Disclaimer: I don't own Samurai Champloo or any of its characters.
Chapter 12
A stage-hand coughed discretely at the entrance of a backstage dressing room at the kaiya-cho theatre. "Mayumi-san, there are some people here to see you," he said.
Jin and Fuu could discern a soft but audible sigh emanating from the room, followed by an effeminate voice calling out, "Let them in!"
The stage hand ushered them inside the room. Nishiyama Mayumi was seated in front of a mirror, still wearing the costume of Oume, but he had taken of his wig, which now rested on a wig-stand placed on a lacquer chest-of-drawers. His heavy make-up looked somewhat incongruous with the purple cap that covered his shaved head. It was difficult to discern his age, but Jin conjectured that he was at least thirty five, somewhat old for an onnagata. Most actors of that day typically switched to performing male roles after crossing a certain age.
"I hope we haven't come to see you at an inconvenient time," said Jin courteously.
Fuu noted that Jin was not quite comfortable playing the role of a 'fan', so she chipped in with, "Oh, Mayumi-san, it was a wonderful performance, we just had to come and meet you."
Mayumi said, "Oh, not at all. I am honoured that you appreciate the work of an insignificant artist such as me. Please be seated. Would you like some tea or refreshments?"
Jin and Fuu refused initially, but accepted after some polite insistence by Mayumi. Mayumi asked the stage-hand to fetch some tea and bean-cake.
Fuu found it quite amusing to see that Mayumi was still performing; even though he was not on stage he had maintained the mannerisms of Oume, and was still speaking in a feminine voice. She was quite certain that his real voice was very different – even the most effeminate man couldn't sound so much like a woman.
Mayumi, with a scrutinizing glance directed first at Jin, and then at Fuu, placed a hand on one cheek and remarked, "Oh my, what a lovely couple the two of you make – the husband so handsome, and the wife so beautiful."
Fuu had blushed deeply, and was about to correct Mayumi, but Jin moved close to her and clasped one of her hands gently. He said, "My wife and I are from Edo. We have seen several performances of Shinju Manneso before, but we both agree that your interpretation of Oume is the best we have seen so far."
Fuu was surprised, but she played along, feeling strangely euphoric about what had just happened. "Oh yes, it was even better than Yamato Nadeshiko's performance."[1]
Mayumi said, "You are both too kind. You flatter me by comparing me to one of Edo's great onnagatas."
Fuu, doing her best 'gushing admirer' imitation said, "Mayumi-san, you are too modest."
Surely she is overdoing this a little bit, thought Jin, feeling a twinge of jealousy. He moved closer to her and clasped her hand more firmly, with his forearm positioned on hers. "I was also very impressed with your work in Ashiya Doman," he added.
Fuu, who was enjoying her role and the effect it was producing on Jin piped in with, "Oh, and the joruri chants of the fourth act were so moving. I was almost in tears when Kuzunoha had to leave for Shinoda."
Jin asked, "Mayumi-san, is it also true that you are the director of these plays?"
Mayumi said, "Yes indeed I am. Did you appreciate the special effects in Ashiya Doman? Our karakuri is perhaps not as good as one might find in Edo, Kyoto, or Osaka, but we do our best."
"We were wondering how some of those special effects were created," said Fuu. "Kuzunoha's kitsune shadow was so real."
Mayumi smiled at her indulgently. "You cannot expect us to give away all our secrets. But with good karakuri and appropriate use of light one can create all sorts of illusions."
"Have you also performed the kabuki version of Ashiya Doman?" asked Jin.
"Yes, in fact, we performed it very recently at this theatre. I play the role of Kuzunoha in the kabuki version. Things are quite different with kabuki – one can use a few special effects, but the challenge is to convince the public with one's acting. Portraying Kuzunoha's kitsune nature is quite difficult."
"I am sure you do a wonderful job Mayumi-san. You could probably make people believe you are a real fox spirit!" said Fuu.
"It is funny you should say that Fuu-san. There was a bit of a commotion during one of my performances as Kuzunoha; someone in the audience ran out in fright screaming 'kitsune' – he really believed that I was a fox spirit! I was rather flattered by it at that time, but the man was probably drunk, or under the influence of some sort of drug."
Jin asked, "Did you know who he was?"
"I don't recall his name, but I believe he was a samurai. In fact, he was so frightened that he left his daisho back at the theatre."
Both Jin and Fuu were keen to press Mayumi to remember the samurai's name, but didn't want to appear as if they were 'interrogating' him. Fuu said, "Now that is something. Jin-chan here would never be able to part with his two swords that easily."
