Momoko drew herself up, as dignified as any court lady. “I kissed you because I was happy that you survived,” she said. “It wasn’t lust.”
“Whatever it was, let’s leave this place before a patrol comes by and discovers us. It would be inconvenient to have to explain five dead bodies.”
Momoko nodded and started rushing off.
“Slow down,” Kaze said. “If we run, we’ll attract attention from anyone who sees us. If we stroll, no one will take notice.”
Momoko slowed down and dutifully started following Kaze a pace behind, just like a wife. Her face was flushed with excitement from the night’s events, but just as if she were onstage, she played the role of the Edokko housewife perfectly.
“Why were you following me?” Kaze asked when they had left the street with the dead ninja.
“I just didn’t want the night to end. It was so wonderful for me. When you took off your makeup and abruptly left, I decided to see where you were going. I was curious.”
“About what?”
There was a moment’s hesitation. “I was curious to see, ah, if you were visiting a woman, or maybe even-”
“Even?”
“Well, maybe you were visiting a boy. A lot of samurai like that. I wanted to know if that was the case with you.”
Kaze shook his head. “The young people these days are incredible. Haven’t you been told that a maiden of your age should have some modesty?”
“I’m not a child,” Momoko said.
“Then you should feign modesty. You’re not a strumpet.”
“Remember, until a few weeks ago, the Kabuki dancers at the theater were females doing the most lascivious dances. After the performance, they would entertain patrons, sometimes right backstage. I was always backstage helping them dress or picking up costumes after the performance. I’m not experienced, but I’ve seen plenty.”
“Maybe too much,” Kaze said.
Kaze had left the theater to look for a convenient way to get on the roof of the Little Flower, to see if he could look down into any inner courtyards and get an appreciation for the layout of the building. Within moments of leaving the theater, he knew he was being followed, and seconds after that he knew the follower was Momoko. Although she had a gift from the Gods when she was onstage, this gift did not extend to an ability to mimic clandestine operations. Initially, Kaze thought a little wandering would discourage the girl, but she was persistent, and Kaze decided a confrontation and lecture were in order.
Instead of being the teacher in this situation, however, Kaze learned a lesson: Skilled ninja can hide anywhere, even behind a mere slip of a woman. Kaze was so focused on Momoko that he didn’t even realize so many men were surrounding him until he heard the tsugumi call. Kaze was not a city dweller, but he understood that this call was unusual in a city like Edo, especially at that time of night.
He and Momoko walked back to the Kabuki theater. Momoko’s imitation of a wife on the journey somehow irritated Kaze. When they got to the theater, Momoko proceeded to stir up the charcoal fire in an earthenware container, which served as the only source of heat for warmth and cooking. She poured water, which was obtained from a communal well in the neighborhood, into a teapot, and commenced to heat it. Kaze shook his head. It was as if it were a totally normal part of Momoko’s daily routine to witness a battle between one man and five ninja, and now it was time to sit back, relax, do some domestic chores, and have some soothing tea.
As Momoko busied herself with chores, Kaze rummaged through the theater props until he found a suitable piece of wood. It was a branch that must have been used as decoration. No matter. Taking out his katana, he cut the branch to the proper size. He sheathed the katana and took out his ko-gatana, the small knife he kept in a holder that was built into his sword’s scabbard. He sat by the fire and started to carve.
Momoko was curious, but she kept quiet and let Kaze work. Under Kaze’s practiced hand, the wood took shape rapidly, a figure emerging from the grain in quick order. When he was done, he put the statue of the Kannon on the floor before him.
“Would you like some ocha, tea?” Momoko asked timidly. She had remained silent, allowing Kaze to work the entire time.
Kaze nodded, and Momoko handed him a chipped cup of the bitter green brew. Kaze sipped at the scalding liquid and sighed.
“Can I see it?” Momoko asked, pointing to the statue.
Kaze handed it to her. She examined it closely, as if the planes and curves of the wood would reveal something about the soul of its maker.
“It’s a beautiful Kannon,” she said.
Kaze gave a brief nod to acknowledge the compliment.
“Is this modeled after someone you know?”
Again, Kaze nodded.
“Your, ah, your wife?”
Kaze shook his head no.
Momoko looked at the statue again. “She is extremely beautiful.”
“Yes, she was.”
“Oh, has she grown old now?”
“She will never grow old.”
“How is that possible?”
“She’s dead.”
“Oh. I’m sorry. Was she as gentle and serene as you’ve made her in the statue?”
“Yes. She had a remarkable quality for making you feel happy and calm. Most women make men happy by getting them excited, but she had a loving grace about her that washed over all in her presence.”
“Were you in love with her?”
Kaze sighed. “I couldn’t be in love with her. She was the wife of my Lord.”
“But Saburo …”
“Momoko, I’m not Saburo. My name now is Matsuyama Kaze. I was once a samurai in the service of my Lord, and now I am a ronin, a wave man, a wandering samurai.”
“Matsuyama Kaze …” Comprehension washed across Momoko’s face. “Are you the man who tried to assassinate the Shogun?” she blurted out.
“No.”
She looked a little relieved.
“I am, however, the man the authorities want for trying to assassinate the Shogun.”
“But-”
“The authorities think I tried to kill Ieyasu, and ended up killing Lord Nakamura in the assassination attempt. I actually didn’t do either.”
“But if they’re looking for you, why are you still in Edo? Saburo, ah, Kaze, you must leave here for somewhere safe!”
“Where in the entire realm is it safe for a man suspected of trying to kill the Shogun? More important, I have business in Edo.”
“No business is worth your life!”
“To me it is.”
“Please leave Edo right away! I’ll, ah, I’ll go with you. Just to keep you company. The authorities won’t suspect a man and, ah, his young wife.”
Kaze smiled. He was going to remark on the transparency of youth, but Momoko’s drawn face, so filled with fear of the authorities for Kaze’s sake, plus her boldness in declaring, albeit indirectly, her love for him, made him soften his statement.
“It would probably be good for me to leave Edo for a short while, but not for the reasons you want. This city is interesting, but I can’t think here. I want to go to a place where a bird’s song doesn’t mean an attack, a place where I can breathe clean air and find trees that are free to all, instead of locked up behind the walls of a great lord’s Edo villa. I have to consider what to do next, and I can’t do it in this city.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“No, you’ll stay here. I’ll be back shortly, because I have to finish my business here in Edo. It’s a sacred pledge, and I must complete it. But before I can do that, I must think, and that requires me to be alone for a while. Besides, Goro and Hanzo need you. They’re hopeless businessmen, and this theater will fail if they try to run it by themselves. They have good hearts, but weak minds. You have a good heart and a good mind, and you love this Kabuki. You’ll help mold and invent it, and I’m sure you’ll be a great success. It is your karma to be here, not wandering the roads with me.”
“But-”
Kaze was already on his feet.
Momoko grabbed the statue of the Kannon. “At least let me keep this, as a remembrance of you.”