My Fair Geisha
By: sakuraflowergal
Chapter 5: Touya-Onichan!
"Alright girls, let's start practice!" Sensei Sakiko motioned for the shamisens to start playing.
There are about 2 hundred geikos and maikos involved in this mass dance which will be the first item in the Royal Performance. They come from all over the country, Tokyo, Osaka, etc. It is a great honor to perform for the royal family and no one is going to miss it just because they stay somewhere outside of Kyoto.
"1, 2, 3, jump, jump, twirl…" Commanding words like such gives the odorikos the cue when to jump or flip their fans. Everyone, except the leads, can be seen dancing on the large platform which serves as the stage
In a small room just beside the theater, the chief instructor hands Kohoshi and Meiling each a small booklet. "This is the storyline for the dance. Being advanced odorikos, you should be able to perform this free-style. If you need anything, feel free to come to me for advice."
After giving them vague instructions, she left them alone in the room.
"Since you're younger, I'll let you choose your role." Meiling offered 'kindly'.
"How could I, Onee-san! You should be the one assigning roles, not me." Kohoshi replied with hidden needles in her voice.
"Hmm… well then, you will take the role of theyounger sisterwhile I will be the elder one. If you object, we can always switch over."
"I'm okay with the arrangements."
Meiling gave a smile before walking towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Kohoshi can't help but be alarmed that Meiling is leaving her alone in the room. She has hardly been to the Dance Hall for more than 2 times and is quite uncertain if she wants to be left alone in the unfamiliar place.
"I'm going to practice, of course. We are advanced dancers; we should have time to ourselves so that we can formulate our own dance steps." Then, Meiling left the room, leaving poor Kohoshi alone in the room.
Suddenly, the small room with low ceilings and tiny windows seem so cold. Kohoshi couldn't bear to stay alone, especially in such rooms, in fear that she will recall her sad past.
Flashback
"Sakura! Sakura! Where are you?" A male's voice rang around the small wooden hut that is located in the poverty districts.
The young 10-year-old trembled in the dark, hiding quietly under the table which was actually just an overturned wooden crate.
"Sakura! I order you to come out now!" The man continued yelling.
Young Sakura remained as still and as silent as she can, hoping that her brother could not find her this time. But as the sound of footsteps grow louder and louder, Sakura knew that she has failed.
"There you are!" Touya announced as he lifted the crate and found his sister there. He threw the 'table' to one side, crashing the only cup of the house which used to stand beside the wall. Grabbing the girl with one hand, he immediately raised the other and slapped her hard.
"How dare you ignore me? You should have been gone with Otou-san and Okaa-san long ago, and then I'll be free! If it wasn't for you, I would have ended this terrible life long ago! It is all because of you, I have to continue living in this cruel reality! You!"
Touya raised his hand again for the next assault, and Sakura protected her head with her hands instinctively. "Don't!"
For a few seconds, Sakura waited for the blow to come. And when it seems certain that it will never come, she lifted her head and saw her brother crying as he hugs his head.
"Oni-chan!" Sakura felt a distinct heartache in her chest and she went forward to hug her brother.
"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have hit you! I…I…I'll quit drinking! I promise!"
Sakura remained quiet while the tears streamed from her eyes. She knew that her brother had made such promises before and that this one will be just as empty as the ones before. But the girl doesn't want to think about all that now. For now, she just wants to enjoy the peacefulness and the love her brother have for her. All else can be left till later.
End of Flashback
Kohoshi sighed at that memory. Things have always been like that since her parents died in the terrible flood; her brother will drink and then come home to hit her. When he wakes up from the alcohol, he will regret and cry and promise to quit drinking, though he never did. Just few months ago, her brother got so drunk that he tried to rape her. That was the last straw, and she ran away from home.
"Kohoshi-san!" Naoko's call brought her back to the real world.
"Naoko-chan! Why are you here?"
"Otou-san sent me to bring you back since it's raining outside." Naoko replied, pointing to the small window.
'I totally didn't realize that it was raining! I shouldn't have wasted the day by thinking about the past.' Kohoshi thought with regret.
"Kohoshi-san, it's 4 pm already. Perhaps we should rush back to prepare you for work."
"You're right."
As the two girls approach the okiya, Kohoshi saw a bicycle parked outside the door.
"Otou-san has a visitor?" She asked.
Naoko replied, shaking her head, "It's not a visitor. It's a repairman. The rain was rather heavy just now and it tore a hole through the roof."
As soon as they enter the house, Syaoran called, "Kohoshi, Naoko! Come up here and help!"
Naoko gave Kohoshi a look, "Did I mention that your room is now filled with water?"
