Disclaimer: I don't own Samurai Champloo or any of its characters.


Author's note: Chapter 29 and 30 to follow were initially written as one chapter. But it turned out to be a very long one - about 13,000 words without including any notes, so I decided to split it into two. I apologize in advance for introducing a good looking OC in this one, but I think the plot requires it!


Chapter 29

Cosmic Coincidences, Part I

In Which Fuu, Yatsuha, and Mugen Follow the Way of Hard-Boiled Detection

"Yatsuha-san, there is a young lady here to see you."

The maid who delivered this message to Yatsuha was polite, yet unable to hide her curiosity. In her experience it was unusual to come across a young woman travelling alone, unaccompanied by either family members or servants.

Yatsuha pretended not to notice the woman's inquisitive glances; it was something she had gotten used to. But she wasn't expecting anyone to visit her, so she was a little surprised. Who could it be?

"Show her in, here, into my room."

She was staying at the Yumura Onsen Inn, located near the onsen that was said to have been discovered during the Heian era when the legendary monk Kobo Daishi tapped a stick on the ground. One of the more popular inns in Kofu, it was about a few miles from the Sekisuiji Onsen Inn, a walking distance only to those who were able bodied and in a state of reasonable health and fitness. She was therefore even more surprised when her visitor was ushered into the room.

"Fuu-san?!"

"I hope I have not come at an inconvenient time."

"No, no, but I am worried you haven't fully recovered from your injuries. You shouldn't be exerting yourself physically."

Fuu's appearance justified Yatsuha's concern. She was pale, with dark circles under her eyes, and looked listless. But she replied, "I am all right. Besides, I didn't really exert myself much – I came here in a palanquin."

"I have a small gift...some wagashi."

"Oh, I love sweets. But you shouldn't have."

The two young women regarded each other awkwardly as they exchanged pleasantries and other polite formalities suited to the occasion. It was therefore a while before the purpose of Fuu's visit was revealed.

Fuu was finding it difficult to broach the subject but Yatsuha chose to wait politely rather than force the issue with a direct question. She attempted to make Fuu comfortable, asked her whether she would like tea, and assisted her with some cushions rather than allowing her to kneel on the tatami. The medicinal odour of yomogi (moxa/mugwort) underlying Fuu's wildflower fragrance made her a little nervous; she was worried about the possibility of some mishap, in the form of Fuu collapsing either due to weakness, or due to the re-opening of her wound.

Eventually Fuu blurted out: "Yatsuha-san, this might sound like a strange request...I mean, I would like to, er, help in any way I can with the, er, investigation, uh, you know..."

It is indeed a strange request, thought Yatsuha. What a silly girl, and what on earth is she up to? Has she lost her mind?

Fuu was a little discouraged by the expression on Yatsuha's face, and frustrated with her inability to convince Yatsuha. The infirmities caused by her injury, her recent discussions with Ayako, and the decisions she had to make as a result of it, had contrived to put her in a depressive and uncertain frame of mind. She felt awkward and inarticulate, unable to express herself. And there had been that devastating conversation with Jin...

"I know you are concerned about my wound. But I am all right now, and I will go crazy if – In any case, I was trying to help out Jin and Mugen a little bit, before..."

Her body language and expressions suggest sadness and depression. She lowers her head, and doesn't look at me as she talks, and speaks in a lower tone of voice as she mentions Jin. She is fidgety and nervous, showing signs of anxiety. Emotional trauma? Heartbreak? Does she think that I can help in some way?

Yatsuha had figured out that there was something going on between Fuu and Jin. She had also heard about the miai, and it had puzzled her knowing that the groom in question was someone other than Jin. She now surmised, correctly, that Fuu's family was opposed to her relationship with Jin.

"Fuu-san, I am not sure what you have in mind. Besides, your uncle and aunt, wouldn't they object? It is barely ten days since you had that duel. And I heard from Mugen that your miai is scheduled at the end of the month."

"Er, I thought, uhm, you are an undercover agent, aren't you? Wouldn't it be a good cover for you, to pretend that you are exploring Kofu with a girl friend? After all, a lone woman going around asking questions is likely to arouse suspicion, but if you were with me it could be passed off as the natural curiosity of a bunch of tourists."

