"No," Hiei said simply, walking beside her, and doing his best not to move too far ahead. There would be many hills left to climb, and she didn't seem to be holding up to well. "It felt like a sturdy enough box," he said, shifting the massive order of flowers they had put into a wide basket pack.

"We might want to invest in a rikshaw," he added, as a puller rolled on by. The light wooden wheels clacking against the brick road. "Could even put a little canopy over it to shield the flowers from the sun," he went on thinking. "Keep them from wilting so soon," was a little lighter than her cart, he imagined. The thing was small and sturdy, but it would have been hard to pull up these hills. More trouble than the pack, at least.

A daydream lived out in his head. Hustling up the side of the road behind the wooden bar of the pull cart. Stopping by the house to pick up another order. Hanae neath the shade of her mandarin tree. The silvery blooms sparkling across the sea of green leaves and budding growths of citrus that waved gently just above her. As if to bid him welcome. He blinked. Huffed as they made their way up another rise.

"You know, I can carry the box, if you want," he added. "If you feel nervous about it," he smiled, a small thing, as his eyes looked off into the distance. "You seem to have a lot on your mind, anyhow," he nod. "Makes sense, first big order, potential new client," his tone fell back to his colder calculated manner. "First impressions matter," who exactly that was for, even he would be hard pressed to answer.
 
Hanae nodded along to Hiei’s words. A rickshaw would be a smart idea, especially if she was going to keep getting these large orders. A good investment. But was now too early to count her chickens before they hatched? She had small savings, or else she wouldn’t have considered the loan from Hiei in the first place.

“I’ll have to pay you first before I can consider such a thing.” Hanae said, no bitterness in her voice. It was just fact and good money management. Although she supposed good money management would entail not taking a loan from Hiei in the first place.

“I’ll carry the box,” She cast him a playful look. “You just want to know what’s inside.” And thus they continued on.


If Hanae had felt nervous before, she most definitely felt nervous now. She looked up at the grand gate of the Morikami household with a moment of anxious awe. There was a grandness to it that one didn’t see elsewhere. A subtle harmony between the ornate intricacies and genuine simplicity was wound into every aspect of this gate.

Slowly, Hanae pulled out the wood block of the Morikami seal, looking down at it and then glancing at Hiei, before she went over to the gate-keeper who was regarding the two of them with cold eyes.

“Excuse me,” Hanae said, holding out the seal, “but I have a floral delivery for the Morikami household.” The gatekeeper snatched the seal from Hanae, carefully inspecting it.

“Names?”

“Hanae and Hiei, from Pocketful of Petals.” The gatekeeper scrutinized Hanae’s face, as if they stared hard enough then they could decipher the truth. Perhaps they were doing so, but Hanae almost felt slight irritation. She wasn’t even lying! The gatekeeper looked back down at the seal, and wiped it clean from whatever sort of commoner-grease could be on it.

“You may enter in a moment.” The gatekeeper gestured to a male teenager to come towards them. “Inform the Mistress, if she’s busy with her swordplay don’t bother her like last time. Just go straight to Master Ginrou.” The teenager nodded his head and then hurried off into the estate.

“Don’t gaggle around.” The gatekeeper snapped. “If Lady Morkami catches sight of you, then I promise!” She jabbed a finger at Hanae. “You’ll never show your face here again.”
 
Ginrou had been left more or less to his own devices for the rest of the afternoon. Despite the general bustle of the1779605568870.webp household, no one seemed to need him. So he had washed off the grime of the morning, and eaten, and was now sitting in the shade of his room, the door open. A book was spread out on the low table in front of him, though he was getting through it slowly.

Footsteps outside broke Gin's attention. He looked up to see Jia Xin, one of the younger attendants, approaching him. The teenage beastkin stopped at the threshold of the entryway, head bowed respectfully. "Master Ginrou," he said. "There's someone at the gate for you."

"Did you get their names?"