The girls went up and found the entire floor soaked in rainwater. "The tatami mats are ruin." Kohoshi commented when she saw the mess. She was glad that Naoko's a hardworking girl and had already stored all the precious kimonos into water and fire proof boxes.
"Collect all your things and put it into that box. "Syaoran ordered, pointing to an old kimono box beside the mirror.
"This is done. I'm certain that this patch of the roof will not leak again for the next three years." The repairman stated plainly as he descend the ladder. He kept his tools neatly in the toolbox and stood up to leave and that was when Kohoshi got the shock of her life.
"Oni-chan!"
The man squinted his eyes and took a closer look. "Sakura! What are you doing here?"
"Hmm…" Syaoran started, "Perhaps we should talk over tea."
The three of them settled down in the Living Room on the ground floor where Rika served cups of jasmine tea in western teacups imported from Europe.
"So…" Touya had a sip of tea before continuing, "What are you doing here?"
Syaoran held back his laughter, but not the smile. "I'm surprise you haven't guessed it yet, or are you just in plain denial?"
Touya presented his death glare although he didn't receive the desired effect; Syaoran continued mocking him.
"Go on, Kohoshi-san, give him the solid truth."
Touya gave her the explain-everything-now look but waited patiently for her to speak.
"Oni-chan, I…I…I am a…a…geisha." Kohoshi mumbled and stuttered her way through.
The reaction, though expected, was still pretty shocking to everyone else in the room.
"Geisha! You became a prostitute! Why? Was it the silk kimono? Or the expensive tea? Or that $500 (a very large sum of money before the inflation during the war) you sent home?"
Kohoshi must have shaken her head so hard that it might just fall off her neck. "No, Oni-chan, listen to me!"
"I believe you. My Sakura will never sell herself for money. Then…it must be you!" Touya yelled and grabbed Syaoran by the collar.
Touya punched him hard at the eye and raised his fist for another, but Kohoshi went between them to stop the fight.
"It's not Otou-san! I didn't sell myself for anything! My job as a geisha does not include prostitution! How could you ever think that I will sink to such a low level?"
"Kohoshi-san, you stand aside, let me deal with him." Syaoran pushed Kohoshi away and raised his fists in defense.
"Otou-san? Kohoshi-san? Sakura, you've even changed your name and called a stranger father, what else can you not do?"
"Oni-chan! I…" Kohoshi tried to argue her point but was cut off by Syaoran.
"Get out of my house now! You came here and upset my girl, and I won't allow that to happen! I don't care if you're her brother, as long as you upset my household and hold disrespect for me, I won't let you stay here any longer. Get out!"
"Otou-san, Oni-chan! Can't you all listen to me?" The two men quiet down and gave the center stage to Kohoshi.
"Oni-chan, I am not a prostitute now, nor will I ever be. Yes, I used to work for food, for money, and for a home, but now, all that is no longer important. Otou-san needs me to help him and I've come too far to stop now. I won't be a geisha forever, Oni-chan, please wait another month for me. Once I complete my mission, I'll go home with you."
"No!" Touya pulled on Kohoshi's hand, "You're coming home with me and that's final!"
Tired and upset, Kohoshi had no other choice but to use her strongest weapon.
"Oni-chan! You have to let me go! Because you've nearly scarred me 2 months ago!"
The weapon worked and Touya immediately let go of her hand. Without another word, Touya stood up and let the house as if nothing has ever happened. Syaoran was really confused at how the things turned out but he could ask no one as Kohoshi had already escaped into her room.
When Tomoyo and Chihara entered the quiet house, it was rather obvious that something wrong as happened. Normally, Kohoshi would be upstairs practicing her dance or song while Syaoran would play his shamisen or listen to his radio. But today, everything was so quiet that Tomoyo almost thought that they had entered the wrong house.
"Kohoshi-san, are you alright?" Tomoyo asked the girl when she found her in her room, staring into blank space.
"Tomoyo-san? Oh dear, I've lost track of time! We better hurry!" Kohoshi exclaimed when she realized that she was still not prepared for work.
"Are you okay? Something's troubling you, isn't it?" Tomoyo asked.
Kohoshi stopped her mad rush around the room. Instead, she went towards Tomoyo and received a warm hug from her good friend.
"What's wrong? Did something happen during dance practice today?"
Kohoshi started crying and shook her head on that question.
"Tomoyo-san, my Oni-chan came here today, and he thinks that geishas are prostitutes, that I'M a prostitute!"
Tomoyo patted Kohoshi on her back, "My dear, did you explain to him what you really do?"
Kohoshi nodded her head, "I did! But he didn't believe me! Why doesn't he believe that geishas are not prostitutes? We must have chanted that sutra so many times that the whole world should know by now!"
"Kohoshi-san, don't be too sad. It doesn't matter what others think about us, as long as we are true to ourselves, everything else is just rubbish."
