Chapter Four: Fireflies in
the Night
Firefly-gazing festival, he
had been told. Later on, after the sun had set in the west, the festival would
begin. A promise to relax and marvel at the culture of their race, the
championing of their own unique art...
During dinner, which he had
spent with his rather spent master Hirohito and the manager Takato, they had
spoken about it. It seemed as though, each week during summer when the fireflies
were out, there was one night when the garden would be properly dressed. There
would be singing and dancing, as well as other performances by the geishas.
During mid-afternoon, the garden at the back of the mansion right by the lake
was already being fixed - to be ready for tonight. A small stage was set and
seats were placed all around for the guests to use later on.
When Akira finally departed
from the garden an hour or so before sunset, he had first gone on to the dining
area where Hirohito had been there, about to begin his meal. He needed to
prepare for tonight so to nourish his curiosity about this festival which he had
not known of before. So he had joined his master Hirohito, silently amused that
despite the older man's slight exhaustion, the aura of satiation overlaid any
other feeling. Hirohito was being served by two women clinging to his arms, fed
playfully with an expensive meal. Akira sat down and preferred an easy meal of
rice and fish. And then they'd talked. Apparently, his master had been enjoying
his day so far and was truly urging him to do the same. Akira finally promised
that he'd loosen up after dinner.
After dining the tasty yet
admittedly simple meal, he'd gone on to the bath and was handed a towel and a
yukata. The manager first reassured him that there was going to be no danger in
this place of pleasure so right before bathing, he allowed Takato to place his
weapons to his would-be room.
The bath had been very
pleasant. Even in the humidity, he'd opted for the hot bath, knowing that the
heat would do wonders for the muscles he always used in his profession. He'd
dropped his clothes in the basket provided for him then went on to wash and
lather his body first before rinsing. And then he'd moved on to the hot spring
pool, enjoying the hot liquid pouring over him, loosening knotted muscles as if
he had had a massage. There was a certain indulgence in it, he knew. It was easy
to lose himself in that kind of pleasure but who could help it? Easy to attract
danger for someone of his status. That was the one caution he'd always had when
enjoying the great sensual pleasure in a simple Japanese hot bath.
Finally, right before he got
dizzy from the intensity of the bath's temperature, he rose from the water,
wiping himself dry with the towel provided for him. There was already total
relaxation for him then, making him want to rest in his would-be room's futon,
but he knew that the night had not even began yet. And so he'd dressed in the
soft white cotton yukata provided for him, tying the sash around his waist in an
artful knot that his mother had taught him long ago. He'd been lead then to his
room, the young woman servant explaining that his clothes had been sent to be
washed as was customary. His clothes would be by his side tomorrow morning.
Through the gleaming wooden
walls of the hallways that were lit by numerous fragrant white candles placed on
antique candelabras, he was then lead upstairs to the second floor, where he was
informed that his room would be by his master's so that he would not have to
worry. The servant had then paused beside one of the many sliding doors and
knelt down, her gaze lowered in respect as she slid the door open for him. Akira
thanked her right after she told him other things such as the availability of
servants, the festival's start and other small details. And then he was alone.
The room was large and
spacious, a reminder of rooms he'd slept in before because of his status.
Because this was the best brothel in
In this room, there were a few
paintings on the walls that Akira just knew were not made by Japanese hands.
Like the celestial beings with looks of utter abandon and relaxation in their
mere postures. Akira neared one of them and saw, by the light of one of the lit
lamps, that it had made by a painter named Botticelli in the ancient Medieval
times. Definitely a painter from the west.
Other features of the room
were tamed down though. Like the already prepared futon. Once inspected, the
sheets and pillows proved to be soft, clean and inviting. The floor was made of
tatami, the classical Japanese flooring. There was a singular low table near the
window where a lamp was lit and on it was a cup of steaming green tea. There
were two lamps in the room, both of which emitted a delicately sweet scent. One
was in the said low table and one was near the mahogany wall where a few
paintings were hung. The windows were open and he had his own balcony where a
glass wind chime was hung, moving and singing as dictated by the sudden breeze
that came once in a while. His room overlooked the flower garden and lake at the
back of the mansion and when he looked out, he saw that the clients were already
starting to gather, looking for good seats for the performance that was about to
be shown. Akira drank his tea slowly and tried to search for familiar faces.
