Chapter 3

The sun was already rising on the horizon when Shin Sakamoto opened the bedroom door. The anxious and heavy eyes focused on the wooden floor, more precisely on the inviting and heated futon, where the heap of soft blankets indicated the body of the friend.

"Get off my futon," he heard the angry whisper as he lay down next to Aiko's.

He smiled.

Embracing his friend, he inhaled deeply his citrus scent. How many days do no have slept? Shin had already lost count. For some strange reason, He was never able to rest away from Mamoru. Sakamoto needed him like the air breathed.

"I said ..."

"I heard," he muttered. "I know you're angry, but we're at war, Mamoru. How could I hear such an affront and shut up?"

Shin noticed Aiko's slight tremor and heard the silent whimper. He put his hands flat on his friend's back and then turned him around, hugging him. Aiko hid his face in the curve of his neck and they both stayed like that, each absorbed in his truth.

"When will you come back? " the minor asked, changing the subject.

"The war will intensify, Aiko. I know a few things ... So we'll probably only see each other again next year."

"of January?"

"I intend to spend my birthday with you, my dear."

"That's three, four months from now!" He complained. "It's a long time, Shin!"

"I know, but there's nothing I can do. Soldiers spend much more time away from their families, I am lucky to belong to the nobility. If it were another circumstance, Aiko, I would be at the front and would not return until the war was over. You and Ryo-san would also be summoned."

That only confirmed Mamoru's suspicions, that he had not been called because of Shin.

"The United States has limited oil sales to Japan," Shin said, his fingers stroking his friend's long black hair. "Do you know what that means?"

"I'm afraid to think ... " Aiko whispered.

"For now, there is only a hostile climate in the air, but if Japan declares war on the United States, things could get complicated. If that happens, I plan on getting you out of Tokyo."

"And is there any safe place in the world, Shin-chan?"

The man seemed to think.

"You're right, yet there is no safe place. However, if there is, I will find out. And when that happens, I'll take you there. Trust me to protect you."

It was almost a declaration of love. Even if it wasn't, Aiko understood it as such and sighed. He closed his eyes, certain that Sakamoto would keep his word. He knew that as long as the truth was hidden, he was the most important person in his world.

The perception made him shudder. Holding Shin in his arms, he started to cry again. Misunderstanding his motives, Sakamoto just patted his back again, consoling.

***

December 1940

"Damn kid! " Nana shouted. "I have been telling you for more than a month: "be delicate!". " She took the stick and hit it in her arms. "And you always dance like a horse in high heels!"

Shiromiya rubbed the welt and apologized. Nana sat down on the wooden chair again and motioned for Keiko to play the song. Minikui, the tabby cat, climbed on the old woman's lap, who held him affectionately, contrary every time she cursed the cat.

"Hands forward" Nana ordered, as soon as the boy started dancing with short and graceful steps. "Yes, now turn your right hand and take it to your heart " Shiro fulfilled the order. "Extend your other hand and show it to people. This. Right now you are giving your heart to the people who are watching you dance."

Shiro smiled at the words. At the exact moment, the rod hit him again.

" I didn't send a smile!" Nana screamed. "Just smile when I tell you to!"

A loud laugh made him forget the burning in his arm and turn to Aiko. The courtier was at the door, watching the rehearsal. The boy's heart instantly rejoiced, and he ran to the other.

"Aiko-san," he called. " Did you see how I progressed?

"You are an excellent dancer, my love" he smiled, touching Shiro's beautiful face, in affection. "Too bad your teacher is a shrew."

"Son of a bitch! " Nana shouted. " I'm here teaching for free and you still reproach me."

Mamoru looked. He loved that naughty old lady and couldn't help wanting to hug her. In seconds, he held her in his arms, making the cat meow loudly because he felt compressed.

Shiromiya observed everything with attentive eyes. Since arriving at the Ai house, he had been under the tutelage of Mamoru. Contrary to what he always imagined for his life, he discovered that there were still good people, unable to do evil. Aiko was his angel, his guardian. On the first night he had nightmares, already frequent even before he was saved by Mamoru, he ran to his room and rocked him until he fell asleep again. He also helped him to bathe until he managed to do it by himself and always brought him flowers or sang songs to cheer him up. Before long, Shiro loved him deeply.

"Shin promised he would come for his birthday. We are just over a month from the event and I want Shiro to be able to debut during the event. It's possible?"

Keiko glanced at Shiromiya, who got the message. Since he came to Ai, women had helped him in every way. And they were extremely cautious, too. So, Shiro knew he could become a target for Shin. However, in the same proportion, he recognized how important it was for Mamoru to present an unforgettable news item to his friend.

Mamoru Aiko's life was for Shin Sakamoto. In those months, he heard Shin's name circulate the House of Love as if he were one of its inhabitants. Aiko quoted him during lunch and even in the evenings, in conversations with other customers. Shin had privileges, he was the only one with whom Mamoru shared the futon, and he was also the only one who could appear at the desired time.

