In the time of Japan's rule over Korea, the Korean population was divided into those fighting the oppression and those abiding by their new rulers in hopes to overcome poverty. After a great movement of resistance, families in favour of Japan started to leave their homeland to find new perspectives in the ruling country. It so happened that two families, who were neighbours, made their way together towards a new and hopefully better life near the city of Kyoto a few years after the movement.

The Jung family, consisting of the parents and their three sons, got hold of a small farm and regained their life as farmers. In order to show their high regards for their Japanese neighbours, they all had renamed themselves. Their family name had been changed as well. Their new and very reserved neighbours only knew them by the name Yamada. Their youngest son YunHo, who was born long after Korea had been annexed, only had a given Korean name because his grandfather had insisted on it. He was always called Saburou, and only heard his given name from the mother of his best friend.

Said best friend belonged to the Kim family who, just like their neighbours, found a new home in a village and lived near the farm of the now called Yamadas. They resided near a river and lived off of fishing. Their only son JaeJoong was the most loved by his four sisters. But his mother had insisted for his Japanese name to be Haruki when they had decided to change their names. She was the only one still using their given names despite having great sentiments for the Japanese. Still she refused to name herself Nakamura and stayed as the only Kim in the family.

As the years passed by, both families went through several hardships. Unpredictable weather that resulted in bad harvest, a sudden poisoning of water that caused fish to die and the Japanese population who barely recognizing their neighbours from Korea were a few of them.

The Jungs had lost their father to an illness and the oldest son was now in charge of the farm. He barely had enough food to bring everyone through the coming winter. With a heavy heart and his mother left in tears, it was decided that the youngest had to be given away. At the tender age of five YunHo was picked up by an artist who had been looking for a pupil some time and agreed to adopt the boy. JaeJoong's protests at his best friend so suddenly being dragged away, for forever, was a very tearful one unbeknownst that a time of departure was coming closer for him as well.

The daughters were mostly married off already but JaeJoong's parents once more faced poverty and starvation like they did back in their homeland. Already forced to sell off their youngest daughter to one of the many brothels in Shimabara, the father decided to sell off their last child too. JaeJoong's mother still bearing a grudge, insisted, that if he didn't want to find her dead, he would have to find an okiya that would be willing to take care of her beloved son. With grinding teeth he had agreed, and without any explanation or a word of goodbye, JaeJoong was picked up in the middle of the night by two strangers and taken away. The desperate howling of his mother was still ringing in his ears as he tearfully stared back at his home growing smaller and smaller as the carriage made its way further towards Shimabara located in Kyoto.

JaeJoong was intimidated by the full streets and bellowing voices of people in the crowd as the five-year-old was being dragged through the busy streets of Shimabara. His big eyes couldn't yet process the young females presented behind barred big windows who were being scrutinized by possible customers or the complex attire of white masked women scurrying with tiny jingling steps past him in small but fast strides.

Crossing a street, JaeJoong was led to a plain wooden building framed by small sized willow trees with a red paper lantern hanging at the entrance. He was not very fluent in reading Japanese, even less in Korean, but even then he wouldn't know the meaning of okiya. Without any word he was shoved through the entrance by the one of the men who brought him to that place. He stumbled on his feet and fell into the arms of a small girl barely a few years older than him.

The girl blinked at him and shoved him to the floor when she hurried out of the door with an umbrella in her hand.

“I hope you brought a good one this time, Yamato,“ a stern female voice resounded in the hallway. JaeJoong blinked furiously and nervously gulped down a fit of air to calm down his racing heart when he sensed the owner of the voice walking towards the entrance.

“Got a pretty face,“ was Yamato's raspy reply. JaeJoong took a few steps back when he saw an elder woman appearing in front of him.

A delicate eyebrow rose at the comment and immediately piercing dark brown eyes turned and locked with JaeJoong's widened ones. “Hmm,“ she mused. With slightly narrowed eyes she got hold of JaeJoong's chin and forced his face a little up to scrutinize his looks.

“Pretty enough,” she muttered whilst turning JaeJoong's head from left to right. “Eyes are a bit too big though,” she commented further as her sharp fingernails scraped slightly over JaeJoong's tender skin. “Huh, teeth are not that bad either,” she noted quite surprised still inspecting the features of the five-year-old.

Once she let go of him, JaeJoong scrunched his nose in displeasure and massaged his cheeks with his small hands. A soft rustling filled the entrance when the landlady retrieved a small pouch from the short sleeve of her kimono.

“For your effort,” she declared and threw the pouch across the entry hall. A soft chink resounded when Yamato caught his payment with an experienced hand. With a curt nod and a short but deep bow he left the entrance without any other word.

The landlady took out and enlightened a petite pipe resting in her obi. Whilst turning around she took a long drag off the pipe and walked a few steps inside the house. JaeJoong, being left behind, let his eyes wander around the entrance of this new place that he was forcibly brought to. His little heart hammered in his chest when he eyed the wooden sliding door and the amount of getas neatly lined on a side of the entrance hall.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Follow me,” the voice of the landlady echoed through the hallway, making JaeJoong wince at the demanding tone. Gulping down his dry throat, he followed the demand and hurried after the woman whom he established to be the one who owned the house, by now. His and slightly dirty feet pitter-pattered over the wooden floor when he trudged after her.

“Do you know where you are?” she asked rather experienced than with interest when she led the young boy through the hallway and past a staircase. JaeJoong barely shook his head when a meek “no” crossed his lips.

“I figured. None of you country rubes ever know.” The sarcasm in her voice went beyond JaeJoong's naïve understanding. “You're in an okiya, and I am the okāsan of this place,” she explained when she led JaeJoong into a room at the end of the hallway. She motioned for him to sit down at the desk of what seemed to be an office. Hesitatingly JaeJoong complied when the okāsan made herself comfortable as she took another drag from her pipe before puffing out a ball of smoke.