Down below, there was the
sight of the manager, directing the dancers to get ready. Obviously, his plan
was to create a perfect night festival - to gain perfection, as this brothel
required always. Hirohito had already found a seat up front, one lady on each
side of him again, but they were different females from the ones he'd been with
earlier on. Maki was sitting beside another politician... And that was all. The
only familiar person that Akira had not seen had been Kaede. He wondered where
he was.
Gulping down the rest of his
green tea, Akira sighed before placing the cup back on the table, now empty.
Time to go to the night festival then. He wondered what new thing he would see
tonight. As a young child, his mother had always brought him to festivals like
these. Education had been important for his development then and he was
instructed not only in books and martial arts but also in history which could be
easily learned through cultural events such as festivals and other Japanese
traditions. Even though his mother had not been a full-blooded Japanese, it was
still very important for he needed to prove himself so that his father would
accept him as part of his children. Finally, after letting them marvel that he
was actually better in skills and academics than his father's true children, he
was accepted as an official son. Life had been hard then as he had been in the
trial stage. Merely getting accepted in his father's family had been hard for he
had been an illegitimate child. But he knew that that was nothing compared to
what other less fortunate people of this era were going through. For a lot of
people, the scent of death and torture were so common that their country could
sometimes be compared to hell on earth.
He shook his head from those
morbid thoughts and slowly turned away from the sight of the garden. Wondering
briefly why it was called 'Firefly-gazing festival' when the main focus were the
geishas' performances, the swordsman walked towards the door of his room,
sliding it open before stepping out and closing the door again. He studied first
his room's location - third room from the stairs - then trekked the rest of the
way to the starting festival. Down the stairs, through the lit hallways until he
reached one of the back doors. A pair of wooden slippers were waiting for him
and he put them on. He lifted his head up just in time to see how the festival
was coming along.
Beneath a sky void of any
clouds, joyful music was already playing in the background - not at all loud
since it was only designed to create the backdrop to what was promised to be a
good show. People were scattered about. The geishas with their white faces and
painted lips were moving towards the back of the set-up stage, pleasant
expressions on their faces. The men were sitting on the provided seats, busy
with either the company of some women or men they were acquainted with outside
this world of pleasure and indulgence. When Akira looked up, he saw that the
night sky was clear and deep violet in colour. Several shining dots filled it
from corner to corner and it was only the mountains and the mansion that barred
the view of some parts of the sky. The rest were bathed in a full moonlight and
the sight of stars. When he looked down to earth again, he saw the lake
reflecting heaven's decorations as well as the lights of the insects that this
festival was named after. Fireflies in the lake...
The swordsman was immediately
drawn to it. He wanted to...
"Akira-san!"
He paused in mid-step and
looked up, only to see that it was Maki who had seen and noticed him. He saw
some other men looking at him and he earned some silent greetings from other
acquaintances. Maki raised a hand to call him over and he had no choice but to
oblige lest he be viewed as disrespectful or merely arrogant. Calmly, enjoying
the night breeze that was beginning to blow away some of the humidity, he walked
towards the older man. When he was right near Maki, the politician smiled.
"Come. I've saved you a
seat. Sit down. The show is about to start and I will be leaving in an hour or
so."
He did as he was told and
bowed his head in gratitude. "Thank you for the seat."
"It's nothing at
all." Maki just nodded in return. "So... what did you do while I was
enjoying the company of Kaede?"
Akira almost winced hearing
and being reminded of Kaede's fate just that afternoon before stilling his
suddenly erratic heartbeat. There was no cause to act rashly. Maki he'd known
for a long time. Kaede he only knew this day. Who to favour more then? Of course
the answer was simple. He tried hard not to think of other factors. He spoke.
"Well, I was practicing some katas, that's all. It was good exercise, a
prelude to the wonderful dinner and bath. I'm certain that the pleasure of
sleeping later on would be great too. This is a wonderful estate."
"And it would be even
more wonderful if there was..." Maki smirked and resisted greatly to wink.
He was a politician, after all. He knew better than to act juvenile. Akira only
smiled, saying nothing else.
Finally, after a few more
minutes, the manager came up on stage, welcoming everyone to yet another
Firefly-gazing festival. He explained the roots of this festival even though not
much people looked interested, then tried to endear the people by praising their
tastes in women, choice of establishment and other things. When he was done, the
first performers were introduced.
For the first few minutes,
everyone, including Akira, watched attentively. The white-faced geishas in front
were performing a traditional kimono dance. They were graceful and
well-educated. No one could deny the fact that their dancing skills were
world-class, fit to display their skills to an audience comprised of foreigners.
