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39 - beautiful lie
Yoshiwara, the district of pleasure and empty promises.
The beautifully painted fusuma slides open to the side gently, revealing the working oiran as she greeted the man waiting inside. "Good evening. Thank you for coming to our Kyõgoku house. I am called Chie. I hope tonight will be a delightful night for us. Please be gentle with me."
Eyeing the man in front of her, —who was sitting next to the window of the room— she gulped a little. Did I do it right? I didn't looks suspicious at all, right?
Despite the determined looks she gave to her junior slayer earlier, it didn't stop the pillar from sweating buckets under her kimono. Even if she is still currently hold her pillar status, the fact is that she was off-duty for a year. The kindness of the leader of the demon slayer corps, the oyakata, and her fellow pillar's support were the ones making her able to hold on to it.
But it wasn't like she just lingered around the headquarters or her own home.
For the past year, under oyakata's order, she has been one of the cultivators of the new demon slayers, just like her beloved adoptive father and mother. Full with passion, she helped grow the promising new slayers, with the hope it will help in supressing, or even obliterate the devils of the night.
Of course, her real identity must remain hidden. And thus, she wore one of her prized possession from during her training years.
Yes, her kitsune mask.
She smiled a little inside at the fond memory, remembering herself of the past a little.
She still remembered vividly, of how happy she was, together with her training comrades. None other than the two water breathing users, Giyū and Sabito.
It was a really fun time.
Slapping herself mentally, she stopped herself from getting completely distracted, as she finished scanning her supposedly customer.
One think the pillar realized was, this man, —who looked like on his later twenties— is already affected by the alcohol. He was drunk, his cheeks a little pink.
As she thought about it, the sweet smell of liquor entered her senses.
The look of melancholy was apparent in his eyes, gazing outside with such a sad look. His form was dejected, no excitement could be found.
"Mister, would you like to drink?"
Silence.
"Do you care for a smoke?"
Another silence.
Some minutes passed, and not even a single word uttered back.
Chihiro tried her best to keep on smiling, not wanting to be rude to the customer. But it could also pose a problem for her if she couldn't serve him. She looked up, searching for a way to at least got his attention.
The man continued to look outside, towards the glittering city. All kinds of people walked around. The emotions of so many people were mixed, everyday, on this district of pleasure.
She noticed how his eyes moved slowly, as if searching for something.
What could he possibly looked at?
"Are you looking for someone?"
He twitched.
Finally, after what feels like an eternity, a first genuine, visible response. It was as if he just realized the presence of another human.
The man turned his head, away from the window sight, and faced the woman in front of him. The distance between them still apparent.
The both of them remained silent, letting the silence once again dominating the room. This time, their eyes told each other stories untold by words.
"...Are you new here, Chie?"
The woman slightly nodded to the question, before letting out a quiet "I am."
"That explains."
Chihiro, a little confused by that statement, decided to stay silent.
"Come here." The man gestured his hand, signaling her to come next to him.
Elegantly sitting in seiza position, she moved a little, finding a more comfortable position. After settling down, the man came closer to her, ans finally put his head to her lap.
As he found comfort in his position, he sighed, feeling content.
"She used to do the same for me."
He stared to her eyes, looking at something, someone, but not her.
"Where are you, Ayaka?" He continued to mumble, even as it was only more for himself. "Why would you leave me?"
Tears rolled down his cheeks, onto the surface of her kimono.
"...Is that the one you are searching for?"
The man blinked, letting the tears fell down from his sight, as this time his gaze finally looked at the oiran serving him. "...Do you know her?"
Yoshiwara, the district of pleasure and empty promises.
Where you're allowed to lie for someone's fleeting happiness.
"She's a very good woman. Beautiful and talented, many people adore her."
In Yoshiwara, it wasn't uncommon for people, especially women, to disappear. Never again sighted.
Chihiro continued to hear the man's muffled voices —caused of tears and alcohol— with a melancholic expression. "She used to work here, at the Kyõgoku house. I was one of her frequent customers."
The man reached out his hand, putting in on the oiran's left cheek. Once again, his eyes looked past her.
"Then, it was around a month ago."
