Chapter Text
Sakura was five when her mother told her she had a gift, Mebuki had happily clapped her hands together and announced to her sisters, "Maa, maa Sakura-chan you're going to have this place covered in flowers!"
In her hands, little Sakura held a bonsai tree. It had been a gift from a gentleman from the capital. His favorite lady had been Sayuri-neesan. The man said he loved her peach tresses and had a peach tree brought to the oiran . Now the small peach tree had grown in size and had blossoms sprinkled all over. A chorus of awws came from Sakura's sisters and aunties, echoing in the halls. It was mid-morning, and all the women were recovering from the evening, their kimonos lax and undone, hair loose, and faces free of cosmetics. They had yet to get ready to practice their instruments and get the list of performances ready. Sakura loved her home, it always smelled like flowers, her sisters and aunties were nice. Their house was always full of music. She herself was the best among the gaggle of girls still learning the performing arts.
She loved her home, she loved that every bit of the house of flowers was pretty. Everyone was pretty here, even Madam Asagao was pretty though everyone joked she was old. Her complexion was clear, her hands were still delicate and steady. And Madam Asagao was still the best at cards and playing the pipa. Though she never smiled and her voice was rough from smoking so much, she was still pretty in the way trees were, she was stern and unmoving. Every girl was named after something sweet. They all had monikers like sugar, sweetpea, peaches. Delicate and easily devoured. This was the House of Flowers, the best in the entertainment district.
Sakura knew her mother wasn't always happy in the House of Flowers, she looked very serious when evening came around and she had to say goodbye. Mebuki always made sure to lock the door to their chamber, made sure all the little girls were tucked in, and kept away from visitors. Her pretty yellow hair was put up in ornate braids. At night she wore flowers in her hair, delicately weaved through her hair, and as her mother hugged her one last time for the evening, Sakura would always reach her hand up to the flowers, made her fingers tingle familiarly, and watched as the roses grew vines and buds trailed down the side of her mothers head. Her mother always smiled and told her she loved her dearly before leaving.
Sakura watched as her mother closed the doors behind her, her silk kimono green with gold flowers and a showy crane in the back. Her face was delicately painted, and beneath her kimono, Sakura knew her mother had a painted leg, the red ink that covered her leg above her knee and crawled up to her hip. She wasn't old enough to be out at night, but Sakura wondered what she'd be up when she finally would be. As she laid back down into the sheets, her older sister Tsubaki was quick to envelop her, Amai-chan's ankle hooked around hers and everyone whispered goodnight to each other.
The next day felt the same as always. Dance lessons first thing in the morning, followed by speaking lessons. They were taught to speak soft, laugh delicately, learn poems and literature, practiced poise and grace. Learned how to create creams and makeup to stay fresh and pretty. Watched how the older girls get dressed in their kimonos, what was the proper way to sit, how to handle food, how to serve tea How to be a good host. They learned how to sing, how to dance, how best to smile, and as the afternoon rolled in, Sakura and the other young girls were allowed to run out in the gardens. The gardens were exquisite. But Sakura loved where the daphne grew the most. Auntie Jinchoge was the house's herbalist, and she was always there to pick a few of the blossoms to take back to her home where she grew all sorts of other herbs and plants to make medicine. Auntie Jinchoge was super smart. She knew how to make pastes that made sure the skin was never scarred. She was soo cool in Sakura's eyes, though Tsubaki and Amai disagreed.
Tsubaki had her feet in the pond, and Amai and Ringo were playing with a tamari ball, Sakura had gotten out on the first round, "Sakura-chan, why do you like Jinchoge-san so much?" Tsubaki was the eldest amoung them, and her voice was always smooth.
"Yeah, doesn't she look like a witch to you?"
"No, she doesn't!" Sakura felt her cheeks redden.
"Ne ne, don't you know the story?" Ringo looked at her, her eyes narrowing and her arms crossing in front of her. Ringo's hair was a touch of red, her skin white and eyes like honey, she was a few months younger than Tsubaki. Madam always said she had too much of a mouth to be proper.
"What story?" Sakura felt her skin prick, Ringo loved to scare people, she loved scary stories and she was really good at acting them out too.
"Jinchoge-san met a oni and he marked her to be his bride, now she-"
"That's not the real story, stupid" Amai, interrupted her face twisted in annoyance. Amai-chan was 9 but always acted older. She had always been stern but she was the best at making paper cranes and playing games. Her hair was brown, and her eyes were blue, but according to the teachers she was too plain, and all the other girls said she'd be a servant like it was something funny. Sakura calmed herself a little as Amai-chan reassured her. but Sakura watched as she and Tsubaki exchanged glances and wondered as their expressions became serious, "Hey! Mebuki-neesan will be mad if she finds out we told her." Tsubaki said.
