Chapter 28

Japan, March 1, 1920.

Masami Aiko took a deep breath, feeling the light gentle breeze touch her hair. The sound of the waves crashing against the huge iron and steel carcass in front of her, made her open her eyes, admired by the huge British ship that was standing in the Japanese port.

"Tell me, Mamoru," she called to the big man, standing next to her. " Isn't it the most beautiful and impressive thing you've ever seen?"

" It can be beautiful and impressive " Lieutenant Mamoru Yoshiaki smiled. " But it doesn't come close to its beauty and elegance[39]."

The young geisha threw her head back, letting out a loud laugh. Beside her, a lady in her fifties, gave a pout, complaining about the scandalous attitude. Only then did the army officer seem to notice her and addressed her.

" Good Morning. Haven't we been introduced?"

" She is Nana " Masami answered by the dislike. " I hired her to accompany me on the trip."

The man bowed respectfully to Nana, who shrugged nonchalantly. Afterward, he extended his arm to the beautiful geisha and the trio went to the entrance of the imposing ship.

" I'm so relieved by the end of the war " Masami commented. " It was very scary to know that you were fighting the Germans in the Pacific."

"War is always terrible, my dear, but the important thing is that I survived it. So, I can continue taking care of the women I love so much " his look was full of affection.

The room Masami received was beautiful, refined, and clear. Two single beds placed on opposite sides, a beautiful wardrobe, a hardwood desk, two nightstands in each corner, and a multitude of chairs, benches, and armchairs made up the furniture. Nana and Masami also received a modern private bathroom, with a bath, shower, and European toilet.

" Is not it beautiful?"

"Very beautiful, madam," Nana agreed.

" We will make a lot of money here, Nana " Masami laughed. " I met a geisha who came on a trip like this and received a lot of gold " her eyes shone. " I'll be able to renovate the entire Ai and redo the garden with the money."

Nana just nodded. Then, no longer resisting, she raised her voice.

" Mrs?"

" Yes?"

" With all the respect I owe you, can I ask you a question?"

The beautiful geisha nodded.

" Why did Lieutenant Yoshiaki board with us?"

The young woman lowered her face, embarrassed.

" Yoshiaki didn't like the idea of ​​me traveling alone. Then he told his wife that he needed to rest from the battles and came with me. But I know that Mrs. Yoshiaki knows that her husband lied about the reason."

" He is married?"

"Most of Ai's customers are," Masami said.

" You love the lieutenant, don't you? Do you suffer a lot from that?"

Only then did Masami realize that Nana had misunderstood her relationship with Mamoru. She smiled understandingly.

" You're wrong, Nana. Yume Yoshiaki, Mamoru's wife, knows about me and doesn't care. She was already hidden until Ai had tea with me. Mamoru is just zealous, we are not lovers."

" Zealous?"

No man cared for a woman without interest.

" Let's change the subject? " Masami laughed. " I'll introduce myself that night. It will be a great event, I need to rehearse. Please help me to store the clothes and choose the kimono. Then, let's go over the steps of the melody " the beautiful eyes seemed full of life. " This trip will change our lives, Nana."

***

Masami Aiko watched her audience. The melodious sound in the background made her extend her arms, while her legs took delicate steps to the side.

She had been doing this since she was little. Raised rigidly by her mother, the cold Maya Aiko, she never had any choice but to become a geisha. Masami remembered wanting to play and run like a child, but he never could. It needed to be trained, and it was. At ten years old, she was already acting like the best geisha that Japan had ever seen. Masami knew how to prepare tea, smile, move with a natural sensuality, and dance like few others.

Her mother died of pneumonia when Masami was fourteen, and she took over Ai, despite her young age. Of course, there was Yoshiaki, who did not leave her alone at any time. Few people maintained such a loyal and faithful relationship and Masami was very grateful.

The pace increased, becoming a chain of strength and vigor. The female body accompanied the chords and beats and, little by little, her movements were so fast that each person in that room, felt surrendered to the sins that the dance promised.

Her straight black hair fell out of her neat bun. At that moment, the geisha looked like a wonderful savage. Most of the men got ready in the chair, a mixture of fascination and passion. However, when the dance ended, the palms ceased and the geisha left the stage and returned to her room, only one man followed.

"It was beautiful, Masami," Mamoru Yoshiaki said, smiling. " You will probably be the best geisha in Japanese history."

It was a delicate compliment and, as such, she received it.

"Thank you," she bowed to the lieutenant.

Nana approached shortly after. The man waved at her and walked away.

***

" Do you believe in Akai Ito? " Masami asked.