“Do you know what an okiya is?” This time JaeJoong only shook his head in negative reply. “In this house live geishas who work for me and maikos who are training to become a geisha someday. I hope you at least know what a geisha is?” At that JaeJoong furrowed his eyebrows in deep thought. He wasn't particularly sure what kind of profession being a geisha was, but he recalled overhearing a conversation once between two higher-ups of his village. He had to gulp down and try to hold back the tears welling up at the thought of his home. He barely nodded as a response.

“Good. If you're talented enough I am sure you can become a maiko and train to become a geisha someday.” Confused JaeJoong wanted to object, after all, how could a boy like him could ever be a geisha? He without doubt wasn't a girl. But before he could utter a word, the okāsan continued.

“What's your name?” JaeJoong blinked in thought. Which name should he reply with? Out of habit he simply replied, “Haruki.”

He earned a short hum at his response before the okāsan took another drag from her pipe. An unbearable silence enfolded between them and JaeJoong felt more and more uncomfortable with each passing second. He just wanted to get back home, not yet realising that he would stay here for a very long time from hereon.

A soft jingling resonated from the entrance hall and ripped through the silence. The soft rustling of fabric following along the hallway caught JaeJoong's attention and curiously he listened to that rustling sound coming closer towards the office.

The sliding door slid open slightly and the small girl whom JaeJoong previously had stumbled into appeared.

“Ran-sama has returned,” she softly announced and bowed deeply with her forehead reaching the ground when the okāsan ushered them inside. The girl opened the door entirely and hurried into a corner when she bowed down to welcome the geisha that had returned from an arrangement.

JaeJoong had followed the happenings with growing wonder and confusion and found himself awestruck when the announced Ran-sama gracefully shuffled inside. JaeJoong was sure that he had never seen someone, even something, as pretty as this Ran-sama.

Long, shiny black hair was artfully arranged into a updo which was decorated with silver hair pins from which white orchids were hanging. The white masked skin seemed to highlight her dark brown eyes and a small heart shaped spot of red framed the center of her full lips.

The kimono was just as beautiful as the person wearing it. A sober red was decorated with blossoms of orchids and the sober yellow obi completed the marvellous sight. Once the geisha came into the room and gracefully knelt down just a few centimetres in front of him, she started telling the okāsan of this night's business and JaeJoong could barely follow the conversation they were having.

“As always a job well done, my dear Ran-chan,” the okāsan remarked proudly and said one bowed in gratitude. JaeJoong retrieved his eyes immediately when the geisha curiously glanced at him from the side.

“A newcomer?” said Ran-chan and the soft baritone note in her voice made JaeJoong blush.

“Ah, yes. I would like to put our little Haruki in your care.” A soft chuckle broke out from Ran-chan.

“Of course. Who else could take him under their wing? I doubt Makoto-oneechan or Hikari-oneechan would be of much help.”

“I see you understand.” By this time JaeJoong was far too confused to follow what was happening around him.

“Well then, little one., follow me,” Ran directly addressed JaeJoong. He furiously blinked and hurried to get up when the older one gracefully rose to her feet. “Akane, you may stay behind,” Ran addressed the girl who bowed deeply in response and without a second thought JaeJoong followed behind the geisha when they made their way into the hallway.

He was led halfway back towards the staircase he previously had crossed which led onto the second floor of the house. The second hallway had four rooms and JaeJoong assumed that each belonged to a geisha living in the okiya. He was led to the end of the short hallway and on the right the geisha knelt down and gently slid the door open.

“From tomorrow onwards this will be your task, you understand?” Ran gently explained and JaeJoong nodded. “Well then, hurry inside. You will be sleeping in my quarters for the time being.” JaeJoong hesitated to enter before the older one but an encouraging smile from the geisha made him comply.

“S-sorry for intruding,” JaeJoong muttered softly and slipped inside. The small room was sparsely furnitured and he could only assume that the paravent would be the only thing separating his futon from the one of his new tutor.

“Make yourself comfortable, don't mind me,” the older muttered and before JaeJoong could kneel down in a corner of the room, the geisha had gracefully floated towards a small commode. JaeJoong curiously watched her as started to clean the white masked off of her skin.

“Haruki was your name, right?” Ran asked JaeJoong and eyed the boy through her mirror whilst revealing inch by inch of her skin.

“Uhm, yes,” JaeJoong replied a little hesitant because his spoken Japanese was still not as fluent as his father always had wanted it to be.

Ran hummed. “You're not from here, are you?”

JaeJoong shook his head. “I'm from Ūji.”

“You haven't been there for long though,” Ran deadpanned and JaeJoong was unable to reply when the other's dark brown eyes pierced through him. “You're from Chōsen, are you not?” This had JaeJoong dumbstruck.

“H-how do you know?” he all but whispered and a knowing smile scurried over the older's now unmasked rosy lips.

“Your pronunciation gives it away a little. It's mostly because of the shape of your eyes though. They're a bit bigger than those of a Japanese,” Ran explained and kept cleaning her skin. JaeJoong kept silent after that.

“What's your given name?” she asked and JaeJoong stayed silent a little longer.

“JaeJoong,” was his whispered reply and Ran hummed in recognition.

A strangely comfortable silence overcame them in which JaeJoong just watched how inch by inch of a white mask was removed from slightly sunkissed skin.

“E-excuse me, Ran-sama,” JaeJoong found the heart to address the other when a persistent question kept nagging him to be answered.