Ahhhhh! She wants to tag along with me, this girl. What a nuisance! And she avoided the question about the miai. "Fuu-san, this is a bit awkward for me to say, but I prefer, and indeed I am used to working on my own. Besides, the investigation is at a rather delicate stage – things would get quite dangerous if we make a mistake. You are aware, aren't you of the trap we set for the suspects? I hear that it was your idea."

"Yes."

"In that case you should know that it is quite dangerous to be around me. Besides, because of your connection with Jin and Mugen, it is not a good idea for me to be seen around you."

"Why is that?" The expression on Fuu's face had changed and frozen at the point where the phrase 'your connection with Jin and Mugen' came up.

"That man Takatoshi has been told that I am an agent of the bakufu spying on Jin and Mugen. Now if I hang around you it would look very suspicious wouldn't it?"

"On the contrary, I think he would assume that you had struck up a friendship with me for the purpose of spying on Jin and Mugen."

She's not going to give up, is she?! "Fuu-san, wouldn't that be a little too obvious? If I am to be convincing in the role I am playing, it has to look like I am at least trying to be subtle about spying on them."

Fuu looked sideways at this remark, not meeting Yatsuha's eyes, her lips trembling a little as she said, "You don't have to worry about my 'connection' with Jin and Mugen. I see very little of Mugen, and as for Jin -" Here her voice broke off as she tried to compose herself, opening her eyes wide to prevent the spilling of tears that were brimming in them.

She had run into Jin and Mugen the morning after her conversation with Jin, when they appeared at the inn's dining room at the designated time for breakfast. Mugen had stared at her coldly without a word. Jin had addressed her with composure but there had been an aura of sadness about him, and what she knew to be a very Jin-like stoical expression of acceptance in his eyes. The note of formality in his voice as he said 'Ohayo Fuu-san' had been like a stab in the gut. Later that day, she had visited their room again. She had wanted to talk to Jin, and make another attempt to explain her decision to him. Jin hadn't been there but she had encountered a very hostile Mugen.

When she tried to explain her point of view he had said, "Loyalty?! You are doing this because of loyalty?"

She had been intimidated by his tone and had mumbled something incoherently, about her duty towards her family and Lord Masakuni.

"You spoke about loyalty to him? Do you know that when he went to that frigging island he was intending to die so he could save your sorry ass?!"

Mugen's words had only served to exacerbate the confusion of her already tormented mind. When she returned to her room, she had been in a state resembling panic, breathing in short gasps, eventually curling up in the shape of an embryo on her futon, crying a flood of tears.

Yatsuha's voice broke into her thoughts. "Fuu-san, are you all right? You are looking extremely pale. You must lie down – I insist. Let me spread out a futon for you."

"No Yatsuha-san, I am all right. But please, at least think about what I said. Please don't say no without thinking about it, I beg you."

There was a feeling of desperation about Fuu, a certain something that Yatsuha felt she recognized, and she found herself relenting. Someone needs to keep an eye on this girl, or she will find a way to kill herself. With an exasperated smile, she said, "All right, Fuu-san, have it your way. Tell me all about your plans for our, er, collaboration."

---xxx---

"Ayako-san, please calm down. Speak slowly. I can't figure out what you are trying to tell me." Hideo, who had just returned from a relaxing soak at the onsen, refused to be affected by his wife's hysterics.

"Our niece, she has disappeared!"

"She disappeared?! How could that have happened? You haven't let her out of your sight since a week and a half."

"She said she was going to the privy. That was just after breakfast. She has been missing since then – I checked the privy and she wasn't there."

"There is no need to panic. She must have gotten a little restless, and decided to take a walk in the neighbourhood. It would be quite natural – she hasn't been allowed much exercise until now, you know, and that can be a very trying experience."

"But it is not like her to go without telling us. And she hasn't fully recovered yet, so it wasn't a good idea to have gone alone."

Hideo sighed, and the first signs of worry crept into his face. "She hasn't been herself lately, our Fuu-chan."

