AN: This story begins roughly concurrent with the end of "Girls' Night Out," and occurs concurrently with "Storms Brewing."
"Congratulations, Yuki."
Yuki smiled demurely and made a slight bow. "Thank you, oneesan," she answered Miyoshi, looking down at the okiya's wooden floor. She paused. "I… I apologize that my extended absence delayed this day for so long. I realize I have not been your most obedient student."
Miyoshi gave her a thin smile. "We have discussed that long enough, imoto" she replied. "We need not rehash it today, when this should be a joyous occasion. We can put that behind us now, yes? However, I am glad that your actions have secured our relationship with this client once more; I only hope that you will represent our okiya properly as geisha." Her smile widened the slightest bit, and she gave Yuki a fond look. "I am–I am proud of you."
Yuki swallowed and composed herself to hold back the tears that threatened to run through her makeup. "It is only thanks to your training and guidance that I am here, oneesan. I have learned much under your tutelage."
"I suppose that is the case," Miyoshi acknowledged, inclining her head. She glanced around the small reception room in the okiya's private area, her gaze pausing on the couch against one wall. "I think you will wish to sit down after walking all across the hanamachi? I remember wanting nothing so much as that after my own erikae."
"That does sound nice…" Yuki stifled a giggle, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "I will not miss having to wear these okobo!" she agreed. Looking around the room at the small group of guests who had come for the ceremony, she sighed. "However, I still have some final visits to make before I can sit down."
"Including your new 'danna'?" Miyoshi raised an eyebrow knowingly. Yuki nodded, and Miyoshi placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "Enjoy this day."
As Miyoshi moved toward the exit, pausing to greet the older couple waiting by the refreshment table, Yuki looked around at the group of other geisha who had come to watch. Her stomach churned on glancing toward the doorway and seeing the stern look of happiness on the face of Takamura-san, a subtle undercurrent of displeasure in the stiffness of her mouth. Despite Shiro's confidence, it had taken substantial convincing before the okasan had agreed to accept her back into the okiya to complete her training. And yet, Takamura-san had agreed in the end.
One of the geisha inclined her head. "Congratulations, Yuki," Haruna told her, smiling. "I am happy to see you complete your erikae at long last!"
Yuki smiled brightly, bowing back. "It happened somewhat later than we had hoped," she allowed. "I am sorry we could not complete it together."
Haruna hummed. "And in the meantime, I suppose the tradeoff of securing a danna was worth the delay?" Her eyes drifted across the room, her mouth turning down in a hint of a frown.
Yuki shrugged. "I suppose so. Although it is a substantial investment – on his part and on mine."
"Still…" Haruna arched an eyebrow at Yuki. "That is not an inconsequential feat."
"Of course, I am certain that there are drawbacks to it," Mariko interjected. "What is your schedule like now?" she asked Yuki.
Yuki furrowed her brows in thought. "I do not yet know," she admitted. "I hope I will still be available for other clients, but Nihonto-san's engagements are of course a priority."
"You see?" Mariko glanced up at Haruna, giving an enigmatic smile. "I would rather have the freedom to take whichever clients I would like, whenever I like, than tie myself down unnecessarily."
"That is true," Haruna agreed, nodding in concession.
Yuki hummed ruefully. "Truthfully, it is not necessarily as much of a blessing as you would expect it to be."
Haruna's mouth twitched. "I would be curious to know how you found your danna," she mused.
"I am also curious," Mariko agreed, nodding.
Yuki smiled enigmatically. "Perhaps someday I will tell you the story."
Haruna shook her head, rolling her eyes, and glanced at the clock on the wall. "Well, not all of us can afford to celebrate all afternoon," she told Yuki, raising an eyebrow to Mariko. "We will be late for tonight's ozashiki if we do not begin to prepare." Bowing slightly to Yuki, she turned in the direction of the staircase to the next level, with Mariko close behind her.
Yuki let out a breath, smiling in relief, and glanced around the room. She had only been permitted to invite two groups of guests inside for the ceremony, who were standing a bit apart from each other. Seeing that Miyoshi had left, Yuki walked carefully across the room to the couple closest to her. Swallowing nervously, she stopped in front of her father and bowed formally. "I made it, Father."
Her father nodded slowly, looking her up and down before examining her hair and returning his gaze to her face. "I see, daughter," he responded, pausing for a long moment. "I am… pleased to see you reaching this milestone. I am aware of how important it is to you."
Yuki's smile faltered. "It has been my desire for years. Geisha are a national treasure, the continuation of an important artistic tradition."
"Your grandmother would be so proud to see you carrying on her mother's family legacy," Yuki's mother interjected, giving her a smile. "My mother always regretted not following her own mother's footsteps; she had hoped that I would do it instead, but I chose a different path." She sighed fondly, glancing up at Yuki's father before turning back to Yuki with a somber expression. "I will speak of it with her at Obon."
Yuki looked down at the floor to hide the tears that threatened to fall. That had been the worst part of returning from Angola – worse even than the disappointment in Miyoshi's voice when she finally walked through the okiya's front door. When they left for France, her grandmother had been in good health; she had become sick in Yuki's absence. She had succumbed to the illness – the same one which had ravaged Japan following the Turtle's appearance – and been buried while Yuki was in Angola. "I will look forward to doing the same," Yuki finally whispered in a monotone.
"I am sorry for casting a pall on what should be a joyful occasion," her mother apologized. "I know that she was excited when you first began the training here."
Yuki smiled, trying to mask the guilt. "I know – I was very grateful for obasan's trust in me, to give me her mother's tools. I–I have tried to use them well."