The two women were sitting on the deck. The sun was strong, despite the spring. Nana waved a fan towards her mistress, trying to ward off the heat.

" Akai Ito? "

"An invisible thread connects those who are destined to know each other. Regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread can stretch or tangle, but it will never break".

While quoting the legend, Masami's finger came up, towards nothing. In the distance, a group of janitors washed the wooden floor with buckets. They spoke in a language that Masami did not know, but they were all oriental. Chinese, probably.

" This is all bullshit to fool inexperienced young people."

"You are so romantic," the geisha laughed.

"And you don't laugh like a geisha," the other replied.

Still holding her finger up, Masami agreed.

" Mamoru taught me to laugh. He thought it was simply ridiculous that I suppressed displays of joy."

"And do you think your other end of the wire is in the lieutenant?" The woman mumbled.

Suddenly, one of the janitors raised his finger. Only Masami noticed the gesture, seeing the young man of apparently twenty-five years lift his pinky, seeming to try to find out in which direction the wind was blowing.

" Masami? " Nana called her, trying to get her out of a trance.

For a few seconds, the young geisha noticed a red thread leading her to the man. She dropped her hand quickly, and the thread was gone.

"I love Mamoru, Nana," she said firmly. " But you're wrong about the way I have my feelings for him."

Then Masami got up and walked away.

***

On the third night of performances, the gift box to the artist who was next to the stage was filled with jewelry and money. While sitting on the bed, Masami counted the notes, one by one, entertained in her plans for the future.

"I'll give you half of it, Nana," said, firmly. " For being a sincere friend you are."

The prostitute was surprised by the other's uninteresting attitude.

" My salary alone is enough, young Masami."

" No " the geisha denied. " I want you to stay with me, Nana. That's right! You will stay with me, it is decided. You will leave that ship as my servant. You will go with me to Ai."

" But the Ai house is a geisha house. I can not..."

" Screw them all! " Masami scolded. " You don't know what it's like to spend your whole life in a venomous snake 's nest that wants to give you the lunge just because you have a beautiful appearance or the protection of a man like Mamoru. I need someone I can trust. Please come with me."

Nana was so happy that she almost cried. But, before shedding any tears, she contained her tears.

" I am honored, Masami-san."

The hug they exchanged there sealed the beginning of a friendship that would be eternal.

***

It had been a week since Masami Aiko had boarded the huge ship for her performances. Since then, she found herself entertained between her rehearsals, lunches, and dinners with Mamoru. Her plans for the trip were two months at sea. Then she would go back to Tokyo.

Masami was thinking about that when he reached the bottom of the stairs that led to the bottom of the ship. A huge, narrow corridor appeared before her. The geisha then raised the bar of the kimono a little, willing to walk to the end of it. She knew there was a games room there and she was willing to make some money from the deck. The muggles who were there would never have imagined how much she knew how to chart.

However, her plan was interrupted when, when felt one foot sliding down the corridor, she came crashing to the floor. Both hands, spread out, went towards the wooden floor and she felt it wet.

"Mrs? " a young man approached quickly, helping her to rise. "I apologize..."

"Apologies? I could have hurt myself seriously!" She scolded, disgusted. "I need my body! I pay my bills dancing, sir! How could you leave the ground looking?"

Only then did she notice that it was the janitor she had seen on deck a few days earlier.

" Again, sorry, lady."

Masami watched him closely. It was Chinese, right. His skin was pale and his eyes were even tighter than hers. He was his height and had the same body type. It was also very beautiful. But he seemed silly and naive. Masami loved it.

" What is your name?"

" Cun Xi, madam."

" How do you know my language, Cun Xi?"

" I work on ships since I was a child, I learned many languages."

She measured it with her eyes, before proceeding.

" I will not report it to your captain, but consider yourself my servant from now on, understand?"

" Yes. Thank you."

He bowed to the floor before her. Masami then turned away, hiding a satisfied smile on her lips.

***

" Cun Xi, my tea!"

The young Chinese man stood beside the geisha, pouring the green liquid into her cup. Then he walked to the other side of the table, leaning over to do the same for Nana.

" I don't want a Chinese to touch my cup! " Nana complained, startling him with her hands. "I hate that races," Nana said to Masami.

"Races? He's not a dog."

Masami seemed enraged by the placement. It was true that at first, she used to ignore Nana's racism, but for the past week, every word hurt against Cun Xi ignited an absurd rage in her.

"Chinese, Koreans and dogs," the other grunted. " What's the difference?"

A loud knock on the table almost made Nana spit out the tea. Facing her young mistress, Nana saw her reddened, as if Masami felt an extraordinary hatred for the words.

