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Jin placed his bag down on the couch and loosened his tie to unbutton his collars. The conference he’d been into did not go as well as he intended it to be.
He took the file that he slipped into the pocket of his bag and regret immediately filled him.
They had looked down on him because he wasn’t a westerner, and they doubted his skills when he offered them for free.
“May God damn them all,” Jin said in a rare act of anger. “Offer them a cure that could be replicated with cheaper medicine and they say it’s too risky?”
Jin threw the paper on the floor, running a hand through his hair. “I should not have come here then.”
He recalled how he stayed up all night just to finish his documents, and how he rushed his pay because some westerner who studies medicine was visiting Japan. With the tension between his country and Japan, he’d managed to get a flight through a spider’s thread.
His father had disowned him, saying he was a disgrace. Jin almost laughed at that, he was living with his own money, his father was really just there for show. His mother had been appalled, but Jin knew his mother was just as relieved that they no longer would be associated with a traitor.
His door opened and he looked up in surprise as his room was filled with the scent of jasmine, “Who is it?”
Jin tried not to let his surprise show, but his mouth dropping open exposed all his emotions.
A woman had entered his room, slender and white, her hair was black although Jin doubted that was her real hair. From the beautiful red robes laced in gold and storks, he knew that the lady was what the Japanese called a Geisha.
Jin stood up, at lost. He doesn’t know how to speak Japanese, he’d only studied English and he wasn’t very fluent at that either.
The Geisha was still staring at him and Jin looked away awkwardly, aware of how his cheeks were slowly turning pink. “I-I… Sorry. I think you got the wrong room.”
She didn’t say anything back. Jin squeaked when the lady took three long steps and they were face to face, “Sorry.”
Jin’s embarrassment was replaced by confusion, for a lady, she had a very deep voice. She placed both her hands on Jin’s shoulders and pushed him back down to the sofa.
“IdonotspeakJapanese!” Jin said in rapid Korean, his mother tongue. He raised his arms over his head to keep the lady away.
The Geisha stopped her approach and pulled back. Jin counted three seconds before he lowered his arms and peek at the Geisha.
“Well,” The Geisha said.
Jin sat properly, and his mouth dropped open again when the Geisha tugged on her hair, pulling the wig off and revealing short brown hair. “You’re Korean?”
The Geisha nodded, “I am.”
“Oh,” Jin cleared his throat. “Then I’m sorry, but you’ve got the wrong room. I did not ask for a…”
“It’s okay,” the Geisha said, “You can say it. I’m also a man.”
Jin choked, “What?”
“Now that we got that over with,” the Geisha, (he,) said. “Will you please take me back to Seoul?”
“What?”
The Geisha took his hands, “I’ve been here for 16 years, I’m supposed to be in the next room to meet my first customer as a Geisha, but I don’t want to! Please take me with you!”
Jin looked at their hands and he slowly pulled back, he’d gotten enough problems for one day.
The Geisha grabbed his hands again and leaned towards him, “Please! I’ll even— I’ll even let you take me if that is what it takes.”
Jin blinked, letting the offer process. While he let it sink in, the Geisha had already started to remove his belt, letting it slide on the floor. His arms were already on his collar, slipping off his kimono slowly and revealing a patch of clean white skin.
Jin grabbed the Geisha’s arm before he could expose anymore. “No! It’s fine!”
“Oh,” the Geisha said. “I almost forgot you were a man.”
Jin took an insult on that.
“I just mean that you look pretty,” he said. “Not like any other men I have seen before while I was a maiko.”
“I don’t know what that is, but will you not get in trouble if you are supposed to be next door?” Jin said.
The Geisha’s expression turned into one that looked like he was in pain, and Jin wondered if he could ask. “Please don’t let them take me.”
“They are searching for you?” Jin asked.
The Geisha nodded.
Jin sighed, removing his glasses and massaging the bridge of his nose. He didn’t have to help the man, after all, he was a stranger. But somehow, the thought of leaving the man alone left a tugging at Jin’s heart.
