Chapter 7

Ryo sat at the table, warming up his body on that cold morning with the green tea that his servant used to prepare with praise. After drinking the hot liquid, he began to eat the food served for breakfast with the usual tranquility. However, before finishing, Tadao appeared at his side, bringing him the newspaper.

"News of the war? "

The man remained silent, letting Ryo find the necessary information.

On the front page, there was a big note about the German extensive against Moscow. It was said that more than fifty divisions were marching against communists, and Ryo smiled. That whole clash could favor their business a lot. However, as he turned the page and found a note about Ai, he worried.

"Mamoru is crazy? He will be in misery if he closes Ai in this period! The price of food is rising, then the currency will depreciate. Aiko needs to keep the business going as long as it can! " He exclaimed.

Then, however, he understood why the courtier's decision.

The boy!

He needed to take some quick action regarding that, after all, he loved Aiko. They were friends and always would be.

Dismissing Tadao with his hand, he went back to eating.

***

That same morning, Ai's gate received a succession of knockings. Mamoru was counting the profits and losses he would have that month of recess, but when he realized that Nana and the other women were still in the kitchen, he went to answer the call.

"What you want?" He asked sharply, looking at the round face of the newcomer.

Ryo looked at him with the innocent look of yesteryear. His shoulders were slumped, showing the same guilt he had felt in an event of the past. The stormy mind remembered when they were teenagers. One summer day, Ryo appeared in Aiko's neighborhood with his schoolmates. The boys were laughing pointing at the prostitutes and calculating among themselves the money they had to buy sex. Aiko, by coincidence, crossed them on the street. When he saw Ryo, he waved to his friend. Amazed, he saw him turning his face away, pretending not to know him, in order not to be in an awkward situation in front of his schoolmates.

"Who is that boy waving to?" heard the voice of one of Ryo's friends.

With tears in his eyes, he watched Ryo shrug and laugh at his comical posture. He cried for two days straight, cursing his condition that brought shame to his friends. After the tears, anger came, and he promised never to look at Ryo again.

However, Aiko forgave him as soon as he appeared the following week with a sad face and a downcast appearance. The boy with long hair had understood the great cultural and social gap that separated them and realized that he needed to accept the friendship of the other from the bottom of his heart, even if it was full of restrictions. This time, however, there was not a trace of complacency in him.

" I think you're deaf! " rap. " I told you never to come to my house again."

Ryo shrugged.

" I read the note about Ai's House. Are you going to close it?"

"For a little while, until my dancer's face returns to normal. If we are experiencing problems today, it is your fault."

Surprisingly, Ryo agreed.

"I know, Mamoru," he admitted. " I came here humbly to apologize to you. Please forgive me."

Aiko was looking at him seriously. He knew that Ryo had his pride, perhaps not as much as Shin, but the act was a show of goodwill.

"Will you also ask my dancer for forgiveness?"

Ryo's eyes widened. God! to apologize to a boy who dressed as a woman to dance? For a street bum? One none?

"Okay, Aiko." He said at last. He wanted peace between them and decided to ignore his arrogance. "Can I come in and apologize properly to the boy?"

Mamoru agreed. Giving passage, he let the other one enter through the courtyard of House of Love. As soon as Ryo entered, he sent him to the tea room. Then he went after Shiromiya.

Ryo used to go to the tea room during his afternoons in Tokyo. He remembered the first year that Aiko took over Ai, and the way Shin and he took advantage of that bliss to indulge themselves for a whole week amid the culinary and sexual pleasures of the den. He remembered every bit of that room well, he had lost his virginity there, with a prostitute who left the house shortly after, because it did not fit Aiko's rules.

Rules, moreover, that bothered the bourgeois very much, since Mamoru forbade him to sleep with his women during the day, and he should receive treatment from any other client. His only advantage was being able to visit the house in the sunlight, however, without for the benefit of easy sex.

He sat down at a small wooden table and waited. It took about ten minutes for Aiko to come back with a small, sad figure behind his. The boy did not dare look up, looking ashamed. Ryo almost laughed at that. Who knew that the one who danced shamelessly could be shy without the geisha's clothes?

"Yesterday, at last, his mouth dropped and he spoke again, " Aiko said. "But, according to the doctor, the purple spots on your face will take time to come out. Dancing is your livelihood, and you stole it from him, Ryo-san. I hope you're ashamed."

Ryo contained a laugh at the ridicule and got to his feet.

"Certainly, tremendously ashamed."

Only then did the minor's face lift up. The almond-shaped eyes focused on him, and the merchant shuddered. Even there, in men's clothes, with short hair, purple spots, and a depressed look, he could still see the woman he loved all his life. He was hesitant, suddenly overcome with powerful regret. If he did not know that the young man was a man, he would certainly run to him and embrace him, begging forgiveness.

"What is your name? " He asked.

The boy lowered his forehead, and Aiko replied.

"Kazue Shiromiya."