"Yes, but there is no reason to do something like this."

"She cries herself to sleep at night Ayako-san. She sleeps in the room next to ours, so you must have heard it too. I asked her about it but she brushed it off saying that she had nightmares recently."

"It is only natural for her to cry. She has grown fond of us, and will be leaving us when she gets married, and that is bound to be upsetting."

"Hmm. It also surprises me that she has decided to give up the idea of marrying Jin."

"Why is it so surprising? It was the sensible thing to do. I had a little talk with her about the advantages of marrying Tanaka Etsuo, and the disadvantages of marrying Jin. She was convinced."

Hideo stared at his wife curiously. She had replied a little too quickly and vehemently, as if she had been called upon to defend herself. And she had averted her eyes, pretending to be busy tidying up the sitting cushions in their room.

"You know Ayako-san, I wish you hadn't pressured her. I had promised her that she wouldn't have to make her decision until after the miai."

Ayako turned to look at Hideo, making an impatient clicking sound with her tongue. "And what would you have done, if she had decided in favour of Jin? You know what Lord Masakuni's opinion is."

"I would have to discuss the situation with him."

"Oh yes? You would 'discuss the situation with him'? What if he ordered you to commit seppuku?"

"Ah, Ayako-san, is that what you told her? That is very cruel."

"You look at me in the eyes Hideo-san, and tell me there isn't a possibility of your being asked to commit seppuku, if such a situation was to arise. Is that what you are trying to tell me?"

Ayako's face was red, and she rarely addressed Hideo by name, usually preferring to use the pronoun 'anata' ('you') instead. Hideo calmly noted his wife's agitation, before responding in measured tones, "Ayako-san, I admit that the Masakuni House has very strict rules, and Lord Masakuni doesn't tolerate the infringement of those rules. But beyond his strict demeanour, he isn't an unreasonable man. And he has always kept the welfare of his retainers in mind. Why, I remember that when I was a child, he had taken an interest in my education, even though my father thought it was effeminate for a samurai boy to be overly interested in scholarly things. He had noticed my aptitude, you see, and told my father that he should encourage my interest in studies. In fact -"

"You are missing the point. In this case there are other factors involved. Fuu is the daughter of Seizo Kasumi, and Lord Masakuni knows it. She has to be under surveillance – it is the bakufu policy for people suspected to have links with the Hidden Christians. And the easiest way to make sure that she is always under surveillance is to get her married to a retainer of a fudai daimyo."[1]

"You know about this?!" Hideo was stunned; he had said nothing of his conversation about Fuu with Lord Masakuni to Ayako, and had assumed that she knew nothing about it.

"Things have a way of getting around. I have kept my eyes and ears open, that's all. So there is only one solution here, and you know it too. And thank the Gods for small mercies, so does Fuu."

Hideo sighed. "I don't want to quarrel or argue about this Ayako-san. At the moment, let's just concentrate on finding her."

---xxx---

Yatsuha had not particularly wanted to like Fuu, or develop some sort of friendship with her. And even though she had agreed to Fuu's suggestions she had meant to keep a professional distance. But she was finding it difficult to do so because the younger woman looked at her with frank and open admiration, and Yatsuha was susceptible to it, just as any other human being would be.

They had hired a palanquin, and were on their way to the merchant quarter. As the palanquin made its way to Toshitsugu's incense shop, navigating the winding lanes of the merchant quarter, Fuu plied her with a lot of questions about her training as a kunoichi. Was taijutsu, the 'empty hand' martial art of the shinobi difficult to learn? What about weapon's training – how many weapons did her training include? Could she demonstrate some of these to Fuu at some stage?

Yatsuha knew that the latter question was an indirect request for providing Fuu with some lessons in the shinobi arts and chose to deflect it by saying, "Fuu-san, you are in no condition to train, or undertake any form of vigorous physical activity. Perhaps when you have recovered...In fact, you can then also show me some of the techniques of the style of jojutsu you specialize in. You must be very good – you defeated a very skilled assassin."