“Fine, go to the bathroom and take a shower,” Jin said. “Remove all your makeup and get rid of the smell.”
The Geisha looked at him brightly and disappeared behind the doors.
Jin walked over to his small suitcase and pulled several dress shirts out before picking out the smallest and a pair of pants. If he could make it look like the Geisha was his assistant, he’d be able to smuggle him away.
Smuggle, Jin snorted.
He came to present medicine but was denied, so now he’s smuggling private goods?
Jin knocked the bathroom, “Are you done?”
“Yes,” the geisha said. “I don’t have any towels.”
“Here,” Jin said. He waited until the door was open and he placed his hands in the small opening of the door. “Change into these clothes.”
When the door opened again, Jin was surprised at how little the difference of make-up had done. While the white paint was gone, Jin found that the man still had light skin. And the red lipstick only gave way to a soft red.
His shirt was a bit too big on the guy, especially the shoulders although the pants were fit enough to not need a belt. “I’m surprised your waist his this small, your clothes do not really show it.”
“You look like a man,” Jin stated.
“I am one,” the Geisha said.
“Are you going to introduce yourself now, or am I bound to call you ‘Geisha’ in my head all the time?” Jin asked, a hint of a tease in his tone.
“I was called Bui when I was a Maiko because my Korean name was… too Korean. But I’m Watanabe Taehyung.” He paused for a while, “Just call me Taehyung, I suppose.”
“Watanabe?” Jin repeated, “That’s not Korean.”
“It’s my grandmother’s,” Taehyung said. From the look on his face, Jin knew not to ask anymore. “And your name, handsome?”
“Kim Seokjin,” Jin said. “You can’t step into Korea if your name is registered as Watanabe, you’ll have to take my name as well.”
“You mean ‘Kim’?” Taehyung asked. “Where will you get papers for that?”
Jin smiled, “I’m a doctor, Taehyung, I didn’t get to where I am right now without connections.”
He wrote a telegram that night.
As it turned out, keeping Taehyung was easier than Jin thought. Jin spent the entire 3 days in his hotel room, reviewing his works and polishing a bit of his English while Taehyung remained in the room with him.
It was odd, but Taehyung managed to find ways to keep himself entertained and out of Jin’s work. Sometimes had small conversations, and Jin found himself enticed by how much Taehyung’s eyes spoke louder than his words.
When Jin finished, he decided it was the time he went to contact his friend. Taehyung sat down next to him, watching as Jin dialed on the telephone.
“Are you trying to connect to someone directly?” Taehyung gasped. “You’ll be charged a large sum for that.”
Jin smiled, “It’s fine. I’m sure my father can risk a few bills.”
Taehyung nodded in awe, keeping silent when the call connected.
“Did you receive my telegram?”
“Is this the way you greet someone who let you cross the border?”
Jin laughed, “I was trying to cut to the chase, Yoongi.”
Yoongi was a man Jin met when he was studying medicine. He walked into Yoongi in a bar after he entered the wrong door, and found out they were dealing with something more illegal than the drinks and services offered in the bar.
He discovered that Yoongi mastered in deceiving, and his services were asked by even the highest politicians. Also, Yoongi would do anything people asked as long as it’s within his liking and if the pay is right.
Yoongi said that his request was being processed already and would arrive in five days.
Jin informed Taehyung about this, and the guy teared up. He literally jumped on Jin and hugged him tightly. Jin coughed, awkwardly patting the Taehyung’s back as the boy cried.
After he calmed Taehyung, he told the guy that he’d had to go to a printing press to copy his medical documents. Jin wouldn’t just sit down and do nothing while Taehyung’s papers were being processed.
He’d send his documents to America, to all medical universities and esteemed professors of medicine. When he finished, the sun was close to setting already.
The streets were bustling with chatters and Jin almost couldn’t believe there was war ongoing. He shook his head and stopped by the Okiya that Taehyung told him about, where he was from.
