Chapter Seven: Falling Leaves

After leaving the dining hall, the swordsman had instructed a servant to fetch his daisho - two long swords, one longer than the other. Dressed in his utilitarian everyday clothes - hakama and gi which had been delivered to him right before he bathed early in the day - he was set to do some katas and other exercises so that he could burn off the excess energy from all the food that he had consumed. With Kaede by his side, they walked now towards the other side of the small lake so that they may have privacy. He planned to show the boy, in a visual manner, one of the things he could do after he was free from this place. It was also a means to try to look for possible escape routes out of this estate. The only unfortunate thing was that Akira was aware that there was someone who was following them. It was the boy's guard, a ninja who was fated to always look after the welfare of the young male prostitute.

It was mid-morning as they walked. Akira felt the sun touch his face, its heat slowly making sweat break out of his tanned skin, as was customary in days such as these. There was no breeze that aided him as he felt the shift of his light-coloured clothes against his flesh, its fabric heavier than the yukata he wore last night. It would have been nice to just wear yukata for the entire day like most of the guests in this brothel so that he would feel cooler than with his present clothes. But he had to do his daily ritual, which was to exercise for the benefit of his health and conditioning.

Something suddenly made Akira pause in his footsteps. He turned his head towards the back and saw that Kaede had paused in his steps. The boy was looking across the lake, as if drawn to something. He was so still, like a perfect statue. Light fell on his face like little whispers of heaven, touching him in a manner so intimate. Beauty could never truly describe the moment for it was more than that. It was as if time had stopped. The only indication of life were the slight shifting of the boy's black bangs in tiny blows of a sudden breeze and the moving shadows of leaves from trees up above them. But the moment was... Like a portrait, a painting, and an artwork. A young statue trapped in a surreal world where the sight of the surface of the white lake water behind him shifted as caused by the ripples created by falling leaves.

The swordsman followed the boy's gaze slowly, intrigued, towards the other side of the lake. On the shore was none other than a tiny creature that was very rare in this part of Japan - a small cub with glossy white fur. It was right before the lake, its small head bowed and its snout almost next to the water. Its mouth was open as it used its pink tongue to drink from the clean white lake.

"A fox," Akira whispered, as if saying something from this far away could disturb the creature on the other side of the lake. He heard the sound of a soft exhaling of breath from beside him and turned his attention towards the boy. Watching the blue gaze under the fall of black silk-like hair, he saw recognition from Kaede. It made Akira curious. "What is it?"

The boy almost startled at the sound, his back stiffening as if he was caught doing something that he would be punished for. But it did not take long to realize where he was and who he was with. A silent sigh left his lips once more as he shrugged his thin shoulders. "It's just that..." He didn't really know why he was allowing himself to just speak his thoughts but there was truly no harm in doing so, he knew. It was a worthless little fact in the back of his mind - that which was making him gaze at the fox cub which was on the other side of the lake. It wouldn't change anything in the world if ever he said such a fact to the swordsman. "It's just that someone used to say that my eyes were like a fox's..."

Akira blinked his eyes at hearing those words. And then he felt the corners of his lips lifting up in a grin, as amusement and wonder surged inside him. He couldn't help but look more intently at the boy, his actions not truly affecting Kaede because he was used to people staring at him. The swordsman concentrated on the shape of the eyes, and how those gates of thick eyelashes served as barriers that lead towards the eyes. From seeing the mere way the eyelids had been formed and witnessing once again the rare eye colour of blue that the Japanese boy had, he too was now reminded of fox eyes.

"It's true then." he finally concluded, blinking his eyes once more as he snapped himself from his thoughts. "Whoever had said that to you had been observant."

Kaede said nothing as he only looked across the lake, the sight of the pale furry fox reminding him of the freedom he would have had if only fate had not thrown to him the harsh life that he had to endure. The cub was free - free to roam the woodlands, prairies, mountains and other terrain of Japan. Although still such a young creature, its small padded feet had perhaps travelled farther than Kaede had in his fourteen years of life. Today though, the unfortunate creature had ventured accidentally to one of the brothel estates in Japan's capital - one that housed sinful humans such as him. The contrast of the fox cub's purity with his own brought about a dull ache in his chest, as if something was squeezing his heart...

"It's colour is white... beautiful little fox..." the swordsman whispered, unconsciously stepping forward, towards the edge of the lake, as if wanting to take a closer look at the small animal.

"It is not." the young prostitute countered the words, his voice soft as always. He stood under the shade of a weeping willow, sunlight through leaves dancing with shadows on his cream-colored face. His eyes had now looked beyond the small fox, seeing similar creatures nearing the cub.