"It had nothing to do with my abilities, Yatsuha-san. He made a mistake. He could, and should have finished me off immediately after the first strike. But he was playing with me, having fun at my expense. Or maybe, some part of him felt pity for me - perhaps he thought I was as good as dead. He offered to assist me with seppuku, you know."

"Seppuku, huh? In a way that shows he had some sort of respect for you – bushi women are usually allowed the easier method of jigai. Instead of cutting open your stomach you can stab your throat."

"Is that supposed to be easier? Besides, if there is a kaishaku to assist you, you are supposed to get decapitated immediately afterwards. So there can't be much of a difference, can there?"

"Hmm. Nonetheless, you have acquired quite a reputation for yourself. And that is another reason why you shouldn't involve yourself in this investigation."

"Not again! Yatsuha-san, I thought I had managed to convince you. I don't think that many people knew about the duel, and even if they did, they wouldn't think I was involved. Manzou-san said that things were cleared up quickly; the police recorded it as a random attack by a tsujigiri, and that all the details were not known to the public. Besides, you promised – you can't go back on your word. And you did say it was a good idea."

Fuu had wanted to follow up at least one of the leads that had emerged when she had visited the Zenkoji temple with Hideo and Ayako. One piece of information she had thought relevant was the fact that Sachiko – the woman who confessed to the murdered monk Joben before she died – had worked at Toshitsugu's incense factory. She had briefly mentioned it to Jin and Mugen when she had returned to Sekisuiji Inn, but she had been too distracted to emphasize that she thought it to be important. The 'distraction' had come in the form of the arrangement she had made with Inuyama. Events that followed were of a dramatic nature, so the little snippets of information she had gathered had been forgotten, until now.

Besides, now more than ever, she felt that she desperately needed to do something, or she would go mad. Inactivity and rest meant that she would have a lot of time to think, and therefore to agonize over her recent decisions.

Seeing that Yatsuha was still reluctant about her involvement, she tried to make a case for herself. "In fact, Yatsuha-san, people are very reluctant to talk to the police. That is why someone like me would be so useful. People generally assume that I am a harmless tourist, and I get to hear the town gossip because of it. And what if they have heard a rumour about the duel? That just makes me an interesting person to talk to."

"And then, it is not as if we are marching over to the incense factory, imperiously asking Sachiko's former co-workers to speculate on what she might have said to Joben – that's what the police would do. You have lived among the chonin haven't you Yatsuha-san? Well, so have I. You know how unpopular the police are with the townsfolk."

"Fuu-san, I agree that an indirect approach would be better – hence the visit to Toshitsugu's incense shop. But are you certain that you will be able to finagle an invitation to visit the factory? I know you have met Toshitsugu, but do you think you know him well enough?"

"At least, it doesn't hurt to try."

"Um-Hmm." Yatsuha's voice was tinged with scepticism. Why had she thought this was a good idea?

The pair of palanquin bearers who carried them was not particularly coordinated, leading to the occasional lurches that were quite disorienting. Yatsuha could see that during such times Fuu made the additional effort to avoid wincing, and this further added to her misgivings. It surprised her that Hideo and Ayako had allowed Fuu to visit her, while she was still recovering from her wound.

"Fuu-san, are you sure that your aunt and uncle don't mind you, er, travelling around like this?"

"I left a message for them with one of the other guests at the Sekisuiji Inn. You know, that lady Akemi-san, the one who provided us with one of the first leads on this case?"

Yatsuha's eyes had widened with shock, adding to the sense of guilt Fuu felt about not directly informing her aunt and uncle about her trip to the Yumura Inn. She said, somewhat defensively, "They knew I was planning, at some stage, to see you. You had been very kind to visit and bring those herbal remedies when I was convalescing, and it is only natural that I came to thank you when I had recovered."

"Hmm, that explains it. You knew that they wouldn't let you come to see me, and so you chose to leave a message rather than speak to them directly."

"Oh, Yatsuha-san, don't look at me like that – it didn't happen that way. I saw Akemi-san returning to the inn in a hired palanquin, and it was just convenient to make use of it. After all, it is not easy to hire one in that area. And the palanquin bearers said they couldn't wait too long, and I knew it would take some time to convince Oji-san and Oba-san. So I left a message instead."