"Erm, umm, no, I'm sorry..." The young man froze, eyes darting to and fro as he tried to pull up some kind of useful information. "They were carrying a lot of flowers?"

A soft smile painted Ginrou's face at the news. So the flower sellers had made it before sunset. At least something was going right, today. Setting his book down, Ginrou rose to his feet. Ducking through the doorway, he stopped on the pathway next to Jia Xin.

"You want to become a scribe, right?" Gently, he placed a hand atop the younger man's head. Jia Xin flinched, and his ears flattened, but he was trained well enough to keep his posture straight. "Next time, remember to note their names and purpose. If the gatekeeper forgets to ask, don't be afraid to ask yourself."

Cat eyes widened, and Jia Xin nodded hurriedly. "Yes thank you, Master Ginrou." The kid seemed to realize that he'd gotten off easy, in the younger brother's presence.

Gin lifted his hand and went down the garden path, towards the main gate.


At the gate, Gin saw the two flowersellers, and that over-zealous guardswoman keeping them from passing through. He was surprised to see that they didn't have a cart or any extra hands between them. Their whole operation really did just seem to be the two of them. Perhaps Gin should have gone to one of the more established flower shops for such a large order. But, no, those peonies had been something extraordinary - and here the two florists were, a dozen bouquets in hand.

"Hello, Hanae and Hiei, wasn't it?" Ginrou greeted the two of them. "I hope you haven't been waiting long."

The next step would have been to wave them through the gate and welcome them in. But, well. The gatekeeper was still standing there, in everyone's way. Menacingly. Gin tilted his head and looked at her expectantly. She cleared her throat.

"Master Ginrou, I can get someone to take the flowers, there's no need for them to enter."

The smile on Ginrou's face widened, his eyes squinting up pleasantly. "Thank you, Suyuna. But I've got it from here. Please step aside so I can show my guests in."

The gatekeeper scowled, but kept her mouth shut. She stamped her spear on the ground once, and stepped backwards with a salute.
 
Hanae felt relief when Ginrou appeared. The gatekeeper was scarier than Hiei, somehow her scowl was far worse than his. She had stood nervously beside her business partner, unable to speak in fear that she would be shushed like a naughty child.

Hanae bowed her head at Ginrou’s arrival, and when they walked through the gate, Hanae saw the gatekeeper make the gesture that clearly said she’d be watching the two of them. A chill went down Hanae’s spine.

“We weren’t waiting long at all,” Hanae said, feeling the icy glare of the gatekeeper fresh on the back of her head. “And we won’t take up more of your time than is necessary!” She added quickly. “We can leave the flowers with you and leave right away, I wouldn’t want to burden the Lady of the house.”

Hanae looked back at Hiei, searching eyes.

She wasn’t good at small-talk. But… wasn’t Hiei worse at small-talk than she was? He’d be of no help to her.

“I also, well, I think you dropped something on your shopping trip. I have it. And. Something extra?”
 
Hanae's eyes looked to him, he bowed his head and opened his mouth to speak,

"Most-"

I also, well, I think...

Hiei was struck. But, had the grace to hold his bow, and go on in silence. Words shared earlier, reminders of his position, played through his mind. Loan broker. Without rights. Not a true business partner.

The full weight of the bouquets strained against his shoulders. His back wet with sweat where the burden had rested. Still, he bowed on. His muscles no strangers to the strain of performance.

He was no guest here. But a servant, to a guest.
 
The flower seller seemed startled by something. She rambled on about leaving the bouquets quickly and not being a burden. Ginrou listened politely as he took them down the garden path, even though he was confused by her comment.

"Hm, did the gatekeeper tell you that?" That was odd. It was Suyuna's job to bark at outsiders, but she hadn't seemed all that bothered when he'd told her earlier in the day that the two merchants were coming. "Lady Morikami enjoys the arts. I don't think my mother would turn such a talented florist as yourself away."

Come to think of it, back at the flower stand, his sister had given them the same dirty look as the gatekeeper had...

