I'm hooome! This is a short chapter, sorry for the sudden switch from uber-long to short.
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They are near Seoul. Perhaps thirty kilometers.
He walks beside his commanding officer; both are silent, holding their heavy weapons in their hands defensively. The old man trusts Nobu- perhaps it is because he seems so much older than he really is. His mind is capable of solving any predicament the force has been faced with. The man has told Nobu before there was no doubt in his mind that one day the young man would be the leader of Japan's army.
Nobu had just laughed.
The sun is setting, and the men stumble back to their horses. The old man takes a sip of water and sighs. "You have all worked hard today. I have told you this before, but when we return to Japan you shall all be rewarded." There is no happiness, no stories of home. Just a heavy silence where the men shiftily glance at each other. Nobu speaks to none of them, just stares at his officer.
The silence seems to grow heavier and heavier until it hangs about the small group like a blanket. Then, a shout. No, it must be a warning, but-
It was the strangest sound, a sort of shrieking, like the shriek a wild cat makes when it is about to attack from above. Then an explosion of white- it blinds Nobu momentarily before he glances up and sees his officer running for cover.
He shouts and throws his weapon on the ground. His legs are like sacks of rice and seem to move to slow- doesn't his body realize how urgent the situation is?
"Get down!" Nobu shouts, but the clamor from the attack is too loud. His ears ring as he finally pushes the old man's head down. "Sir, listen to me! We are-"
"I know what we are!" the old man roars. "Get off me, you insolent young man!" The two struggle, Nobu's hands pressing down on the officer beneath him. But the old man is strong and lifts his head, like a turtle coming out of its shell. Nobu's feet shifted, sliding, he was sure they would both slip and fall out of the way of the attack if he just held on-
A loud noise, and then nothing.
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He awakens in a hospital.
His skin feels strange; tight, on fire. He tries to lift a hand to feel it, but nothing happens- the nurses have strapped him to the board.
"He's awake!" a youthful female voice calls. Nobu's not sure where she has come from- he cannot see her, cannot even sense where in the blindingly white room she is standing. He doesn't dare twist his head around, for fear either they have strapped down his neck or well, or that his skin will simply peel off by the simple movement.
The young woman has finally moved into his line of vision, but she does not dare look at him. The doctor hovers near to her; they speak as if he is not there, as if he is already dead.
But what does it matter anyway? He won't live more than a week anyway. That is exactly what the doctor said- no more, maybe less. The nurse sucks in her cheeks; one of her eyes wanders over to where he lays, immobile, then instantly darts back.
He's not sure what is wrong with him. All he wants is water.
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In less than a month, I shall be Sayuri's danna.
I sometimes feel the need to repeat this fact to myself. Nobu, the businessman, the realist, the cynic! The man who always hated geisha (aside from Mameha, but that is only because she is a lifelong friend), hated their imaginary games and stories and music and dances.
But for heaven's sake, it is not a wedding!
There is nothing more that I scoff at more than a wedding, geisha included. Of course a danna is not like a husband at all in the traditional sense, I am intelligent enough to know that. Never have I felt affection for a woman aside from the familial bond that ties me to my sisters and my mother.
But I am brooding again. I will see Sayuri tonight, with the Chairman and Mr. Schessler and Mameha…
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Now, if we only could get a blasted moment alone!
Mr. Schessler cannot seem to get his eyes off of her tonight, and it is infuriating. The moment alone in the okiya was not enough. She is sitting next to him as well, adding more salt to the injury. In fact she has barely even looked my way!
And yet the Chairman is giving me the most peculiar look. I choke on a bit of sake when I realize he is watching me watch her. There is a small smile on his face.
"Wipe that grin off, Chairman. You look like one of those clown dolls that the street children play with." I grunt as I wipe the tea off my jacket. No one has noticed, thankfully.
He laughs. "You've ruined your new suit, Nobu-san. I told you you should have saved it for a better day!"
"Do you fancy yourself a prophet, Chairman?" Mameha's eyes sparkle. "I thought businessmen were all like Nobu-san here, allergic to any such nonsense!"
"Don't be silly." Mr. Schessler cackles. "We are highly imaginative, it just so happens we are partial to fancy suits and cigars!"
I glare at him. "Excuse me while I go consult an almanac on the exact time I should wash this stain out!" I stand up and stay my place until Sayuri realizes she is to accompany me. Mr. Schessler watches her under his bushy caterpillar brows.
Rather than to the bathroom, I lead her outside. "You are one of the strangest geisha I have ever met, Sayuri." I sigh, wiping my brow.
"Really, Nobu-san? I believe you are just as strange. You may have to come up with better meeting places for the two of us!"
"Indeed." The lamplight is very faint; the paint on her skin is no longer pure white, but rather a warmer color. I am unsure of how to describe it. "I can think of no better place than Tokyo, for that matter."
Sayuri does not respond, rather fingers with one of the flowers dangling from her hair. Everything's a game with her; she knows that I want to reach out and touch her hand, her hair, and she acts on it! "Tokyo is so far away to me, Nobu-san. May I ask why I am given this honor before you have even become my danna?"
"It is purely for business reasons, of course." I respond hastily, digging my hand into my pocket as far as it will go. "There is a meeting there, and of course Iwamura Electric must be there, as must Mr. Schessler..but of course you wouldn't understand a word of anything if I even tried to explain it to you!"
"I suppose not." She looks at me from underneath her eyelashes. "I would be honored to accompany Nobu-san!" I let out a breath of relief, and she laughs.
She cannot stop fussing with the stupid hair pin. I release my hand and softly pull it out of her hair. "A distraction," I say as an excuse. "I cannot speak to you with this in the way." Nor can I see her eyes, her lovely eyes.
I have always hated Western movies. They're ridiculous and over imaginative. Yet I cannot help the feeling that as I move closer, I have seen this before projected from a film reel.
Sayuri pulls her head away quickly. "Aren't you afraid, Nobu-san, that you will return with make-up all over you? And then what will you think?"
"They will think," I breathe, "That I am a very clumsy man."
And I rest my one arm on her shoulder as I kiss her.
For the first time, I do not feel like a lizard, or a bear, or a man that is scorned and ridiculed when his back is turned. I feel wanted, needed; and as strange as it is for a man like me to admit-
I never imagined that a first kiss could come from a young geisha.