Yatsuha shrugged, and looked at Fuu with a resigned expression on her face. "I hope Akemi-san delivered the message right away. Otherwise your poor aunt and uncle will be worried sick about you."

---xxx---

Akemi had in fact forgotten to inform Hideo and Ayako about Fuu's trip to the Yumura Inn. She had eventually conveyed the message, but not before Ayako had worked herself up into a frenzied state. Hideo too had started to get worried, deciding to approach Jin and Mugen, with a view to enlisting their assistance in the search effort.

Jin hadn't been there, but Hideo had been somewhat surprised and a little amused to find Mugen absorbed in a book.

"I see that the Tale of Genji has kept you away from your daily sparring session with Jin. Which part are you reading? Is it the bit in which Lady Rokujo turns into an evil spirit that possesses Lady Aoi?"

Mugen was rather surprised that Hideo had correctly surmised the part he was reading, but didn't want to show it. But the part of him that was curious won over, and he asked, "How do you know I was reading that bit?"

"It is confusing isn't it, that Lady Rokujo has no idea that she possesses Lady Aoi during the night? She wakes up confused, to find her hair smelling of smoke. And it is the smell of the incense that priests light as they pray for the recovery of Lady Aoi!"

"So you figured I was reading that part coz I looked confused?"

"Yes, my friend."

"It was a lucky guess in that case. I find the whole book and its characters quite weird. So I must have been looking confused all the time."

"Hmm, it is a book from another time, written during the Heian period, by a woman who lived in an aristocratic world. One needs to understand the culture of that world to be able to appreciate it. And I believe Lady Murasaki wrote it with a female audience in mind."

"I bet Fuu doesn't like it."

"You are right, to my knowledge the book didn't appeal to her either. Speaking of Fuu, would you by any chance know where she is? Ayako has been worried. Fuu has been, uh, missing for a couple of hours."

Mugen shrugged nonchalantly, but he had put the book away neatly on top of a chest of drawers in the room. "She does that sometimes."

"Huh?! Ah, I see. You are speaking from your experience of having travelled with her. I recall that she told us about quite a few of the adventures she shared with you and Jin. It seems she got kidnapped quite often, by some rather unsavoury characters. But she attributed these kidnappings to, uh-hmm, the fact that you and Jin had been, uh, negligent in your duties."

A sound resembling the mixture of a snort, an ironic laugh, and the phrase 'that idiot' emanated from Mugen. He had already begun to perform a series of stretching exercises, as if preparing to undertake some form of extreme physical activity.

"You want me to look for her." It had been a statement of fact, rather than a question.

"Hold on, you don't know where she is, do you? It may be wise to think about this a little. Maybe we should confer with Jin first. Where is he, by the way?"

"I dunno. Probably with Manzou. He had to discuss that talk he had with the town magistrate."

"Well, in that case, the two of us have to think this through. Do you have any ideas where she might be?"

"Nope. But she doesn't know much of Kofu. Only some of the area around this place. And maybe the merchant quarter, and the entertainment district where she went to see the kabuki and joruri plays with Jin."

"Where are you planning to go?" It seemed to Hideo that Mugen had already made up his mind about where he was going to go, and it was futile to attempt coordinating with him on some sort of strategy to look for Fuu.

"I'll try the merchant quarter first. Lots of shops and tea houses there."

"Ah yes, she must be tired of the eating restrictions these doctors have placed on her. Good idea. And shopping – girls enjoy that sort of a thing don't they?"

Hideo spoke nervously, with a little too much enthusiasm, as if grasping for an explanation that was appealing to him. He wasn't yet ready to entertain anything more serious than the idea of Fuu being away shopping, and having forgotten to inform them. Surely it couldn't be something like another duel, or a kidnapping, could it?

Mugen was obviously in no mood to reassure Hideo; he simply said, "Ja ne – see you later," and disappeared out of sight before Hideo could bat an eyelid.