Anyone would cherish them.
Next performers were singers
who told the story of how a maiden fell in love with a swordsman and how their
love was doomed to fail from the start. It was interesting. The show had appeal
and everyone was enjoying it. By the fourth performance however - which, to the
geishas' credit, was also very good - Akira was bored. He was not much of a fan
in these things. He liked them sometimes - appreciated them even - but this
night seemed different. He wanted to see the fireflies, something that eased his
mind. There was simplicity in it - something he could concentrate in and wonder
at as if he was nothing more than a child. Geishas were lovely but you could
watch them perform any time of the year. Fireflies you only saw during the
summer months.
Wanting to excuse himself, he
turned to Maki, ready to say his apologies because he...
Maki was looking at him.
"I'm sorry Akira but it seems that it is time that I have to go now. It had
not been an hour yet but the trip would take quite awhile and I am needed so...
I hope you forgive me for this departure."
Akira merely smiled. "Not
at all. You need not apologize. No need to be sorry. In fact, I was about to
exit too from watching..."
The older man smiled in
understanding. "Is that so? Then I suggest watching the fireflies. It's a
bright night. And who knows? You might find something special out in the
darkness, in comparison to all this light and glitter where you see nothing
significant." He stood. "I must depart now. Good-bye, Akira-san.
Please enjoy yourself for the rest of your stay here."
"Thank you." Akira
nodded his head as he stood up. When he looked up, Maki was already moving
towards the manager to say his farewell. Akira looked at the stage to see a
geisha reciting a poem, then at the crowd. A few men were gesturing for him to
not block their view. Akira bowed his head in apology before moving away from
the audience.
Away from the show and people
yet still beside the lake, he began to walk. This is what he'd wanted to do
since earlier on. There was a plainness in it which he'd always enjoyed. Nothing
in here was abstract. The presence of nature as opposed to other humans... Maybe
it was because nature was not a being who brought forth deceit, falseness or any
other negative actions. Nature was just nature. It was, as always, a thing which
took and gave life without any hidden intention. Nature was... just nature...
Besides, it was spectacular.
Like this night. Lovely.
He walked right beside where
the earth ended and the lake's water began. Up ahead, a few trees were right
near the lake and their branches even touched the surface of the water. He would
have to move inland a bit to avoid those trees later on. Akira breathed in and
out, hearing the sound of the festival being drowned by the new sounds he was
encountering. Instead of the carefully pronounced words of a geisha as she
recited a literary piece, he was becoming more aware of how his wooden slippers
were clacking against the shore that was full of pebbles and stones. He could
hear the soft breeze whistling through leaves and with them, he could feel the
scent of lotus entering his nostrils, giving his walk the effect of something
dreamy. A good night definitely, what with the clear sky and the cooling summer
night. Stars bright, moon full and high, a well-fed stomach and a clean and dry
body... Akira smiled. When he looked up, he was made to pause though as he saw
the sight of a familiar tree with a suddenly familiar name.
The 'Momiji' tree with leaves
called as... maple.
Kaede.
Akira suddenly thought about
the boy... and was suddenly worried. Where was Kaede? He had not seen him in the
festival. There had been no Kaede there. Suddenly, he thought of the worst that
could have happened. Had Maki been too rough that Kaede could no longer handle
to get up from what happened to him? Had he fought? Had he been punished? He
could not help the quickening of his heartbeat. Where was that boy?
Brows knitted, he looked
around, as if expecting the boy to be by himself in the darkness, as if trying
to disappear from the pain that his life had given to him. It was not such a
wild assumption, was it not? And Akira had done the right thing for, as he
lifted his gaze, and focused across the lake, he saw none other than the boy who
had the same name as the leaves of the tree's branches right above him.
As if cast down by heaven,
Kaede stood underneath the light of the moon, dressed in white silk. His clothes
clung to him and even from afar, no one could deny his almost unearthly beauty.
At the moment, he looked neither male nor female. He was just a creature - a
creature that defined something mystical. Not only of beauty which he was always
associated with but something that was natural of his nature. Sorrow... Endless
and boundless sorrow...
It seemed, for the first time,
that Akira saw the glimpse of who the boy truly was.
And his reaction was natural.