No, just the man. Ginrou stopped in front of an open pavilion room. He turned to look at Hiei and Hanae, and especially at Hiei. It was hard to see his face, he had the same bow to his head as before. But he didn't look suspicious, only tired. And like he needed something to drink. Seems the man did a lot more for the florist than just the math. So what was Gin missing?

The thought didn't have time to percolate in his mind, as the little flower seller kept talking. Ginrou heard what she'd said, about him dropping something. But he only smiled at her, genteel and a bit dumb.

"Please, before we get to business," he started. Slipping out of his cloth shoes, he stepped into the room, expecting the two of them to do the same. "You can set your things down in here and rest for a moment. It's a long walk from the Blue District, isn't it?"

The room was meant for visiting emissaries from other lands. It had a raised table in the center with long, leggy chairs tucked in around it. There was a flowery sofa and matching chairs in one corner, and a stocky writing desk of Allirian make in the other. This particular branch of the guest houses didn't see much use, so it was a good place to go when he didn't want to be bothered.
 
Hanae nodded her head, shoulders tense.

“Thank you.”

Was this the proper way of doing business? She made sure to remove her shoes, stepping into the room after Ginrou, glancing back at Hiei to make sure he was going to follow.

Hanae was quite intrigued by the table and went there first, after a moment of looking around the room, to set down the flowers in her arms, as well as the black box. She stepped aside, arranging her flowers so Hiei had plenty of room for his.

“Set them down so the petals don’t bunch up, like this,” Hanae explained softly, showing Hiei at least twice before her dark eyes went to Ginrou.

“It is a long walk,” Hanae agreed but shrugged with a smile on her face. Now with all the flowers out on the table, Ginrou would most likely see the half-dozen yellow peonies, but she made to gesture to it yet. “I’ve never had the longest legs but I’ve always walked pretty fast. Hiei was able to keep up just fine, though!” A slight jest. Hanae had huffed and puffed more than Hiei had most likely, but she was also the one who had decided on the pace.

She looked past Ginrou at the desk. How intriguing, the inside of this home. The furniture was unlike anything her family would have used. Then again, they had all been rather staunch traditionalists. Even with the idea of magic, rejecting the “new” magic that was bragged about in Altalusia. The old ways were best.

Hanae’s hands fiddled with the skirts of her dress.
 
Hiei bowed in gratitude to the man's generosity. Ginrou, he remembered. Youngest son of the Morikami estate. He was just a child then, wasn't he? Same age as the young attendant who had brought them here, most like.

"I'll wait outside, thank you," he said, in a hushed tone. The sort men of his position knew how to send. Just loud enough for the right person to hear. Face angled so only so much of the sound carried so far in such an open room.

A polite refusal to a polite offer. Street level politics.

He did take his shoes off though, even followed them in to set the precious cargo down by the desk. Gently, with care. They had worked so hard putting them together. No sense in letting it go to waste now do to a bit of carelessness. A bit of distraction.

The sale would lead to more business. More business would lead to him getting his coins back all the faster.

He caught Ginrou's eye as Hanae ventured around. "Excuse me, Master Morikami," he said with graceful bow, and stepped back out to the porch. Back to the cool breeze, and the shade of the awning. His long steps hardly made a sound, bare feet gently slapping against the polished wood of the floor.

Outside, he sat at the edge of the raised wooden porch. Allowed himself a small act of rebellion and impropriety by hugging his knees up against his chest and keeping his feet flat against the floor. His chin rested against his knees as he sulked some.

This was the same little guest house he and Hinoka had performed in. He remembered the desk. The odd furniture. How she had sat at the floor while the matron and her guests gathered around him, hungry eyed and smiling as Hinoka strummed her haunting melody. Her voice carried so well in such intimate spaces.

He shook his head, and buried his eyes against his legs. Now wasn't the time for that.
 
Ginrou watched with shaded eyes as the man excused himself. It wasn't improper, in fact just the opposite. But he couldn't shake that suspicion that his sister had infected him with.

