"So Bando-san," Korin said at dinner that night. "Setsuko was telling me stories about American urban legends that she heard from her danna. Doesn't this inn have some sort of legend of its own?"
Sam glanced over and saw that San-Li was busy pouring Fukuhara more tea and didn't appear to be listening, but he knew her better than that. Her hand trembled just the slightest bit and she glanced over at Bando with an almost hungry look.
"Ah, the legend of the hidden samurai," Bando laughed. "I'm sure no one wants to hear that old tale."
San-Li's hand tightened and her eyes flashed downwards to hide her irritation.
"Actually," Sam spoke up. "I know I would love to hear it. I sorta have a thing for samurai stories."
General Thompson laughed. "I can most certainly attest to that Bando. This boy here can sure rattle on about samurai and Japanese history."
"Very well, I shall tell it then," Bando sat up straighter and cleared his throat. "More than five hundred years ago Japan was being torn apart by feuding clans and the samurai acted as their enforcers. One such clan, the Hidden Leaf clan, were especially scrupulous at finding their enemies while staying hidden. It was rumored that they used magic."
Bando paused for dramatic effect and looked around the room to make sure they were listening.
" Akiraka Ni Suru Fan or Revealing Fan is what the legend said they used to find their enemies locations." Bando said in a low voice. "When the fan is waved over a map any locations hidden or lost will appear on the map magically. It was lost when Tokugawa Ieyasu came into power but rumor has it that there is a place on this very island where the clan used to meet and the fan is hidden there to this day."
"Bah! Foolishness, Bando-san," Fukuhara interrupted, waving an hand dismissively. "The Hidden Leaf clan destroyed their enemies through careful military strategics, not magic."
"Perhaps it is just as you say Fukuhara-san, but I just love stories and legends about samurai and magic." Komaki said with a giggle.
"You geisha are the most superstitious bunch of people I ever met," Fukuhara scoffed and pulled out a box of cigarettes.
"Fukuhara-san is right," San-Li laughed. She took the box from Fukuhara, pulled out a cigarette, lit it for him, and took a puff before giving it back to him."Urban legends and stuff is fun to hear about, but it's really just a bunch of nonsense."
Fukuhara contently smoked his cigarette and nodded. "Setsuko is the only geisha here with any sense."
"Fukuhara my friend, you were always a skeptical sort." Bando laughed.
"I'm not quite sure about urban legends myself." Lieutenant Jefferey pulled out a cigarette of his own and looked at San-Li expectantly.
With a small seductively laugh she lit it for him and took the first puff before handing it back to him. Fukuhara frowned and held up his sake cup for her to fill. After dinner General Thompson pulled Sam aside for a game of checkers so he didn't see the exact moment San-Li left but when little by little everyone started to go to bed, she was nowhere to be seen.
Sam laid awake alone in the room. His mind was running back and forth too much to sleep. He was in love. He actually said it and more importantly she had said it back! In all honesty Sam actually didn't think this would happen until he got to college. But here he was, not even a senior yet and he was in love with a beautiful, wonderful person.
"But what do we do now?" He whispered out loud.
Marriage? It was way too soon for that. Sam planned on finishing college and getting a good job before he even considered trying to marry San-Li. But...there were other things though... things that people their age did when they hadn't even been dating that long. Sam could feel himself blush at the mere thought of having sex. He was almost eighteen so of course those kinds of feelings weren't exactly foreign to him, but he was also too smart to go blindly into that sort of stuff. But lately...
Sam sighed in frustration and anxiousness. He really needed to talk to San-Li and discuss what saying the L-word was going to mean for their relationship. Was she expecting sex? He honestly couldn't tell. San-Li was seductive and flirty but it didn't automatically mean that she was ready. Would she want to get married one day?
Suddenly, San-Li came bursting into the room and hurriedly closed the door. She was no longer in a kimono, but was now wearing dark track pants and a black tank top.
Sam smiled and sat up. "I'm glad your back-"
"Shhh!" San-Li urgently shushed him and jumped into his futon.
She straddled his lap and roughly started to take his shirt off.