"It's not a secret what happened to Jinchoge-san"
"What happened to Auntie?" Sakura's voice came out an ugly squeak, but she really did want to know why everyone was so prickly with her.
"She's not an auntie, Sakura. She's too ugly." Ringo cut in her nose stuck up in the air and she looked like she was going to say more but she was splashed by Tsubaki. "And your mouth makes you an ogre!" Tsubaki smiled, as she ran her wet hand through her own dark hair. Amai even smiled a little at Ringo as she coughed out water.
"Why don't you like her?" Sakura asked, her fingers ringing the sleeves of her kimono. It was a hand-me-down from Tsubaki, she always preferred to wear purples. Tsubaki turned to her, her eyes sharp before motioned her over, and Sakura was quick to follow. "It's not that I don't like her, Sakura-chan." Tsubaki went to straighten out the sleeves she had wrinkled. "She wasn't fond of us to start either."
"What do you mean? She's always nice to me and-and she always gives me cakes!" Sakura felt her heart hammer, Jinchoge was nice, always had been.
"She didn't come here because she wanted to, she was pregnant out of wedlock and she came here but she lost her baby. And then she started working and she was rude to a man. He's the one who-"
"What's wedlock?"
"It when a man ties you to him." Ringo answered, and Sakura couldn't help wrinkling her nose, "with a rope? why?"
"I don't think any of us are getting married, ever," Amai said. And Ringo was quick to swing her head, "Nu-uh, didn't you hear? Mebuki-neesan was offered by that merchant! She's getting married-"
"No, she's not!" Amai yelled, Ringo was always good at making Amai lose her cool.
"She is!" Ringo yelled back and Sakura watched as Tsubaki reached over to grab Ringo by the cheek, "That's enough."
"My mama's getting married?" Sakura asked. At her question, Tsubaki sighed, "No, Sakura. That man probably didn't mean it."
"But about Jinchoge-san," Amai continued calmer now that Ringo was keeping quiet, "have you seen how her hands and face are all marked up?" Sakura nodded Jinchoge had purple marks staining her skin. "Well she was rude to a man, and he grabbed a teapot and threw all the hot tea on her-"
"No! that's not the story! Momo said they hunted her down in the market and dumped acid on her-"
"No it was tea-!"
"Actually, I heard a different story too" Tsubaki cut in between the two. "But that's why we need to always be agreeable even when the men are awful." and suddenly the air Tsubaki became heavy, and Ringo looked serious and Amai turned to her, "but that won't be for a while, Sakura-chan."
"yeah, I hear Madam kicked out a bunch of men who came to bother Mebuki-neesan! She rules this house, patron or no patron!" Ringo said
"C'mon, let's play before we have to go to the bathhouse!" Tsubaki said before she pushed Sakura off her lap. And they ran off to play.
That night after her bath, Sakura was sat out on the engawa, facing the smaller garden the one patrons didn't see. Her hair was still wet and she stared out at the plants, most were the ones she persuaded to grow when she heard a rustle out ahead of her. The setting sun had started to cast shadows and the servants had yet to run out to light the walkways. And try as she might she didn't see anything. It wasn't until she scooted farther out that she thought she could make out something. "What are you staring at?" Ringo asked, her hair was soaked and she was dressed in a soft and worn kimono. It was still pretty, still ornate but it had been worn so much that the fabric became soft. Auntie Kanmi said it had gotten torn at the skirt so she couldn't wear it, and Ringo was quick to snatch it, she loved anything blue. She sat beside her, and Sakura could feel the heat from the hot bath off her skin.
"I thought I saw something." Ringo hummed as she dug into her sleeve and pulled out a treat, "Here, Shobu-nee snuck these from the kitchen." And Sakura accepted the sweet treat and took hardy bites that would make Lady Satsu upset. The two girls stared out at the darkening gardens and walkways, soon the house would open for service and the house would be lit up with music and laughter. And men.
Sakura learned quickly that there were no men in their house, ever. Unless night came, there never was any around. "I think something is happening out in the performance lounges," at her voice Sakura turned towards Ringo, "I think," Ringo hesitated her eyes darted off to the side as her mouth wrung into a frown. Ringo never minced her words, it was the only thing she ever lacked tact in. "I think there're men who want to buy young girls, that's what Sumire said." Ringo's voice was hushed. "Have you noticed your mom doesn't wanna take you out to the markets anymore? Apparently those men asked about you and Mebuki-nessan flipped a table on them. Madam was super mad too."
When they heard Tsubaki's approaching steps, Sakura held up the other half of her sweet bun to her. She looked upset, Tsubaki's hair was up, and her eyes angrily regarded Ringo, "Why did you tell her?"