“If you are wondering, whether you originally coming from Chōsen might be an obstacle in you becoming a geisha one day, I can partially calm you down. The more successful you are, the less it will matter to your customers.”

JaeJoong furrowed his eyebrows at that as he saw the older removing the complex hair decoration. “But I'm a boy,” was all he could mutter when he still didn't understand why everyone in this okiya was so sure of him training to become a geisha.

A low chuckle turned into an amused hearty and slightly raspy laughter. “You might want to reconsider my , little one,” was Ran's amused reply whilst turning around to show JaeJoong their unmasked appearance.

JaeJoong was flabbergasted, to say the least, when he registered well-defined cheekbones, the smallest hint of a shadow of stubbles above a slender upper lip and could make out the softest bump of an Adam's apple. He felt heat rising to his cheeks when he realised that the geisha in front of him wasn't a young woman as he had thought her to be but a young man and still the most beautiful person he had ever seen.

JaeJoong's training started right away the very next morning. He was to follow around his oniisan to his lectures, carry his umbrella in case it might rain, do errands whenever needed and clean the house in the early hours. Akane, barely a few years older than him, explained to him the rules of the house when on cleaning duty and accompanied him on his errands to make sure that he wouldn't get lost.

One day he had an errand to pick up a new kimono for his oniisan from a well-known designer in Shimabara and despite his older companion asking him to hurry, he couldn't suppress the need to marvel at the cherry blossoms in full bloom, standing near a small river crossing through the entire district.

“Haruki! You really need to hurry up!” Akane called out to him when he once more stopped and stared at a tree.

“Coming!” was his only reply when he skipped over a small wooden bridge.

“Haru-chan?” He stopped immediately at the inquisitive manner that called out his name. Aside from his family there had only been one person to call him by that name. He turned around on the midway of the bridge and found a very familiar faced boy on the other side who was carrying some painting utensils with him.

“Sabu-chan!” he exclaimed excitedly and despite his companion complaining about his act, he hurried back to the street and pounced onto his friend. The utensils scattered to the ground as the two boys fell onto the street in a fit of laughter and joyful tears.

“I'm so glad. I thought I'd never see you again!” JaeJoong declared relieved at seeing his friend once again whilst wiping tears from the corners of his eyes.

“I could say the same!” YunHo exclaimed and hugged his friend tight to his chest. “But Haru-chan, what are you doing here?” he asked flabbergasted when he let go of JaeJoong. He really didn't expect to find his friend here, of all places.

Heat rose to JaeJoong's cheeks. “Dad sold me to an okiya,” he all but whispered, with his eyes cast down onto the road and the tears of frustration welled up again at the still fresh memory.

“So you're doing errands for the house?” YunHo asked and wondered why a boy like JaeJoong was sold to a geisha house in the first place. Despite his sensei regularly visiting this part of Kyoto for enjoyment as well as work, he still didn't understand much of the peculiarity of Shimabara.

“Ran-oniisama says I could make a good geisha one day,” JaeJoong replied meekly and his cheeks softly flushed. The same flush crossed YunHo's cheeks when he fully registered JaeJoong's answer.

“Oh,” was all he could muster to say and a short awkward silence enveloped them. YunHo started collecting the scattered utensils of his sensei to overcome the silence a little with JaeJoong handing him a brush that had landed near his feet.

“Do you come here often?” JaeJoong asked curiously when he handed YunHo another brush.

“Sometimes, when sensei is on an errand for a new painting. I think that most of times he combines it with his amusement though. I don't know why else he sometimes ushers me out,” YunHo mumbled, his eyebrows furrowed in thought.

“Then we can meet!” JaeJoong exclaimed excitedly whilst clapping his hands to which YunHo responded with a joyful smile of his own. However, before they could think of a way on how to meet in this district full of scattered streets and houses that they were still not familiar with, Akane waltzed over and grabbed JaeJoong by his arm. She had had enough.

“Stop chatting up with your friend. If you miss this errand I will have to tell okāsan about this and then you will never see him again,” she snarled into JaeJoong's face and the young boy swallowed in fear. He for sure didn't want that to happen. He mouthed a short apology and goodbye to his friend who simply waved after him in understanding. JaeJoong didn't dare to anger Akane any more after that and dutifully completed his errand on time. They didn't talk about this incident any further, not that Aakane ever talked to him more than necessary about the day afterwards.

When Akane still stayed tight-lipped around JaeJoong after a week had already passed, the latter started to worry that the older girl might hate him for finding his childhood friend. She after all had been brought here from her home as well, all alone, and hadn't seen any of her childhood friends for four years.

On JaeJoong's first day to join his oniisan during a lecture as a pupil, Akane seemed to be more tight-lipped than ever. It crushed the boy's hope to maybe become her friend one day.

“What's with that sullen face, little one?” Ran remarked when his little companion was unusually silent around him. Normally the boy would hop around the streets and marvel at the blossoms to Ran's amusement. He had hoped the younger would be able to keep this joy despite the life awaiting him as a geisha.

“I think Akane-chan hates me,” JaeJoong replied softly after a few minutes of silence and Ran hummed in understanding.

“Why would you think that?” he asked and led JaeJoong further through the streets towards a high wooden building JaeJoong by now knew was a facility to train maikos and geishas likewise in the arts of their profession.

“She hasn't been talking to me ever since I met Sabu-chan,” JaeJoong muttered and the softest hint of a pout graced his lips. He didn't register Ran's scrutinizing gaze when the older recalled his words.

“Sabu-chan,” he softly repeated. “A friend of yours?”

“The bestest!” JaeJoong excitedly exclaimed without thinking and didn't notice the melancholy crossing Ran's features. He really didn't want to be the one to break the possibility of this friendship not working out in this place to JaeJoong and neither did he want their okāsan to find out. As understanding and accommodating she might was, she really didn't fancy her personnels interacting with anyone she didn't know or approved of.

