At the Kendo ozashiki

[masako Ieyasu]

When the girls get to the tea house, tells them, “Tonight Master Otaka will have his son with him, to show the boy the ins and outs of a man’s private life, Masako, since you are here, be nice to him, and do not frighten him by being overly flirtatious.”

Masako almost laughs out loud, then coyly replies, “Me, mother, never…teeheehee. I will, as always, let him lead in the conversation.”

Masako’s oneesan then reminds her, “You teasing little flirt, you’ve never let a male lead you in any way, shape or manor, why will you now?”

“Ooohhh, sister, you hurt little Masako, am I such a flirt, you see me in this light? Teeheehee, I will because mama-san has told me to, is that not enough?”

Shortly the customers begin coming in.





As soon as master Otaka comes in with his son Yukio he asks Sakurakio, "Sakurakio-chan, this is my son Yukio, please see to it he enjoys him self here tonight," Then with a knowing Smile, "Be sure and show him how much pleasure he will have as you entertain him at parties."

[orastella]

Teruha and Teruyuki, imouto and oneesan, entered the kendo ozashiki. Teruha sat outside the door and slid the fusuma sliding door open for her oneesan, who entered first. Then Teruha entered after, sitting again on the floor to quietly slide the door closed.

Both were dressed in blues, Teruyuki's ensemble more understated of course. Teruyuki wore a light blue iromuji with seasonal wisteria branches creeping up the sleeves and shirt. Her hair was up in an elegant and mature updo fastened with a silver clasp.

Teruha wore a darker blue furisode with a motif of silver waves and flowing water. Her obi was silver and white to further envoke the feeling of water. She wore wisteria kanzashi in her hair, which was still styled in the wareshinobu style, though as an ichininmae the kanzashi did not dangle as they had when she was in her first year as a maiko. No longer did she have to paint only her lower lip, but she did not fully paint in her lips. Just a hint of red paint on her upper lip, to remind one of a sensuous pout, or the lipstick of a flapper girl from the Taisho era. Rounded dabs of red paint rested at the corners of her eyes, lengthening her eyes while giving her face an exotic beauty.

She sat down next to Master Otaka, and poured sake into his cup with a quiet smile.

[masako Ieyasu]

One thing the girls know is how to cause a young man to feel like the king of his castle. So once seated Masakaio asks, "Tell us noble sir how old are you?"

Yukio has his own ideas of what is going on, and just blurts out, “My father told me anything said between us will be kept secret…I have your word on that?”

Masako quickly replies, “Oh my Yes master Yukio. That is the code we live by.”

“Good,” He says, with a nasty grin on his lips, “Then let us not waste time with silly talk and tell me how soon I shall have one of you?”

The girls look at one another, quickly, realizing this boy has not been instructed properly at all, so a diversion is needed desperately. Masakaio take the lead, “My young master, once you have so dazzled us with your wit and charm, once we have known one another so very long, once a loving relationship buds between us…teeheehee, one can never know what might occur. Therefore my sweet young man, enjoy us as we are this night.”

Fortunately Yukio only thought he was swift enough to keep up to a full Geiko. Now not fully knowing what she just told him, except in his mind he thinks of possessing one of these lovely girls he lightens, and the atmosphere softens.

[orastella]

Teruha stared at the rude boy Yukio with a blank mask of a face, but if you knew her you could see her utter disgust and anger at his presumption. "I am not sure where you heard that the geisha of Pontocho behaved like common yujo, but you have been misinformed. If you're looking for someone to "hook up" with, then you will find a quicker sucess with women who have lower standards than us. If your heart is just set on a geisha, then do not try in Kyoto or Tokyo. You might have luck in an onsen town, but not here." All this was delivered in a warm, kind voice that did not match the words she spoke.

For Teruha, there was a line drawn in the sand. If a guest said something as rude as that, and it wasn't only in jest, then she would not hold herself back from showing some spirit and telling him exactly how insulting he was being. It could lose her some customers, but some rare men admired girls with spirit and standards. Like Iwasaki Mineko, she would not let men walk completely over her. (the incident where her kanzashi became a weapon when two men tried to molest her on the street)

"Now that matter is settled, perhaps a party game will lighten the mood. Does anyone have a favorite game?" she asked, sweetly now.

[masako Ieyasu]

Masako and her oneesan smiled ot themselves, happy that Teruha said something. That with what Masakaio had told him did stop his foolishness and the party was lighter after.

Glancing at Master Kendo, Masako sees him visibly embvarrassed by his son's lacking.

So he quickly asks Teruha if she can get some dancing and playing with the geisha presant to change the mood.

[orastella]

Teruha gestured to her friend Masako. "Let's dance together, my friend." A jikata came forward and set next to the little stage area. She checked if the two tachikata (dancers) knew the dance for Sakura Rain, a song about a tragic romance set during cherry blossom season. Teruha knew the song, and slipped her sensu (fan) out from where it had been tucked into her obi. "You know this one too, don't you?"

[masako Ieyasu]

"Oh, thank you Teruha. Yes after you assisted me, I think I know it well."

Sakura took her place and waited for her friend to begin

[orastella]

Teruha took the part of the young woman, leaving the part of her lover for Sakura to play. In stylized movements, the dance told the story starting from where the young lovers first met. Okuni, the beautiful woman, and Tadamichi, the handsome young man. Her parents forbid the match in favor of a differant match with an old lecherous man with a prosperous business. Okuni sneaks out of her parent's house on the night before her arranged marriage, her hair already arranged with the traditional horns of jealousy. She meets Tadamichi in a park with a sakura tree grove, where they commit dual suicide.

Okuni (Teruha) was walking down a busy street, but then is stopped in her tracks when she sees Tadamichi (Sakura.) Love at first sight!

[masako Ieyasu]

The romanic drama of this piece is such Sakura easily moves in the steps and body movements, and soon she is literally in her own little world living what those poor lovers felt so long ago.

[orastella]

A third dancer, a geiko, pantomimed the comic role of the old man. A small part, but it lightened the tale a bit. But then Okuni snuck out to the park and used her closed fan to slit her wrists, leaving Tadamichi to take the manly way of seppuku. The lovers died in a tender embrace, and the dance was finished.