"Why take the kid to dance for Sakamoto?" Nana asked, uneasy.

"It will be a special night, with many guests " Aiko insisted. Then he turned to Shiromiya. "Would you dance at Shin's birthday?" He asked. "I want it to be a special moment ...

Shiro nodded.

" I will do my best to make Aiko-san happy."

Mamoru smiled in his direction, delighted. He heard Keiko's sigh and turned to the woman.

"Sorry, but I also have the right to sigh for him" she shrugged, making the boss laugh again.

"I don't condemn you. Shiro-chan is the most beautiful thing in the whole world. I'm sure we'll have lines at our door to see him dance."

"Will you tell the public that he's a man?" Nana asked, interrupting the praise parade.

"Maybe, I haven't thought about it yet. Since no customer will have the right to approach or touch him, I see no reason" Then the courtier left for the door. "Nana, I received a letter from Ryo-san," he said.

"Will he come for Shin Sakamoto's birthday?

"It seems that Ryo-san is already in Tokyo, but I heard that the war is hindering the sale of fish, and he will need to make new trade agreements. So, everything suggests that it will take a few weeks to get here. Anyway, I want you to send one of the girls to buy more drinks and quality wines. Ryo likes it a lot."

Nana nodded. However, as soon as Aiko disappeared from the room, Shiro heard her complain.

" Don't you like Aiko-san's friends, Nana?"

The woman prepared a reprimand to send him to mind his own business. However, when he turned to the boy, she saw that his question was just curiosity.

"Mamoru would be much better off without those friendships. Especially, Shin Sakamoto."

Shiromiya had the feeling that everyone had rehearsed the same speech. Whenever Shin's name came up among them, it was said in anger and disgust. Women hated him, but it was Nana who was most irritated by his presence. There was something in the old woman's eyes that Shiromiya couldn't identify, but it gave her chills.

Suddenly, however, his thoughts were interrupted by a sharp blow to the arm.

"Did I tell you to stop?"

Running towards Keiko, the boy started dancing again.

***

The year 1941 began with Germany taking Africa through its elite motorized division. There were reports here and there about Nazi technology, and many welcomed the Japanese fortune of being on the right side.

Regardless of the whirlwind of deaths that occurred outside, inside the house, another revolution was taking place.

It all started on the morning of January 22. While the British and Australians captured Tobruk in Libya, Keiko's screams woke up Shiro. The boy quickly put on his kimono and ran towards the woman's room. On the way, he met two or three prostitutes who lived there, and they all stopped at the door, behind Nana who had arrived a second earlier.

"The choice is always yours," he heard Mamoru's voice.

Seconds later, the door was opened. The courtier looked at Nana, who was watching his curiously.

"Keiko is two months pregnant," he said. "I explained the rules to her, but she can't decide."

The woman nodded, understanding. The man's eyes then found Shiro, and he thought it prudent to explain the situation, before the other thought untrue.

"When a woman from the Ai house becomes pregnant, she has two paths. The first is to take. The second is to maintain the pregnancy and after the baby is born, deliver it to a wet nurse who will raise it until she is old enough to go to a boarding school in the mountains. Of course, the second alternative is expensive and makes the money earned in the trade more and more precious."

Shiromiya nodded.

"Can't she keep the baby here?"

Aiko smiled sadly.

"I would love to have lots of kids running through these corridors, Shiro-chan " he admitted. " But, let's be realistic: this is a brothel, and there is no chance of a child growing up inside that house. I only came here when I was old enough. " He sighed. " Anyway, in any case, the choice is not ours, it never is. I learned from my mother that each of them bears their burden and the weight of their decisions. I already carry a lot of guilt, Shiro. That, unfortunately, I won't be able to share with Keiko-san."

Shiromiya agreed and bowed when she felt Aiko Mamoru leave the room. Then he went in and stood next to Nana, who was looking piously at the young prostitute. Some other women babbled some advice, but Keiko seemed even more confused by the talk.

"At least you can choose " Kazue tried to see the positive side. "It is not?"

All the women looked at him with hurt, however, it was Nana who opened her mouth.

"Taking a baby is not cutting your hair, stupid kid!" scolded. "It is a decision that will accompany you to the grave." Then he laughed. "Choose? Foolish is the woman who thinks she has a decision to make. At that time, in the past, in the future ... Every woman who takes her child is just another one who is manipulated by men and doesn't even notice. They bring us children and then do not assume their responsibility. They solve everything by paying medical or butchers who pull the children out of our wombs. What the fuck is that choice? What the fuck is that choice right?"

Shiro apologized to the lady's dark look. He felt, in his tone, that there was a lot of pain in her past, but he didn't want to stick to it. He would like to help the women who were there in some way since they all treated him very well. But he knew he could do nothing.

