Tora/Hiroto - alicenine. - Serving Sweet Lillie - 2 of 2 ENDING
Serving Sweet Lillie
Story Written by Tokiko
After my father died he left behind a debt and I was sent to Spider Lillie to pay it back. When I first came to this place I was put in the position to train as a courtesan, otherwise a geisha. However, that became a challenge as I couldn't say I was that beautiful, charming, educated, or artistic. In fact, I found out I couldn't put on the make up due I had sensitive skin, nor did I knew how to seduce a man, or entertain them other than with my clumsiness. In the end they threw me into the kitchen to cook, serve, clean and do above all other things.
It wasn't so bad really, I'd much rather serve the food and wine than parade myself in the heavy bundles of fabric they called kimono in front of rich good-for-nothing-sleazeballs called our guests. So the people who work here aren't the friendliest, and the geishas always screams and throws things when they feel like it, then pretends to be all nice when they're with guests, but that all eventually became the routine.
However, they aren't all that bad. One of the chefs in the kitchen is quite nice, always giving me extras at meals. Although, I don't think the other servants likes it. I could see the looks, but I don't care. Also, some geishas can be nice and polite when we bring them the tea and wine, while some would just grab the tray and shuts the door in our faces, but I'm use to it.
And then there is this one guest. Somehow, he's different from all the others. For instance, his lonely wolfish eyes and his gentle smile, a little goofy but sweet - not like the others with their ulterior motives hidden behind it. He's tall and has quite a unique face, which I'd say is quite dashing.
Furthermore, I just can't stop thinking back to that night in the garden. I had dropped another tray and even worst it was in front of a courtesan. That geisha boy was so mad I thought he was really going to hit me with his fan, and those things are hard when they're folded up. Then, I don't know if it was my luck, but the big guy came around and yelled at us and scooted the courtesan back to his guest. So I went back to pick up the remaining pieces when I saw an extra hand appeared to help me. It turned out to be that very unique guest. I felt a bit embarrassed, thinking he might have seen everything. I didn't want him to see me like that, even though I didn't know who he was. Flustered, I thanked him and quickly ran back into the kitchen.
I went to the garden to empty the buckets of dirty water into the canal when it got to me. It was everything that had been piling up inside of me, I suppose. The tears simply came out no matter how hard I tried to hold it back. I felt so mad at myself for letting them slip that I just threw the stupid bucket to the ground and didn't care if anyone saw. But someone did see, and again it was him. Those wolfish eyes of his, I wondered if I saw them watching me before - following me? The next thing he did was unexpected like his presence; he gave me his hankerchief made of silk. It was soft and smooth, and warm as the hand I took it from.
One day on a not too pretty morning half the courtesans in the house were ill. At that rate Spider Lillie would have had to close for the day but 'NO!' said the owner. So the trainees that were of the close age to serve guests had to fill-in for the night and still not enough even some staffs were chosen. And I never would have dreamed that there will be a day when I had to wear a geisha's kimono again.
On this night I was paired with a trainee courtesan named Mokoto, who looked maybe only a couple years younger than me, to serve a group of guests. He wore a kimono close to the ones the regular courtesans wore, while I was tucked in something less restraining and simple, but much more decorative then what I would have normally wore as a servant. Back to the boy, he had a cute face too, but he kept glaring at me so it hard to tell sometimes, that little brat. His face was also all powdered up while I stayed natural.
As we were led to our guests' room I noticed it was right next door to the same room which that handsome guest regulared. And there he was walking towards us. I tired to hide my face with my sleeve, but I made the mistake of peeking and damn I just knew I'd get caught. So when the mamasan cleared the door for us to go into the room I literally rammed in there, pushing Mokoto while I was at it. To make the situation more humiliating I tripped over my own kimono and fell face first in front of a guest who was sitting near by. Mokoto rolled his eyes at me as I tried to get up as there the two male guests laughed. Then to my surprised the younger of two men told me to sit next to him.
After a short while Mokoto and the older man went outside leaving only me and the other alone. That was when I found out his name was Shunsuke and a businessman not much older than me, and the one he came with was his uncle. Talking more, I found that he was actually kind of nice and even good-looking in that unconventional way, if that makes any sense. That was until he got to his fourth drink, I guess he was a light drinker. He started saying how pretty I was and stroking my cheek the same time he was rubbing my lap with his hands. I tried backing away and asking him to stop, but the next thing I knew he was on top of me taking a bite of my neck - damn it that hurt.
Right then and there my offensive instincts set in which gave me the strength to push the monster off me and to run to the door. When I opened it I thought I saw my guardian angel and he looked a lot like that handsome guest from next door. I caught a glimpse of his grayish-blue eyes and realized it really was him. And very much like a dream I once had, he grabbed me by the wrist and started running with me tailing behind him, believe it or not. I felt like a heroine from my storybook, which is a bit weird to say, but I don't hate it.
We ran and ran out of the Spider Lillie, away from the city and lights, away from everything, until we came to a wide open field with grass that went up over my waist. All that could be heard was our lungs grasping for air and the crickets chirping.
Eventually, the silence of the breeze and the warmth of our hands still wrapped around each other was all there was. And then suddenly he let go only to wrap his arms around me, so tightly that I almost couldn't breathe. But it was fine because I hadn't felt this kind of warmth for such a long time.
"I'll never let you go back there as long as you stay with me," he said for the first time he spoke, still embracing me. He is voice was like a corase but beautiful wind chime.
He didn't let go so I didn't either. "Can you tell me your name?" I wanderingly asked.
He released me and breathed, "Amano. My name is Amano Tora."
I smiled, thinking how his name just fit him right. "Well, Tora-san I hope what you just said is true because I had been waiting." Somehow, in that moment I felt adventurous and free, like I could do absolutely anything I wanted. So on my tiptoes I wrapped my arms behind Tora's neck and pressed my mouth against his. Even his lips were especially soft and sweet like nothing I ever felt or tasted before. I just didn't want to stop.
Once my heels touch the ground again Tora asked in a daze, "What is your name? I have to know."
I chuckled. "Hiroto. Just call me Hiroto."
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Wish I had the time to make a banner for this fic.
I wanted to put Hiroto in a cute kimono.