A small lady was immediately by his side, asking him about what kind of service he was looking for.
“I’m sorry, I’m looking for someone,” Jin said in English.
The lady was flustered, immediately running off while calling some name.
It wasn’t long before another woman appeared in the corridor. Jin was immediately struck by the grace and the pose of the woman as she glided through the floor.
The difference between the lady who greeted him and the woman was obvious, and by the hair, the simple ornaments, and clothes that were closely similar to Taehyung’s Jin assumed the woman was a Geisha, probably a senior.
“It is strange to see a westerner here, but not rare to find one in a Geisha house.” The woman said. Jin smiled at the younger lady, so it seemed the lady called the Geisha because the woman can speak English. “You do not look like a type to be here for our service.”
Jin smiled, and the Geisha understood, “Follow me, we shall have more privacy in my quarters.”
He was served tea by the Geisha when they arrived the smaller room. Jin accepted it with a thank you and the Geisha smiled.
“I was informed that you have a person called Bui in here?”
“Yes. She was privately summoned by a guest, and disappeared.” The Geisha sat straight and proud, “You are not that guest. How do you know her?”
“I found her,” Jin said. “I am telling you this because you might look for her.”
“We are looking for her,” the Geisha said. “She cannot leave.”
“Why not?”
“Bui was young when she was taken here. We raised her to become a Maiko, it is in her contract that she must pay-back her debt before she can live independently.” The Geisha said. “I am sure a westerner will not understand, but that is our way.”
“I understand well,” Jin said. “How much is this debt?”
The surprised look on the Geisha’s face was the first expression Jin saw on her face. “I assure you it is not cheap. Maiko training is expensive, but Bui has been here longer than any maiko—”
“It’s alright,” Jin smiled. “How much?”
The amount was larger than Jin had assumed, and he wondered how long exactly Taehyung had been staying at the Okiya for it to amount that big.
He arrived the hotel room with an empty wallet and half-empty bank account, but he decided it was worth it. He’d be helping a fellow neighbor get back to his country.
Taehyung was passed out on the couch when he entered, and Jin tried to walk in as quietly as possible, but he hadn’t even made it three steps when the guy woke up.
“Seokjin!”
Jin frowned, removing his coat. “You’re going to go back to Korea, you’ll have to start getting used to calling me ‘hyung’.”
“Where did you go?” Taehyung asked, “You were gone all day!”
“I settled some unfinished business.”
As promised, five days later, a parcel arrived at Jin’s hotel.
It contained Taehyung’s new identity document, a passport, and several more documents and tickets.
Taehyung was ecstatic, he looked at each document in fascination, and held his passport tightly, “I’ve never dreamed of even having one!”
Jin suggested to take Taehyung out that day, and Taehyung was stubbornly against it.
He grabbed on the bed tightly as Jin tried to tug him away from it. “I don’t want to hyung! I can’t be seen out there! They might recognize me!”
“I doubt that,” Jin said. “Now come on!”
Taehyung wailed, “I don’t want to!”
“There’s nothing to be afraid of!”
“What if they do notice me and they’ll think you kidnapped me or something? I don’t want anything to happen to you, hyung, please!” Taehyung let go of the bed and instead clutched on Jin’s shirt.
“You’re afraid something will happen to me?” Jin asked. “Is that what this is about?”
“I’ve seen it happen before,” Taehyung said. “The Japanese don’t show mercy to our kind.”
“What? No, it’s not that bad anymore,” Jin said. “There has been an amity act between the royal family, we’re safe as long as we have legal, valid travel documents.”
“My mother was taken by a Japanese soldier, I don’t know where my father is. When I was born, my mother could barely keep us alive and she died when I was 4. An old lady found me and took me in when my mother died, but I haven’t even reached 5 when the neighbor told on us. You know how some Japanese soldiers are, they didn’t react positively to a native taking in a Korean child.”
