![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bloodsong1Sher and I spent the evening upstairs in our room, practicing tying the obi into a butterfly bow. I have to admit, my kimono gives me a thrill right down to my sock-covered toes. It’s bright pink and yellow with purple and white mountains along the hem. It reminds me of a sunrise. Kunami had nodded when I mentioned it at the shop and said I had “the correct eye.” I’m still not sure if she was pleased with me or just being polite. Sher agrees with me. The obi sash is blue and green, richly patterned.
“Got it!” Sher stepped back, comparing her work to the instructions on her laptop. I craned my neck.
“Ugh. Can’t see!” I minced my way to the bathroom to check in a mirror. Sher followed, carrying the bag of accessories and her laptop. Rae poked his head out of his room.
“Is it safe now?” He asked. I grinned and Sher rolled her eyes.
“Yes, baka. Come help me,” Rae came out and joined us. Sher delegated the laptop to him, digging in the bag. I turned sideways and studied the bow in the mirror.
“It looks great, Sher! You always were a fast learner.”
“At least it’s you this time,” She said, handing me a fan. I tucked it into my sash. “I can finally have my revenge! Sit!” Sher kicked a stool in my direction. I sat carefully. It’s hard to move in this thing!
“Revenge?” Rae asked, bracing the laptop as Sher pounded on the keys.
“I did her hair for the formal dance,” I told Rae, grinning at him in the mirror.
“Not to mention all the hours I spent as a Barbie for her various costume ideas. Sweet poetic justice is mine at last!” Sher found what she was looking for. “All right now, Miss Geisha.”
“Hey! That’s not nice. I’m not an entertainer,” I protested.
“Hush. Time for your Japanese lesson. Repeat after me. Go-shousei kara makoto ni arigatou gozaimasu.”
“Go-shousei kara makoto ni arigatou gozaimasu. Thank you…”
“’Thank you sincerely for the invitation.’ It’s very formal, appropriate for a cha-no-yu,” Sher began brushing out my hair. “Next. O saki ni.”
“O saki ni.”
“’Excuse me for eating first.’ Used if there are other guests and you’re served before them.”
“I don’t think there will be.” I said, twiddling my fingers nervously. Rae’s eyebrows went up and Sher started twisting my hair into a bun, a wicked smile on her lips.
“Even better! Third. O temae o chodai itashimasu.”
“O temae o chodai itashimasu.”
“’I’ll partake of your tea.’ Say it when Kenji-san hands you the cup. It’ll likely be thick, we’ll practice the proper sipping etiquette later.”
“Sipping etiquette?” I asked nervously. Sher pinned the bun tight against my head and frowned.
“Yes. Different standards for the type of tea served. I’ve been doing research ever since you left. Rae, does this look right to you?” Sher asked, gesturing at my hair.
“Except for the color, it looks fine.”
“Shimatta,” I whispered. Sher slapped my shoulder.
“Manners, Candace. You have to be on your best behavior for this. Keep your mouth shut, be properly humble, bow often, pay strict attention to what Kenji-san does.”
“I am in so much trouble!” I whimpered, staring at the doll in the mirror. A blonde, blue-eyed porcelain doll in a pink kimono. Sher rested her chin on my shoulder, her green eyes twinkling.
“Now you know how I felt,” She murmured.
*
“Hello?”
“Candy-san? Are you all right?”
“Kenji-san! Hai, I’m fine.”
“You sound tired.”
“A little. It’s been a busy day. What’s up?”
“I have made the arrangements. The ceremony will be at 4 o’clock tomorrow afternoon. Will this suit you?”
“Oh, yes. I’m looking forward to it very much. How do I get there?” I asked, grabbing a pen and paper. Writing down the directions, I read them back twice to make absolutely sure they were right.
“Did you find a dress?” Kenji asked as I put the directions on my dresser.
“Yes. My hostess, Susan, was very helpful. She took me to a wonderful shop.” I fiddled with the edge of the obi, hanging neatly over my kimono in my wardrobe. “Um, Kenji-san, I was wondering…” I trailed off.
“What is it, Candy-san?”
“Will there be other guests? I want to make sure I’m doing this right.” There was a slight pause.
“Did you wish for others to come too? Your friends?” He asked hesitantly.
“Ie! No, they’re planning on going out tomorrow night.”
“Then there will be no one else,” Kenji said firmly, sounding faintly relieved. “My hosts have promised us total privacy.”
