Chapter Text
The crisp winds of Kamurocho swept through the crowded streets. Bitter air grated at exposed flesh, nipping at noses and cheeks. The young woman who wore dresses squirmed at the abrasiveness, shielding themselves. Late autumn was not the coldest part of the year, but the winds the sea produced made it a harsh month. Wet pavement reflected the bright neon lights of the evening, creating an aurora borealis of inner-city pleasure on the cement. Drunkards and businessmen became the same as soon as they entered through the vaulted, illuminated gate. Cigarette butts littered the ground, wedged in the cracks of the asphalt. Beside them were papers strewn about, advertising businesses, cabarets, karaoke, or whatever else popped up to feed the gluttony of the streets.
A young woman took a final inhale of the frigid air, shivering as she exhaled. She reflexively sunk into her crimson scarf. Burying her face, she slowly felt the tip of her nose regain feeling. It was awfully miserable for having no snow. Upturning her head, she gazed into the clouded sky, as if to beckon the first flakes of the year to the dirtied street. The woman closed her eyes as she remembered the streets in the early morning last year; she had left work after an overnight only to find the streets covered in untouched snow. The appearance of flat white juxtaposed to raunchy signs of younger women was somehow comical to her at the time. Almost like despite everything this district stood for, there was still an innocence to be found in it.
She opened her eyes, finding herself in the darkness of the alleyway, not in the early morning light of her memory. A tremble ran over her body as she turned towards the back door, knocking softly before entering the building. A wave of heat hit her as soon as she stepped in, causing her knuckles and feet to ache. Sighing, she hung up her black coat and purse before untangling herself from the knit scarf. She slipped off her shoes, replacing the sneakers with geta* typical to her uniform.
“I’m here!” the woman called out into the narrow hallway, slipping on her shoes as she spoke. A shuffling noise came from the far end of the hall where an older woman appeared.
“Welcome back, Y/N” she sighed, smiling kindly. Her eyes were old and masked by the wrinkles surrounding them. She continued shuffling towards her, slowly meeting the younger woman.
Fumiko was the owner of the ryokan* Y/N worked at. Her small frame met the young woman at the first door to the right, bowing before following her in. Y/N sat down, immediately examining her makeup in the large mirror hung on the wall. The lights in the room illuminated the small area, allowing the women to begin their work. With a few adjustments, Y/N began to tie her hair in a tight bun.
“How was the walkover, is it as cold as they said it would be?” Fumiko crooned as she looking through the various coloured kimonos.
Y/N swivelled to look at the other woman. “Even colder! I nearly lost my fingers walking here… Don’t suppose it’ll warm up any time soon, eh?” Giggling, she leaned on the back of her chair.
The older woman tittered. “Can’t say it will. Was it much colder where you lived?” Fumiko turned, carrying a pale green kimono with her to where Y/N sat.
The younger woman took off her sweater, leaving her in a tank top and thin tights. She assumed her position before answering.
“It was a different kind of cold…”
Her mind began to wander back to her home. On days like this, it really did seem so far away- much further than a plane ride could take her. She distantly felt the absent tugging and weight of the clothing being wrapped around her. This had once all seemed so new to her, but now it had faded into her everyday life. She looked up to find her outfit on and nearly done, save for Fumiko tying her obi* in the back. A small smile graced her lips, eyes flittering over the outfit for today.
Fumiko took pride in her staff wearing traditional clothes while waiting on guests- claimed it sold the authenticity of their establishment. While for the most part, this was fine, it did make for the occasional odd moment when Y/N was forced to fetch something in public, as foreigners in traditional attire seemed out of place for Kamurocho.
Screw them, it’s 1989. If they can’t keep up with the times, they shouldn’t call themselves modern.
The two eventually left the room with Fumiko taking the lead. She listed important events that had happened on Y/N’s day off (it often wasn’t too eventful) and gave instruction for the young woman’s night shift.
“You sure you’re going to be okay all by yourself? There’s been more talk on the radio of all sorts running around nowadays…” a frown crossed Fumiko’s face as she paused by the elevator. The elderly woman lived on the first floor but still was concerned about her absence in the lobby of the hotel.
Y/N chuckled, “You know everything will be fine. I can knock if I need help. Besides, we rarely have guests this late into the night.” She coaxed gently, resting a hand on the older woman’s shoulder.
They chatted a few moments more before saying goodnight, the young woman returning to the front desk alone. During nights like these, she turned on the mini radio that hid behind the front counter and solved the newspaper’s newest sudoku. It tended to be uneventful- they were positioned far from the hotel district, so not many couples came in at this hour. Y/N sighed as she flicked through the channels on the radio, finally finding the modern hits station. Her breathing slowed down as she listened to some hip-hop chart-topper, English lyrics sprinkled in at random. The soft purr of electric lights became static to her, lulling her into a calmed state. She worked tirelessly at her sudoku, losing track of time until the electronic melody played, greeting her first customer. Frowning, she glanced at the clock across the wall.
1:06 am… Why is someone coming in?
She propped herself up in time to see a rugged man walk through the door. His body swung heavily, but not like that of someone who was intoxicated. His torso seemed to curl into itself, arms meekly folded across his chest. He was clothed in some sort of patterned suit jacket, a yellowish colour with odd symmetrical spots all over, and black tight-fitting pants. As he came closer, she also noticed his stylish shoes, long and squared at the end. She gulped, pegging him for some gang type. He slammed a gloved hand on the counter, head bowed. He panted heavily as he stood before her. Y/N felt fear trickle down her spine as she watched the man’s pitted breath jerk his shoulders. Her open mouth was dry, and yet she still meekly spoke to him.
“W-welcome sir… How can I help you today?” Her own breath caught in her throat as she ended her sentence.
“Room.” The man gruffly told her, making her jump slightly. She silently gathered a key for him, a trembling hand offering it to him. Suddenly his hand grabbed her, causing her to make a squeak. He slowly looked up, his one eye locking with her own.
“Ya got onsen*?”