Winter Flower

🌸 |Chapter 3

The scent still lingered even if the young lord was out the yuujo's quarters. The gentle smell of sakura, it was still there. Shoto's memories for this night was unforgettable, especially because it was the Winter Flower who entertained him.

Rather, it was her who piqued his interest.

It was his first time in a brothel, yes, but the silver-headed yuujo made it harder for him to forget every single thing that happened in this place.

Her voice, her emotions...her tears...

It left him...wondering.

He had to admit, the yuujo already left an engraved mark on his mind. Unremovable and forever lingering.

Shoto went to the main counter and handed the pack of *Mon to the head of the brothel. "Here is my payment. It is for the whole night, so do not allow her to accept any man that is interested to buy her for tonight. Tell her to sleep and I shall visit as soon as I can."

The head of the brothel, Nemuri chuckled. "As you wish, young lord. But...may I ask if you do not mind, why her? Is it because of our beauty? Her elegance? Her peculiar looks?"

Shoto paused for a second to think, narrowing his eyes thought before eyeing the raven-haired woman.

"No. None of that actually."

Then he stopped, his *haori fluttering behind him as he turned his back towards the head of the brothel. His lack of an answer was certainly amusing for the head of the brothel. He was gold among the clients that Nemuri had. He was strange, in a certain way... 

But even though she was dumbfounded and confused at the mysterious words the young lord uttered, Nemuri bowed her head and watched him disappear from her sight. He was certainly a man of mystery, and Nemuri cannot read him at all. Most of the customers spend their night in this brothel, sleep here and have a feast. He did the opposite of what most people do. It was as if he only visited the brothel with no clear intentions.

Nemuri hummed in both fascination and curiosity. "I wonder what that kid got into?" She mumbled against her breath before turning to the direction where (Y/N)'s room was located.

Morning came as fast as a breeze, especially if you just slept. The nights at the Yoshiwara were awfully long because of the sinful wonders that are happening here in this land of red temptation, but to our Winter Flower, it was satisfyingly short.

Yes, she was relieved that her interaction with the young lord was cut short, but when Nemuri said that he will be coming back for her, it felt like she dug her very own grave.

(Y/N) let her long hair fall down to the below her waist. It was really long if it were to be seen untied, but most of the geishas and the other courtesans had longer hair than she had. It was tiring to even wash it before the shop completely opens at night, and it was even more irritating to tie it back.

But there is nothing that could be done other than to make it beautiful. She silently huffed before calling a kamuro to help her tie her hair. Although it was kind of messy and rushed since it was daylight, she did not care and continued on reading a book. She was in her peaceful hours until she was summoned to the second banquet room.

The second banquet room was smaller than the main one because of its purpose. It is used for private and small banquets. This is also where people in the brothel can talk privately, besides in their own rooms and quarters.

When she arrived, she saw a man, maybe at the same age as the young lord and was also wearing glasses. His physique was a little bit huge as if he was a bodyguard for a high-ranked person. She sat in front of the stranger and bowed, while the male bowed back.