“Oh. Good!”
“Did you have any other questions?” He asked. I shook my head.
“Ie. I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.”
“As am I. Konbanwa, Candy-san.”
“Konbanwa, Kenji-san.”
“Got it!” Sher stepped back, comparing her work to the instructions on her laptop. I craned my neck.
“Ugh. Can’t see!” I minced my way to the bathroom to check in a mirror. Sher followed, carrying the bag of accessories and her laptop. Rae poked his head out of his room.
“Is it safe now?” He asked. I grinned and Sher rolled her eyes.
“Yes, baka. Come help me,” Rae came out and joined us. Sher delegated the laptop to him, digging in the bag. I turned sideways and studied the bow in the mirror.
“It looks great, Sher! You always were a fast learner.”
“At least it’s you this time,” She said, handing me a fan. I tucked it into my sash. “I can finally have my revenge! Sit!” Sher kicked a stool in my direction. I sat carefully. It’s hard to move in this thing!
“Revenge?” Rae asked, bracing the laptop as Sher pounded on the keys.
“I did her hair for the formal dance,” I told Rae, grinning at him in the mirror.
“Not to mention all the hours I spent as a Barbie for her various costume ideas. Sweet poetic justice is mine at last!” Sher found what she was looking for. “All right now, Miss Geisha.”
“Hey! That’s not nice. I’m not an entertainer,” I protested.
“Hush. Time for your Japanese lesson. Repeat after me. Go-shousei kara makoto ni arigatou gozaimasu.”
“Go-shousei kara makoto ni arigatou gozaimasu. Thank you…”
“’Thank you sincerely for the invitation.’ It’s very formal, appropriate for a cha-no-yu,” Sher began brushing out my hair. “Next. O saki ni.”
“O saki ni.”
“’Excuse me for eating first.’ Used if there are other guests and you’re served before them.”
“I don’t think there will be.” I said, twiddling my fingers nervously. Rae’s eyebrows went up and Sher started twisting my hair into a bun, a wicked smile on her lips.
“Even better! Third. O temae o chodai itashimasu.”
“O temae o chodai itashimasu.”
“’I’ll partake of your tea.’ Say it when Kenji-san hands you the cup. It’ll likely be thick, we’ll practice the proper sipping etiquette later.”
“Sipping etiquette?” I asked nervously. Sher pinned the bun tight against my head and frowned.
“Yes. Different standards for the type of tea served. I’ve been doing research ever since you left. Rae, does this look right to you?” Sher asked, gesturing at my hair.
“Except for the color, it looks fine.”
“Shimatta,” I whispered. Sher slapped my shoulder.
“Manners, Candace. You have to be on your best behavior for this. Keep your mouth shut, be properly humble, bow often, pay strict attention to what Kenji-san does.”
“I am in so much trouble!” I whimpered, staring at the doll in the mirror. A blonde, blue-eyed porcelain doll in a pink kimono. Sher rested her chin on my shoulder, her green eyes twinkling.
“Now you know how I felt,” She murmured.
*
“Hello?”
“Candy-san? Are you all right?”
“Kenji-san! Hai, I’m fine.”
“You sound tired.”
“A little. It’s been a busy day. What’s up?”
“I have made the arrangements. The ceremony will be at 4 o’clock tomorrow afternoon. Will this suit you?”
“Oh, yes. I’m looking forward to it very much. How do I get there?” I asked, grabbing a pen and paper. Writing down the directions, I read them back twice to make absolutely sure they were right.
“Did you find a dress?” Kenji asked as I put the directions on my dresser.
“Yes. My hostess, Susan, was very helpful. She took me to a wonderful shop.” I fiddled with the edge of the obi, hanging neatly over my kimono in my wardrobe. “Um, Kenji-san, I was wondering…” I trailed off.
“What is it, Candy-san?”
“Will there be other guests? I want to make sure I’m doing this right.” There was a slight pause.
“Did you wish for others to come too? Your friends?” He asked hesitantly.
“Ie! No, they’re planning on going out tomorrow night.”
“Then there will be no one else,” Kenji said firmly, sounding faintly relieved. “My hosts have promised us total privacy.”
“Oh. Good!”
“Did you have any other questions?” He asked. I shook my head.
“Ie. I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.”
“As am I. Konbanwa, Candy-san.”
“Konbanwa, Kenji-san.”
