Book #1: The Wind and The Rain: Kutzu and Namie

Chapter Three- Kutzu's beginning

Ding Dong, Namie rang the bell of Kutzu's beautiful apartment door her water bucket and poster in hand. As Namie waited she listened to the tip tapping of the rain, the sound of people in their houses drinking their afternoon tea, and the noise of the singles sliding together. The sliding opened and Namie spun around and saw a little old lady. She was rather fat and short. She had a hump back and a pure white kimono. She had raw hands with signs of work her hair was messy in a bun that was starting to look like a pony tail. 

This must be Kutzu's maid Namie thought.

 Then the old lady turned her head and yelled in a croaky old voice, "Kutzu! We have company." 

Immediately after the old lady screamed a gold kimono floated down the stairs. The figure got to the door and grabbed an umbrella and a coat. The figure was Kutzu. 

Kutzu then stepped out on the porch and said, "Who are you?"

 Namie opened her mouth but before she could say anything Kutzu asked, "What are you doing here, you interrupted my afternoon tea!"

 Namie handed Kutzu the poster and then said, "S---sorry."

 As Kutzu read the poster Namie listened to the rain. The rain sprinkled down on the shingles that hung over the apartment's musty stairs. Kutzu removed the poster from in front of her face. Her smooth face was now smiling with the sweetest smile Namie has ever seen.

 "Come on it out of the freezing rain!" Kutzu yelled " You must need a bath!"

 Namie followed Kutzu up the stairs and into the beautifully decorated living room. The old lady took off Namie's jacket. Namie took off her shoes and stood there. Kutzu pulled her by the sleeve of her kimono into a courtyard looking area. Then Kutzu pulled her into a room with a bamboo bath tub. Then Kutzu pulled off her obi, kimono, sashes, juban, and her bandage. Namie was standing there naked. Kutzu filled up the hot bathtub and put a ton of soap into the bath. Namie stepped into the hot bath and soaked up her worries. Soon after that the old lady came in the room with a tray of stuff. She sat next to the bath and pulled a bottle from the tray. The bottle was glass and had a cherry blossom sent to it. The old lady spoke, 

"I know what you're thinking, why is an old lady like me working with Kutzu? Well, I adore children and Kutzu to me is like a child," 

Namie nodded and said, "My full name is Namie Chi Lao, but you can call me Namie." 

The old lady poured the substance that was in the bottle onto Namie's head and rubbed it in. "My name is Matsu but I like people to call me Kiko but if you will, call me Kiko-san." 

Namie nodded her head. Kiko told her to dunk her head under the water. After she did that Kiko gave her a ginseng root and some sushi. Namie got out of the tub and stood there. Kiko came into the room with a silk juban and three sashes. She dressed Namie with the juban and one of the sashes then she went out of the room. The silk juban felt softer than anything she has ever worn. Kiko came back with a yellow silk kimono. 

"This is your bed kimono, you will wear this to bed, " She dressed Namie in the kimono and then tied it with another sash.

 Kiko then grabbed a orange fukuro obi off of the top shelf of the shelf in the room. Kiko tied it on Namie and then told her to follow her. Namie followed Kiko into the courtyard and then into the other part of the house. Then they went up the creaky steps and opened two sliding doors into a huge room. The room had beautifully polished tatami mats and three windows that were each covered by long silk curtains that were opened to reveal the rainy crowded streets. There was a futon covered in beautiful white sheets and red covers. The makeup stand had red paint and charcoal for a beautiful geisha makeup. The closet was a sliding door that led into over sixty elegant kimonos, obis, and jubans along with twenty pairs of geta shoes and tabi socks. 

Kiko put her hand on Namie's shoulder and said, "This will be your room,"

 Namie walked into the room and looked around. She smelt a sweet smell of jasmine tea and the sulfur like smell of the charcoal. 

"Get some sleep, Kutzu will wake you up later."

Namie went into the giant closet and grabbed a pair of tabi socks to put on. Then Namie went under the covers. She has never felt this comfortable.