Ryo nodded.

"Shiromiya, I apologize for what happened that night. I have no words to describe how I feel. Can you forgive me?"

The boy lowered his face again and moved closer to Aiko. Mamoru noticed his unease and put his arms around him, giving him protection. Ryo held back a laugh. There was a mixture of sympathy for the fragile figure and an outburst of contempt. Why he was a rich and important merchant and he was apologizing to some prostitute. Shiromiya should be honored!

Then, the boy's face lifted again. His eyes returned to the young trader, and he felt that strange tingling sensation that was taking over him intensely. In seconds, the mouth opened, without rules, and suggested:

"Mamoru, please tell me how much he earns for the night. I will come back every morning at nine o'clock to have tea with the boy and bring back a refund for what he lost. Could it be, Shiromiya-san?"

Aiko was surprised by the offer but did not comment. His eyes focused on Shiro, and he realized that the other was tempted. Money was just what they needed and no one in their right mind would refuse. Shiro then nodded, still unsure.

Nobody there knew, but at that very moment, dancer and merchant were irreversibly interconnecting their destinies.

***

Ryo's eyes fixed on the small, sheepish figure in front of him. In the light of day, he realized that Kazue was indeed much more beautiful than he had supposed, and the sight entranced him. How could he blame himself if everything in the delicate features resembled a woman? The smallest had black shiny hair, a small mouth, like a red and appetizing heart, brown eyes in a honey tone, and the skin, extremely pale, almost making white makeup an inexpensive accessory for the night dance. The only thing that put him off was the bruises. He felt lightweight on his conscience and then smiled at the other.

"Kazue, no? Your name is very beautiful" he praised, trying to find a subject.

Her eyes went up to him, but her mouth did not open, remaining silent. Although the light smoke from the tea brought a pleasant and inviting odor in front of them, unlike the guest, Shiro did not remove his hands from his knees to taste it.

"Tell me, Kazue, do you have a sister?" He asked, after sipping the tea from his cup.

There was a strong hope in Ryo's response. Maybe Shiromiya was just like the woman he loved, maybe it was just a sad coincidence and everything would be resolved in the best possible way.

However, Ryo was disappointed to see him shaking his face.

"A cousin, perhaps?"

Again, the boy's head moved from side to side.

"No women in your family? Anything?"

"The only woman in my family was my late mother," he said for the first time, his voice very low.

Ryo had to restrain himself from kicking the table and everything on it. What would he do then? Perhaps his views were just bullshit, something he should disregard. What was the use of dreaming about the woman he loved if she didn't exist?

"Are you alone in the world?"

"I have a brother, but I don't know if he's alive or dead."

Ryo felt inflated, but before making another decision that he would regret, he got up, took some notes out of his pocket, tossed them on the table, and left without saying goodbye.

***

Shiro didn't expect Ryo to appear the next day. When the clock struck nine and the man did not appear at the gate, the boy breathed a sigh of relief, despite feeling slightly annoyed by the lack of payment that day. However, Ryo appeared half an hour later and, without forgetting the delay, headed for the tea room, as if he were experiencing a whirlwind of emotions behind the peaceful eternal countenance.

"How was your night? " Ryo asked him, solicitously, as soon as Shiro sat across from him.

"Well," was the short answer.

The merchant looked at him again very carefully. The swelling was disappearing, the purple spots were decreasing. The beauty that had fascinated him the night he met him remained unchanged, like an eternal burden to be carried by the boy.

Shiro just drank the tea and Ryo sipped it.

"How old are you?"

The other looked at him and Ryo cursed the stupid idea of ​​going out every morning to drink tea with someone who had no business to discuss.

" I turned fifteen last summer."

He was a boy, almost a child. However, if it were a woman, she would already be married and with some child in tow.

The silence returned and Ryo realized that he had already had all the tea.

"You don't want to know anything about me?" Asked, trying to raise a topic between them.

"Not."

He laughed softly at the sincerity and looked back at the young man.

"I'm twenty-two years old," he said, nonetheless.

Nothing, no comment.

"I have a fishing fleet. I sell fish for the whole country, and at the moment I am very happy because the army is also giving me profit. We are working double in one of my factories to can a lot of sardines ... You already ate Niboshi[22] ?"

Shiro reached out and held the cup. No sign of interest in the talk.

"You know, Kazue," he continued, drawing his attention, "war is good for some people. War destroys lives, but it also builds empires. For example, men who sell weapons are very happy with all of this dispute and deaths. In my case, selling food in wartime is very good for business. If things get worse, I will already be protected with my wealth. Did you know that it is good to have my friendship?"

Shiro drank the tea, eyes still down.

"Having my friendship and approval can be the difference between life and death in the future, Kazue," he said in a neutral tone. " Think about it."

He got up, left the money in the usual place, and left again, not knowing that Shiromiya was already dead inside him.

