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after collecting her thoughts at the cherry blossom garden she walked slowly back to the Okiya where she would be of more use and help clean and polish the floors and tables.

her geta (wooden sandals) clanked on the hard stone streets of the hanamachi. She didn't look up from the ground considering she was think that she would never become a true geisha considering her lack of a Danna but she would wait until he came for her and not rush her life but it felt strange to be surrounded by so many geisha that found someone.

She'd finally reach the okiya and slid open the doors stood in the welcoming area then turned and shut the doors again before putting on her slippers and going to get water from the well and began work on cleaning the okiya floors.

trying to forget her feelings and hummed a soft lullaby the priest used to sing her when she was down.

Hara looked at him.....and thought a moment then looking at their hands she gave a soft smile then said "If what you are telling me is ture and I believe that it is, I will still take you as my dana".

Tora sat alone in the okiya's office thinking over a lot of things. She folded her hands elegantly in her lap, waiting for Hara and Shagatsu to slide the door open at any moment. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her heartbeat. Tora slowly let out a breath of air and drew it in again. She repeated this until she was totaly relaxed and aware of only her body. She felt like she was floating on air as she went further into thought.

Tohru sighed and hugged her knees. "I just don't know, Anata-chan. Omny-chan was kind of strange...You see, when I first came here and became a maid and after I first became a maiko, she seemed almost cold. I was a little intimidated at first, but then she started to become kinder to me. I supported Onee-sama as best as I could during the hardship between Omny-chan, Onee-sama, and Shagatsu-san... Omny-chan always said kind things to me before she left..."

She sighed deeply and leaned her head against her raised knees. "Perhaps I am confused, Anata-chan... I do not know... Perhaps everyone has seen a different side of Omny-chan..."

(((OOC: I'm sorry for not posting so often lately! Most of Sakura's songs are from anime's I've seen just to let you know.)))

Sakura finished her chores at the kitchen, she was wondering what to do next, since even though she had been in the okiya so little time she expected to see other maids or even hear them.

She was feeling kind of lonely, so she went out to the garden and without even noticing it she started to sing.

Awaku saita hana no kao
Nokoshi kisetsu wa sugimasu
Ame mo agari sora ni kumo
Aoi kaze ga soyoideru

Kyou ashita to futari ga
Aruku toki no katawara de
Kawarazu ni yureteiru
Omoide ga arimasu

Eien wo eien wo
Saitemo karenai
Kono mune no tokimeki wa tsukinai
Dare yori mo dare yori mo
Anata wo mitsumete
Hateshinaku kono kimochi zutto

She wrote that song not so long ago, one afternoon under the cherry Blossom trees, she wrote after she..

"Maybe I have -she thought- being in love! I remember him..."

Sakura started to cry not knowing why, she fell to her knees sobbing, feeling confused, depressed, ashamed and restless.

[29]

Complete lyrics and translation can be found here

Tohru's eyes softnned looking at Anata. "Thank you Anata-chan," Tohru said warmly hugging her sister. "Thank you very much. I almost wish I were already a geisha so you could be my little sister," Tohru whispered resting her head on top of Anata's. She was amazed at how kind her 14 year old sister was and felt honored to have her near.

'I was never really allowed to have many friends growing up...I knew Haruki growing up, but we were never allowed to become too close. I'm glad I ran away to the okiya...I finally have friends...' Tohru thought happily.

"You will always be my sister, Tohru-chan! When you become a geisha, you will be older sister too then when I become a geisha we will be equal sisters again!" She giggled and hugged her tighter. "Let's go see Onee-sama and see how she is doing." Ana suggested, "She might need us."