Hideo sighed. These young people, they are always in such a hurry. The merchant quarter, hmm. Perhaps she badly wanted to have a bowl of Hoto. Or some bean cake. There are some tea-houses near the Sekisuiji temple, aren't there? Maybe I'll have a look in that area.

---xxx---

"So here we are, at Toshitsugu's incense shop," said Yatsuha, stepping out of the palanquin. They were on a wide street, flanked by shops and vendors of various kinds, ranging from soba-noodle sellers to lacquerware, jewellery and draperies. Toshitsugu's shop was sandwiched between a bookshop and a sake shop, both of which seemed to attract a large section of the crowds in this part of the merchant quarter.

Having paid off the palanquin bearers, Yatsuha said, "Now remember this Fuu – this man Toshitsugu is supposed to have connections with the Furin Kazan ladies. If you are planning to introduce me as a 'friend' there must be a plausible story behind it. He may be connected to Takatoshi, you know."

"You worry too much, Yatsuha! We'll just say we met at the Sekisuiji temple's spring festival or something like that."

"All right, but don't volunteer anything without being asked. For the initial introduction, 'This is my friend Yatsuha' will be enough."

They had dropped the 'san' suffix when addressing each other and were also regarding each other with a friendlier attitude. Some of the shyness was still there but they were considerably less reserved in comparison to their interaction at the Yumura Inn. Yatsuha was touched by the fact that Fuu seemed to want her approval; to her it was something quite unexpected, coming from the daughter of a samurai. She had assumed that Fuu, being of the bushi class, would share in its snooty attitude towards the shinobi.

Fuu, on the other hand, admired the way Yatsuha carried herself; her self-assured behaviour and her natural elegance were quite impressive to her. And, at the present moment, the turmoil and confusion of her mind was of such a magnitude that she had desperately sought to anchor herself to something – any activity that kept her mind off her circumstances was an antidote to her misery. This was the reason she had initially approached Yatsuha. But the more time she spent in Yatsuha's company, the more she had warmed to her. Here was a person, a woman fairly close to her in age, who seemed to understand what she needed without having to spell it out to her.

Smiling affectionately at Yatsuha, she said, "Let's go in, shall we?"

They were standing a slight distance away from the incense shop, closer to the entrance of the neighbouring bookshop, and therefore had to navigate their way through the crowds that were milling around it. As they walked towards the entrance of the incense shop, some of the shop attendants called out the welcoming phrase of 'Irrashaimasu'. This drew the attention of a man who had been standing at the further end of the shop. It was Toshitsugu.

Recognizing Fuu, he hurried towards her with a welcoming smile, bowing obsequiously. "Fuu-san, how wonderful to see you! You do me a great honour by visiting this little shop of mine. Ah, I see you brought a friend. Welcome, welcome!"

Fuu introduced Yatsuha as Toshitsugu bowed again. "Yatsuha-san and I are shopping for some souvenirs. I was telling her about the Ko-Kwai, and the wonderful quality of the incense used in the games, and the fact that it was from your shop. So we decided to come along here and have a look."

Fuu had looked at Yatsuha for affirmation, and she played along. "Yes, of course, I have heard it is the best incense in town. And what a pleasant aroma this place has! You must be burning incense which uses aloeswood, and there is a hint of lavender in it, am I right?"

"You are right. It is always a pleasure to have such discerning customers. Let me burn some other samples for you. Here – these might interest you." Pulling out a stick from a sample pack at the corner of the shop he continued, "This one, for example, is a special new variety we have created. It is sandalwood based, but the cherry blossom scent in it is quite distinct. I have named it 'Cherry Blossom Mist'. It is quite popular, you know. In fact, I hear that the ladies-in-waiting at Lord Ienobu's castle prefer to perfume their kimono-sleeves with it."

Both Fuu and Yatsuha sniffed appreciatively. Fuu said, "I can certainly believe that. You know, Toshitsugu-san, I can distinctly smell the cherry blossom. Usually sandalwood has such a strong aroma; it tends to smother the influence of other ingredients. But I guess that is why you are so highly regarded as an incense manufacturer. I wonder how you do it – it's delightful."