He did not need to think for his slippered feet were suddenly moving. Around the
lake, needing to reach that creature of the heavens. He did not really know what
to say to the boy once they were near each other. All he wanted was to be near
him now. He somehow just wanted to be more exposed to what kind of person the
boy was. As if he was a moth to the flame. So very curious and interested.
Finally, after a few more
steps, the breeze suddenly ceased as he stopped right behind the unmoving boy.
Akira was not sure if Kaede noticed he was there. So he cleared his throat.
"Good evening."
Kaede's back stiffened and
Akira could not help but feel a bit of guilt at having broken the boy's private
moment.
"I'm sorry... I shouldn't
have..."
"It's okay." Kaede
shrugged. He relaxed his shoulders slightly but said nothing else.
Akira took a breath as he
watched how the moon's rays continued to bathe Kaede, lighting his form and
making his paleness glow in the dark. He observed at how the white silk clung to
Kaede's skin and he could not help but feel attracted to Kaede's physical
beauty. Even facing the other way and just standing in silence, the boy could
attract. Akira could feel a bit of lust growing for the boy but he held it back,
respecting Kaede enough not to do anything about his waking realizations. Maybe
just friendship... He wondered if Kaede had any friends.
"Kaede..." Akira
spoke in a soft voice - the volume low enough so as not to disturb anything that
lurked in the shadows. "What are you doing here alone? In the
darkness?"
Kaede did not turn. His voice
was soft also as he continued to look at the lake. "This night... It's
called 'Firefly-gazing festival', is it not? Then how come people are not gazing
at the fireflies?"
Such simple reasoning in the
form of questions. Akira lifted his gaze and looked towards the lake. Indeed! He
took a step closer towards the body of water until he paused, his arm bumping
against Kaede's shoulder. He looked down at the boy, seeing Kaede merely looking
up at him. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean..."
Kaede shook his head. "No
need to apologize, my lord." <I... am merely a whore, belonging to the
the lowest level in our country's caste.> He did not speak his thoughts. He
turned his gaze again on the lake, watching.
On the lake which were full of
lilies and their pads, tiny creatures with wings and light moved about. There
were swarms of them. They danced as if they had music to dance to even though
the only sound that could be heard now were the occasional splashes caused by an
eager carp or a jumping or croaking frog and the humming of a bird high above
them. Fireflies, all of those lit insects across the lake. Moving from one lily
to another and then hovering in the shape of a sphere, they danced their holy
dance, as if they were doing a sacred ritual that no one but their species would
ever understand. There was a mysterious beauty to it - yes, beauty yet again in
this place where nothing seemed hideous. No one could really see the motivations
of these fireflies and why they were at their maximum number in summer nights
such as this one. But no one could really deny their splendour - the way that
even with their small winged bodies, they had the power to attract with
attributes that nature had given them. Lighting the lake in the darkness of the
night. Acting like the moon or the stars yet remaining original in their forms
and their natures. Fireflies.
"Beautiful, aren't
they?" Akira could not help but whisper, not wanting to disturb the firefly
dance. Kaede said nothing in response, just watching as silently as he had been
doing since earlier on. Akira just smiled softly.
<Does he appreciate the
sight of them? Does it bring about a momentary peace inside his heart? I could
only hope so... I just hope...>
"Lord Akira..."
Kaede spoke, without any clear emotion. "Should you not be in the festival
that had been set up? You should be there enjoying yourself. The geishas are
great performers. You've paid for them too, did you not know?"
Akira shook his head then
turned away finally from the sight of the fireflies. He smiled at Kaede while
watching the marble-like face - the way Kaede had no emotion on his face at the
moment. It saddened him slightly right now, this difference he could clearly see
between them. This boy never smiled while he could express any emotion he wanted
with genuine honesty. Life for this boy had forced him to feel never-ending
sorrow. It was causing Akira to feel sympathetic all over again for him. How he
wanted to suddenly take him away from all of this... even for just a moment...
How... he wanted to see him...
free...
See him as he left the shadow
were he had been locked and marvel as he spread his wings and...
Akira shook his head at the
moment when Kaede looked up at him. There was silent confusion in the younger
boy's eyes.
"Just thinking."
Akira muttered, suddenly studying the younger boy's profile. He'd been doing
this whenever they were near each other but on this night when the moon was here
to highlight and shadow certain curves and crevices on Kaede's features, Akira
could not help but marvel at...
Those lips... They looked
faintly red. The long bangs that fell like liquid silk over his cobalt blue
eyes... Such an attractive boy this was. If he had no creed where he did not
believe in just using... he would have... could have... Akira watched some more.
