Saeko-sama."

"Call me Okaa-san, Mitsuki."

"Of course... Okaa-san."

"Do you know why you have been summoned here?"

"I can guess..."

"Well?"

"It is because I dressed up in Tomoe's yukata and pretended to be one of the kamuro attending mother..."

"Yes. And why is it that you would even want to do such a thing. Don't think I haven't noticed your opinion on the girls. You think them beneath you. Why is it that you would... Stoop to their level, so to speak."

I knew at this point that if I screwed up in my answer it wouldn't go well for me .

"I wanted to see who mother's ninja friend was."

"And did you?"

She knows I did. It was a rhetorical question.

"Yes, Okaa-san." My voice had turned meek in the wake of the look she was giving me.

"You do know that you have to get punished now. Nothing is done without consequence Mitsuki. You would do well to remember that." You think I don't know that already?! But what I replied was another meek

"Yes, Okaa-san."

"Look, Mitsuki, I know that you are a smart boy. I'm sure you noticed that not many here truly treat you like a child. What you did made me think otherwise. But despite it being a very stupid thing you did, it was not entirely without merit. It made me aware of something about you. Something that could very well prove useful in the future."

"What... Is it?"

"You, by yourself dressed in a yukata, properly, waited on your mother, properly, prepared and brought sake, properly. It seems to me like you know what you're doing. To a point, of course."

Shit. I really don't like where this is going.

"Since you're obviously so... Invested in doing everything the girls are doing, why don't you just cut out the sneaking and do everything like the girls are doing. From now on you will be apprenticed to one of my ladies. You will dress like they tell you. Wear your hair like they tell you. Do what they tell when they tell you to do it. Is that clear?"

"But Saeko-sama! I'm a boy! I'm not supposed to be doing that!"

"I asked, is that clear?"

Fuck. I can see that I have no choice here. If I were to deny her further my punishment would probably be worse. Better to just accept it now as it is.

"Yes, Okaa-san. It is clear."

"Good. You will come find me tomorrow morning, you will then find out who your mistress will be for the foreseeable future. You are dismissed."

I could see my mother's excited hands clenching into fists upon her lap. That bitch probably had something to do with my punishment. She always lamented how she wished I were a girl.

I bowed to Saeko-sama and once in my mother's direction, a much shallower bow, before I left the room.

I calmly walked down the hallway, ignoring the curious looks the other girls were giving me. I have no right to be derisive of them now. Soon, I will be just like them. Isn't that a good joke.

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The following morning I came to the quarters of Saeko-sama. To enter her room required an overly complicated procedure of announcing oneself to the girl attending her that day. That girl then announces your presence to Saeko-sama, of course, in the meantime, you are to wait kneeling in front of the door. Once your presence was announced, and permitted, the girl comes back to inform you. She kneels in front of you, slides the door open, then the both of you can come in. Behind that first door is another hallway, this one only used for the private quarters of Saeko-sama. Once more the process is repeated until we, finally, enter the actual room.

Saeko-sama is found sitting on a heap of expensive looking silk cushions, smoke lazily coilng from the pipe held delicately in her jewelry adorned hand. The other hand is entangled in the hair of a sleeping girl lying in her lap. The 'daughter' of the month.

I bowed to her and at her gesture sat in a seiza on the tatami sprawling beneath us.

She looked to be contemplating something, her eyes giving up nothing but an excited glint, though that could have just been my imagination. We sat in silence for an indeterminate amount of time, I want to say it's been ages, but surely that's not possible, until the attending girl once again announced the presence of someone entering the room. It must be the woman she convinced to dole out my punishments.

And of course I'm right, once again. The woman who entered was undeniably beautiful. She had long flowing hair that were this my old life I would have said was fake judging by the impossible silver color, the color of stars. Her eyes, creased in a smile, were also observing me. She didn't look like she was being forced to do this. I can't say for sure if that's a good thing or not just yet.

Saeko-sama indicated for her to take a seat next to me, and so she did, her legs folding gracefully underneath her, a hand hidden inside the long sleeve of her elaborate kimono covering her no-doubt smiling mouth. Saeko-sama looked as if she had finally finished her ruminations, the smoke from her pipe had long stopped coming out, but the overly sweet smell still remained. I remembered this smell, it was opium. She held out her pipe to her attending girl to be filled up again and finally spoke.

„So...I trust everybody is aware of the reason we are here." Here she waited but a moment for our affirming nods.

„Mitsuki, this here is Harue. She is currently our Oshoku. You are to listen to everything she says and do it to perfection. Mistakes will be punishable, especially ones that might endanger our customer relations. You will be learning from her the proper dress and makeup, how to eat, how to drink, how to walk, speak, sleep, write, dance, play and much more. You had made yourself out to be mature and capable so act like it. At the end of every month you will come to me and show me your progress. If I find it unacceptable it will add more to your debt to me. You will act as a kamuro to Harue, and when you're older, if I find you deserving, you will be promoted to shinzo."

I was left without words, my mouth surely gaping open by the end of her speech. They're trying to make me into a prostitute. I mean... I was of course aware that male prostitutes exist, and furthermore are actually in pretty high demand seeing as having sex with them will never lead to a bastard accidentally being conceived, like it happened with my mother. I knew that I was in no position to deny this, especially because they will be putting a lot of recources into me, giving me a proper education, which is more than a lot of kids here will never receive. This means they likely think me a Hikomi, someone with a lot of potential... I dislike the idea of selling my body, but that likely won't happen for at least another ten to fifteen years, and by then I will surely find a solution, so everything actually goes into my favour here. There is no reason not to acquiesce, none at all.

And so I said yes.

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And just like that the next five years passed. I am ten years old now. I know how to write calligraphy, i know how to dance, play the koto and serve tea ceremonies. The training so far has been trial and error, but I have managed to please Saeko-sama with my progress, no doubt it was thanks to the fact that I'm not actually ten years old mentally, I haven't been for over three decades now. In fact, Saeko-sama was so pleased she decided to go ahead and promote me to a Shinzo. A courtesan in training.

And today I begin a new day as a different person. I can't say that my life is good. But I can definitely say that it is better, now more than ever. You see, these past years training to be a pleasure woman wasn't all I did, though it is the majority. I... I have finally made a plan, and it is brilliant. I can hold my head up high from today on, because I, my darlings, am getting fucking rich and getting the fuck out of this place. Mark my words, the world will know of me as the best fucking informant that has ever existed, who else but me can claim to know the future? And what a future it is. Hahahahahaahahahaa...Haaaa... Ok, back to work.


Hope you enjoyed and see you soon. Peace!