--   02   --   Reflection time was saved for when you took off your robes, your makeup, and your personality for the night. It was late by the time you and Gyuri returned back home, and Mother instantly pulled Gyuri away while dismissing you to talk about the night’s events. You were grateful she didn’t ask you because you were so tired, your kimono felt like it was dragging you to the ground.   You called your helpers and had them help you take your clothes and makeup off before donning a thin robe and heading to the baths. By the time you walked across the courtyard, the final bucket of warm water was poured into the tub for you, and the helpers bowed as you thanked them and left you alone.   Sunggyu-san seemed to be an interesting character. You noticed he hardly spoke at all during the social dinner. Granted he was half the age of the other men there, but even then, when they addressed him, he gave them short answers, and sometimes, his voice was lost in the laughter.   It made you wonder what made him comfortable. Was he more comfortable by himself? Was he comfortable sorting through whatever papers it was that businessmen often had? He still seemed like a boy to you, though he was older than you. There was a boyish air, innocence perhaps, that surrounded him. He drank well, that was for sure.   Perhaps he was more comfortable being hands on. Maybe he liked to do the work, go out among the regular employees and ask about things personally instead of reading papers and dealing with the people in higher positions. You soaked in the tub, different scenarios passing through your mind like the wind until the bath went cold. You cleaned yourself off and dried off your hair, sighing in relief that you wouldn’t have to get it done again for at least another week.   Now, it was back to school, back to dealing with girls your age, and back to thinking only of your training. And as you trekked back across the courtyard to the room you shared with Jia, you smiled at your pillow. And back to sleeping on a normal pillow.   --   “So, how did it go last night?” Jia asked excitedly on your way to school. She clung to your arm and smiled, pushing you out of the way of a bicyclist going the opposite direction.   “Well, Mother didn’t wake me up at the crack of dawn to kneel on the rocks in the courtyard, so I’m guessing it went well.” You wished you could’ve slept more, but the last time you slept in, Mother punished you when you woke up, saying sleeping late was the mark of laziness, a terrible habit to have.   You and Jia made small talk on the way to school, and Jia inwardly groaned when she saw the group gathered around a girl in front of the school. “I see Hyuna is still being unbearable,” you said as you ignored her and walked right into the school, dragging a pouting Jia behind you. “Don’t sink to her level. Be the better person and ignore her.”   “It’s so hard to ignore her when she’s always in my face about everything. She keeps bragging about going out with her sister, and what they do and how many important people she’s met and talked to.”   You frowned slightly. Mother and Gyuri taught you that bragging was very ugly, and it detracted from the mysterious allure of a geisha. By bragging, it made someone seem more like the common than a geisha. You heard your name being called and glanced over your shoulder to see Hyuna smirking at you. “Have you come back to class because you heard about who I met the other day?”   You blinked at her and raised an eyebrow. “No. Class is starting soon,” you said airily, sweeping into the building with Jia trailing behind you.   “Oh, she’s going to be so mad you brushed her off like that,” she said with excitement as you took off your shoes and moved your attendance pegs to the correct slots. You bid Jia goodbye as you went for you headed for you advance koto class first, a class you unfortunately shared with Hyuna.   There were only a few of the stringed instruments in the room since they were so large, so the classes were small. Your teacher looked up from tuning her strings and smiled at you as you sat down in front of your usual instrument and began to do the same by ear.   “We’ve missed you in class the past few days,” she said, testing a few more notes before stopping to let you tune.   You attached one pick to your finger before testing some notes and answering her. “I’ve had some other obligations. I’m terribly sorry,” you said, looking up and bowing your head again. Of course, Mother called in to let all of your teachers know you would not be attending school for the last few days, but this was another test of politeness and manners. A geisha was expected to be graceful and gracious at all times.   The other students came into the room and greeted you and the teacher politely. As expected, Hyuna was the last one in the room, and she stopped, giving you a look before crossing her arms over her chest.   “Teacher, she’s in my seat.” You froze and looked up from tuning, a curious expression on your face.   “Is she?” the teacher asked lightly. You blinked a few times before a slow smile appeared on your face.   “Of course, she didn’t know since she hasn’t been here in so long.”   You took a deep breath and stood up and inclined your head towards her in apology, even if the smile on your face made it a mock apology. “I apologize.” You stood up and moved to the one at the back of the class. Hyuna smiled triumphantly and sat down in your seat, testing out your carefully tuned strings.   “Take a few minutes to tune your strings, then class will begin.”   --   By the end of your dance lesson, two classes later, everyone was buzzing about how Hyuna took your seat. None of it bothered you, but Jia was ready to drag her out to the front of the school and beat her up.   “Not that I don’t appreciate the gesture,” you said, “but that’s not very ladylike.”   “I almost don’t care! How dare she take your seat like that!”   You chuckled and reached out to squeeze her shoulder. “Calm down. She was scolded during the conduct class and had to kneel for the entire class while holding her name board over her head. I never knew how weak her arms were until they started