Jin was charmed by the fact that she had blushed and lowered her eyes almost immediately after addressing him as 'Jin-chan', feeling shy in spite of the fact she was only playing the role of his wife. She had, in fact, done something quite similar after her bold acceptance of his offer of a kiss. He found it had the effect of increasing his desire, which was somewhat inconvenient at the present time.
He tried to focus on the task at hand by asking Mayumi, "Surely he returned to claim his daisho?"
Mayumi said, "Oh yes, eventually. Ah, I think I remember his name – it was Sasaki Tojiro I believe. It should have been easy to remember that name – it is very similar to Sasaki Kojiro, the name of the well known swordsman who fought a famous duel with Miyamoto Musashi."
Another name from the 'list' had cropped up, Jin noted, with a significant glance at Fuu.
After a brief pause Fuu asked, "Mayumi-san, how are you able to do so many things at the same time. It must be exhausting – what happens if you fall sick? Do you have any disciples or understudies who can take over?"
"There are some young actors in our troupe. Alas, the talents of my deshis are a little, shall we say, underdeveloped."
"Did we see any of the actors in Shinju Manneso today?" asked Jin.
Mayumi rattled off a couple of names with a look on his heavily made-up face that was suggestive of derision. Jin hoped that he would remember them; writing them down would have appeared incredibly strange to Mayumi.
In fact, all members of Mayumi's troupe needed investigation if one subscribed to the theory that he was a potential target for murder. In that case, whoever stood to gain a better position or status in the troupe as a result of Mayumi's death would have a motive. There could also be rival actors who were jealous, or disgruntled apprentices who had been insulted by their mentor.
On the other hand, if he was a suspect, one might need to explore whether he had any links with the Furin Kazan Inn. Perhaps there was a psychological aspect to these murders, in which victims would be subjected to 'illusions' that were either real or imagined, creating some sort of a psychosis among the townsfolk that helped the murderers mask the actual methods used in the killings.
In either case, it was rather difficult for Jin and Fuu to ask the more direct kind of questions without revealing that their visit was under false pretences. Also, they could not prolong their visit any further; Mayumi was tired and they had probably overstayed their welcome. So with a few more customary complements about the performance in general, and Mayumi's work in particular, they took their leave.
---xxx---
Fuu had been increasingly nervous as their interview with Mayumi drew to a close, even though she had told Jin that she had wanted to 'get it over and done with'. Jin, who had been holding her hand for the duration of their interview, had sensed this; he had felt her pulse quicken and had seen the heightening of colour in her cheeks.
Jin knew that her anxiety stemmed from innocence and inexperience, and the fact that her attraction to him had awakened feelings in her that she did not understand. She was, after all, only eighteen, and had led a fairly sheltered existence in the past two years.
Wanting to put her at ease, he attempted to divert her mind by discussing their interview with Mayumi. "Fuu-chan, I must say you did a wonderful job interviewing Mayumi-san. On my own, I doubt that I would have been able to extract so much information from him."
"It was nothing. He would have talked anyway – I think he was attracted to you," Fuu said, smiling impishly at Jin.
Jin said, "I don't think so. He was probably flattered by all that attention you were showering on him. In fact, I was almost convinced you had a crush on him."
"You know that isn't the case," Fuu replied, avoiding Jin's eyes.
She had started to look nervous again, and there was an awkward silence as they approached the cherry blossom grove on the way to Sekisuiji.
Jin put an arm around Fuu, and said gently, "Fuu-chan, you don't have to do this if you don't want to. I feel guilty having put you in this position, so I will say this again. You have absolutely no obligation to 'reward me' with a kiss for saving your life. I would give my life to protect you, and do not expect anything in return."
Oh no, not again, thought Fuu. Aloud, she said, "Jin, please, I want you to kiss me."
But she had spoken in a barely audible whisper, and had blushed furiously. Jin also noticed that she was trembling. So instead of kissing her he held her in a warm embrace, stroking her hair very gently.
He continued to hold her in this manner for a long time, until he felt her stop trembling and relax in his embrace. Then he kissed her very gently on her forehead, her eyelids, her nose, and her cheeks, before he paused, his lips hovering just above hers as he looked into her eyes.
There was a silent plea in his eyes, a vulnerable look that said: I can stop this now but please don't make me. May I kiss you?
There was a silent answer in her eyes, and it must have been in the affirmative, for in the next moment they were kissing each other passionately and hungrily, oblivious to a group of little children who had run into the cherry blossom grove, and who were in paroxysms of mirth at the sight of two adults "sucking each other's faces".
[1] Yamato Nadeshiko appears in Episode 6 of Samurai Champloo, as the kabuki actor Jouji is attracted to.
Author's note: Sorry, I don't think I did justice to the 'kissing scene'. But there is always the option of leaving things to the reader's imagination, so I decided not to describe things in too much detail.
