Honey Flava

It was hard but Takumi agreed to trust her friend and lover.

“We have to shut and latch these doors.”

The two girls huddled together and fell asleep on a rough, splintered bench close to the main entrance.

5

THE SUN HAD NOT come up when Takumi awoke. “Aiko, we slept too long. We must hurry and get home before Madam wakes up. Please, Aiko, hurry.”

“Takumi, there’s no need to rush. Unlatch the wooden doors and pull them open.”

There was one short moment of dread, but Takumi had no choice but to obey. She’d put all of her faith in her dear friend and didn’t want to lose that special feeling.

Her entire body struggled against the doors. She didn’t remember their being so strong and sturdy the night before. By the time they were fully open and latched to the inside walls, the sun had risen.

“What…what is that? I don’t understand, Aiko. I see the clouds with the beautiful sunshine sending rays around the edges. That’s all I see. Where are the streets and the okiyas that litter every space of our town?”

Aiko smiled. “This is our special place, Takumi. My grandmother told me stories about this magical building when I was little. I wasn’t sure until this very moment that the legends were true.”

“What legends? I’m so confused.”

“The legend of love, Takumi. It is said that any two people who stop over here to sleep will wake up to a fantasyland. It only works if the couple are truly in love. We can stay here as long as we like. Time means nothing here. If we played with one another for ten years and went back, it would still be the same night that we left. In fact, mere minutes would have passed.”

“You mean it’s up to us? How long we live and love…we have control over it all?”

“Yes, love, that’s it exactly. Who would have thought something like this existed in modern-day Japan?”

“Not me, but I love it, and most especially—I love you.”

The two women pressed their lips together. The kiss was soft at first but soon became much more demanding.

They dreamed separately but the events were the same, the two of them together, forever—a future where they lived and breathed the fragrance of a lover.

The women fell asleep and woke to an orange and pink sunrise.

“Time to get back, Takumi. We both have commitments today.”

“If I had my druthers, we’d stay here forever and never return.”

“Takumi? Where is that girl? Takumi? Aiko, please go find Takumi. She has a visitor she needs to prepare for.”

“Yes, Madam. Should I tell her who is calling?”

“I’ve set up an appointment with a prospective danna. Tell her she has about three hours, so she should start getting ready now. You help her.”

“On my way, Madam.”

Aiko hurried down the hall as fast as she could without getting yelled at. Takumi was practicing her fan dance outside when she found her.

“Takumi, we have to get you ready for a client. We must hurry. It sounds like he may be an impatient man. Madam usually gives us all morning to prepare you, but she says you only hav

e three hours and…and…”

The words that had previously fallen from Aiko’s mouth had turned to tears. Wracking sobs erupted from her chest, and soon Aiko was in such a state that Takumi was worried. “Aiko, what’s wrong? I’ll be ready, don’t worry. You’re an amazing makeup artist. There’s no better in all of Japan.”

“It’s, it’s not that, Takumi. Madam Oy has advertised you as a full-fledged geisha. There is a prospective danna on his way now. He is coming all the way from Tokyo. I heard one of the other girls talking about him. He’s very old and likes young girl geishas.” Aiko continued weeping into her hands.

“I’ve been out with prospective dannas before, Aiko. I always manage to turn them away from me. Why would this man be any different?”