“I think I can ease your thoughts a little,” Ran quickly changed the topic and promised himself he would talk about this friendship together with JaeJoong sometime later. JaeJoong curiously stared at him and the older couldn't suppress a smile at the big eyes so innocently gazing up at him. He ruffled through JaeJoong's hair, much to the smaller's protest, and continued, “Akane received news that weren't so good, that's all.”

“What kind of news?” JaeJoong asked once they reached the house and slid the door open for his oniisan.

“Unlike you, she will not be trained,” was Ran's simple reply when he slipped out of his getas and stepped into the hallway. JaeJoong stayed dumbstruck behind. He had always been sure that Akane was in training already and that she would become his partner in training. “Don't be sad. She will stay in the okiya, and one day she will laugh together with you again,” Ran's voice echoed through the hallway and with a soft hum JaeJoong followed his oniisan. He really wondered if he was able to follow today's lecture in dancing without thinking too much about Akane.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, months into a year and with each passing trial lesson a marvellous talent solidified within JaeJoong. The boy inherited every lesson with ease. Graceful movements came off to him naturally and even the play of the shamisen seemed to be of no difficulty to him. He was still too young to officially become a maiko but the okāsan was very pleased with having him under her roof. She was sure that by the time of his debut, which would be in about one or two years, every other okiya would eat their hearts out.

Seeing that JaeJoong would have a bright future ahead as a geisha, Ran eyed the boy's seldom but naïve success to meet his childhood friend with growing worry. It led him to one night, after JaeJoong had returned once again from one of his meetings, to a heavy but very much needed talk.

“We need to talk about your friend,” was all he whispered when JaeJoong slipped into the room he had assumed to be as dark as the remains of the house only to find a single candle lit and his oniisan awaiting him on his futon.

JaeJoong didn't dare to say a word and knelt down on the ground with his eyes cast onto the ground. He waited for his oniisan's words with a thumping heart and nervously chewed on his bottom lip.

“It's not that I have something against you and him meeting, it's just that in this district and with you belonging to this profession, your friendship simply is impossible,” Ran declared in a soft voice in an attempt to not wake anyone in the house and silenced JaeJoong's objection with a raised finger. “I know you find this unfair, and believe me, you ever will, but that's how the world in Shimabara works. You will be, no, you are a geisha. You do what you are booked and paid for. Your feelings regarding friendship, let alone love, are of no importance to our okāsan, nor the okiya, and the least to your future customers. They pay for your arts, for your profession to entertain them. Nothing more, and nothing less.”

By the time Ran finished the blatant truth, a single tear rolled down JaeJoong's cheek. He had always known that his carefree life as he had imagined it to be in the okiya was not carefree. He had always known that despite the joy he felt when basking in the arts he ha learned over time, he wouldn't like the life laid out for him. He had known that Ran did not love his profession, that the older one had simply gotten used to it.

He sniffled softly when Ran wiped away the tears from his face and hiccuped a soft apology. “Just promise me to be careful,” was all the older breathed and JaeJoong promised him just that with a slight nod of his bowed head. He was sure that YunHo would be understanding and thus a secret spot was created in which they exchanged messages on a regular basis.

Over the next two years the two had written hundreds of secret messages to each other and barely met twice every three months. When JaeJoong turned nine their meet ups had to be reduced drastically since he officially was to become a maiko in that year. It was quite exciting for him to officially accompany his oniisan to his arrangements and thus being adopted by the older as his brother. That was probably the most exciting thing for him. He was also very curious about the name the older would give him once he would enter the professional world as a geisha in training.

“I can't recall every being so excited when I was adopted, let alone before my debut,” Ran exclaimed very amused when JaeJoong nervously tugged on the bloomy sleeve of his kimono whilst the older gently arranged his now shoulder-length hair into a casual but elegant updo and decorated it with a shiny hair pin full of butterflies hanging in an intricate design.

“Are you making fun of me?” JaeJoong protested and pouted endearingly at the older. Ran shook his head with a genuine smile.

“Not in the slightest,” was his simple reply and he couldn't deny that he really looked forward to being JaeJoong's big brother. Taking a last glance at JaeJoong's appearance he nodded with satisfaction. “There, all set,” he declared and JaeJoong couldn't suppress the need to take a look at the mirror.

“I think I haven't seen you speechless once in the past four years since I've known you,” Ran chuckled when JaeJoong marvelled at his own sight. When he first saw the kimono Ran had picked for him, he hadn't expected for the pastel coloured piece to fit him so well, much more so the sleeves of the kimono whose ends were decorated entirely with colourful rosy red flowers that swept the ground with each movement he made.

“Are you sure that's me?” JaeJoong all but whispered and wondered if the fair skinned face looking back at him from the mirror with its full red lips and big brown eyes really belonged to him.

“Very sure. I am certain you will make it hard even on me to keep my customers,” Ran replied and JaeJoong wasn't sure whether the older was serious or making a simple joke.

The adopting ceremony itself was just a simple ceremony where of JaeJoong acknowledged Ran as his big brother and by that as his instructor, and Ran did so as his little brother and pupil. It was then revealed that Ran had chosen Ren to be JaeJoong's new name among the geishas, specifically Chiisai Ren – little Lotus. With that JaeJoong was officially registered as a geisha in training at the registration office in Shimabara.

