AL19: Thanks for your constant support.
Juliedoo: I got your review just as I was about to post this chapter! It was a lovely surprise and I'm glad to see you've picked up on what I'm trying to do with Kamui's characterization.
This chapter, by the way, takes place during the early events of Benizakura arc, when Bansai was sent to make a deal with Harusame.
Chapter Seven: Dinner Party Diplomacy
"Well, my darling, I have a job for you." Kouto was lying back in bed with his arms behind his head, while he watched her brushing her long hair at her dressing table.
A few minutes earlier, he had appeared suddenly without any warning, walking in on her while she was preparing for bed. Bizarrely, he was acting as though he hadn't stayed away for the last ten days. The bruise he'd left on her face was gone, so all was well as far as he was concerned, she decided.
"Oh?"
"I'm having a guest over for dinner tomorrow night. I want you to be my hostess for the evening. That's the sort of thing you were taught to do in Yoshiwara, weren't you?"
Excellent. Now this was the sort of duty which would benefit the Kiheitai. If she regularly played hostess for Kouto, she'd meet all sorts of important people, and get to hear interesting conversations that she could report back to Bansai.
But it wouldn't do to appear too eager. "I don't know your people's customs and manners," she said, forming her lips into the most charming pout she'd learnt from her Yoshiwara tutors. "I wouldn't want you to be ashamed of me."
"That won't be a problem. None of my men have any manners in the first place. You'll raise the tone of the evening. You see, my guest is one of your race."
Sumiko took a deep breath as a suspicion began to form in her mind. "Really? This far away from Earth?"
"I'll be seeing more of your countrymen from now on. Our high command has made an agreement with an independent mercenary group based in your home islands. Given our division's connection to Housen, we'll probably end up working together closely."
"So this guest is one of the mercenaries?"
"Right. He's the negotiator for that group. His name's Kawakami. He's a weird one, though, I'll warn you."
"Weird?" She was impressed at how well she was handling this, managing to feign ignorance.
"He wore big headphones all through his meeting with the Fleet Commanders, even when he was talking to the Admiral himself. He also wears sunglasses. Out here in the dark of space. Is that an Earth fashion, Sumiko-chan?"
"It's not a fashion I've seen in Yoshiwara," Sumiko replied. "I wouldn't know about the world outside."
Kouto laughed. "Of course you wouldn't. I sometimes forget what an innocent you really are. Come over here, little one."
Reluctantly, she put down her brush and went to join him in bed.
In a small guest room on the Harusame flagship, Bansai was alone at last, checking his phone messages and email.
Otsu had left seven voice messages on his phone while he was out of range, each one more emotional than the previous. Another idol had made a catty remark about her on a daytime talk show and Otsu-chan was out for revenge in the form of a song attacking her rival.
Quickly he composed an email.
"Out of town till next week, but will look at any lyrics you care to send this way. However, please familiarize yourself with slander laws. Some of the lyrics suggestions you made on the phone will land you in court, I daresay. Not all publicity is good publicity."
He paused a moment, then copied the email to Otsu's mother. That sensible woman would deal with the problem.
There were no messages from his other life. Shinsuke wouldn't run the risk of exposing their plans to any possible interceptor. So he had to assume that Shinsuke's plans were unfolding as arranged.
Yet, so much depended on Nizou in these plans. And the other assassin was impatient and undisciplined. He was a man who longed to play his own solo when the score called for an entire orchestra.
Shinsuke knew all these flaws, Bansai reminded himself. He thought nevertheless he could make use of Nizou's driving energy and devotion. And Matako and Takechi would do their best to keep Nizou on track. Bansai must focus on the task before him: cementing their alliance with Harusame.
There was one more day left of his visit here. One more trying day in which he had to make small talk with the Amanto instead of cutting them down. Most of the pirates didn't go out of their way to socialize with him. Their disdain for humans was obvious in their proud bearing and strident melodies. They saw the Kiheitai as contractors they were hiring to do a disagreeable job, not as equals.
But then there were pirates like the Admiral, with his false jolliness, or the Yato captain Kouto who'd insisted he attend a dinner party in his honor tomorrow night. Had Kouto's reported enthusiasm for his Japanese concubine carried over into friendliness towards the Kiheitai? If that was so, Sumiko had already performed a valuable service.
He wondered if he would see Sumiko tomorrow night at Kouto's dinner. If Kouto wanted to show her off to his guest, could she keep her self-control and poise? She mustn't show any sign of recognizing him.
In the end, she was another comrade he must trust in, just as he trusted in his fellows back home.
Preparing for the dinner party, Sumiko and Kotsune went through the ordeal of dressing and doing her hair and make-up in the most formal manner of Yoshiwara. The long process was made somewhat more endurable for Sumiko by the thought that she would have another person to impress tonight than Kouto. She felt sure Bansai was artistic enough that he would recognize and appreciate the incredible work of art a courtesan in full splendor was.