"What happened?"
"It was a fateful night for the both of us. And..." A fond look appeared on his face. "...We promised each other, we will one day get out of here, and get together."
In Yoshiwara, it also wasn't uncommon for people to come and fall in love. Then, they make promises.
Ones that couldn't be fulfilled.
"...What happened to that promise?"
The happiness on his face drained in an instant. It pained her to look.
"The next day, they told me."
"Hm."
"They told me, that she lost her footing. She... ran away from here."
Tragic stories, some passed on as rumours, it wasn't uncommon at all here. But, it won't stop becoming someone's sadness.
"I don't believe it. There's no way she ran away!"
The man suddenly got up, startling Chihiro.
"Ayaka, she— she is a really good woman. Kind, diligent, and hard working. There's no way she will lost her footing! Even the madam said it. And no one ever found her after that day."
The Blossom Pillar stopped and thought to herself. It is indeed... weird.
If what this man said is true, she didn't sound like someone who will run away just like that, especially after making a promise with someone she loves.
Losing her footing.
In Yoshiwara, women disappearing isn't uncommon. If the demon Uzui-san searched for is here, it will be a convenient reason for them.
And it will also explained why Uzui-san's wives weren't able to contact him anymore.
But, the demon shouldn't be able to eat their prey if they were disguising themselves as human here. So, are there any places they can store them?
The thought of the demon eating the lost women turned her stomach a little, making her feeling a little nauseous. But, the hope of them still alive brighten her even more.
She gripped her hand to the fabric of her kimono. Finally, the first actual clue of the demon. I need to investigate further.
But first...
Can I do something for this man?
Mentally noting to herself of what she need to do, she focused back to her current job.
Will it be responsible to tell him that he could maybe find his beloved?
Yoshiwara, the district of pleasure and empty pleasures.
Or it is a cruel, another hopeless promise?
Where you're allowed to lie for someone's fleeting happiness.
Or will that lie, is what will save him?
After the sudden outburst, that man looked more lifeless, hopeless than before. His previous escape through liquor, drunken endeavor in the district of pleasure has started to lost its effect.
He has once again found himself on the oiran's lap.
"Mister, would you like a drink?"
This time, unlike before, the man nodded, receiving the lady's offer. She poured him a drink, the same sweet smell entered her sense again.
"Will you sing me a song?"
Quite a time has passed, the man visibly getting drunk once more throughout the night. The sudden request caught her a little off guard. But maybe this will be a better way for her to help comfort him, rather than spouting pretty hollow promises.
In a world without you
I start losing light
Anything that I see
Only darkness
But when I close my eyes
Our memories spread out
All about you
You smiled
"After that day, I always come back here. I searched and searched for her, asking people around."
I want to meet you, I want to meet you
My tears won't stop
I want to meet you, I yell to you
I want to hear your voice
Once again please
In this emptiness, I am alone
For whom I lived for?
I can't hold it anymore
The man let out tears once again, slumber starting to overcome him.
"Is it my fault? Is it because she couldn't wait anymore, that she run away? To be with me?"
I love you
I want to meet you, I want to meet you My heart broken
I want to meet you, I don't want to forget you
If it's not you, there is no love
Our memories, I love you
"Hey, tell me. Will I able to meet her again?" His voice sounds desperate, full of longing.
Chihiro reached out her hand, covering the man's drowsy, dazed eyes.
Forever always
I want to meet you, I want to meet you
My tears won't stop
I want to meet you, I yell to you
I want to hear your voice
Once again
As her soothing voice reached the song's end, she gave the man a sad look, full of sympathy.
"I don't know."
She has chosen not to lie.
The man chuckled.
"In this kind of situation... you're supposed... to answer with... a lie..."
With that fumbled words, he has fallen asleep on her lap, a smile on his lips.
Yoshiwara, the district of pleasure and empty promises.
Where you're allowed to lie for someone's fleeting happiness.
Will you give them a beautiful lie under the moonlight?
———— ❁ ✿ ❁ ————
The man looks more or less like the one in this picture.
The song Chihiro's sang is Aitai Yo (I want to meet you) by Tanaka Kei. Check out the YouTube video!