"What do you mean?" Akira could not help but look back at the boy, inquiry in his gaze.

"Look closely." the boy said, eyes still focussed across the lake. "The fox cub is not the colour white but pale silver. Its parents are behind it, coming to stand beside it. A large fox the colour of black is perhaps the father. And the medium white one is perhaps the mother. The cub is a mixture of its parents' colours. Silver."

Turning his sight back at the cub, Akira now saw that flanked on its sides were indeed two grown-up foxes, seemingly its parents. Now that the white mother fox was next to the cub, he could see that small one was indeed coloured in ash-grey or silver rather than pure white. It meant that the fox was a mixture, bred from two colours. He could not help but muse, "Reminds me of myself..."

Something about those words made the boy look up at him. Kaede wondered silently why the young man was now melancholic, as if affected by the sight of such creatures as well. He felt a question tugging in his mind, as he wanted to know why the man's words reminded him of something that had bothered him so much as a young child...

Although he was aware that to just ask a casual question was downright rude, especially if that question was about something that did not concern him, he just had to...

"I'm sorry," he muttered, his pale hands fisting slightly on his sides as he forced himself to speak some more, "I'm sorry but - "

But he did not need to ask anything as the young man volunteered information without qualms, "Ah, I say that because I was an illegitimate child of my father. And also, I am not a pure blooded Japanese. My mother was from Europe. That's why my eyes are blue. Foreign eyes, they said..."

"Like me..." Kaede could not help but whisper to himself. He was aware that there were a lot more people who had similar fate to his own. Those who worked for the strict yet corrupt government could easily have the option of adding foreign courtesans to their collection. His own mother had been one, born and raised in the continent of Europe. She had been a mixture of Japanese and Greek blood. When she had blossomed to a young lady, she had become his late father's concubine, a beautiful woman whom his father could control and overpower whenever he wished. Kaede had been an accident waiting to happen. Son of a woman of Greek and Japanese mix and a father born and bred in the country of the rising sun. That was why his eyes were blue as well. It was hereditary, one of the many things that he had inherited from his mother...

"What was that?" Akira asked, certain that the boy had mumbled something he was not able to make out because of the softness of the voice. He tilted his head to the side in curiosity. "Did you say something, Kaede?"

The boy shook his head minimally in a negative. "Nothing... It's nothing, Akira..."

The young man, for one moment, just looked at the boy, wanting to decipher what Kaede was thinking. But as usual, he saw only a blank mask, emotionless and unreadable. He sighed as he unconsciously raised a hand and touched the hilt of one of his long swords. The leather wrapped around the metal hilt was sun-warmed and rough to his touch - one of the reasons why his hands were callused.

"You should speak your mind," the swordsman said, trying to coax the boy to express himself some more. "While I'm here with you, I will listen."

Kaede's eyes unfocussed slightly, as he gazed at the lake's surface - how the liquid reflected the colourful earth above it. He was suddenly aware of the heavy scent of lilies that grew from the lily pads that were scattered all throughout the body of water. He felt confused why the swordsman was acting this way once again, an echo of his behaviour last night. It made him confused and unsettled as something about it made his nerves uncomfortable. It reminded him of the many times in his life when he hoped again and again, but in the end, he was betrayed and hurt. He had experienced continuous pain so bitter - again and again - that one day, after experiencing it enough, his trust had shut down just like his other emotions did. His true self began to hide like a small child inside a shell. He lay there, trapped like a cocoon, knowing that the world was bitter and lonely and that the only true salvation was the death that he did not want to consume him. Eternally trapped because he did not want to gain release through ceasing of life as he struggled everyday in never-ending tragedy...

"Why would you do that?" Kaede finally asked in his soft voice. He lifted his gaze from the surface of the water and now looked at the other side of the lake once again. The family of foxes were beginning to turn around from the lake and were slowly walking away towards the direction of the thick fold of woods where they had emerged from. Their furry tails were wagging slightly as if there was something to be excited about.

"Because I want to." Akira just answered, as if it was so simple.

Silent confusion danced on the prostitute's insides. The young whore finally turned towards the swordsman, his demeanour unreadable. His eyes were blank, like it suddenly belonged to a soulless body, and not of a boy's who was just two years out of childhood. "What should I tell you then? What is it you ask of me?"

Akira cocked his head to the side, studying Kaede. "It was not a command, what I just said."

"Then what did you mean?"

A thin smile touched the young man's lips. "I meant, 'let us be friends'."

