Ichiro rubbed his hands together vigorously upon departing the tea room and stepping into the lush garden that was graced by dome-like maples and a cherry tree with numerous green buds. The chilly evening air numbed his face as he began walking along the narrow cobbled path that lead to the front gates of Shinrokurō's family home.

He felt disheartened, knowing how unlikely it was for him to ever achieve the same level of wealth. It was well-known that Shinrokurō's father had made a fortune off moneylending and selling arquebuses to samurai, then used his vast earnings to build a large house and prod other merchant families into offering their daughters as concubines, so that he could have several children and thus secure his legacy.

Ichiro doubted that such a future could ever be his, since women tended to shy away from him when he had nothing material to offer - an occurrence that never ceased to fill him with worry and frustration. It wasn't as if he was exceptionally ugly or dirty; his face and body were free of deformities, and his sense of hygiene was no worse than any other man. He hardly stood out in social status either, for people of the merchant class were the majority here in Sakai.

He remembered Shinrokurō's claim that his face was a difficult one to forget, and wondered what such words implied. On the surface, they seemed like an insult, but one could never tell with his friend's jestful nature. Perhaps, the only way to learn the truth was to travel outside of this town and interact with strangers. They would likely be impartial and as a result, make unclouded observations about the sort of person he was.

As for how he'd convince his parents to allow him to leave, an opportunity lay in the current absence of tea exports from China. There was now little choice but to head inland for potential wares, and with the right words, he could remind his father that such a challenge was better undertaken sooner instead of later.

He reached the main gates and pushed against them before entering a narrow but well-lit street, thus beginning his journey home.

******

As usual, the color of her hair was something Kumiko had neglected to consider while passing through the portal that separated Lord Tengu's realm from the mortal world. 

She'd been making her way down the winding mountain path when she had come face to face with a Buddhist monk, who'd frozen in bewilderment at the sight of her, then upon regaining composure, shut his eyes and began muttering some unintelligible chant.

After leaving the monk alone to overcome his spiritual panic, she'd spent some time inspecting her reddish-brown strands. It seemed that each time she assumed human form, her hair would stubbornly retain the shade of fox fur. Much willpower was required to turn it a more natural black and doing so always gave her a temporary headache.

A few moments of intense concentration later, Kumiko pressed a palm against her forehead and waited for the pain to pass. When it did, she resumed walking, looking forward to the time when an eager and willing man would come her way. She hoped at the very least that he would smell decent and have a tolerable appearance, despite reason telling her that such qualities were too much to ask for.

She sighed, feeling guilty for having such high expectations when the bulk of this nation's people were starving farmers and fishermen who seldom had the time or means to keep themselves clean. It seemed that she'd be hard-pressed to find anyone more adequate, besides a strapping samurai or nobleman with fine tastes, both of whom were, for the most part, unattainable to a girl with no apparent wealth or pedigree.

What a lamentable situation. I daresay that I shall have to rely on my imagination, she thought glumly, knowing that it would be the only option when some lucky bumpkin was bent over her spread-eagled body and having the hour of his life.

The notion stirred up mild nausea and she had to stop once more to catch her breath.

******

Historical Note:

The arquebus was a type of gun first developed in Europe and the Ottoman Empire during the 15th century. Portuguese traders introduced them to Japan in 1543, and they were commonly used during the late Sengoku period and the invasions of Korea.