"Leave us alone." Nana turned to him. " The member in the middle of your legs, even if small, will rite us at that moment."

Kazue bowed, once again babbling excuses.

"It's not true, Shiro-san," Keiko said. "We like you very much. But, we need to be alone."

The boy then left. His steps were straight to the room where Mamoru ran the House of Love. He found him bent over papers, writing and calculating as if nothing relevant was happening on his property.

" It's all very sad, Aiko-san " he whispered, calling the boss. " Can't the baby's father help?"

"The father is a customer. If I pressure a customer to take on the fruit of a night he paid to have, I will lose all customers and go bankrupt. They would all go hungry or have to prostitute themselves on the street, where they could not be protected from aggressive men."

Shiromiya knew very well how street prostitution worked and shuddered.

"What do you think she'll do?"

Aiko called him closer. Shiro sat next to him, curious.

"Keiko is already twenty-five years old. Soon she will reach the age limit for prostitutes. Unfortunately, it is a cruel life, they age early, suffer a lot, and are lonely. She knows that she needs to save money so that she can buy her own house and support herself when her night lady life ends. So, the rationale would be to abort."

"And will she do that?"

"Who knows " Mamoru shrugged. Suddenly, he laughed. "I remember the first time that one of the girls got pregnant under my command. She chose to take the child away, and I spent months blaming myself for not stopping her. But if there is one thing that experience teaches, it is to give little importance to life. The years that I command the Ai house indoctrinated me to have a cold heart."

Shiro looked at him. Strangely, the words were contrary to the emotional eyes. However, what else could they do?

"Aiko-san." Nana appeared at the door. Her eyes were unreadable. "Keiko will go to Hiroshima. She has a sister there and decided to keep the baby."

There was a smile of pure delight on Aiko's lips.

"Prepare some money for Keiko to take you. I'll see if Shin has contacts in Hiroshima so she can get a job there."

Nana quipped.

"As if Shin Sakamoto was going to care about a prostitute."

"I'm sure Shin will care if it's my request" Mamoru defended him. " I'll talk to him at his birthday party."

Nana shrugged.

"Let's lose a good girl. We need to find another beautiful woman to take her place."

Aiko agreed. Before however, speaking up, another woman entered the room.

"Aiko-san," Midori called out to him. " Ryo-san just arrived ..."

***

Aiko asked both Shiro and Nana to leave their room before Ryo's entrance. Not that the matter between them was secret, but Ryo was like Shin in many ways, especially in the judicious way of looking at people. There were many times that he had discussions with Shin because of the way he treated Nana. The old prostitute was thick-skinned and could take any mean words, but Ryo could say something to Shiromiya that would hurt the already fragile boy.

"I was expecting you for Shin-chan's birthday," Mamoru said, hugging his friend. "What brings you to House of Love during the day?"

Ryo laughed, enigmatic. Then he sat down in a comfortable wooden chair covered with suede.

"Tomorrow I will have the gift delivered to you, and I ask you to give it to Shin" Ryo stepped forward. "I can't be present ..."

"Do you know how long it's been since you saw him?" Mamoru interrupted him. "He will be hurt by this undo."

The other rolled his eyes.

"Please!" He exclaimed. "He'll be so drunk that he won't even notice me. You know how depressing Shin is with celebrations."

Mamoru didn't deny it.

"Why don't you come to the birthday?"

"I'll be traveling on business. The good thing about being a food trader is that it doesn't matter if we are at war or not, we all need to eat."

Aiko nodded.

"But I'll be back in Tokyo after that," he added. " I hope you have good entertainment material when I return."

Containing a crazy urge to retort, Aiko simply nodded.

"Perhaps, when return, you will be able to enjoy my most precious novelty."

Ryo was suddenly interested.

"A new woman? Beautiful?"

"I won't say anything, you will have the opportunity to see for yourself when you return. So, seize yourself."

Understanding the provocation, Ryo laughed.

"I hope she is good in bed, the last one I slept with made me doubt my manhood."

Mamoru hated that kind of comment but did not dare to return it. Ryo was, above all, a customer.

"You are not a prostitute," he denied. " It will be someone who will dance."

A ballerina? The eyebrow went up in a scoff.

"The most beautiful face you have ever seen in your life," he promised.

" I doubt she is more beautiful than the woman I see in my dreams. But I will not refuse to attend a beautiful presentation."

Shortly after, they said goodbye. Ryo got up and left. The place smelled good and was quite pleasant. He always liked that brothel very much. He started walking towards the huge wooden gate when he ran into a boy running towards Mamoru's room.

"Look where you are, kid " did not deign to look him in the face.

"Sorry, sir," he said, his voice low.

Turning on his back, with no more time to waste, the young trader left.