The seconds seemed to prolong to hours. All his concentration was on the boy...
on those lips. And he felt drawn, hypnotized as he slowly leaned down, eyes
still watching the pretty boy. He wanted so to...
But he didn't.
His eyes widened and he
stopped himself just in time, backing away as if struck and realizing what he
was about to do. He gasped then turned away. He did not see the confusion in
Kaede's eyes.
"I'm sorry!" Akira
whispered, shaking his head at himself. He was very displeased with the actions
he did not realize he was about to do. It was so not proper his actions -
especially from him. He knew that in this place, things like what he was
intending to do were rather tame to what went on behind closed doors but...
still!
Kaede could not help but voice
out one question, despite the rule of speaking only when spoken to. He somehow
felt that this young man would not notice. "Lord Akira... do you not want
me?"
Akira shook his head before
turning towards the boy. "Of course not!" When he saw a slight flinch
in Kaede's eyes, he felt all the more guilty. "No! That's not what I meant!
I mean... Of course. You're such a pretty boy but..."
"So you want me?"
"Yes, but..." The
swordsman took a deep breath, not knowing how to explain his creed to this boy.
He felt as if saying the wrong thing could offend Kaede...
Kaede, meanwhile, turned his
eyes again to the lake. His eyes were not focused, seeing only the blur of the
fireflies against the black lake. The volume of his voice was so soft that Akira
barely heard it in the silence of their surroundings. "Is it because I am
only a whore?"
When Akira heard it, he could
not help but be revolted - no, not by what Kaede was but by what he made the boy
feel. What was he doing? His beliefs were causing ache to this... this victim.
What could he do to improve their situation?
When Akira could say nothing
for the brief moments when Kaede waited for a reaction, the younger boy sighed
very softly then spoke again. "You need not be guilty, my lord. The
profession that I have... It had been present throughout the ages. It's an old
profession where women and men sell themselves again and again." He paused.
<I... envy them actually. Because they have a choice. They have their
meaning. They are pushed to such extremes because of a devotion to someone or
something - a reason to breathe, to move, to live... That is my tragedy, isn't
it? Not only because every moment of my existence is designed by engineers who
run my life but also because my life has no basis. I truly am only just a
beautiful doll as people say - this whore that I am - void of any other purpose
besides being appreciated in horrid ways.> His eyes were only tuned to the
fireflies. "...So you need not pity me as I see in your eyes whenever you
look at me. Just treat me as another horror as what is based on your not being
able to want me /in that way/. We both have our roles... we both have out
fates... It's okay for you to feel revolt at my very sight... or even to use me
as you see fit... Your status distinguishes you and allows you many
privileges..." <Unlike me,> He grimaced internally. <And I've
accepted that.>
The swordsman was speechless.
Those words... He had really not expected such a long statement from the boy. In
fact, he was not really expecting much wisdom from... yes, guiltily, a whore.
But this... Kaede. He was now surprised, nearly blundering in his inability to
respond. He wanted to contradict Kaede! Kaede clearly accused him of looking
down at him but... was that true? He wanted to defend himself against those
words. He was indirectly being accused of being discriminate, he knew. And by a
whore... er... by this Kaede... this...
Before Akira could create a
sentence that could defend his pride and reputation, Kaede was already beginning
to walk away from him. "Wait! Kaede... let me speak some more... I'm not
through speaking with you about that matter!"
Kaede paused and looked back
at him. There was no accuse in his eyes, merely the acceptance of reality.
"I'm sorry... perhaps after the festival, we could speak some more if you
wish, but at the moment, I need to entertain the other clients." He said
nothing for a few moments before turning his face away. Needing to seduce as was
his job. Seduce this Akira and the one he guards. "I would like it... very
much... if you watched... would you? It's not anything obscene, if you're
worried about that..." He started to walk away. "Please consider my
invitation."
Akira was left spluttering,
not knowing what to say. He wanted to say more! He wanted to... but he knew that
Kaede was needed on stage now. With half-annoyance and half-excitement at seeing
Kaede perform, Akira followed the white-clad boy, suddenly wanting to hire Kaede
for the rest of the night just to prove so many things to him.
***
He made his way back to the
seat, half-frowning yet also half-wondering about the mystery that had been
named Kaede. He wanted to say so much more to the younger boy - explain his
creed, even ask the boy for his own beliefs and motivation. He wanted to... to
communicate! To delve deeper into a puzzle he could not solve - the puzzle of
the blue-eyed boy.
