Chapter 13: Company

Over the course of the next week, Ranka had tried to play up the flirtation and flattery with the couple of clients she had. None of the men seemed overly swayed, though Ranka had expected it to take more than one visit to sway anyone. If either one paid another visit within less than a month, then she might have a sign that the customer was an opportunity. Unfortunately, the price to visit her was enough that most customers didn’t return with a high enough frequency for her current peace of mind.

At least Ichi’s enthusiasm for the fashion and beauty of Yoshiwara was keeping a smile on her face. The young kamuro had ended up assisting Saki and Fuji as well, as she had more energy that Ranka’s limited tasks could use up. 

She had also begun to fill the days with writing poetry motivated by the feelings that refused to leave her heart. Ranka was careful not to describe Asa too directly, instead writing of midnight inspired by her eyes, or writing of the beauty of the sun’s warmth inspired by her smile. The feeling of creative inspiration filled Ranka with joy, knowing she was managing something better than her previous flat and empty poems meant to copy the form of poems she’d read before, but lacking any spark.

She was working on one about the rosy cheeks of a winter traveller, that reminded her of both Asa and her home, when Ichi hurried in.

“I just heard, Mister Akado is coming by tonight. He’s made an appointment and the accountant Shinzou girl wanted me to tell you,” Ichi announced.

“Hopefully he doesn’t have too much poetry to share,” Ranka muttered, while putting her own writings to the side. “Thank you for telling me though, Ichi.”

“No worries, big sis,” Ichi replied with a swift and efficient bow.

Ranka was thankful Tousui preferred things rather less formal, so there was less effort involved in preparation. A few onigiri for the sake of transforming, as well as getting some food in before he arrived. A flowing yukata of silk in a pattern considered rather feminine, but tailored in a masculine way, and a simple enough hairstyle with only a few ornaments followed. Then there was the makeup, of course. Even Tousui expected the white foundation and various red touches that strengthened Ranmaru’s kitsune-like appearance.

Everything else prepared, Ranmaru set up his koto, to play while Tousui ate. The timing was close to perfect, and the young samurai arrived mere minutes after the set up was completed.

Tousui was surprisingly nervous as he entered, however. He ate a little as Ranmaru played and sang for him, but made slow progress through the meal. He did not, however, make slow progress through the saké provided to him, and soon ordered significantly more to be left in the room.

Ranmaru paused from playing his koto after reaching the end of a song, wondering what had Tousui so especially shy.

It took a moment for Tousui to notice Ranmaru quietly watching him, but when he did he blushed.

“I... could... could you come here, Ranmaru?” the young man half whispered.

Ranmaru nodded and complied, slipping to sit beside the taller man. “Yes? Is everything okay?”

“I... I’ve been seeing you for a while now. A little over a year,” Tousui muttered, fidgeting a little as he did so. “My father sent me to Yoshiwara to find a cure for my-my immature tastes... I, of course, found pleasure in your embrace instead. H-however... my father is growing impatient on the idea of finding me a wife.”

Ranmaru nodded. In theory, Tousui was the perfect candidate for his escape scheme. Tousui’s father was the manager of a lord’s estate, his supposed master a drunken gambler who left his retainer to do the actual running of affairs. That left Tousui, theoretically, Ranmaru’s regular client with access to the largest fortune and he was furiously in love with Ranmaru.

He was also such a hopeless romantic and so utterly innocent that the betrayal involved in the scheme would surely break his heart, and possibly push him towards something dramatic and rash. Ranmaru’s conscience could never let him use Tousui as a pawn like that.

Instead, Ranmaru nodded. “I suppose that was inevitable. Powerful men want grandsons.”

Tousui turned, grabbing a small bottle of saké, and then holding it out to Ranmaru. “I... I don’t know how to be with a woman, but... if anyone can help me take the first steps towards understanding the way of loving women, surely it must be you.”

Ranmaru raised an eyebrow as he looked down at the bottle. He then looked back up to Tousui with a smile and accepted the offered rice wine. He downed it quickly, not wanting to deal with the finickiness of magic if he went for small sips, and used to shouchuu’s stronger kick. 

A moment later, she found herself shrunken slightly as she smiled at Tousui. While her height had never changed too much between forms, the size of her shoulders did change enough that she found a shoulder of her yukata sliding off. With the loose nature of the clothing, rather more than just her shoulder became visible, though Tousui merely paled and turned away as a response.

“You’ve paid for my services, Tousui. I expect you’ll be seeing more tonight,” Ranka said, not completely sure which tone to take.

“S-sorry. It just... it seems so strange to see you a woman. I... I asked for this though,” he muttered, before grabbing another sip of rice wine for himself.