"Never talk to Cun Xi like that again, understand? " Masami ordered. "Never!"

Nana, irritated, said a monosyllabic yes and stood up.

"I'm going to take some air," said.

When they were alone in the room where Masami used to drink her morning tea, the Chinese finally said a few words.

" Thank you very much, Mrs. Masami."

The way he smiled at her made her shiver. The image of the boy raising his little finger as she did, on that sunny morning, made her wonder if both could and were destined for that meeting. Not that she was in love, but she couldn't deny that she enjoyed his company, the sound of his voice, and the respectful way he looked at her.

" Do you believe in predestined people?" asked suddenly.

" In China, we often say that a meeting is a fluke, but a reencounter is a destination."

"Destiny?"

" Don't you believe that soul mates were created together by some god and then separated? And that your life mission is just to seek each other?"

The words made her weep. Cun Xi said exactly what she always expected to hear from someone.

"I thought you were the only one who thought that," admitted, smiling.

The boy nodded, ashamed. Only then did she realize that he admired her in many ways. Masami did not resist to flirt.

" Have you ever thought that I could be your soul mate?

"I would never dare to think that," he replied frankly. " You are a young geisha, admirable, beautiful, and wealthy. I am the ship's cleaner."

Masami felt a state of pity and pain when he heard that. She wanted to tell the young man that I didn't care about such things, but Mamoru Yoshiaki's abrupt entry interrupted her thoughts.

The lieutenant first greeted her with a nod on. Then he looked at the man next door. It seemed to riled up.

" Where's Nana?"

" She went to get some air."

" And left you alone with a man?"

" Why, Mamoru " Masami laughed. " I'm a geisha, we don't have so many formalities."

" The others may not, but you are not like them."

The lieutenant's aggressive tone made Masami curl her face, embarrassed.

"Sorry," asked sincerely.

However, the officer did not deign to answer it.

" Get out of that room now, Chinese! " ordered Cun Xi. " And don't get any closer to Masami!"

The young man seemed to want to deny it, but the geisha's pleading eyes made him go silent.

After he left the room, the lieutenant sat across from her.

"I thought you were on your way to work and not to flirt. I don't admit that kind of attitude, Masami."

" Regardless of how much you protects me, I am not a woman to marry and have children. I'm just a geisha."

" It doesn't have to be forever. You know you can drop that life. I would give you all the financial support you needed."

" And at what cost? From all over Tokyo laughing at Yume-san's back? Saying that her husband is supporting a bitch? I would never do anything like that to her."

"Watch that vocabulary!" scolded. Then he went on. "My wife knows about you and supports me. Yume and I love each other!" he persevered.

"I'm a legendary Aiko. I cannot abandon what I was born to be."

The other shrugged. He knew beforehand that there was no point in arguing with her.

The geisha sighed, also dismissing the discussion. Although Masami said the last sentence with conviction, she knew it wasn't exactly true. Deep down, she was a romantic fool, capable of giving up everything for love.

***

After spending a few days with the Chinese janitor, his absence caused by Lieutenant Yoshiaki's orders caused unbearable pain to hit the beautiful geisha. Even trying to occupy your mind with work - giving up to two presentations a day – She missed him.

Cun Xi had something special. Perhaps, he was the tip of your Akai Ito. And as the days went by, she hated Yoshiaki even more for taking him away from her.

However, like the son who would be born sometime later, Masami was impetuous and did not think much to act. After crying a few nights, she decided to escape the protector's wings. On a rainy night, as soon as Nana started or snored in the bed next door, she put on her kimono and went looking for the Chinese.

The poor wing of the employees went down. Masami did not imagine that below the rooms so beautiful and refined, she would find so much poverty and sadness. Unpainted, uncleaned, and in a suffocating atmosphere, she asked a young servant who was trying to stop her baby from crying, where the Chinese Cun Xi's dormitory was.

As soon as she received the indication, Masami knocked on the door. The other opened it, amazed.

"Mrs. Masami?"

Without letting him speak, the young woman took him in her hands and pulled him. The impetuosity of youth guided them to the deck. They arrived there laughing, exhausted. Everything was deserted, the rain was wetting the wooden floor, and in seconds they were both soaked.

"Leave the lieutenant behind," Cun Xi pleaded. " I know I don't have much to offer, but I promise to work and give you a decent life."

The young woman felt her eyes full of tears.

"It is more than many have already offered me," she admitted. " But you're wrong if you think Mamoru and I are lovers ..."

"He loves you, I know that, " the young man insisted.