Kaede was silent. He could not quite believe what he just heard. Friendship, something simple yet unique. It was a kind of relationship that had never been offered to him before. Feelings of wariness crept to him again, swirling vividly in his heart. He tried to recall in his mind the times when such a thing had been offered to him before. In the past, there had been no one. Not one man had come up to him with full honesty and just asked that they be 'friends'. Everyone else wanted more from him - so much more. Kaede was aware that he could not trust this young man easily. Although he was almost gaining hope last night from such a gentlemanly way that the swordsman had treated him, he knew better than to hope. He knew better than to put faith in someone other than himself.

Akira's eyes softened at the boy's reaction before turning towards the path they were trekking earlier on. "Let's go, Kaede-kun. I will be doing some exercises and you will be there with me. And when anyone asks of your service, I will be there to say that as long as I am here, you will always be by my side."

He began to walk once more, tall grasses on the ground tickling the sides of his slippered feet. He was determined to go to the other side of the lake, in hopes of avoiding other people. He wanted to be with Kaede only. He was intrigued yet again, as a growing fondness for the boy warmed his heart. As last night, he saw many glimpses of a boy he wanted to set free, today, he wanted to start planning for Kaede's escape. He could do that by observation of the surroundings outside the brothel and how he could use it to his advantage...

While Kaede, who was standing stiffly behind him, began to take steps as well, to follow the swordsman as a multitude of silent emotions danced in his mind and heart. He had yet to learn that the words and actions of Akira were valid. He had yet to know that the young swordsman wanted the same thing he'd always dreamed of...

Escape.

***

"Have you ever tried to get away from this place?"

Akira's low voice was almost swallowed by the sound of rushing water from the thin river. They had walked quite a distance from the mansion. Akira learned that there was actually a very tall red-painted wooden fence surrounding the estate, far from the building. Inside this estate, aside from the small lake at the back of the mansion, on the far left was a rushing clear river that came from the high green mountains above them. It was a river that passed through the estate itself so that the one who designed the fence had no choice but to build red wooden barricades even above the body of water. To aid this endeavour, they dug deeper into where the water flowed, so that the river would not overflow easily and perhaps cause the built fences to break apart. This single detail immediately made the cogs in Akira's mind to turn...

"In the past, as a child, I suppose I had tried a few clumsy attempts." came the soft response.

They were both now standing beside each other, eyes facing the quick current of the flowing river. Akira was silent, trying to decipher the possible opportunities while Kaede quietly and bitterly remembered his family's name. Flowing River. Rukawa. A name he had already tarnished even if he had never used it in his life after that fateful day nine years ago...

"Why did you stop trying?"

"Because I got tired..."

"Of what?"

"Of the punishments."

Intrigue and quiet anger was felt by the swordsman as he involuntarily ran the pads of his right hand's fingers over the hilt of one of the swords that was strapped to his waist. He asked in a tight voice, "What do they do to you in those punishments?"

Without emotion, the boy answered easily, as he looked absently at how the clear river flowed ceaselessly, "Something similar to what I experience daily. But worse... Akira..." And there was almost no life as he spoke, barely above a whisper, letting his bangs cover his eyes so as not to reveal his faltering emotions. He was aware that Akira's sincerity was questionable but sometimes, when facing men like Akira, he was almost inspired by their /seeming/ good actions. Sometimes, he liked to hope even if he knew that that feeling inside his chest would be crushed. "Akira-san, I beg your pardon but... Might I ask why you must know these things?"

Akira would have been surprised if he had only realized his actions now. But he had learned of his desire since last night when they had a small conversation in his room. "I don't know the extent of what Japan's government does... not really. I had found out just recently about cases like yours. I... know that I shouldn't say that I disagree with the shogun but... And... well, I wonder what it would be like if, for example, you're free of the barriers that had been placed around you..."

"You..." Kaede muttered, back stiffening at Akira's words. He'd heard them all before. There were men who tried to steal him away. But each one who attempted to do so, either faced death or persecution. Because of him. Guilt crushed his heart slowly, almost cutting off his breathing. He closed his eyes and sought darkness, instead of the colourful world around him that he did not deserve. "You shouldn't think of such a thing. From your actions now, I can tell what you wish to do. Have you given up your life? Your honour? You think that by risking all that you have to help me escape, something good will come out of it? I... I'm sorry for speaking in a disrespectful manner. I sincerely beg your forgiveness, Akira-san."

"N... no. Please don't beg for forgiveness. You must not set yourself apart from me. I... I may be a swordsman and your profession may be that of a... pleasure-giver... but I have told you earlier on. I'd like to be friends with you. And friends could talk freely to each other."