When he sat on the low wooden
chair, feeling its hard material giving stress to his posture, he took a breath,
thinking deeply. Later on tonight, he /was/ going to talk to that boy. There
were so much things needed to be clarified. There were...
Suddenly, his thoughts ceased
as the manager walked on stage, a proud smile on his face. Of course he was
about to introduce the pride of this estate - a young male whore that was so
skilled besides being attractive enough that men from all over Japan flocked to
interact with him for even half an hour.
The manager spoke with his
clear deep voice. "Gentlemen, we have now reached the interlude of the
festival's geisha show for tonight. As you would be served the finest tea and
rice cakes, allow us to show you the talents of Shidareyanagi's only boy
'geisha'." He grinned slightly, in concurrence to the crowd's unabashed
laughter of amusement. Akira felt something inside himself curl darkly in
response. "His name is Kaede, born and raised in our capital of Kyoto, and
tonight, he would stand before you all as he would play his instrument - the
flute. Now... sit back and enjoy... Kaede!"
The majority of the crowd did
not really pay attention. There were a mixture of strange men in the audience
tonight. There were men who were secure with themselves, a lot of them newcomers
to this estate. Hearing that a boy would perform, they focused their attention
on tea and the snacks brought to them by smiling face-painted ladies. Some began
to converse, only interested in Kaede when he was pliant beneath them, letting
them use all of him for a few gold coins. Only a minority placed their entire
concentration on Kaede as he slowly walked towards the centre of the raised
stage - namely, the ones who knew of him and had experienced him before and were
becoming so drunk of him that they bought him every chance they got. Though not
like them, Akira was still one of those who placed all his focus on the boy. He
was, in a rare moment in time, interested beyond words. In front was an enigma
he had not yet begun to comprehend. Maybe there was more to be learned from him
even as he was about to just create... music...
The Night Song of the Maples.
Kaede moved with soundless
steps towards the centre of the stage. This was the usual ritual for him. Every
week during summer was the Firefly-gazing festival. In each and every festival,
he was expected to perform. Each time, he always choose to play an instrument.
During his training in the brothel all throughout the years he'd lived here,
he'd been tutored. Mostly it was in reading, writing and arithmetic. He'd always
heard comments stating that he was such a wasted product of the times and of the
fates. If he had not been a common whore, he could have been groomed to be a
politician - or maybe even a doctor. In response to that, he'd said nothing. For
in his mind, he'd always known that they were nothing more than dreams that
would just torture him inside.
He'd learned other things too.
For his pastimes, he was taught the art of origami, ikebana, the tea ceremony...
His favourite as a child had been origami. He'd take a paper and fold it with
his graceful hands. A crane or another object or animal would soon appear. But,
mostly, he made cranes. He'd imagine then... Imagine that a crane would fly
towards him - even with its paper wings - and save him. Childish dreams.
He'd also been taught to play
different kinds of instruments. All the traditional ones mingling with the
modern ones from Europe and China. His favourite had always been the flute. It
was not only simple... but there was meaning to it. The flute had been his
mother's instrument of choice long before. When he played it, it was as if she
was there.
Turning the direction of his
frontal body towards the crowd, he peered, from beneath his lashes, at the men
who were sitting as the audience of the show. He'd seen a lot of them before. It
was good that not a lot of the regular customers he served were not here. Maki
had to do an errand in Edo which was good. Minami and Sawakita seemed busy.
Hopefully, there would not be a lot of men who would take notice of him tonight.
Sometimes they argued amongst themselves on who would hire him for the night.
The worst case scenario was when they all decided to cooperate and share... And
there would be a dozen or so men using him well into the next night. He hated
those times...
Kaede discreetly took a deep
breath. Looking at the crowd, his eyes watched them with unseen scorn. These
were men who had the money and the power. While starving children littered the
provinces and rural streets, these corrupt individuals took and took and took.
Taking riches by means of thievery and lies and deceit, they end their days
seeking sinful pleasure from whores like him. Dirtying themselves even when they
were already dirty. As he, a sinner through all this, continued to live in
never-ending service for the wicked. A cycle that never ends.
He placed his lips on the
mouth of the flute. He closed his eyes. And played.