His debut as a maiko followed shortly after in one of Ran's regularly visited teahouses and an arrangement with his longest patron. For this event Ran did not appear white masked, but with a simple and light make-up thus JaeJoong shone even brighter next to him in his full attire. His hair had been arranged into the same updo as on his adoption ceremony and shiny ornamental butterflies adorned the whole of his head. The white mask made his face glow and his eyes appear bigger as they were highlighted with a black line on the eyelids. His cheeks had been rouged softly and he was certain that the nervous flush would not shine through the heavy make-up. A heart-shaped spot of red graced the center of his full lips, just like back then when he last had seen his oniisan in his complex attire for the very first time. By now the older only appeared like this for very formal and special events.

With every jingling step he took next to his companion, the people passing by them on the street curiously eyed him. Some blatantly stared at him, awestruck at his exuding beauty, and Ran noted with a notch of amusement the children just a few heads smaller than he was excitedly pointing at his brother. Even his kimono outshone the one of Ran, a design that had a colourful mix of red roses together with white lotuses decorating most of the dark blue fabric made the kimono with a single line of roses at the hem pale in comparison.

Despite his outstanding appearance, JaeJoong was interacting more in the background as it was meant to be. He served the gathered group their meal as well as refilled their small bowls with sake. The atmosphere was light and the conversation was mostly led by Ran and his patron. JaeJoong barely talked, unless encouraged by his oniisan, and dutifully finished his tasks with a constant small smile on his lips. Curiously JaeJoong watched Ran in hopes to learn simply from following his movements and the flow of the conversations. For the split of a second he wondered if there was more depth to the relationship his older brother had with his long-time patron.

“You are still too young to deal with that subject, but Ishida-san is my danna,” Ran explained on their way back after they had exited the arrangement when the younger couldn't hold back his question.

“Danna?” JaeJoong repeated confused and wondered about the peculiarity of this terminology. He could tell that it was one of importance.

“A benefactor, if you want to call it that. He will pay for your expenses, mostly in form of new kimonos and ornaments, and might as well will ask for your time outside of arrangements if he wishes to,” Ran explained further and clarified, that with the help of a danna one could be bought free from the okiya but at the same time would stay dependent on their danna. “It is possible that he asks for ual services, which of course you do not have to abide by, but to keep him in your favour it would be needed.”

JaeJoong kept silent throughout the explanation and felt the heat in his cheeks when the words fully registered to him. “Do you and Ishida-san ...”, he whispered and before he could end his question, the other beat him to it.

“Once in a while,” Ran replied and answered the question that was on JaeJoong's lips right after, “I do not love him though, if you are wondering about that, but I have great sentiments for him. He simply wants to enjoy my company as a male, who is easily mistaken as a woman, to spare his wife and children the agony of openly seeking the company of the few known brothels with male es.”

JaeJoong stayed silent after that, pondering about Ran's words and contemplated whether to ask him further about this matter or not, all the while the jingling of his bells neatly tied to his getas accompanied them on their way back home.

“Do I have to have a danna?” he asked after a while and Ran hummed in thought.

“Not necessarily. It can ease your life in this world a little, but it is not needed. If you were to ask okāsan however she would insist to get one. It would bring her more money and it might even help you to reduce your debt coming with your living expenses as well as the expenses in training and clothing.”

“What if I don't fancy men in that way?” JaeJoong shyly asked and wondered how anyone could come to terms with their uality under such circumstances.

Ran snorted a little at that which had JaeJoong taken aback. “I believe I have to destroy that bubble for you, dear Ren-chan. It does not matter what you prefer. In general, of course, it is expected that men marry women and have pretty little babies. In here, however, things are different especially for the es of any gender as well as for us geishas. None of us gets asked which gender we prefer, nor is it of any interest for our okāsans or owners of the house.” Ran sighed heavily when he finished the statement and JaeJoong could feel the frustration that had built up inside the older man over the past years. “I personally would love to marry a wonderful woman and have a dozen children if I could,” he finally breathed and JaeJoong witnessed the sorrow crossing his features.

They didn't talk any further for the rest of the way back; JaeJoong mostly because he didn't want to cause the other any more hurt nor did he want to hear more of the sad truth, and Ran simply didn't want to sulk any longer.

When they reached the okiya and quickly reported their okāsan on how JaeJoong's debut as maiko went, none of the sullen feelings surfaced. Ran had perfected to mask his feelings for a long time and it seemed that JaeJoong was a very fast learner in this aspect as well. When they returned to their now separate quarters however, the sullen atmosphere enveloped them once more.

“Do me a favour, little Lotus,” Ran softly called out when both had opened their sliding door across from one another. JaeJoong hummed and cocked his head in expectation. “Be careful with your feelings for that boy. You grow up faster in here than he does out there and I don't want you to get hurt in any way.”

JaeJoong gulped at that and if not for the white mask covering his skin, Ran would have been able to see the skin paled with that remark. He had hoped that his feelings towards YunHo wouldn't surface that much considering that he was still so young, but he realized that Ran was right and he had just grown up faster mentally than his friend. A soft promise was stammered out, albeit he was certain that Ran would do anything in his might to help JaeJoong out if ever he got into trouble because of his strictly forbidden romantic feelings.

Like the growing list of customers interested in JaeJoong's company over the years, his feelings for YunHo grew with every rare secret meeting they had which always happened in the nightly hours and never near the okiya. Most of times YunHo seemed delighted to finally see him again and sometimes JaeJoong felt a weird distance between them which he couldn't explain. Strangely it happened ever since JaeJoong had received news of the date of his debut as a full geisha, and thus the date of his mizuage. He did not particularly look forward to his deflowering at the tender age of 14, as Ran had explained the event. He couldn't deny though that he looked forward to fully use his artful entertainment skills.

When YunHo once again showed up with a sour face upon their meeting shortly before the announced date, JaeJoong all but fumed because of the sour mood.