They were standing side by side, still facing the rushing river. Kaede's eyes fluttered open slowly, as the carefully spoken words washed over him. Had he heard these words before? He tried to recall. Perhaps there were a few times when he had, but on every single time, those words had led him to disaster. How could he ever trust another human being again after all that he had been put through? It was just not possible anymore...

"You will watch me, would you not?"

Kaede blinked in surprise at the words that were unrelated to their previous conversation. He turned his head sideward, chin lifting to look up at Akira. A small smile was on the swordsman's lips. Sun danced on Akira's face, illuminating the tanned and handsome features, highlighting and shadowing contours. Kaede was confused but did not say so.

"I mean..." Akira tilted his head to the side before beginning to pull out the long sword from where it had been strapped on his waist. The motion of the sword leaving its scabbard was smooth, creating the sharp sound of metal against metal. When the sword was free from the sheath, Akira held it in front of his abdomen in a horizontal manner, its sharp silver surface gleaming as the sun's rays touched it. "When I practice. Perhaps it could inspire you of your future... the future that I hope will be yours soon. The vocation of being a swordsman is one of the options you could have one day..."

"I... understand..." Kaede slowly nodded, easily figuring out what the young man tried to do. It was to give him inspiration. The ability to give hope, even though it seemed so futile. It was a good thing nonetheless. In the back of his mind, he wondered why no servant had come for him yet to perhaps inform him of a new customer. But he quashed that thought quickly, only thankful that he was being given a brief respite from all things cruel. "I will watch you, Akira."

"Good."

The young prostitute came to stand underneath the shade of a maple tree, to hide in its shadows from the hot summer sun. His hands were properly at his sides, slippered feet planted on the grass. Shadows danced on his features, as caused by the foliage of trees above him. He watched attentively as the young man stood still, facing the river.

Akira concentrated, closing his eyes as he stood. The art of swordsmanship was more profound than what non-practitioners believed. To be truly good at it, you would need immense practice, patience, determination and concentration. A lapse in attention during battle could mean an immediate loss in life. One always had to be alert to avoid strikes that could easily maim them.

Aside from the mental and physical needs that swordsmanship needed, Akira knew that there was one other thing that was needed, as opposed to most swordsmen believed. It was the ability to have a heart and soul - the ability to be human. Akira was born in a family of swordsmen, where each male and some females were trained from early childhood. Their legacy had always been there. After passing the tests given to him to be accepted in his father's family, he had to go through rigorous training. Everyday, it was the same routine. He had to shed sweat, blood and tears to reach the level that he had now - a level wherein important government officials like Hirohito Koichiro could actually trust him with their lives. Everyday, even now that he had become so talented, he had to practice himself so that his skills were always top-notch.

And on this morning, even as he was in a high-class brothel, he could not excuse himself to skip his daily training. It was imperative that he should strive his best - even now. Who knows what may happen later on? He always had to be ready...

He disappeared from the ground where he had been standing on, the force of his powerful escape causing dust to visibly rise into the air, small specks of dry dirt dancing under the light of sun rays. His slippered feet made a clacking sound as he had jumped high, moving his body with speed towards the maple tree which Kaede was standing next to. But instead of going towards Kaede, he manipulated himself to propel upwards, towards the branches. When his feet connected with the hard trunk, he pushed himself from the place with speed, flying upwards once more. Since he held his katana in front of him, he was prepared to strike against whatever came his way. And it was the maple tree's leaves and branches that barred him from moving fluidly. Akira began to slice leaves and branches from the tree - only those that came to meet his path. It created a vortex of wind that allowed still-green maple leaves of summer to dance in the wind while quick whooshing sounds were heard in the background.

From his point of view as he continued to move swiftly, causing leaves to separate from branches, he saw Kaede looking up towards his direction with an almost subtle wondering face, as if he was seeing such a sight for the first time. Kaede could not truly follow all his moves. The boy was not trained in that way. But Akira could just feel that the boy almost enjoyed the moment as maple leaves danced their way to shower around him. Kaede lifted one hand, palm-up, and caught a few shredded leaves as his eyes continued to look towards Akira. Sharp sound of smooth sword strikes filled their surroundings as leaves continued to fall.

And that was when Akira suddenly paused, just crouching among branches, not being able to stop himself from doing so. Kaede was looking up at him now and he could not help but look back as well, small smile touching his lips.

"How was it?" Akira asked, curious about the young prostitute's views.

"You were quick. Talented, of course." Kaede answered, voice soft but clear. Around him, the leaves had settled on the ground, covering his feet. In his line of vision was the sight of the swordsman among branches that did not have as much leaves as before.