Yatsuha thought: 'Sandalwood smothers the influence of other ingredients?' That is kind of lame. And surely she is laying it on too thick. Will he fall for it? But then again, one wouldn't know with this man. He strikes me as the type who is quite good at hiding his true feelings.

"It really pleases me that you like it Fuu-san. I would have liked to tell you about it in more detail, but this particular variety is a family recipe. However, I can tell you a little bit about the other varieties we sell here. Baikwa, for instance, uses twenty momme of aloeswood, twelve momme of cloves..."[2]

Toshitsugu droned on about the exact proportions of the various ingredients used in Baikwa, while Fuu and Yatsuha feigned an avid interest, trying to think of an opening in which they could introduce the subject of the factory. As soon as there was a pause in Toshitsugu's monologue, Yatsuha chimed in with, "What you described, Toshitsugu-san, would apply if one were making a relatively small amount of incense. You would have to hire a lot of workers wouldn't you, if you needed to make it on a larger scale?"

"Oh no, we have special equipment to handle such things. Have you never seen how incense sticks are made? If you like, I could arrange a little tour of our production facilities. It isn't too far from here, and my wife oversees it. But we are a little busy with fulfilling some orders, so perhaps tomorrow afternoon -"

"Oh yes, we'd love to! Wouldn't that be wonderful, Yatsuha?"

Yatsuha replied in the affirmative, although she was worried that Fuu had appeared a little too eager to accept Toshitsugu's invitation.

At that moment, a tall, elegantly dressed samurai in a dark green kimono and a black hakama walked into the shop. Almost everyone inside the shop, including Yatsuha and Fuu, turned to look at him. But the samurai in question appeared not to notice this reaction. It was as if he was used to being the cynosure of all eyes; his striking appearance certainly suggested that he was likely to attract such attention wherever he went.

All of the ladies in the shop invariably ended up comparing him with another handsome man in their acquaintance. Fuu, for example, thought: He has long luxuriant hair, and he ties it up in a ponytail, just like Jin. His complexion is slightly darker, but he is a little thicker in the middle, and more muscular than Jin. Perhaps. I would have to see the two of them together to be able to judge. Definitely older than Jin – twenty-five, maybe twenty-six.

Yatsuha thought: A sight for sore eyes, indeed! About the same height as Mugen, but built on a slightly broader frame. The tone of his skin is lighter. The features are less rugged, somewhat softer than Mugen's.

The spell was broken as another samurai, about a few years younger, but certainly less striking to look at, walked in to join the one that had drawn everyone's attention. "Onii-san – there you are," he said. "I have been looking all over the merchant quarter for you."

Toshitsugu, who was a bit flustered by the appearance of the two samurai at his shop excused himself and went over to them. Fuu and Yatsuha busied themselves, pretending to examine the different varieties of incense on display, whispering to each other as they decided their next plan of action.

"Do you think it is all right to make an exit without buying anything?"

"No, Fuu, I don't. We have been pretending that we are terribly enthusiastic about buying, so it would look strange. But most of the stuff here is rather expensive, don't you think? Although, he did offer a tour of his factory, so..."

In the background they could hear Toshitsugu conversing with the two samurai. "Ranjatai? Oh my. Usually there is not enough demand for such rare and exotic varieties, so I haven't any on display. But allow me to go check in the store room. Perhaps I have a few packs in there."

The conversation between the two brothers continued as Toshitsugu went away to examine his warehouse. "Onii-san, why Ranjatai? It is, as you know, the most expensive brand of incense."

"I am thinking of buying it as a present for Oka-san"

"Why? Is our mother displeased with you? You usually buy gifts to pacify her when you have done something to offend her. Does this mean there is going to be yet another unsuccessful miai?"

The older brother sighed. "Well, I suppose I can't keep saying no. And both our parents are very keen on this match."

"In that case onii-san, I think our time will be better served by browsing the bookshop next door."

"How so?"

"Instead of buying a present for Oka-san, you might want to buy something for your future wife. Maybe one of those books which provide instructions to young women about the art of love...Ouch! Why did you hit me on the back of my head?"

"Because you made a very inappropriate and vulgar suggestion."