“What's up with you these days? When we meet you're all sour and tight-lipped and your messages are not more than a word. You know, if you don't want to meet or stay friends, fine, whatever,” JaeJoong declared in a harsh but hushed tone and glared at his friend who by now had grown a head taller than himself and had successfully entered the world painting like his sensei.

Taken aback YunHo's features lightened immediately when he realized JaeJoong's words. “What? No! I don't want to cancel our friendship, not ever,” he replied flabbergasted and JaeJoong's glare softened. “It's just.”

“'It's just' what? Is something bothering you?” JaeJoong asked very confused, and despite being relieved that he wouldn't lose YunHo still felt a little irritated.

“I don't know. It just irks me that you're spending so much time with all those men,” YunHo replied and bashfully blushed when he registered the stupidity of his words.

“Seriously? That's bothering you? Is it because my quite coerced profession is not to your liking? It's not like you don't spend a lot of time with others in regards to your profession either,” JaeJoong retorted and even YunHo couldn't deny the sarcasm latched in his voice.

“All right, all right. I'm sorry. I know it's stupid, but I just can't help it,” YunHo declared with his hands raised in surrender when he had to admit that JaeJoong was of course right. With a huff JaeJoong accepted YunHo's apology and let go of the topic. He really didn't want to let their short meeting end up in a meaningless argument.

“So, are you having a new project coming or are you still walking aimlessly around and paint whatever catches your interest?” JaeJoong asked with a playful smile, very certain that it would trigger YunHo's pride.

“Hey, I never walk around aimlessly. I always have a purpose.” JaeJoong's smile widened when YunHo caught the bait.

“If I may remind you, you said yourself that you like to take a walk without any real destination and paint whatever catches you.”

YunHo face-palmed in digress. “The things you remember. That was like aeons ago!” JaeJoong simply shrugged and bumped YunHo's shoulder when they set down on a small boulder.

“So? What about a new project?”

YunHo sighed. “I've gotten a request to paint the Fuji-san in different aspects, different seasons and during different weather. I probably will be gone for a few months, perhaps longer.”

As excited as JaeJoong was for YunHo he felt a sudden tug beneath his feet and was glad to be sitting. “Oh,” was all he could manage as a reply and almost forgot to congratulate him on this opportunity.

“This shouldn't be about me though, I mean, it's your big day soon,” YunHo hastily changed the topic and stopped a forced smile when JaeJoong frowned.

“I'm not particularly looking forward to that,” JaeJoong simply replied and hoped that YunHo would understand without him to actually say the words. He really didn't want to talk about his mizuage. He had barely even been listening to Ran and okāsan when they had revealed the highest bidder. He could recall Ran ensuring him that he was a fine man, despite his age being three time more than JaeJoong's, and as careful as gentle.

YunHo thankfully didn't pry any further and thus silence overcame them which was filled with the chirrs of the cicadas.

“I guess this means a big change in our lives,” he finally muttered and JaeJoong hummed in agreement whilst resting his head onto YunHo's shoulder. They used to do this often, but this time it somehow had a melancholic touch to it.

YunHo's departure from Kyoto followed right after the week of their last meeting and JaeJoong couldn't bring himself to enjoy the preparations for his mizuage and his debut at all.

“You promised,” Ran simply whispered when he was doing JaeJoong's hair and the younger could only sigh. Of course he remembered his promise.

“I know,” he barely replied and gulped down the lump in his throat when Ran gently rubbed along his shoulders in sympathy.

“There, all set,” Ran declared with an ensuring smile which JaeJoong barely was able to reproduce and reciprocate. “Don't worry. He'll take good care of you,” the older breathed when he thumbed JaeJoong's cheeks. By then JaeJoong already knew that he was speaking of his own experience.

The ceremony was a simple one following the traditions. Not many words were spoken between the patron known for his gentle hands among the geishas, especially the male ones, and JaeJoong when they bowed to each other in greeting in a chamber specifically reserved for this event.

The act itself was not of much peculiarity, only serving the purpose of entering the adulting world and thus the profession of a true geisha. Once finished with the ritual the patron left right away with a deep bow of gratitude, leaving JaeJoong to his thoughts. He felt weirdly estranged from his body and was sure that despite the other being indeed very gentle with him, he would feel uncomfortable for quite some time.

With the passing months JaeJoong's fame in Shimabara grew with every arrangement he was attending. The patrons liked him for his ethereal looks, his exceptionally good manners, witty but clever conversations as well as his graceful skills in the entertaining arts. He was however mostly loved for his talent of playing the shamisen. Not many were able to create a wonderful melody with the stringed instrument as JaeJoong could and even the elder among his regulars found his play fascinating.

Despite enjoying the possibilities to indulge himself in the arts of his profession and his okāsan not insisting on him to make arrangements on finding a suitable danna as he brought her home more money than she had expected, JaeJoong did not feel satisfied. Ran was the only one who know what was bothering him and the older couldn't hold it against him. Even though he had warned the younger years ago, JaeJoong had deeply fallen in love with his best friend and thus YunHo's absence brought his feelings into turmoil.

The months had quickly passed into a year and upon his regular visit to the secret spot, JaeJoong found his several letters to be gone and a new single one to be resting in the hideout. With a thumping heart JaeJoong grabbed the envelope and a familiar handwriting greeted him. A bright smile stretched onto his lips. He hurried back to the okiya, silently rushing through the hallways back into his quarters where he lit a candle and immediately read through YunHo's letter in which he announced his return after a successful project and a promise that he would message him soon again with a date for a possible meeting once he had read through all of JaeJoong's letters.

JaeJoong was content enough to wait a little while longer until he could see YunHo again, very much hoping that the other had missed him as much as he had.