The swordsman felt a brief sense of gladness at hearing that before he pushed himself from the branches and jumped down to the ground. With a thump, he landed on maple leaves and grasses, the contact on the skin of his slippered feet causing a slight tickling sensation. He now stood before the boy, looking down at him. "How would you like to try?"

Honest confusion clouded Kaede's mind although he only looked at Akira with blank eyes. "Try?"

Akira nodded and reached to touch the boy's right arm, circling his hand around the silk-clad forearm. He lifted the arm as he glided his hand slowly towards the direction of the hand. Their hands connected, touching, then held each other for awhile and Akira had to look towards Kaede's eyes as he felt a jolt of something he had never felt before. The younger boy was looking at their hands almost sadly before such emotions disappeared quickly, as if it was not there in the first place.

"Here," Akira almost whispered, moving Kaede's hands palm-up then moving his other hand to place the hilt of his long sword on the pale hand. He used both hands to close the boy's fingers around the hilt of the sword and finally let go once Kaede held it tightly in a fist.

The weight of the long sword settled heavily on his hand as Kaede looked almost blearily at the gleaming silver killing edge. In the past, he was sure, the edge had cut through flesh and had been stained in blood, just like the dagger he used when he assassinated targets, who were of the corrupt government. The feeling of the rough leather that bound the hilt caused a sick feeling in the pits of his stomach, something like nostalgia. The last time he had held a sword like this had been in his early childhood when his father was home. And, even then, he would only be shouted at for daring to touch such a thing. So, it seemed that this was the first time that he was actually allowed to touch such a killing weapon of this magnitude. Not a dagger but a sword.

Once, he had been destined as a swordsman...

"Well, why don't you try it?"

The voice cut through Kaede's thoughts as he immediately looked up at the speaker. He saw blue eyes looking at him with interest, something he had seen in many men's eyes in the past. But something in the eyes that he was looking upon right now unsettled him - something that he tried to ignore. The gaze was honest and gentle, qualities he rarely encountered.

As Kaede moved his other hand to help support the other hand in holding the hilt, his mind could not help but think of an almost wayward thought. Escape. He was only with one client and, although Akira was a very talented swordsman, he had the advantage of the element of surprise. Besides, from where they stood, near the river, he could easily escape through the rapids, letting water wash him under the red fence that had been built over it. He had a katana in his hands right now. He had a weapon to protect himself with. He'd kill the swordsman in front of him and kill those who stood on his way outside the estate. And then he would be free from the brothel, free from the slavery that the shogun had bestowed upon him long ago...

"Kaede?"

A voice again.

A gentle hand touched his face, tilting it upwards. Kaede's eyes focussed slowly, only to see that Akira was looking down at him with worry. The said emotion was in blue eyes that looked at him - eyes that were so much like his own. The touch of fingers caressing his face dared him to feel something in his heart and he hated the emotions it caused. In silent movements, he lifted the sword and pointed the tip of the sword against Akira's throat, his eyes blank.

"I could kill..." Kaede muttered, before faltering at the kindness in Akira's gaze.

"Of course." Without panic, and with slow movements, Akira lifted his hand and touched the blunt side of the sword that Kaede held. "And you deserve revenge, I know. But could you truly handle the guilt? The guilt of knowing that you killed an innocent man?"

"I could escape." Kaede said firmly, his grip on the sword tightening, leather and metal digging into his skin. "I could kill you and escape from this place forever..."

"Then I'm going to help you." Akira replied with honesty. "I will. That's why I brought you here. To plan your escape..."

But Kaede shook his head in disagreement. "Don't..." he muttered, his hands beginning to shake. "Don't lie to me�"

"Kaede, I'm not..."

"Stop it� Don't lie.... Please..."

"Kaede-kun�"

And in a swift motion, Akira swiped the sword away from Kaede's grasp, letting it fall to the ground beside their feet. Intensely, he looked at the boy who had a sudden look of anger, fear and fatigue in his gaze. He sighed deeply before nearing Kaede and quickly holding on to the boy, folding his arms around the slender form. Burying his face on the silky hair, he tightened his embrace, wanting only to comfort the wounded being. Scent of dewdrops and nature drifted to his nose, as if Kaede was part of the beautiful life that flourished around them.

"Don't... You don't have to do this..." Kaede whispered in a hoarse voice, hating the pity he was receiving from the kind swordsman that he could not bring himself to trust. Soon, this young man would hate him - hate him like all the others did. His fate had been sealed so long ago and it will take only his own efforts to escape. No amount of pity from the outside world could help him. He had to stand on his own feet. He had to be strong on his own.

