Bouquets of Umbrellas

Part 2

Morning came, the warm rays of the sun seeping through the cracks of the balcony door. My head feels heavy as I open my eyes slowly. There is a weight on my shoulder and I see that Tadashi has his arm around me.

He stayed until morning. Clients never do that.

I focus on his sleeping face. There is one strand of hair that rests on his lips. His breathing is faint and relaxed. I felt my face go warm.

"You're art."

I cover my mouth. I didn't mean to say that out loud.

Luckily, he didn't nudge, and I smile. Gently, I lift his arm and slide out from under him.

If only I wasn't hungover and clumsy, then maybe I wouldn't have tripped on my robes and landed painfully and loudly on back.

Tadashi bolts upright at the sound, shouting something I did not catch.

I lay on back contemplating my life silently, my body throbbing from the impact.

Apparently, my situation was funny, because once Tadashi fixated on his surroundings he began laughing.

"Are you alright?" He lifts my head and places it onto his lap.

"I believe so."

"Do you have a bruise? The impact seemed like a rather painful one."

"I might. However, being hungover makes one feel rather numb."

"Numb?" He appears to be confused and I realize that it may be one of my weird quirks.

"Is that uncommon? For someone to feel numb after a night of frivolous drinking?"

Tadashi strokes my hair in thought. "It may just be an attribute you picked up...the numbness of countless years of pure lust; not a breath of legitimate, long lasting adoration."

"Love." I blurt out suddenly.

"Hm?"

I sit upright, my face looking out into the balcony. "I want it."

Tadashi doesn't say anything for a few moments but proceeds to laugh again. "Most definitely you will be my bride."

I scoff openly to my dismay. I cover my mouth and wince at myself. "I'm sorry."

"I promise I'll figure it all out." He seems lost in his own thoughts. I look away, slightly indifferent to his words.

"You must go before they take you away by force. It is already morning and I'm sure that you have things to do outside of these quarters."

He gets up hastily, as if I had reminded him that he has other duties to do besides me.

Surely enough, as if I had foretold it, two men enter and bark at Tadashi to get out. He looks back at me with a grin that completely highlights the idiocy of his goal. He is promptly smacked at the base of his neck and his smile contorts into a wincing scowl of pain.

After they had seen him out, I clean the room up and wash myself.

I felt shockingly fulfilled and almost proud of myself for enjoying myself as I descend the steps with a small skip to my movements.

"What a smile that man brings to my heart with his sheer blissful stupidity of how Yoshiwara business works." 

Yet, something in my being was completely and utterly certain that I will see him again. 

I head towards my designated cage and close my eyes as I settle into my position.

Re-opening them, I see that I am the only one with a bright look in their eyes and a gently pleasing load of hope in their chest.

"Pray, the most likely outcome will be that Tadashi won't ever accomplish getting me out of here." I said with the most glorious emotion and delightful smirk that had ever graced my body.