"Yes, he loves me, but we are not lovers," she persevered. " Believe me, no man has ever touched me."

A flash in the distance indicated a lightning strike. Both did not move.

" Honey, I don't care. Your past doesn't matter to me, I just want you to spend the rest of your life with me."

That night, they kissed for the first time. They also loved each other, feeling the rain falling on the bodies that were squeezed against the wall.

A love that would change their lives ...

***

Masami and the young Cun Xi met for an entire month, during the early hours. Servant Nana and Lieutenant Mamoru seemed pleased to see them apart, unaware that as soon as their heads rested on the pillow, the beautiful geisha narrowed in the shadows of the night, behind her lover.

But the secret ended on an April morning. After eating a piece of ham, Masami was sick and vomited. Beside her, Nana immediately suspected the reaction. Concerned, she shared her experience with Mamoru.

The officer's reaction, first, was disbelief. Masami had never had a man, as far as he knew. But then he decided to call a doctor. At the end of the morning, the man confirmed the diagnosis. Despite needing more accurate tests, everything indicated that she was pregnant.

He barely heard the words, and Yoshiaki sped across the deck. He found the young janitor cleaning the restaurant's windows. He grabbed him by the collar and took him to Masami's room.

As soon as they got there, he threw him on the floor at the foot of the young geisha.

"Just tell me if it's him," Yoshiaki said, already pulling the pistol from its holster.

" I beg you not to kill him " Masami ran towards Mamoru. " Don't hurt him, I love him!"

" You don't know what love is, silly girl!"

Nana, on her side, watched the scene with wide eyes. The young Chinese man, however, did not react.

" We will be together, Mamoru " Masami explained to the other. " Let's get married!"

" How do you think he will support you? Cleaning toilets? Washing the floor?"

"It's a decent job," she said.

" Yes, it is. But it don't even pay for the scented soap you use to shower."

Masami felt a suppressed cry suffocate her. Faced with a look of despair, Yoshiaki turned away from her and went to Cun Xi.

" Do you love her, Chinese?"

" I love her more than anything, sir."

The other took a deep breath.

" Then, you will disembark as soon as the ship anchors in a port. You will return to your land, and you will build a life so that you can receive my Masami. I will give you money start a business, work tirelessly, buy a comfortable home, and have the resources to maintain the standard of living that Masami is used to. As soon as you have conditions, I will take her to you."

" And why would you do that?"

The lieutenant did not answer. But Masami Aiko decided to reveal the secret she had kept for years.

" Mamoru and I are brothers."

The surprise cry came from Nana. The lieutenant did not react to the truth that was coming out.

" My father was widowed early. Averse to marriage, he chose a beautiful geisha for his exclusive lover. But, he would not expect the world to know it, paid for Masami's mother to keep quiet. She fell ill as soon as he died. But before he died, he told me that I had a sister ..."

" Mamoru came to me next. I was still a girl, and he took over. However, we could not assume our bond with society. Because of my position and, strange as it may seem, it is less scandalous to believe that we are lovers."

The lieutenant agreed.

" Therefore, Chinese, I will not let you take my sister to a world of suffering. You will work to give her the life she deserves. In the meantime, I will look after her and the baby that will be born."

The mention of the child made the other amaze. However, there was happiness in his eyes.

" I promise to work day and night for you, Masami. No matter how long it takes, I will achieve whatever it takes to have you with me."

That promise would never be fulfilled.

***

Japan, 1931.

The boy Mamoru Aiko ran through the muddy streets of the suburb. In the distance, his uncle and his mother watched him.

" Thank God, he has no Chinese traits " Mamoru Yoshiaki commented. " Now that the "incidents" in China have started, I don't know what would become of my nephew, if someone discovered its origin."

Masami Aiko looked down, startled.

" I talked to Mamoru. I explained that he must never tell anyone about his origin. Fortunately, everyone believes it is your son.

Nana, sporting her sixties, appeared beside the pair like an invoked ghost.

" Did Cun Xi send letters?"

" Yes " the man replied. " He asked me to go to him. It seems that, at last, he got a rural property. He also said that his salary is high and that he can support a family. I believe in that bastard, I know he doesn't lie and that he loves Masami. He has sent me a letter a month for over ten years."

Masami smiled.

" Thank you for bringing me the letters and the photos. "

" If war breaks out, I want you to destroy them."

" Those letters and photos are the only proof that the love I lived with Cun Xi is not just a dream ..."

" And little Mamoru, is what? " Lieutenant laughed.

" You understood me. " sighed. " And how is Yume?"

The subject clouded his brother's eyes.