Turning back, he looked Ranka over, and, initially, she thought that he might be making progress. Until his gaze shifted more to curiosity. He’d become distracted by trying to study the differences in her face as if she were a puzzle, rather than being taken in by her beauty.

---

Hours had passed. The pair had made it to the bedroom, but the change in location had done little to change Tousui’s behaviour. He kept apologising, and rushing off to drink a little more from time to time, but continued to reluctantly admit he felt no spark in his heart to act.

Finally, Ranka decided decisive action was needed.

“Close your eyes,” she ordered.

“P-pardon?”

“Close your eyes. Clearly seeing my current form is doing more harm than good for your mood. So, we should try something else,” Ranka explained. 

Tousui complied, though looked rather confused still. “How do I find you if my eyes are shut?”

“I’ll find you,” Ranka replied, trying her best to get as close to her other voice as she could as she spoke. She’d never tried to do an impression of herself (himself?), but surely the two voices weren’t that different, apart for pitch?

She slowly crossed the futon, placing a kiss at the base of Tousui’s neck. His shiver told her this was working. Lifting her hand, she brought it to his chin, turning his head and kissing his lips now.

“There,” she said, as she broke off, “I can still take the lead.”

Flush, Tousui nodded, keeping his eyes closed. “I could almost think you were a man again.”

With a push, Ranka had him on his back, and crawled onto his torso. The height difference always made her feel a bit foolish taking the lead, but she was a professional and dismissed the thought. Leaning in, she went for another kiss, only to have his eyes shoot open and glance down just before their lips met.

Her eyes followed his, and she realised he was looking at her chest brushing against his.

“S-sorry, it just... the feeling threw me off,” Tousui admitted, blushing from embarrassment. “It sort of tickled...”

Ranka sat up, crossing her arms as she tried to think things through. “This is trickier than I thought. I’d hoped just me leading would be enough.”

“Maybe I should get a bit more to drink,” Tousui muttered, wiggling out from under her. “I mean, I’m drunk, but only enough for courage. Not enough for mistakes.”

Ranka watched him, unsure if there was truly a difference between false courage and easy mistakes. She lacked a better solution, however, and had heard talk that sufficient alcohol was a frequently used means of making clients more attractive. The risks of rice wine for her and the low class connotations some saw for shouchuu left her sober at work, and she wasn’t exactly looking for company on her days off, so she couldn’t weigh in on the theory.

Tousui coughed a bit after trying to drink more quickly than he was used to, but recovered and drank more. Seeming convinced he was sufficiently drunk, he stumbled onto his feet, making his way back to Ranka. Just as he reached the futon, the shift in footing caused him to trip, and he fell in a way to effectively pin Ranka. Before she could ask him to move, he began to snore, apparently more tired than either of them had realised.

Ranka shook her head, ready to let him sleep and maybe grab some of her own, when a rooster crowed and drew her eyes to the window. It was dawn... they’d spent the whole night failing to make any progress.

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She couldn’t help but feel some embarrassment at what that might mean for her skills as an oiran as she gradually watched the sky illuminate with the dawn sun. She couldn’t really do much beyond try to wiggle out from under him. As he had over a head’s height on her, it was rather difficult to move his weight, but she eventually made her way out. 

Once she’d made it out, she found the night catching up with her as well, and drifted off for a bit. When she opened her eyes again, blue sky was visible through the window, and jolted her awake. Hurrying over to the window, she was glad to see the shadows showed it was still morning, but definitely heading towards midday.

Ranka hurried back over to Tousui’s side and shook him.

“Huh? What’s—ow, my head,” the tall man muttered.

“It’s getting close to noon. If I let you sleep here much longer, I suspect the Yarite will demand I charge you a second night,” Ranka said, keeping her voice quiet and gentle.

“Oh. That wouldn’t be good,” Tousui drowsily replied, seeming to drift back towards sleep again.

Ranka shook her head and dragged him up into a seated position. “Come on, big guy. Let’s get some food and water into you, and then send you on your way.”

“That sounds good,” Tousui mumbled, stumbling to his feet. “Y’know, I think I’m still drunk. Or... just really hungover? I’m not sure.”

Ranka dragged Tousui to the hallway, helping him up the stairs to Saki’s room. When they entered, Saki was visibly confused by the surprise company.

“I... um, is he okay?” she asked, as he sat down.

“I feel like my head is going to split in two,” Tousui muttered.

“He had a lot to drink last night. I’m hoping a little food and water will sort him out enough to head home on his own,” Ranka explained.

“Oh. Of course. Yes,” Saki replied, pulling out some bowls and pouring out a little tea for both.