***

Ryo's third day of the visit was like the others. He arrived at the same time, headed for the tea room, and remained silent while Shiromiya poured the hot liquid into his cup.

As he drank, he rethought why he was doing that. He could simply pay what he owed Aiko, leave, and simply return at the end of the year to enjoy the women and the pleasant environment again. But something compelled him to stay there, looking at the hurt face of that boy with a sad and cheeky look, who maintained his pride even though he had no single motivation to do so.

"Tell me about yourself " Ryo demanded, tired of the silence.

The look measured him, and Ryo shivered. Heavens! How beautiful it was, even though it was irritating and petulant.

"Where was born? " he continued, in the face of silence.

"I don't know the city. "

" Do you not know? How do not you know? In what region is it?"

" I don't remember, it was very small when we left."

" Were we?"

" My brother and I."

Ah, that's right, brother!

" Where did you go?"

Shiro's eyes clouded.

" We wandered around."

"Searching a job?"

Shiro looked to the side. He was clearly and bothered by that interrogation, but Ryo was interested in the anguished countenance and did not want to stop.

" Why did you leave your house?"

" My mother died."

" And your father?"

"He died too."

Shiro insisted on not looking at him.

"How tragic," he dismissed. " And how did you survive, your brother and you?"

Shiro winced. Ryo realized that and decided not to insist. He drank tea again. Shortly after, he dropped the bills on the table and disappeared.

***

"Do you know why I went after you that night?"

Shiro looked up and looked at the man in front of him. It had been two weeks since Ryo had shown up religiously at nine in the morning to drink tea. For the past week, he had been silent, drank the liquid, and then left. Each time he reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a roll of bills, Shiro sighed with relief. However, that cold morning, he did not get up after drinking.

"So, you know? " insisted.

Shiro kept his mouth shut. Aiko preferred not to talk about the fateful night and Kazue thanked him for it. Every time the mind remembered that horrendous pain, it felt a strong urge to cry.

"Said something about a woman."

Ryo nodded.

"And you are not curious to know about her?"

"Not."

That time, Ryo couldn't help but laugh. Lying his head back, he laughed loudly.

"I'll tell you anyway," he said, looking back at the boy. "Since my childhood, I dream of a woman. She is beautiful and delicate, and in all my dreams, I know that she belongs to me. I know it was a gift from Kami-sama, for which I have always been very grateful, and I have spent a lifetime searching for it."

Anything. No reaction from the listener.

"The fact is that you are, when you are transvestite, the personification of this woman. So I went crazy when I found out that you was a man."

The almond look looked confused, and then Ryo noticed the doubt in his face.

That late morning, when Ryo left, he left behind a confused and surprised Shiromiya, atypical of the boy who felt nothing.

***

When December came, the bruises and swelling disappeared completely. On Shiro's face, there was only a slight scar near the right eye, easily covered by makeup. Along with the snow that fell in the second fortnight, preparations began for the party that Mamoru had promised his clients.

Although Shiromiya was ready to return to the stage, Ryo continued his morning visits. Both did not usually talk much, just monosyllables about time, war, or childhood.

However, that morning, the merchant was ready for dialogue.

"What do you do to pass the time when you are not dancing or serving me company?

Shiro fidgeted on the pillow before answering.

"I help with chores. And then Nana tells me stories."

Ryo did not hide his surprise.

"Stories? What does that old bitch have to tell?"

Shiro shot him a look. Feeling the heavy climate, he preferred to lose heart.

" What does she say?"

" Nana tells love stories."

" Of books?"

" Stories her heard talking about."

Ryo suddenly nodded, feeling an urge to show the boy what really good stories were.

***

Shiro entered the tea room and studied the dark face. The man smiled at him, holding up a bound volume of a beautiful book.

"I'm going to tell you a good story, Kazue," he smiled. " Just don't tell anyone that I'll be reading to you. Shin does not like international literature, especially those that are not part of the Axis. Sit down and listen to me."

Listening to stories was Shiro's weak point. In the imaginary world, he could be the hero he wanted, forgetting all the pain and suffering he had already been through. So the boy didn't hesitate to sit in front of the man.

"The text starts in 1801," he explained, opening the book. "I have just returned from a visit to my landlord - the solitary neighbor that I shall be troubled with. This is certainly a beautiful country!"

That cold morning, Ryo read the first chapter of "Wuthering Heights" in front of a boy who was completely absorbed. At the end of the narration, he noticed the questioning look, and preferred to clarify:

"Every morning, I will read a chapter for you."

"A chapter?

It seemed very little to Shiro. He was eager to know more, to hear more, to be taken to the universe of letters more often.

"The book has 34 chapters, Kazue. We will then have 34 days of friendship. It's ok?"

For the first time since meeting him, Ryo saw Shiromiya smile in his direction. It was the most idyllic and perfect view he had ever seen. He felt his whole body tremble and his heartbeat in an intense frequency. Before he was completely maddened by the sight, he got up, dropped the bills, and left.