With growing anxiety JaeJoong awaited a message each day wherein Ran made fun of his giddiness when the two of them were alone but reminded him often to be careful. When a message finally reached him after another month he was a little taken aback. It did have a fixed up date for their meeting but the letter itself was very distant and didn't have anything else written in it.

JaeJoong felt a little anxious and agitated when the date of their meeting quickly approached. He really wondered what had gotten into YunHo from his joyful return to the distant upcoming meeting. As always he slipped out of the sleeping okiya in the height of the night and rushed on silent feet towards the hideout of their meeting. Surprisingly this time it was YunHo who was awaiting him.

“Sorry, did I keep you waiting?” he apologized in a hushed voice with a smile. But that smile quickly turned into a frown when YunHo barely acknowledged his entrance with a grumpy hum. “Woah, woah. What's bitten you?” he called out, very surprised at the behaviour and halted midway on his way to their small wall.

“The fact that you're obviously enjoying the company of old men,” YunHo chuntered with a sour expression whilst kicking away a pebble that lay on his way.

“Excuse me?” JaeJoong countered, angry at the fact that YunHo obviously still seemed to have a problem with his profession. There he had been, longingly waiting for YunHo's return, and this was how the other welcomed him back after a year of departure? JaeJoong normally was a very patient person but this instantly let him lose his temper. “You come here after travelling around for a year, having nothing better to say than to insult me and my profession? Don't I even get a word of greeting or that you might have missed me? Who do you think you are? Do you think you're any better with your profession than I am? Well, I am sorry to say this, but neither you nor me had the chance to pick their profession on their own free will!”

By the time JaeJoong had ended his raging, tears of frustration were running freely along his cheeks as hot as the rage he was feeling that made YunHo, albeit flabbergasted, as much irritated as JaeJoong was.

“Well, yes, you could've chosen not to train as a geisha? Or do you enjoy it so much to be pampered by other men and serve them however they please?” Before YunHo could even fully register what was happening, he had JaeJoong's fist flying towards his face that had him stumble backwards.

“I could've chosen, you say. If I could've chosen anything then I for sure wouldn't have wanted to leave our home and land here of all places. If I could've chosen, then I would be living in a small house far away from anything and anyone. If it were possible then I for sure would have chosen to not love a douchebag like you.” JaeJoong was in tears by the time he had ended his rant and stared at a flabbergasted YunHo.

“What?” was all the other could mutter.

“Don't 'what' me. I may not have been very vocal about it, but I can very well recall that I had written it in my letters to you,” JaeJoong replied sniffling.

“What the. You expect me to read between the lines? You could've just said something!”

“Well, obviously I couldn't just say it! You know very well how things work here!”

“Who cares! Do you really think I was irritated at those old men you were spending more time with than me for no reason?” YunHo retorted angered and had JaeJoong flabbergasted in response.

“Are you for real? You complain about me not confessing and then you come with that? You could've said something yourself!”

“How do you expect me to confess? I'm not adequate enough to have your company!” YunHo was flushed beet red when he confessed the one thing that really had bothered him ever since he had registered his feelings for JaeJoong. Despite being a very hard-working and successful aspiring young painter, he couldn't even afford an official meeting with JaeJoong in a teahouse, let alone that his sensei granting him the opportunity to do so.

“Not adequate enough? Do you think I would like it if you paid loads of money just for an hour of my time? You can have all of my time whenever you want to! I don't want you to be one of them!” JaeJoong declared and subconsciously punched YunHo's chest when the latter had moved closer to him in an attempt to calm down the situation. Out of instinct he buried his face in YunHo's offered chest and let himself be held tight. “You're a douche,” he whispered.

“I know. I'm sorry.” YunHo apologized and held JaeJoong tighter. He blinked confused when JaeJoong laughed softly in his arms.

“We're some kind of fools, huh?” he chuckled and YunHo couldn't deny any word of it. Instead he joined the soft laughter with his own maturing laugh. They stayed like this for quite a while, simply holding each other in their arms with JaeJoong's ear nestled neatly against YunHo's thumping heart.

“What will happen now?” YunHo whispered and JaeJoong didn't know what to answer. Obviously they couldn't just simply be together considering both their status, nor was either of them able to buy JaeJoong free from his okiya. Eloping was very much out of question. Shimabara was far too guarded in regards of its residents being able to leave the district without an official allowance. And for sure, no one was ever to receive that.

“I don't know,” JaeJoong whispered finally, nothing more and nothing less. They would have to wait and see what the future might bring to them if they still tried to meet under now new terms, how their without doubt growing feelings would be of help or disaster.

As expected JaeJoong found it harder than ever to not be able to meet YunHo on a daily basis now that they had confessed how they felt about each other. Ran time and again had to recollect him from his thoughts and had to remind him of his arrangements. It was of no help either that the militant efforts of Japan led to a war with China and that many young men were obliged to join the military. When YunHo had received a demand to join the forces, JaeJoong was determined to join as well. Ran however had to hold him back.

“Why can't I join them, too? If he has to go, then I will too!” he declared and refused to sit down when Ran tried to calm him down.

“I told you. It doesn't matter if you're a male and in the right age to join the forces, you simply are not allowed to enter. First and foremost you are a geisha so your gender is of no importance. You are prohibited to join the forces as much as you are prohibited to marry. It would be different if you were able to buy yourself free from the okiya but as you very well yourself know, this will not happen for a long time to come,” the older once more explained. As much as he understood JaeJoong's frustration, there simply was nothing he could do about this situation.