Jin suddenly felt stupid for trying to force Taehyung without telling him that Jin had paid back his debt at the Okiya.
Taehyung’s eyes were already close to tearing up, “S-so they took grandmother outside and dragged me as well, the neighbors weren’t doing anything. Not even when they started beating grandmother up, so I begged them to stop.”
His hands were clenched into a fist on his lap, and Jin could see how much force he was using by the tremble of his hands. He reached out and grabbed both hands, uncurling his fingers.
Taehyung exhaled and loosened them, “They beat me up too. Then one of them said it would be funny if they… they thought I was a girl. They undressed me by force, but stopped when they found out I was a boy.”
“You don’t have to tell me all these if it hurts to say it,” Jin said. “I’m sorry I forced you to go. We can just—”
“No, it’s fine.” Taehyung laced his fingers on his. Jin didn’t comment on it as the guy continued his story, “A geisha spotted me trembling, and the soldiers as well. She seemed to know them, so she approached the soldiers and coaxed them into stopping. When the soldiers left, the Geisha whispered something to the maiko. They brought me in their care, they were nice but…”
Jin nodded, “I understand. I’m sorry I asked you, I would take you back even if you hadn’t told me all these.”
A tear fell off Taehyung’s cheeks and Jin brushed it off, “They said there were some politicians and soldiers who preferred men. I didn’t want to… with them.”
Jin nodded, he kept his hand on Taehyung’s cheeks to wipe off the tears that escaped.
Taehyung placed his hand on top of his, leaning to it. “Will you do it?”
Jin blinked, “What?”
“In case they don’t allow me to go with you,” Taehyung whispered. “Will you spend this night with me?”
Jin’s heart broke at Taehyung’s plead. He leaned in, capturing Taehyung’s lips. “Of course, Tae.”
They hadn’t done anything more than kissing, Jin had stopped Taehyung when the guy started to go lower than his waist, and Jin kept Taehyung close to his arms even when they both fell asleep.
Taehyung’s worries were all forgotten when they successfully boarded the plane a week later.
Jin was too busy analyzing things in his head to process any of Taehyung’s excited whispers. Like how he was going to contact his brother, and where would Taehyung go?
He no longer had extra financing from his father, and his mother was just… hopeless. Jin supposed Namjoon would lend him some, but he hadn’t met his brother for too long and last that Jin heard, he was married to a lady his father had arranged for him.
It was out of the question.
“Taehyung,” Jin spoke finally when they arrived. “You have two choices, really. You can go look for your own place, I’ll give you money but I don’t have much right now, or… well, you can stay here with me until I find you your own place.”
Taehyung crossed his arms, “Is that even a question?”
“I’m sorry,” Jin said, trying to hide his pain. “I just thought that maybe you would be fine with staying. I’ll- I’ll just head to the bank to get the money.”
“No, hyung,” Taehyung said. “I mean, where else would I go if you’re not there? Of course, I would stay with you.”
“You would?” Jin blinked, “Why?”
Taehyung shrugged, “It’s what feels right.”
Jin tilted his head. Somehow, he can understand why Taehyung would say that because he felt the same. He can’t even imagine how it would be if Taehyung would leave so suddenly.
Deciding to let it go, he grinned at Taehyung, “Welcome to your new home then.”
Taehyung laughed, and Jin felt like everything was right.
By some miracle, Taehyung had managed to stay away from enlistment. Yoongi said it was because Taehyung’s fake documents were only recorded at Japan, and Jin was glad for that.
Jin wasn’t safe though, and Taehyung almost died when he told him that he was in the list of people who were going to be sent to the war. However, Jin was an experienced doctor, accomplished even, so he had been made to work on the safest base, teaching younger soldiers first aid and young doctors better cure.
The war ended 3 years later and Jin was welcomed back by Taehyung.
“I’m home,” Jin smiled.
Taehyung managed to choke out a reply in between his tears and his kisses to Jin’s cheeks.
“Welcome home.”