It sounded very quiet at
first. The new ones - those unfamiliar with him - looked at him in almost
confusion, wondering if his instrument was broken - as broken as his soul. It
always began like this when he played his songs of choice. They were all simple
melodies really but they had a deep complexity within them that a lot of his
audience would never understand. What would they know anyway? What would they
/really/ hear from the songs of a young prostitute? They were men who let greed
and lust and sin seep so deep into their bones that the real essence of a quiet
song could no longer be comprehended.
It was like a hum when music
began to pour from the flute. And then the private and personal meaning slowly
wrapped itself around the sound, creating the kind music that soothed even the
most evil of ears.
Chinese Whispers, it was
called. Soft and warm, it trickled like nectar from a ripe fruit. It was an old
song really, taught to him by his old Chinese tutor. The man was a teacher who
had grown up in China and had learned much about its culture, traditions and
lifestyle before moving to the capital of Japan. One day, trying to soothe him
from yet another traumatizing moment, he'd been taught the song. It was quiet
and rhythmic, as if a whisper of a kiss from a ghost of a long-forgotten tale.
The song was about a young girl who needed reassurance at night, for when she
dreamed, she was frightened to her very core. It was her father who whispered to
her and held her hand so that she would feel safe enough to sleep again.
Kaede had felt sad at the
story behind the song. For at the time, he'd never had a man hold his hand and
not do anything else. The others were teachers, strangers and people who passed
him on the streets when he was allowed to shop in the market with the older lady
prostitutes. Either he was touched harshly or he was not touched at all. Just
like his father could never acknowledge him completely.
The song continued to play as
caused by the wind from his lips. His eyes were still closed. He felt one with
the music, imagining himself to be like a feather that had fallen off the wings
of a bird. Floating in the sky and free...
He allowed himself a brief few
seconds of imagination before his eyes slowly opened. The song had ended and he
was to play two more at least. Or maybe one. It depended on what the geishas
would signal to him. Without any word, looking at the crowd whose faces were
mostly hidden in the shadows, he played another song.
This time it was a famous song
from the childhood of these sinful men. He played it strategically just to mock
them. It had been first written around fifty years ago. It was another quiet
song, the whispering kind that seemed to blow a soft breeze to your ears. And
again, there was something about it... something like the first song. It was the
fact that it emitted sadness, a silent call to up above. Although no one ever
listened.
So ironic, isn't it? Amidst
these power-hungry, lecherous men who had the power to murder and rape and
pillage any common citizen of the country they were supposed to serve and
protect, a child's song played with quiet humility and perfect cadence. The song
continued. The rhythm rose and fell as easily as a babe sleeping against his
mother's breast. It stilled everyone's actions, making them turn to the lonesome
boy underneath the silver illumination of the moon. Silver and white and all
things holy. He was attracting unwanted attention once again without being
conscious of himself. Maybe it was the effect of the moon, lighting and making
his pale skin shine. Maybe it was the pure white silk kimono he wore, which was
adding a touch of heaven to his appearance. Maybe it was his closed eyes, how
his long dark lashes barred the world to the liquid eyes that so many admired.
Maybe it was even the song - the way that it brought forth nostalgia - a gentle
song they've all heard of before in the tenderness of their forgotten youths.
Whatever it was... It made a child's song, for one moment, powerful. For the
rich, the mighty and the strong concentrated all their senses, for at least one
second, on a tiny song that, in the end, would not really give them anything.
From his seat, Akira watched
intently. There was a lesson, a message, he knew. The boy conveyed something
with the simple creation of these sad quiet tunes. They could mock the mighty,
hold them in power as he noticed men's heads turn at the steady cadence of each
song. And Kaede knew it. He knew, without a doubt, that for a few moments, he
was not the conquered and the victim through all this. He knew that he was
capable of casting a spell on the sinners - an allegory that could just as well
soothe something inside himself.
When the second song was
ending, Kaede was still scanning the reaction of the crowd. And during the last
minute, he had found a pair of familiar eyes. And Akira smiled. In support, he
smiled. In admiration, he smiled. And Kaede looked back steadily at him, slowly
ending his second song - gently and smoothly as if gliding on silk.
By the end of the song, the
men were already beginning to fight for who would get to taste the beautiful boy
who just played, with his flute, the mere interlude songs tonight. All searched
for the manager.
But the manager had already
been approached quickly by an eager young man.
"For the rest of the
night, Akira-san." The manager reassured the swordsman. "For the rest
of the night, dear Kaede will serve only you."
***
to be continued...
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