No, it was probably nothing. His attention turned back to the flower seller, who was wandering around the room. A soft laugh escaped him at her joke, and moreso at the intrigue in her dark eyes. "Sorry for the odd decor," he apologized. "The other rooms of the house are all occupied, right now. The chairs aren't so bad, once you get used to them, though."

In a sweeping gesture, he grabbed a chair and dragged it out from under the table. It made a funny scraping noise across the floor. "In Altalusia, the men pull a chair out for the women, like this." Then, one hand still on the back of the chair, he turned to Hanae. The other hand folded across his midsection, Gin gave a deep bow to her. "Have a seat, my lady."
 
Hanae looked back at Hiei, at first confused then worried. When they had arrived to the gate, he had grown increasingly more solemn. While she understood Hiei was far more quiet than she was, and she could be comfortable in his silence, it was unusual that he had spoken so little, wasn’t it?

Had she said something wrong? Maybe with her earlier chitchat? Or maybe he realized that she was going to give the yellow peonies for free? That must be it. He was upset with her and probably wanted her to charge for those as well. But she was already making so much money today! And a free gift could be a good way to get the Morikami’s coming back to them instead of—

“Oh?” Hanae looked at Ginrou, tilting her head like a bird. She felt her cheeks grow warm as she came around the table, resisting the urge to touch the wood, and with a sheepish smile sat down on the wooden chair. Her feet could touch the floor, but her legs felt so strange with how they seemed to naturally spread apart. How immodest! Quickly, she slammed her thighs tightly together, crossing her ankles as well to hide the fact that her attire, in this position, would show off her ankles like she was a courtesan.

“Thank you? This is new to me.” Hanae decided to say, if only because she wasn’t sure if she should say anything in particular to this unusual gesture. Then looked up at Ginrou. “Have you been to Altalusia?”


1779605984139.webp

Outside the Morikami home the sounds of dogs could be heard. Yips and yaps that were broken up by a huff of exertion and the sound of something heavy being dropped onto the floor. One of the dogs barked excitedly to only be shushed in loud exasperation.

“You can get your treats if you keep that hag of a gatekeeper off my ass.” The voice belonged to a man. The dogs continued to bark, even after his bribe for they were dogs and he was a man.

Not even a few seconds later and the man would hoist himself up and over the high wall with ease, not even slipping off from the smooth tiles that decorated the top of the wall. With a grunt, he would land onto the other side, finally inside the Morikami grounds. He looked around, cursing under his breath as his dogs kept barking.

It was only then that he even noticed Hiei crumpling himself up into a miserable state. The man’s eyes narrowed, a hand quickly going to the hilt of the sword on his hip. Dressed fiercely in a black robe with vivid swirls of orange and yellow patterned throughout, his bare chest would have shown from the loosely tied robe but was covered by a series of bandages.

“You!” He shouted to Hiei, not realizing others were close by. “Another suitor for my lifelong rival, aren’t you?!” As if Hiei couldn’t realize that the brown haired man was addressing him, Ryosuke pointed a tanned finger at him. “If you want to see Matsuri, you’ll have to go through me first!”
 
Hiei's eyes came up at he sound of a bark. Found a doggish man stand before him, broad chested and wrapped in a fighter's fashion. Hiei glared at him, cold and disdainful.

"Don't think so highly of yourself, dog," he hissed, his hands balled into fists at his side.

Hiei was in no mood to deal with some up jumped fool's antics.

It did not help that the strange light of twilight made it difficult to discern the finery of his robes. Or the noble colors they bore. "Skulking around the shadows. Like some criminal," he smirked at that. If the man wanted to throw down, Hiei was more than keen to it. "Who the hell do you think you are?" he growled through a weird grin.
 
Actually, what had he been thinking? A blush creeped up Ginrou's neck as the consequences of his actions played out. Hanae had to pass very close in front of him to get into the chair. And then she smiled so sweetly as she looked away. Of course, Ginrou was a gentleman, so he wouldn't peer down as the flower seller sat and shifted her weight around. Even if it would be easy to do so from his vantage point...