"And your shamisen performance sounded wonderful!" Her mother sighed, running her hand along Yuki's kimono. "So…" she began slowly, "is he here? Your danna? I would enjoy meeting him, I think."
Yuki nodded. "He is here," she confirmed. "Although it is not traditional for a danna to meet a geisha's family."
Her father hummed. "Have you met his family?"
"Only briefly in passing," she explained. Her father furrowed his brows. "He is unmarried," Yuki quickly clarified. "His father was a client before his untimely passing; he only recently became a client to continue his father's account. His mother and sister are still living."
"And how did you meet this danna?" asked her mother.
Yuki schooled her features to avoid giving anything away. They had practiced this story multiple times over the last month. "Nihonto-san and I met at an ozashiki around New Year's," she answered. "A few months ago, he contacted me and said he wished to have companionship close to his own age for several important social engagements over the coming month. I consented to accompany him; in my excitement I failed to inform my oneesan and okasan. With the level of travel required, I was away far longer than expected and unable to contact them until my return." Yuki forced herself to keep a straight face. Of course, technically all of that was true…
"That is all it was?" her father pressed. "He did not…"
"Of course not," Yuki insisted. "I was perfectly safe the whole time."
Her mother hummed. "Well, I hope that this danna treats you properly."
"He does," Yuki assured her, giving her a reassuring smile. Her eyes drifted across the room, and she let out a breath. "But I should visit with him and his friends before the ceremony is fully over." She bowed formally to her parents. "Thank you so much for coming!" Turning away from her father's pensive expression, Yuki felt a lightness come over her as she crossed the room to approach the others, and she allowed the polite, demure smile to shift into a happier expression on seeing the excitement on Keiko's face.
Keiko grinned, smacking Yuki on the shoulder the moment she was in reach. "Congratulations!" she called before leaning in and adding more quietly, "Now the 'Geisha' part is accurate!"
Yuki let out a tittering laugh and nodded. "Indeed!" She shook her head ruefully. "I must admit, there were a few times in the past few months that I thought I might never reach this day – that life might intervene."
"Or death, as the case may be?" Keiko asked, raising an eyebrow knowingly. "You're definitely not the only one here who worried that the future might not end up so rosy…"
Next to Keiko, Shun shook his head. "I had full confidence that you would reach this point," he assured Yuki. "Thank you for inviting me to share in this special occasion."
She smiled brightly. "Absolutely," she assured him. "Over these last months, you – all three of you – have become as much my family as my parents are. In some ways, even more of a family. To share this important day with you all is all I hoped."
He chuckled. "Having seen your skill with the other instruments of your trade, I appreciated finally hearing your shamisen!"
She winced. "After not playing for two months… I hope that it was acceptable."
Shun nodded encouragingly. "Absolutely."
"I will be sure to give you another concert once I have had more time to practice."
"I will look forward to it."
Turning to the last two guests, Yuki bowed formally. "I am glad you could come today, Kagami-san."
Kagami smirked. "I wouldn't miss it for the world," she replied, stifling a laugh. "Thank you for the invitation!"
"Being Nihonto-san's cousin, it seemed only appropriate." Yuki glanced around curiously. "Although I thought Nihonto-san said you had clients in town at the moment…"
She nodded. "My friends are touring the city at the moment – looking for inspiration," she explained. "They are working on a comic book – actually one starring Nihon Hiro Chimu!"
Yuki's eyes widened. "Exciting!"
"They are pretty talented!" Kagami shook her head ruefully. "You know, when I was younger, I loved the makeup and kimonos so much I told my mother I wished to become a geisha."
Shiro's eyes widened in shock. "And how did my obasan respond?"
"Exactly the way you expect she did."
Yuki raised an eyebrow. "I will be delighted to share what it means to be geisha," she told Kagami.
Kagami hummed. "Perhaps if you aren't busy we can have an ozashiki while I'm here – I'm sure my friends would enjoy the experience."
"Pick a day and I will put it into my schedule!"
"As long as that is acceptable to you?" Kagami asked, furrowing her brows. "I don't want to confuse business and personal."
"That will not be a problem," Yuki assured her before bowing formally to Shiro. "I am grateful to you for all your support during this journey, Nihonto-san," she told him. "I would not have reached this stage without your patronage." Her jaw clenched and unclenched. When she had returned to Hanabusa after her extended stay in Angola, she had been terrified that they would cast her out. Takamura-san had almost done so on the spot; only Miyoshi's intervention had caused her to pause. But even then she had almost turned Yuki away before Shiro stepped into the room and spoke on Yuki's behalf. He had paid a significant fee to the okiya for her services, and she had been required to complete double her remaining time of training before her erikae. But she had gotten here.
Shiro nodded back to her without expression. "You honor me, Geisha Yuki," he responded. "The accomplishment is yours. I look forward to continuing this relationship into the future."
"Of course, Nihonto-san."
Glossary:
Danna – "patron"
Erikae – ceremony by which a hangyoku becomes a geisha
Hanabusa – "bunch of flowers" (seems like a good name for Yuki's okiya)
Hanamachi – "geisha district" (literally "flower town")
Hangyoku – apprentice geisha (called "meiko" in Kyoto, where geisha are called "geiko")
Obasan – aunt or grandmother ("older lady")
Ochaya – teahouse
Okasan – literally "mother" (also used as the title for the woman in charge of an okiya)
Okiya – "geisha house"
Okobo – platform sandals worn by hangyoku
Oneesan – literally "older sister" (also used as a form of address to a senior geisha or mentor)
Ozashiki – "geisha party" ("tea ceremony")
Shamisen – traditional Japanese stringed instrument