"I thought it was better to know, we stick together, right? We're sisters here, y'know"
"Sakura-chan don't be scared-"
"oh! I'm not, not at all!" Sakura said and smiled at Tsubaki from over her shoulder.
"that's right, Sakura-chan," Hana-neesan stepped out behind her, "We're all sisters here," her smile was soft, her hair was a soft lilac, her eyes crinkled hiding her bright blue eyes, "Besides, Sakura-chan, your mama's a bear. There's no man who can beat her." Hana was fifteen and was a natural entertainer. She sang the best with her honey voice and was always good at making everyone laugh.
"She had those men scared!" Kanmi yelled from the other room
"She had me scared!" Momo followed and Sakura couldn't help but join the laughter. If her sisters said everything was alright, then it would be.
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The next morning, Sakura woke up to her mother stroking her hair. Just as her eyes opened, her mother covered them, "Go back to sleep, dove. It's still early." Sakura peeked between her mother's fingers up at her. She was still wearing her kimono from the night before. It was bright red, peach blossoms stretch across it and her face was still painted but her mother's hair was loose. "Mama are you okay?"
"just fine, go back to sleep, dear." Sakura had always been an obedient child and went back to sleep.
When she woke the day was like always, but there was tension in the air. Especially with Madam.
Sakura didn't get it and no matter how much she wanted to ask, fear of making her mother or Madame angry always stopped her. She never got an answer, two years passed and the memory faded. At seven, Sakura awoke happy to run through the house corridors so early in the morning. She wanted to get to Jinchoge's home early so that she could help mix tea and create creams and lotions, maybe just maybe she'd get to see the chemistry lab where she made perfumes and medicine.'
But as she hopped along the stones in the pond, she stopped at the bridge, hands clenching on railing she held onto the edge. She felt something was there in the trees. But as she stared across the expanse of the gardens she couldn't see anything. But there was something there. As Sakura ducked under the railing and walked out to the arch of the bridge she still couldn't see anything even with the new height. She didn't have time to waste, Jinchoge was so strict she might lock her out, And the thought alone was what motivated her to move to the other end of the bridge and head over to the herbalist's home. But still, Sakura couldn't help but look back.
Jinchoge was kind that morning, she let her see the chemistry lab, even let her get a few of the burners and flasks started before letting her watch her work.
Sakura sat as still as a tree, and watched, listened to the quiet bubbling and enjoyed the warm air. After Jinchoge was done making different orders of tea, cream and healing balms. Mostly stuff to heal bruising but still Sakura found it fun to learn. Sakura liked the bubbling and brewing. the hanare was so much fun that she wanted to be a herbalist, one day. But that dream was a secret, right now she was still studying the arts and Madam would have her head if she found out all those expensive classes would be going to waste.
"You should start heading back, breakfast will be served soon." Jinchoge cut through.
"Oh! do you want me to bring you some? I don't mind." Sakura was quick to her feet, as she stepped closer to Jinchoge.
"No thank you." her voice was stern and Sakura almost wilted on the spot, "but if you really wanna help me, can you encourage the peonies, daphne, and foxglove to grow a bit more before you go, that would..." Jinchoge could never finish sentences when she asked for something. Sakura had noticed and she wondered if it had to do with what happened.
"Yes I can do that!" and Sakura all but skipped out to the garden beds. She hardly heard the thank you, but she didn't mind.
Auntie Jinchoge needs the roots for the peonies and foxgloves, she needs the blooms for the daphne
Sakura let her fingers tingle as touched each herb, and she concentrated on roots, before moving on to the daphne and making the buds blossom.
It wasn't until she raced through the garden did she remember the feeling again, the feeling that there was something in the trees, but this time it felt like she was being watched. Like when Madam stopped by classes to watch all the young girls learning the performing arts. Keeping a careful eye on who was the most fluid, who had the most grace, who could be the most charming. As she looked she almost felt scared, she wondered if she ventured towards the trees that surrounded the house she'd see what it was, maybe then she'd stop being so scared. Ringo always said everyone had to confront things head-on if they wanted to move forward. Sakura didn't get a chance to confront anything in the trees when she heard her mother call, "Sakura-chan! Come inside it's time for breakfast!" her mother's voice was all honeysuckle and as she ran towards her, Sakura could smell the fresh perfume from the baths. Her mother was dressed in a soft blue yukata adorned with red flowers this morning, this was one of the kimonos that one of the other girls had made. Her mother was pretty, just like everyone in the house of flowers, but her hair was golden, her skin fair and despite being petite she always stood strong, like nothing in the world could move her. And best of all, Sakura always loved that her mother could always receive her with open arms.
As they made their way back into the house, Sakura didn't miss the way her mother held her just a bit tighter.
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Thanks for reading. -V