Scarlet Letter Anthology

Kabuki - @CrysTravel2019

Pride and Passion Winner

Kabuki by CrysTravel2019

Yoshiwara is one of the most famous red districts in Japan. It was a place of forbidden pleasure; prostitutes and performers thrived. Many people in Japanese society, especially wives, see them as cursed trash. Those who held power also regarded workers in the red district as the lowest of the low.

Hypocrisy always wins. Those who hold power goes toward the very people they have deemed as trash and unworthy; the desire and pleasure overcome their supposed morality. One of the most well-known customers to go to the red district is Yoshitiro Shimadzu. Yoshitiro is from the famous and respected samurai clan Shimadzu. The clan has existed since the Kamakura period (1185-1333) and still exists, stronger and more influential than ever. 

Yoshitiro, thirty-two years old, stood at 5'6 and was considered very tall since many men would stand at 5'2. He had the usual chonmage hairstyle; his hair was pitch black; his eyes were dark and held intimidation and sternness. His lips were thin; his skin was warm beige with scars throughout his body from the many battles he did by orders of his Lords. Yoshitiro also had a slightly muscular body from his training and fights; many women desired him. 

Many men desired him in secret; men could have lovers and mistresses, even if they were married. However, those relationships were kept a secret to maintain their reputation intact.

Yoshitiro was not ashamed of his preferences and never hid who he was or what he liked. That was one of the reasons why he refused to marry. He knew that he would never be faithful if he were ever married to a woman. Yoshitiro wasn't heir to his clan; his clan head had many heirs to spare, which gave Yoshitiro the freedom to do what he wanted. However, the Samurai was wealthy from his heroic deeds and didn't stop anyone from going after him. The middle-aged Samurai would ignore the desperate suitors.

He went to the red district to see a particular performer, a Kabuki actor named Renjiro, who was twenty-two years old.

Renjiro's father sold him to the red district. Many male kabuki actors trained Renjiro, and the young man had a skill and talent for acting since the age of fifteen. Yoshitiro heard the stories of Renjiro's beauty and skill; one day, the Samurai went to see if what the rumors say were true. When Yoshitiro saw Renjiro act, he was in awe; Renjiro displayed so much emotion in his facial and body movements. The white makeup covering his face and the red lipstick gave Renjiro a feminine look; many onlookers confused him as a woman when they looked at him. It was humorous to Yoshitiro since Kabuki began with a woman, but men ran the profession as time passed.

Yoshitiro remembered the five months he went to see Renjiro's performances. The Samurai remembered how much Renjiro displayed emotions to the characters he played and how he moved his arms, hands, and legs. In the fifth month, Yoshitiro asked Renjiro's manager to have more private performances; Yoshitiro would make payments. The manager agreed without hesitation. When a performance was done, Yoshitiro would be taken to Renjiro's quarters, and the handsome young actor would act, sing, or read poetry. 

However, things changed three days ago; Renjiro told Yoshitiro something he never thought he would hear. "I love you." This surprised the stern Samurai that he stopped visiting for a week to process what Renjiro told him. Renjiro loved him in such a short period of time. Did Yoshitiro love Renjiro back? Yoshitiro was in the red district and going toward Renjiro's workplace. It was night, and the Samurai knew that the performance had ended. Renjiro's manager was happy and relieved to see him; he led Yoshitiro to Renjiro's quarters. There the Samurai sat and waited with his arms crossed.