"Why? It is quite common to give a gift of that kind to women who are about to get married."

"Really?! Perhaps their female friends or family members might do so. But not the prospective groom."

"So you are resigned to getting married, are you? Finally! The wife of Tanaka Etsuo doesn't have to be perfect after all."

Yatsuha, who had overheard most of this conversation without paying too much attention to it, suddenly felt Fuu's hand clutching her forearm tightly. She turned to look at Fuu, whose eyes were as wide as saucers, with her cheeks flushed the colour of cinnabar.

"What's the matter," she whispered.

"It's him!"

"What do you mean?"

"The omiai – it's for me."

Toshitsugu returned, looking apologetic. "I am afraid, samurai-san, we seem to have run out of our stock of Ranjatai. Perhaps, if you could come back in a few days..."

"No, never mind. It's not important. Thank you."

The two samurai departed as some other customers came in, keeping Toshitsugu busy. Fuu and Yatsuha took advantage of this to leave the shop unnoticed.

Outside the shop, Fuu, who was still clutching Yatsuha's arm, started to walk in the direction of Tanaka Etsuo and his brother. The samurai brothers were a fair distance away, as they had left the shop before Fuu and Yatsuha, and were walking briskly.

"Quick, we will follow them."

"We will do no such thing. Fuu, are you out of your mind?!"

Yatsuha noted Fuu's agitation, which was similar to the restlessness of an untamed mare, ready to bolt away from her trainer at the first opportunity.

Fuu looked pleadingly at her. "Please Yatsuha; I need to find out everything we can about the man we just saw. He is Tanaka Etsuo, the person I am supposed to marry if the miai is successful."

"Yes Fuu, but that's what the miai is for. What's the purpose of following him now?"

"You don't understand. I need to find out things before the miai takes place. The only hope I have is that -"

"Yes?"

"If he proposes marriage, Yatsuha, I don't have any option but to accept. Lord Masakuni has ordered it. But don't you see, if Tanaka Etsuo rejects me, I am free!"

"Free to marry Jin?"

Large, pearl-like droplets of tears rolled down Fuu's cheeks. "Yes."

Yatsuha put her arms around Fuu, stroking her back gently. "But my dear girl, don't you realize, running after those guys, trying to follow them now is not a good idea. And it would be disastrous if they found out – very embarrassing for you, and your aunt and uncle. Lord Masakuni might think you deliberately sabotaged your miai – that can't possibly be a good thing, can it?"

"I don't know what else to do."

"All right, I'll tell you what we'll do. It is lunch time isn't it? I am pretty sure I heard the younger brother's stomach rumbling. They are quite likely to head for the nearest tea house. So we could try our luck, find a tea house, and hope they end up there too. We can then, ahem, discreetly eavesdrop on their conversation and find out what we can. But if we are unlucky, and they don't land up in the same tea house, we simply have a good meal, and think about a strategy to dig up any information we can about Tanaka Etsuo, before the miai takes place. How does that sound?"

Fuu was too emotional to speak, but she nodded her assent.


[1] The 'surveillance' of people suspected to have links with the Hidden Christians was indeed a policy followed by the bakufu. Textbooks and articles written on the subject suggest that the bakufu kept a watch on such families for a generation or two. In the case of peasants and townsfolk, it is mentioned that this was done using the 'gonin-gumi' system, whereby villages and cities were divided into blocks of five households. Each block was responsible for reporting any form of illegal activity to the bakufu authorities. Among the samurai and warrior classes, I am assuming that something similar was in place. I thought it plausible to assume that there would be some sort of pressure exerted on Fuu to get married to a retainer of a fudai daimyo. (Recall that 'fudai' was the term applied to clans that had fought on the side of the Tokugawas in the battle of Sekigahara that ended the feudal wars and established the shogunate.)

[2] One momme is about one-eighth of an ounce. (See the chapter on incense in Lafcadio Hearn's In Ghostly Japan, referenced earlier in this novel).

Author's note:

Thanks to reviewers and readers, and thanks for favs, alerts and hits. Chapter 30 is coming up soon!