Victoria J Rose started as an 18-year-old American girl currently serving her last year in high school as an exchange student in Japan. She's absolutely in love with the Japanese culture and everything that goes along with it. This includes the anim...
Somehow I found myself standing along with my belongings outside of a prominent establishment in Shimabara. How did I end up here, you might ask? Well, I'll tell you. It all started when~Ha! You thought this was going to be some flashback-type shit. Nope! Look, Hijikata has this friend who runs this place. He's on pretty good terms with the head Geisha here. Whatever 'good terms' meant, I don't care. All I know is that she was more than happy to welcome me and shelter me until Itou was gone—or until you know—they killed him. I remembered this place from that time we visited on my birthday. I was hoping that I'd get to meet Miss Hayuna and the maiko girls Mika and Koyaki while I was here.
Saito-San had escorted me here safely. I was told Hijikata couldn't personally bring me because he was easily recognized by the citizens, compromising my safety. When I bid Saito farewell, I joked that he and the others had better use the red light district as an excuse to come visit me. The purple-haired male simply nodded and offered a slight bow before returning to the Yagi house. I sighed, having been left on my own. I don't think I've been this anxious since I left my family to go to school in Japan. It's like I'm leaving the nest all over again. The feeling never seems to get easier.
I cut my losses and picked up my clothes basket, entering the building. I'm immediately hit with the smell of burning incense. Not bad, but it was obviously meant to cover up the scent of something else I was not eager to find out. "Welcome, you must be her," A kind voice spoke. I turned to my right and found a heavily dressed-up woman sitting on a stool. It was obvious that she was waiting for me. "Hello, I'm Tori. Please take care of me," I introduced myself politely. She smiled warmly at me and opened her arms to hug me. She engulfed me, and I stiffened but eventually relaxed. "We are going to get along well, I can tell. You're so cute I can tell already that our customers will eat you right up" She beamed.
My expression turned into one of shock and disbelief. "Excuse me" My tone was flat, and my face held a blank look. She simply chuckled. "Don't act so surprised. You do know what this place is, right?" She sounded so carefree, as if she hadn't just suggested what she suggested. "Yes. But nobody told me-" "-Well, this is a business, young lady. We can't just let you stay for free. You gotta work," She nagged. Her expression was still rather delightful despite the situation. She spoke as if she could read my emotions, "Don't look so worried. Toshizou and I agreed that you'd be dismissed from any explicit work—well~, he said, 'Don't even think about letting those animals near her. Anyone who touches her dies' but I know what he meant," She explained, using her best impression of an angry Hijikata. It struck me when she mentioned the exact words he had uttered to her when discussing my placement. 'He threatened people...for me. Aww~' I mentally cooed. On the outside, all I managed to do in response was blink. "He must really care about you. That's so cute" She giggled to herself, making me blush madly.
The woman, who told me to call her Miss Akami, escorted me to the room where I'd be staying.
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