"San-Li stop!" Sam cried out panicking. "W-we can't do this now we have to talk first!"
"Shhh! Shhh! " San-Li whispered urgently and finished taking his shirt off, revealing his pale, scrawny chest. "I promise this will make sense soon, just hold on for a minute!"
Sam's heart almost exploded when San-Li took her shirt off revealing her own magnificent breasts, barely contained by strips of cloth.
"SAN-LI WHAT ARE YOU-!" Sam's shriek was cut off by her mouth pressed against his and she pushed his bare chest so that he was laying flat on his back with her on top of him. A strangled moan burst from somewhere deep in his chest and his arms wrapped around her seemingly of their own accord. He heard San-Li give a small surprised moan when he deepened their kiss.
"TEISHI!"
Several people burst into the room shining bright flashlights and Sam and San-Li bolted upright in surprise. Sam screamed and blinked at the sudden bright lights. His vision cleared and he saw several guards with their guns out glaring at them. San-Li gave a little embarrassed shriek and covered her chest with her arms. The guards took a second look at them and their glares dissolved. A couple of them snickered.
"My apologies," One of the guards bowed to them. "We thought we saw someone suspicious run this way. Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary?"
Sam shook his head adamantly and San-Li turned her face away from them, seemingly too embarrassed to speak.
"My apologies again then," The guard bowed again and gestured for the others to leave. "Please enjoy the rest of your night."
He slid the door shut and they heard the footsteps go down the hall and eventually fade away.
"Oh geez," San-Li sighed in relief and climbed off of Sam. "That was way too close."
Sam stared at her mutely. He could still feel his heart jack hammering in his chest and his whole body was shaking. San-Li looked at him and blushed.
"What? I'm sorry okay?" She mumbled. "I was snooping and they almost caught me. I needed it to look like I was here the whole time doing...other things."
Sam's mouth was open but no sound came out. A thousand different emotions and feelings were going through him at once and his body was practically buzzing. San-Li cringed at his silence and started to reach for her shirt.
"Um, so did you still want to talk to me about some-"
"To hell with talking."
Sam grabbed her arm and roughly pulled her down into the futon.
Early morning sunlight streamed through the paper window. Sam could hear San-Li humming under her breath as she did her hair in front of the make up stand. He finished getting dressed and looked up to see that she was watching him in the mirror. He smiled at her.
"What?" He asked softly.
"Want to help me brush my hair?" She asked holding out her hair brush.
He took the brush and got on his knees behind her and started brushing. As he brushed his gaze wondered down to where her neck met her shoulder and saw a vibrant red bruise that stood out against her pale skin. He found himself smiling and a strange sense of pride began to well up inside of him. He glanced up and saw that San-Li was watching him in the mirror.
"What?" He asked.
"Are you okay?" She asked softly.
Sam blushed but couldn't help but smile. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"
San-Li laughed and tilted her face up for him to kiss her.
"I love you." He whispered.
"I love you too." San-Li laughed and then elbowed him away. "Now enough with the sentimental crap, it's time for me to get back to work."
She finished up her hair and stood up to put on the rest of her kimono. It suddenly hit Sam that they had forgotten something very, very important last night. He mentally kicked himself for being so careless.
"San-Li wait! What are we going to do about-"
"Don't worry about it," San-Li waved her hand dismissively. "I got it covered."
Before Sam could ask what she meant, there was a knock at their door and San-Li opened it to let in a maid carrying tea and rice for them.
"ArigatÅ." San-Li bowed and closed the door.
Sam sat down with her to eat and watched as she poured a small packet of herbs into her cup of tea before downing it in a single gulp. She then took a few bites of rice and then stood up.
"Sorry but you're going to have to hang out without me for a while again today." She said tying her obi around her waist. "I'm going to try and find the place where I think the fan is without being too conspicuous."
"Oh." Sam tried not to sound too disappointed.
San-Li chuckled and kissed him on the cheek. "If anyone asks I'm not feeling well. 'Kay?"
Instead of going to the door she headed to the window and flashed him another smile before jumping out.