With a heavy defeated sigh JaeJoong let himself drop onto the ground. He knew that Ran was right, of course. It didn't help at all to calm down himself when he had the gnawing worry that he would lose YunHo in this war one way or another. If he were able to join him, chances were high that they would fight and maybe die together. Instead he was doomed to stay behind, unable to do anything but completing the few arrangements left during this unsure period.

With the advancing war that was taking place, Shimabara once being the amusement centre of Kyoto was shut down to regain new manpower in the factories that were being deserted due to their workers fighting on the battlefields. The okiya that JaeJoong had by now acknowledged as his home was no exception. He actually felt a little thankful that he for once would do something useful. The hard work in the factories keeping him busy from not worrying too much about when YunHo's next letter would arrive, and if he were to return someday at all.

One day JaeJoong returned from his daily business and found the okiya to have an ominous atmosphere about it. He didn't know why but he was certain that something was amiss. With furrowed eyebrows he hurried along the hallway that was graced with scattered papers and led towards the office of their okāsan. She however was nowhere to be found. Instead Ran greeted him with a grim expression whilst sorting through the mess of papers together with Akane.

“What happened?” JaeJoong asked and immediately helped the older to pick up the scattered calculations of their former arrangements.

“She left, just like Makoto-san and Hikari-san. Unlike them, however, she took the entire money with her,” Ran grimly replied and JaeJoong didn't dare to pry any further. He was clever enough to understand with their okāsan gone, and much more so their earned money, they had a tough time ahead of them.

The older immediately took the okiya under his wing and tried to remedy whatever damage the former okāsan had left behind. It took a few weeks before the registration office acknowledged the older geisha to be the new landlord of the house, including a loan he one day had to pay back to cover most of their living expenses and with it came a change to the okiya's purpose. Ran didn't want to keep the usual customs of an okiya. Instead he wanted their house to serve as a school to train in the arts of entertainment as well as a shelter for those wanting to change their status in this district.

“You don't have to stay, if you don't want to. You are both free to leave,” he one day offered when he explained to both JaeJoong and Akane the changes this house was going to have. None of the two however wished to leave.

The new purpose of their okiya had a hesitant start, seeing that most were not able to combine the needed work at the factories with an education in the arts of a geisha. Their first real influx of newcomers happened during the nearing end of the war with the west. Parents desperate enough to sell off their children had found a benefactor of their children's education instead who would send them a monthly payment depending on their children's effort and work.

Despite their concept being of success, JaeJoong stayed worried throughout the months in which he didn't hear from YunHo and in which some of his own letters had returned unopened with the receiver not able to be found. It killed him not to know whether YunHo was hurt during a battle or even still alive. It killed him that he might never be able to embrace YunHo again, let alone be able to kiss his lips at least once. He had chided himself a fool so many times when he hadn't grasped the chance of their first kiss on the night of YunHo's departure.

Little changed for JaeJoong when the end of the war was declared. He was still desperate to receive a note of YunHo's whereabouts albeit being very content with lecturing aspiring young children in the arts of the shamisen, especially, and the good manners of a geisha. The only thing that was changing was his age therefore the definition of every muscle of his body. His cheekbones had sharpened over the passing years of him working hard in the factories as had his hands and slender fingers. He still was exceptionally beautiful to anyone's eyes and his movements stayed graceful and light. One couldn't deny the sorrow hiding deep within the dark brown eyes full of kindness though.

Sighing JaeJoong returned from an interlocution with a possible customer who wanted to book JaeJoong as a tutor for their daughter to learn the shamisen. The arrangement had been settled and the girl was to visit him twice a week whilst he would visit her place for a private lecture once a month. He paused when he found a pair of unfamiliar shoes in the entry hall far too big to belong to any of their students. Wondering whether a new customer had stopped by to arrange a lesson for their child, he followed the hallway towards Ran's office. Akane crossed his way partially when she hurried from the office towards the kitchen.

“Do we have a guest?” he asked her and blinked in confusion when a broad smile stretched over Akane's lips.

“Yes. Ran-sama is awaiting you already,” she replied merrily and under a fit of giggles she hurried further to prepare some tea. JaeJoong was more than stunned and stared after the older woman in bewilderment. He couldn't recall when he had last seen her in such a merry mood. Shrugging the thought off he continued on his way and knelt down in front of the sliding door before he opened it partially.

“Akane-san said you were waiting for me,” he softly declared and glanced at Ran who eyed him with a curious and very much amused smile.

“Indeed. You have a guest,” Ran announced and before JaeJoong could even respond, the older rose from his seat. “I'll leave the two of you alone. Make yourself comfortable,” he chirped merrily and exited the room with a knowing smile. JaeJoong was beyond confused when he stared after the retrieving figure of his older brother that he didn't even register the other person in the room.

“It's been a while, Haru-chan.” JaeJoong stopped in his tracks when he heard that familiar voice. He was glad to have the ground beneath his legs when he dared to take a look at the person awaiting him inside of the office. His heart thumped erratically when he found out that it was indeed YunHo who was sitting across from him albeit a little altered and marked from the battles of war.

Subconsciously JaeJoong shuffled over to the other, eyes never leaving the familiar face when he extended his hands to touch every patch of the tanned skin. Gently his fingers ran over a scar running across a once unmarked cheek whilst eyes searched for another familiar pair.

“Tell me this is not a dream,” JaeJoong all but whispered, a single tear rolling down his cheek when YunHo's hands encircled his wrists in a soft grip.

“It is not,” YunHo simply replied and drew the other into his arms when JaeJoong couldn't hold back his tears of relief any longer.

Rumour in Shimabara had it that from that day onward a well-known painter resided in a former okiya and if asked whether the painter and their shamisen-sensei had romantic sentiments for one another, the students of the institution would only giggle and continue on their way without any other word.

end.