But Akira had other plans as he replied in a soft whisper against Kaede's hair. "Since last night, I had began to think about it. You... I've never seen a person such as you, Kaede. For one night only, I learned about you. And the more I know about you, the more I want to help you. I see talent in you. I see strength and the will to survive. You want to be free and I could help..."

"I could do it on my own... You don't have to..." Kaede protested, trying to not relax in the arms that held him - arms that attempted to give him support from the cruel reality he had to live in everyday. He could not rely on anyone. Could not... will not...

But the moment was suddenly broken when someone cleared their throat.

Akira and Kaede immediately looked sideward and saw that it was none other than Takato, the manager, who had come to meet them�

"I hope I'm not disturbing anything but..." the manager muttered. Behind him were two beautiful prostitutes with faces painted in make-up; both wore light blue loose kimonos. All three of them were smiling falsely, faces mechanically engineered to look pleasant, just to be polite. "Kaede, your services are needed."

Service again...

For one moment, Akira wanted to continue holding the boy. Absently, he took in what he felt - and what he felt was the warmth of another person against the insides of his arms, pressing against his chest. He almost wanted to do something drastic but he knew he must choose instead to be rational. So, eventually, regretfully, despite what he wanted, his arms fell to his sides, releasing the boy. He backed away respectfully as he nodded his head in greeting at the manager and the prostitutes. They remained smiling, faces looking very friendly. It was rather amazing yet disturbing. Akira realized that he did not sense the manager and the women coming near them earlier on. He had not been entirely concentrating on his surroundings. Instead, he had his entire focus on Kaede. He had to take note to pay more attention next time, lest it lead to trouble for him or even for the politician he guarded.

Beside Akira, as he backed away from him slightly, Kaede shifted his gaze towards him and nodded his head respectfully at him, gaze lowering to glance at the lawn for a second. When Kaede looked back up again, their eyes met for one moment, almost as if there was meaning, before the contact was broken as Kaede began to fluidly move his long legs towards the manager.

But suddenly, Akira's lips moved almost out of its own volition, words escaping him. He was internally commanded by a thought that entered his mind. It was related to something he had been thinking about last night - about his newfound will to help the beautiful spirit to become free from the brothel. And also, he had promised himself that while he was here, Kaede would be near him - always. And so he spoke, "Wait..."

The manager startled slightly at the sound of Akira's deep voice that had cut through the silence. He turned the direction of his face towards the swordsman and looked at Akira with curiosity. He absently noted that Kaede paused in his steps in reaction, back facing Akira. "Yes, my lord?"

Akira's voice was as firm as his will, "I would like to hire him instead of the person who had done so. Yesterday, you had said that Hirohito-san and I could..."

A small smile touched the manager's lips as he held back his personal amusement. Inside his mind, he realized once more about the power of such fleeting things such as friendship, compassion and care. In this brutal era, it was truly an amusement to see it surviving even through all the sins that decayed their country. "I did say that, Lord Akira. I said that while you were in this brothel, you would have rights to buy Kaede's services. You and Lord Hirohito would be given priority over other men. But..." He lowered his gaze, hiding the small smirk that graced his lips. "But... It was none other than Lord Hirohito who had asked for his services on this fine morning. And he, after all, is higher in status than you, no? He is the one who seeks for Kaede today."

Kaede nearly stiffened, knowing that the time had come when he needed to assassinate the government official Hirohito Koichiro. He had just gotten this assignment the other day and now was the time when he was going to commit another crime. Dread and guilt washed over him, threatening to break his mind. But as usual, he shut those emotions away, not needing them. He instead reminded himself of the revenge he had vowed to take from the shogun. So many had died because of that insidious man whose seeming purpose was to provoke trepidation in his own defiled country. It was not only he who had suffered. It was not only his family who had been massacred. So many more innocent lives had been lost...

The young prostitute dropped his thoughts once he felt the torrent of high emotions travelling across his veins, like fire trying to burn the coldness that he needed while in the midst of the men and women who surrounded him. Instead, he began to walk towards the manager once more, strong will making him continue on. He allowed only determination to wash over him now as he thought about Hirohito Koichiro. Soon, blood will flow. Soon, another corpse shall be present and it would be because of him. Soon, guilt shall stain his heart once more. It meant that another death shall happen because of him. And most of all, Akira would hate him later on...

But even through all these things, he had to do his job as a whore and as a murderer.

Because for now, it was the only way to survive�

***

With a click, the white-panelled door slid close behind Kaede.