Kohoshi nodded her head in understanding and dried her tears.
"Now, let's get you into your kimono; I heard you have quite a banquet tonight: Minister Fukaru's bachelor party!"
"What? The Minister?" Kohoshi shouted in shock.
"Of course. You're getting rather well known as the 'green-eyed maiko', not to mention that you are also the lead in the Royal Party."
Kohoshi blushed and was about to say something when the door slid open.
"I'm sorry for disturbing, Daidouji-san, but I hope you can get her ready in 30mins. We are already running late and I still have some late minute stuff to tell her."
"No problem."
Tomoyo expertly put makeup and wig on Kohoshi while Chiharu busy herself with the kimono and obi. The clothing of the day is a creamy white color with bamboos painted artistically around the hem and the long sleeves. A pale blue, honeycombed obi is wrapped around the waist several times until the ends are just the right length to tie the magnificent knot maikos wear.
"Hmm… is this right? I've never seen anyone worn both the kimono and obi in pastel colors."
"Well, Kohoshi-san, geishas are trend setters, not followers. Just wait and see, the women on the streets will be following the new trend tomorrow."
When the ladies are done with the dressing, they left the girl and Syaoran to be alone in the room.
"Now, I only have 10 minutes for this." Syaoran took a quick look on the clock to ensure that his is right about the time. "Today you'll be attending only one banquet, Minister Fukaru has booked you for the night in his party. There will be many people there in the party, and I want you to do this: When you serve the Minister, don't look at him, if you have to, settle your sight on his clothes. But when you serve the other guests, make an effort to glance towards him a little more often than needed."
"Why? What does this do, Otou-san?"
"I want you to give him the idea that you fancy him; too shy to look at him up close, but couldn't resist glancing back at him ever so often when you're afar."
Kohoshi gasped, "I'll not do that! He's getting married tomorrow and you're telling me to seduce him in his bachelor party?"
"Flirting with the guests is a necessary skill, Kohoshi-san. And since he is getting married tomorrow, even if he is attracted to you, he can't do anything like openly flirt with you since that would probably ruin his reputation. This is the perfect opportunity for you to practice the important skill, but not having to worry about inviting trouble."
"But if he can't react openly to my actions, how would I know if I had succeeded?" Kohoshi asked about the slight contradiction.
"The geishas don't miss anything. If you do succeed, the rumors about your 'affair' with the Minister will be spreading like wild fire tomorrow morning."
"But Otou-san…"
"No more buts! Didn't I say before that geishas don't complain? It seems that you may be a dancer, but you are not yet a full geisha." Syaoran reprimanded.
Later in the evening, Kohoshi has arrived fashionably late for the banquet (later than the host but earlier than the guest-of-honor) and sweep into the room with a cheery 'Okini!"
"Ooo… what's that you're wearing?" The host asks curiously.
"It's beautiful, isn't? Daidouji Tomoyo-san have a really good fashion sense." Kohoshi twirled around, showing off the wearable art to everyone.
"Daidouji-san dressed you?" A question popped from one of the older geikos.
Before Kohoshi could answer that, the door slid open and the guest-of honor joined the party.
"Sorry for being late." Minister Fukaru apologized before taking his seat. "What did I miss?"
"We were talking about Kohoshi-san's kimono, Minister. Don't you think it's rather peculiar that both the kimono and the obi are in pastel colors?"
Kohoshi stood up to give him a better view of the kimono, but looked away quickly when the Minister caught her starring.
"The kimono is lovely." He commented rigidly then turn towards geiko Midori. "Why don't you dance 'Cherry Blossom Dream'? It's a such pity that we can't have the party in spring when the cherry blossoms bloom."
"I have a better idea!" Midori suggested. "Why don't Kohoshi-san and I dance together?"
Kohoshi was alarmed. She had only started dancing 3 weeks ago and so, other than the basics and the dance pieces for the audition, she practically knows nothing else.
"But I don't know how."
The Minister looked slightly offended. "I heard you are the lead for the upcoming Royal Party. It is impossible that you don't know such a common dance."
Kohoshi quickly thought of a way to turn the tables. "If it's such a common dance, then the Minister shouldn't see it at all. You are such an important person and I think you deserves a better treatment. Let me perform for you, impromptu."
The Minister thought for a while before motioning her to start the performance.
Kohoshi got up and whispered the name of the song to the older geiko who was the shamisen player. That song is one of the few pieces which Syaoran always play when he is bored and after some time of listening to the tune over and over again, Kohoshi had mentally choreographed a dance for that song. A dance that was later named as 'Lost in Kyoto', depicting the story of a beggar girl who was picked off the streets to become a geisha.
To Be Continued
AN: It's been such a long time... Hope you like this chapter and review my story!