Tousui accepted both, drinking the tea quickly, though being slower at his rice. Ranka accepted a buckwheat porridge with her tea, taking a more relaxed, but steady, approach to her breakfast.

Both women turned nervously when they saw Tousui freeze, lowering the bowl of rice. While they glanced for a bucket, just in case, Tousui put down his food, before sliding into a prostrating bow in Ranka’s direction.

“I realise I have dishonoured you, and yet you still show me kindness. I am not worthy of this compassion,” he said, his voice muffled by his position.

“H-how have you dishonoured me?” Ranka asked.

“You offered your services, your beauty, and I did not accept,” Tousui explained, not moving from his humbling position.

Ranka, not fully awake herself, turned to Saki for assistance. Her adoptive sister nodded, understanding Ranka’s silent plea.

“Master Akado, there are many men in this world who show women no respect, yet see their bodies as a source of pleasure. While we, as Oiran, are offered protection from these men, we have all seen them stalk the streets of Yoshiwara. You, by comparison, continue to show respect, even when you find no pleasure in a woman’s form,” Saki said. “That certainly seems the more honourable conduct to me.”

Slowly, the young samurai lifted his face, glancing between both women. “I... I still feel I must apologise.”

“That’s why you’ve not dishonoured me,” Ranka replied, giving him a gentle smile. “I may be a bit disappointed that my charms failed, but you showed you trusted my opinion the entire time.”

Tousui nodded, gradually returning to a seated position, though he did not touch his rice just yet. “Still, I must learn, if I am ever to be a decent husband when my father decides I must wed.”

“A woman could certainly do worse for a husband than you,” Saki said. “The Shinzou girls have always said good things about you, and you have been kind to Fuji and I those rare times we’ve talked. A samurai’s wife is supposed to accept her husband having lovers... but if you offer her conversation and kindness, I rather suspect she’ll be glad for your company.”

Tousui nodded, before bowing again, this time to Saki. “Thank you for your advice. As well as hospitality... I... oh, maybe I shouldn’t be bowing quite so often with my head this sore.”

“You’re still not up for heading home?” Ranka asked, watching Tousui wince as he straightened back up.

“The code of the samurai says I should go on my own strength,” Tousui replied, before rubbing his forehead. 

“Saki, pass me a little rice,” Ranka said, sliding her empty bowl over. “I’ll help him home.”

After eating to return to male form, Ranmaru helped Tousui back downstairs to his apartment, giving the samurai a bit of water to drink. Ranmaru then hurried to change into something more street appropriate, blackening his hair and removing his makeup. Tousui proved how serious his headache was by barely noticing as Ranmaru changed in front of him.

Preparations finished, Ranmaru helped Tousui back up, and headed out to the lobby.

“Where are you going, Mei?” an accountant girl asked, as the pair of men approached the door.

“Master Akado is in no condition to return home on his own. He’s still half drunk, and has a severe headache,” Ranmaru explained.

“We can have a guard take him home?” the girl replied.

“Our guards wear the ageya’s symbol on their clothes. Him coming home in this state, this late into the morning, with a Yoshiwara guard would not reflect the best on his family,” Ranmaru countered. “Far more discrete to have me take him.”

“I, uh... Very well. He is one of our best customers. Discrete is best,” the girl conceded, waving the pair off.

Exiting Yoshiwara was easy enough with a man in Tousui’s condition. There were enough drunks in the gutters already. They were happy to let as many out as could leave, and let it be the general Edo authorities’ problem.

Tousui’s home was a fair walk from Yoshiwara, but had been built early enough in Edo’s construction to not be too far away. The closer one could be to the Shogun’s palace the better, and Yoshiwara sat nearly on the palace’s doorstep, having been established primarily to serve those men in the city on the Shogun’s request.

Dropping Tousui off, both Ranmaru and Tousui were able to honestly say he’d spent the night with a woman in Yoshiwara, though the claim he’d had more fun than planned was a bit of a stretch. The guards actually seemed quite thrilled with the news; Ranmaru could only guess that Tousui’s father had made his displeasure with his son known. As Ranmaru set off, he vaguely heard the guards asking for details, and struggled not to burst into laughter when Tousui replied, in a delightfully genuine tone: ‘surprisingly soft, especially in certain areas’.

Ranmaru held the laughter in for about a block, before it burst forth and he had to stop walking for a few moments to regain his composure. 

It left him in a better mood as he made his way casually back to Yoshiwara, seeing what was new down different streets than he’d walked down last time. 

Well, at least that mood lasted until he saw a familiar tree leaning over a familiar wall and realised his feet had led him back to Asa. He once again found himself able to see her, but with no plan of action once he crossed over that wall. Would she be happy to see him stumble in empty handed once again?

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