He had been instructed just earlier on, much to his temporary relief, that it was not yet time to murder the politician Hirohito Koichiro. He had not been given a dagger. He had not been given anything but the instruction that this morning, he was to seduce Hirohito Koichiro and to prove that he was worth the man's time and money. The seduction shall take place inside this library where he had just entered. There was no futon here, nothing to conceal his would-be weapon. So instead of murdering, he just had to show his skills as Shidareyanagi's finest whore. Show that he was worth the money and time that so much men bestowed upon him in the past...

"Good morning."

Kaede's blue gaze settled on the middle-aged man who stood before a shelf of various books. Some of those books were imported but some were just local. There were some books from China, some from distant continents, and some from all across the country. A lot of them were modern - leather-bound on the outside and clean white sheets of paper on the inside printed with ink. Various writings from mere stories to true facts were eternally inscribed within those books, only to fade away when calamity, human intervention or time would choose to. Kaede spent many hours coming to this room whenever he was free. Just like when he chose to be educated because of his determination to break free from his state one day, he also relied on books to help himself be educated. He'd read many books in this room before, from ancient Japanese texts to foreign ones that he could barely understand...

"Good morning, my lord." Kaede bowed his head politely, head inclining downward so that he briefly saw the sight of the gleaming mahogany floors. This brothel was a mixture of many architectures and cultures, affected by time and various influences. Floors, for example, were not a constant uniform all throughout. In hallways and in rooms such as the library, what served as the floor were polished boards of mahogany wood which had the colour of honey, especially when daylight's sun gleamed upon it. In other rooms though like bedrooms and the dining room, tatami was used as the flooring. It was to add a Japanese feel, something that provoked a sense of 'home' or perhaps, the sense of 'belonging'...

Kaede lifted his gaze from the floor and looked towards the politician he was soon going to murder. He stood only before the door, posture flawless as always. He was to move only when he was directed. Across the room, the man was dragging one tanned finger through a line of books on the polished wooden bookcase, curious old brown eyes inspecting the titles of each.

"Hmm..." the man absently said, pausing the motion of his finger as he scrutinized at the title of one particular book. It was a book imported from Denmark and he couldn't understand the foreign writing of the title located on its spine. Sun through a nearby open window gleamed on his old face and his balding short black and white hair. He continued, "So many books from so many places. Histories, cultures, sciences or simply stories from the figment of the imagination... All written by skilled minds and hands... Do you read, Kaede?"

"Yes, my lord." Kaede was internally perplexed at the man's words. From observing the man silently since Hirohito and his guard had arrived yesterday, he had gotten the impression that the man was one of those who was more into pleasures of the flesh than communicating about intellectual things. Although he was aware that the politician was one of the shogun's most trusted advisors, Kaede also knew that there were kinds of men who were intelligent on the outside of the estate but stayed in the brothel only to satiate their sexual needs. Inside the brothel, their wisdom perished to the needs of their flesh. Nothing more than that... Apparently, he was mistaken about this particular middle-aged man...

The man's eyes slowly shifted from the sight of the rows of books, towards the sight of the beautiful young prostitute. Upon his lips now was a warm smile. He looked, at that instant, like a father. His mere visage reminded the young whore about his decapitated and deceased father, but he quickly quashed down his morbid memories lest they affect him. Hirohito tilted his head to the side as he continued to look at the boy. "Please enter the room some more. I only need to inspect you and to try to gauge if what everyone else had been saying about you is true. I've been intrigued, you see..."

As directed, Kaede moved his feet and legs, black silk of his kimono shifting gracefully against his body. The mere colour of his clothing was a fierce contrast with his skin, white and black. The only wayward colours about him were the colours of his eyes and of his lips. Blue eyes like sapphire gemstones. And pale-pink lips like Sakura blossoms. He made his way across the room with silent footsteps, feeling absently the material of the tatami against the skin of his feet as he glided through the floor. He came across the sight of a square of light on the tatami flooring, an echo of the light from the open window. And he stopped, his sight absently taking in the view of the polished wooden bookcase that the man stood next to. As the light of the sun that poured through the window warmed his bare feet, he inclined his head downward in a slight movement, a small symbolic action that indicated that he was lower in status than the man. He had been taught this mere action and its meaning when he had been very young.

"Very good..." the man complimented, his voice deep and masculine. Absently, he noted the way Kaede's hands fell properly on his sides, pale and slender. Its bones were finely sculpted, like women's hands. The mere sight of them made him curious about the rest of the boy's body. So, he commanded easily, "Now show me your body, Kaede-kun. All of it."