Much less smoothly than before, Gin left her side and went to the other end of the table. Didn't sit down himself, since that was suddenly feeling like an improper thing to do. He was grateful for the question when it came.

"I've never been outside of Sonshan," Gin admitted. He'd actually only recently started venturing outside of the Gold District to other places around the city. He smiled, awkward, feeling like he'd been caught in a lie. "I read that bit in a book..."

Someone shouting right outside had the smile fall off Gin's face. It was replaced by a quizzical look. Not exactly alarmed, more annoyed than anything. "Sorry, I should go attend to that."

Gin headed to the open doorway and peered out to see what the commotion was about, though he already had a good guess. Lo and behold, he found that wild dog of a man standing in the garden, pointing some kind of accusation at the flower seller's assistant. With a cold glare, Gin noticed that Ryo had trampled some of the crocuses blooming at the edge of the path with all his stomping around.

"Ryosuke," Gin said from the doorway. He crossed his arms, unimpressed at the half-dressed man's display. "If my sister wanted to see you, she would go find you. So why are you jumping our wall in the middle of the evening?"

Gin didn't say it very loud. He wasn't one to shout. It was possible that Ryo wouldn't hear him at all, in the worked up state that the man was in.
 
Hanae smiled at Ginrou, listening intently until… oh goodness, what was with all that yelling? Hanae made to get up, then stopped, nodded her head diligently at Ginrou and then waited. For around ten seconds. Curiosity got the best of her and she stood up from her seat, peering off to the side of Ginrou.

She could see an improperly dressed man, pointing a finger— oh no, was that Hiei’s voice? What in the Moons was going on?

“Dog?!” Ryosuke shouted, beginning to stomp over the flowers to get to Hiei, but paused once he saw Ginrou appear. He looked from Ginrou to the sulky miserable man in blue with a crazy grin and then back at Ginrou. He pointed his finger at Ginrou.

“Negative! Matsuri looks forward to our training sessions and tonight,” Ryosuke finally brought his finger down, making a fist and slamming his chest hard. “And tonight? I’m gonna win!” Looking as smug as one could be, with his dogs yapping loudly in the background, as if they were the sole reason why Ryo had to yell and shout as much as he did, the man proceeded to step towards Hiei.

“After I get a warm up in with this asshole that is trying to take Matsuri away from me! Not until I beat her can some skinny man try and marry her!” His hand lashed out, aiming to grab Hiei’s robe and pull him close.
 
Hiei shot up bolt straight, hands clenched at his sides. One hand whipped out, and a finger pointed out accusingly at the loud man. "What?!" Hiei shouted.

The dogs barked, and reminded him of the insult he spat earlier. He growled, let his hand come back down, and shut his eyes as his brow twitched and his lips curled.

"What kind of stupid nonsense are you going on about," he hissed. "I am hear, delivering flowers, you imbecile" his voice cut. He huffed, his hands still clenched and ready. He took in a long breath, and let it out easy. Hands relaxed. His eyes fixed on the doggish man.

He let the man grab his robe. Chests bumped as neither gave ground.

The cold glint in his eyes, the smirk on his lips and the punk-proud crane of his neck said all he wouldn't. Bring it on, dickbag.
 
Ginrou flinched when the reckless man pointed a finger at him. In the past, he had been a target of both Matsuri's and Ryo's "warm ups". Their combined barrage had made him resilient in some ways, but in most other ways it had just made Gin a bit sheepish. Part of him was happy not to be on the receiving end this time.

He ought to call for someone and put an end to this nonsense. But.... come to think of it, this was the most Hiei had spoken since stepping through the gate. Ryosuke had a way of prying information out of people. Maybe he could learn something more about the flower seller's assistant, if this brutish display was allowed to go on a moment longer.

Keeping quiet for now, Gin only squished himself further against one side of the entryway so that the little flower seller would not have to lean around him to see as she came forward.
 
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