What he thought of her as a woman was another question. It was very likely he didn't care about women, or she just wasn't his type. But deep down, she hoped he did find her attractive. It was a bit silly, but she liked to imagine that Bansai might sigh to himself and wish he was the one at her side.
Kouto complimented her on her looks when he came to escort her to the dinner, then nearly messed up her hair by stroking it.
"Don't!" She pulled away from him, then remembered her submissive, flirtatious disguise just in time. "You can touch it all you like after the party," she told him, giving him her warmest smile. "Right now, it will collapse like a house of cards if you touch it."
He laughed and seemed unoffended by her reaction. She'd avoided another meltdown.
He escorted her from her suite to an elegant, large dining room, already filled with guests. She didn't recognize any of them: a mix of Yato and other Amanto, male and female. And then, out of the crowd, the man she was looking for: unruffled and as out-of-place here as anywhere.
"Kawakami-san, may I introduce you to your hostess, Lady Sumiko."
Bansai bowed to her and she bowed back. There were no words exchanged between them, and he didn't appear to be looking towards her as the guests took their seats. Of course, with those sunglasses it was difficult to tell exactly where he was looking.
Bansai was seated at Kouto's right, while she was seated at his left. During dinner, Sumiko didn't talk much, listening to Kouto's conversation as best as she could. He was boasting about the Seventh Division. He seemed keen to impress on Bansai the importance of the Yato within Harusame, even making a few negative remarks about the other divisions. Clearly, there was a lot more to Harusame politics than Sumiko had yet heard.
Bansai, she noticed, was polite but didn't respond to Kouto's attempts to get his agreement.
Other guests focused on lighter topics of conversation, or at least what passed for light conversation among pirates. They traded stories of raids they'd taken part in or argued about the most profitable planets for looting.
That particular argument was finally settled by one of the Yato. "The finest prizes come from Earth," he said, gesturing to Sumiko.
There was a lot of laughter and Sumiko's cheeks burned with the humiliation of it. Fortunately, the guests wouldn't be able to see that under her white make-up.
Bansai's face was immovable throughout.
"Have you a woman of your own waiting for your return, Kawakami-san?" asked Kouto, once the laughter had died down.
Bansai shook his head. "This one is not so fortunate as his host in his domestic arrangements."
"There's always Yoshiwara for you, if you've got the money," suggested the wit who'd made the remark about Sumiko.
"This one is not unfamiliar with the place." More laughter all around.
Kouto clapped him on the shoulder. "Good man, I was beginning to take you for a cold fish through and through."
It took a long time for the Amanto to finish gorging themselves. The Yato ate the most, downing so much food that Sumiko wondered that they didn't explode. When all the food was finally cleared away, it appeared that now was the time for the drinking to begin.
"You'll match us drink for drink, Kawakami-san?" one of the Yato asked Bansai, as a servant went about filling the glasses. "It's tradition." An ugly smile lit up his face. Obviously, he didn't think any other race could match drinks with the Yato.
"Only a couple of drinks and this one must bow out," replied Bansai.
"Coward!"
"Hey, none of that!" Kouto interjected. "Our honored guest, remember?"
"This one is a coward, I daresay," replied Bansai, without a trace of annoyance. "The prospect of travelling back to Earth hung-over is frightening in itself. Going into battle hung-over . . . this one prefers to avoid it."
"There's going to be a battle? How come we weren't invited?" demanded a Yato.
Kouto waved the question away. "Oh, it won't be much of a battle. Just a demonstration of Harusame's strength. Some upstart thinks he can take us on."
"That upstart did take Harusame on, I daresay," replied Bansai, and for once there was a hint of sharpness in his tone. "This one is only here because Harusame has requested the Kiheitai's help in dealing with Katsura Kotarou."
There was a sudden silence around the table. Everyone was looking at Kouto, probably wondering how he would deal with this blatant display of disrespect.
Kouto shrugged. "No offence to your Kiheitai, Kawakami-san. This is an excellent opportunity for your organization to raise its status. But this Katsura's just been lucky we Yato weren't called in right away."
"You are right about that, I daresay," answered Bansai. "This one is fully aware of your people's strength."
"Let's drink a toast to our new partnership!" someone suggested.
The moment of tension had passed and the guests returned to their merriment. Soon after, Bansai made his exit, thanking Kouto for his hospitality and bowing formally to Sumiko in farewell.
She wondered when she would see him again.
Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'd love to hear any questions/comments from readers. I was really uncertain about writing this fanfic in the first place because OC romances are tough to get right, but the ideas for a story just wouldn't stop coming.