Blanking his mind immediately and knowing enough to not get affected, Kaede bowed his head in understanding before doing as the man asked of him. He lifted his hands from his sides and reached for the artful knot of the sash, beginning to undo it. He unknotted the knot, undoing it with his fingers and soon, it came loose and he pulled it free. He held the sash in his right hand before letting it fall carelessly but gracefully to the floor. The kimono came loose from his shoulders and he slowly let it glide down from his arms. As if it had a life on its own, it parted on the front, folds falling to the sides. Centimeter by centimeter, the black silk shifted, teasingly baring smooth pale flesh. What was revealed was a body that was unmarked and unstressed - preserved for its beauty.

The man who witnessed it absently let his tongue lick his lips as he inspected the curves in the boy's form, as fine as any women he had tasted in the past. He could already feel saliva gathering under his tongue as he watched both light and shadow define the young body that was before him. Just by looking at Kaede, he realized one thing - a thing that he had not realized before. In terms of appreciating another human being, it was not supposed to be based only on gender. What he saw before him now was a boy in a parted black silk kimono - a boy, yes, but Kaede seemed more than that. Before him stood a thing of beauty.

Just the sight of the boy made his heart rate beat a bit quicker and the blood in his old body to flow more rapidly through his veins. His legs began to move on its own volition, feet taking the two steps that separated him from Kaede until he was standing before the boy, his yukata-covered body nearly pressing against Kaede's naked front. A small, satisfied smirk settled upon his lips as he lifted a hand to the boy's face, fingertips touching a gentle cheek.

"Pretty boy indeed," he said softly, not really saying the words to Kaede. It was more of a statement of confirmation. He moved his hand across Kaede's cheek, gliding, feeling, until he suddenly paused. The rough pad of his thumb moved towards Kaede's moist lips, touching it with gentle wonder. "Turn around for me, Kaede. Let your clothes fall. It's time to reveal yourself before my eyes."

Even as the old man was still fingering his lips, the boy did what was asked of him. Gazing up at the slightly taller middle-aged man, he tilted his head to the side very slightly so that the contact of the man's rough thumb parted from his lips. The mere movement almost indicated an indirect kiss although it was not. A silent tease. With graceful movements, he turned his hips around, long slender legs echoing the actions. He let the side of his hips brush against the man's already excited groin in practiced and automatic gestures, sight seeing books and light and shadows inside the library. With every inch that he turned, he also let the silk kimono fall off of him, a teasing stripping motion. Slowly, it fell into a heap below their bare feet, expensive silk that was soon going to be forgotten. Kaede only paused from his revolving actions when his back was pressed on the man's; rough hands had held his waist suddenly, a rather demanding gesture. He could just feel disgust and bile in his throat as the man's hardness pressed against his back. Warm and clothed torso came in contact with his bare back as he looked absently forward, into the sight of the library door.

"I now see why men like to own you." a breathy whisper was blown into his left ear as hands glided to touch the side of his hips, caressing his young flesh. "Now speak, Kaede. I want to hear your voice. Talk to me alone. Give me your attention."

Kaede almost snorted, if he had not been instructed early on that that was not an ideal response to his clients. Instead, he leaned back on the hard, clothed chest and into the hands that squeezed his flesh.

"Why?" he whispered, "Why did you suddenly have interest in me, my lord?"

Lips immediately curved upwards against Kaede's neck. "Intrigue. And the chance to conquer someone that they say is unconquered as of yet. Your strength is lethal to you. It makes men want to be the one to destroy you. It challenges them to try to break that ice off your face and replace it instead with something like pain or perhaps pleasure. In those unemotional but lush lips, they expect to hear moans instead of silence. They want those lips to embrace their arousal..."

"And you, my lord? What do you intend to do to me?"

Quiet laughter was the response to the question.

"Why, I expect to be pleased like those men, of course. Physical pleasure plus the satisfaction that I have claimed something that many men like to brag about."

"Is that so?"

The politician smiled pleasantly before slowly, but almost unwillingly moving away from the boy, distancing himself. He walked around the young prostitute and stopped only once he stood before him. As the morning sun touched Kaede's face, he looked down at blue eyes and sultry tight lips that he'd like to use right about now. While his adoring eyes were directed towards the boy, Hirohito placed his hands on Kaede's shoulders, pushing them downwards. The boy got the message quickly enough, slowly and gracefully falling to his knees. Soon, he was kneeling before the middle-aged man, serene blue gaze looking up at the man like how a true slave would. Truly trained. The politician smiled pleasantly as Kaede began to undo the sash in front of his waist, to let that sash fall to the tatami floor, and to reach out to touch his arousal.

Before Kaede could open his lips and envelop him with wet heat, Hirohito smiled.

"A whore indeed."

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