" Yume is still sick, but I have faith that she will recover."

For a few seconds, the two women remained in respectful silence. Afterward, Nana spoke up.

" When are you going to China?"

" Next month. But Masami will only go when there are no more threats between the two nations. I will not risk the lives of my sister and my nephew."

Understanding, Masami nodded.

***

Masami never came to China. Cun Xi himself found a trip dangerous after so many disagreements between countries. Therefore, with each letter exchanged, they strengthened the promise of unity that would never happen.

The years have passed. Yume died in 1932. Mamoru spent a few months in total isolation, and Masami respected his grief. But in 1933, he returned to work, giving himself body and soul to what Japanese imperialism demanded. He was in Manchuria, was responsible for the installation of the base that the army would use to later establish itself there. The letters that Cun Xi sent to the lieutenant with a Japanese pseudonym began to be delivered to Masami by a trusted servant. Mamoru remained there until June 1937.

The following month, warned of the invasion of China, he went in search of his brother-in-law. Masami waited for news for the months that followed, but no missive reached her. She prayed and lit incense every day, begging the gods to protect her brother and her love.

When, at last, Masami had news, it was not what she expected.

One November morning, someone knocked on Ai's door. The geisha darted out, her heart anticipating what was to come.

Mamoru was there. Dirty, tired, unshaven. He looked at her with his beautiful eyes and took her shoulders.

"Cun Xi?" She asked, her voice was more like an agonizing plea.

"He died trying to protect two five-year-old girls from being raped during the invasion."

The next words, the explanation of how Mamoru had arrived at his address, the way he found his body already decomposing beside the corpse of two little girls, the account of a survivor, and the comfort that he had died as the worthy man, Masami never heard.

All that was in her was the pain of realizing that the dreams she had kept in her heart for seventeen years had been destroyed. She thought of Mamoru, his son, who would never know his father. Thought about the burden he would have to bear, hiding his origin ... And, finally, she thought about her condition. A geisha of almost forty years old, without a daughter, without anyone to leave her legacy, a shame for the women of her lineage.

She hated Cun Xi for being a hero. He should have fled, ignored the children, fought for his life. Cun Xi owed it to her, she told herself. However, then she realized the madness of the words. Masami loved Cun Xi exactly for the kind man he was. The son, who by Kami-sama's grace was a faithful copy of the army's official uncle, had his father's sweet personality.

" Do you want to come and rest, Mamoru? " she had the strength to ask her brother.

He denied. He turned his back on her and left without saying goodbye.

Later that night, she was informed that Mamoru Yoshiaki had committed suicide. According to reports, he lay on his bed with the photo of his beloved Yume in his hands and shot himself in the mouth.

Upon hearing that, the loyal sister died inside.

***

However, the body followed the spirit only a month later. Before dying of sadness, Masami called Nana and handed her the keys to Ai. In the bed where she was recovering, Masami told to send all the geishas away, told her how they always treated her badly because she was the daughter of the former owner, and how they did not accept her because she was beautiful and free. Then she suggested that they open a brothel. With Nana's supervision, Mamoru Aiko could be a good owner.

" The uncle gave him study. Not the best school, but a decent one. Aiko will know how to manage Ai very well. Also, if you get faithful girls to work with him, they will always protect him, giving you the information in case anyone suspects his origin." Sighed slowly before continuing. "I'm afraid the geishas might find out about him and hand him over to the police," admitted.

"I heard that the Sakamoto's son will be returning from school the following month ... " the old woman looked alarmed.

"Shin Sakamoto is a danger, Nana ... He always gave me chills. I fear for Mamoru near him ..."

"But expelling him is risky and can raise suspicion."

Masami smiled.

" I think there is nothing to worry about ... He probably doesn't even remember my son. He has never even sent you a letter since he went to boarding school."

Nana nodded.

"I will look after Mamoru as if he were my son," promised.

Masami smiled.

"Or grandson, no? You gave me more motherly love than my mother," the woman said.

"I love you very much, madam," Nana confessed.

"Then protect my son," she asked. " I didn't destroy your father's gift box. Give it to Mamoru. Ask him to hide it, but keep it. One day, when this war is over, I want him to tell everyone that he was not Lieutenant Yoshiaki's son, but his nephew."

Nana nodded.

" Will you say goodbye to your son?"

" I have no courage. Just tell him that I love him" her look was calm but downcast. " And that he should be proud of who he is."

The north wind blew hard at that moment.

Nana got up from the chair and leaned over the futon. She kissed Masami Aiko's forehead fondly, telling him to rest in peace.

It was the last kiss she gave her.