It was a little less than a week later when Doctor Nishizaki returned. Unfortunately, Ranka had another guest booked for that night, and was forced to ask him to return the next day, but he’d seemed cheerful enough either way, saying he was confident in his treatment plan. 

The morning and early afternoon of the next day dragged on, both Ranka and Ichi that mix of nervous and excited about what was coming that ensured time would move its slowest. Being called up to the front desk by one of the shinzou girls had seen the pair nearly run, only to find Tousui there instead. As much as she normally liked seeing him, Ranka couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed he wasn’t Doctor Nishizaki.

“Did I do something to upset you?” Tousui asked, Ranka’s disappointment having apparently been more visible than she’d hoped.

“We were just expecting someone else,” Ichi said, her words straightforward.

“Ah, so I’ve not fallen out of favour?” the tall samurai asked, relief in his voice.

“No, of course not, my dear Tousui,” Ranka said, holding a more diplomatic tone than Ichi had. “It is always a delight to see you.”

Tousui answered with a large smile. “Excellent! Oh, and, while I’m here, could we discuss a private matter briefly?”

The accountant woman at the desk seemed a bit annoyed, but gave a sharp service smile. “As long as you stay less than an hour.”

Tousui gave the woman a deep bow and thanks before following Ranka back to her apartment. Once the door was closed he let out a sigh.

“I’ve been asking more friends about funds, but... I was only able to get a few strings of mon. I think I may have reached the end of what I can gather for the time being,” he explained, his voice soft and his eyes distant. “It’s not even half of what you need.”

“Saki and Fuji have been able to pull together some funds as well. Fuji’s been managing to save for a while. With what you’ve brought... that should be nearly enough for my freedom,” Ranka replied. “If I keep busy the next month and a half or so... I might be able to buy my freedom in time.”

“In time? What happens in a month and a half?” Tousui asked, before his eyes went wide. “She’s not pregnant, is she?”

“Par-pardon?” Ranka muttered, thrown for more than a little bit of a loop.

“Your love... are you able to father a child?” Tousui asked.

“She’s not pregnant that I know of, and it wouldn’t be mine if she was...” Ranka replied. “As for my fathering children... I hope so? I’ve not tried yet, so I don’t know.”

Tousui nodded, looking a little lost in thought. “You know, now I have to wonder what would happen if you became pregnant and then tried to change.”

“I try not to think about it,” Ranka replied. She’d had various nightmares on the subject over her life, and rather hoped not to think about any of those again.

Tousui gave a slow nod. “My apologies for bringing it up.”

Ranka was about to reassure him when there was a knock at the door. Opening it revealed a shinzou girl who beckoned Ranka to follow her to the front lobby. This time it was indeed Doctor Nishizaki, carrying an intimidatingly large bag with him. It was almost comedic, considering what a small man he was. After a few pleasantries and payment the doctor was allowed to pass.

Returning to the apartment, Ranka was a bit surprised to find Tousui had left.

“Mister Yama didn’t want to run into whoever we were expecting,” Ichi said, having read the confusion on Ranka’s face.

Ranka nodded. “I suppose he assumed it was another client coming... well, Doctor, is there anything you needed me to get?”

“I should have almost everything I need with me. Will this room serve as the operating site?” Nishizaki replied.

“Operating site? You’re ready to do the treatment today?” Ranka asked.

“Mhm, yes. At least the surgery portion,” the doctor explained. “It’s a fairly common surgery in China, after all, though usually done on older men entering bureaucratic positions. I had wanted to check for information on the effects if performed on a younger patient though, to ensure it was safe. Consulting some of my western texts confirmed something that I’d thought I’d heard: that Europeans perform the procedure on young choir boys to preserve their youthful voices. The listed effects were mostly things we’d consider a positive here.”

Ranka blinked. “For their singing voices?”

“Yes. Apparently there’s many places that don’t allow female singers, so they use castrati singers instead. It does seem a bit extreme, but is a useful reference for our purposes,” Nishizaki replied. “Oh, and, young miss, from what I was reading it seems you’ll get to be quite tall as a result of this.”

“Why would I be tall? Women are shorter than men?” Ichi asked, sounding a little concerned.

“It’s not recorded as to why it happens, merely that those singers tend to grow quite tall. Many are also remarked for their beauty, though,” the doctor replied. “And... perhaps my close study of your condition will highlight a means to prevent the unusual height, if you wish.”

“Well, if I’ll still look like a woman... being tall has advantages,” Ichi said.

Having been thinking matters over as the other two discussed side effects, Ranka nodded to herself. “It would be best if we take things into the bedroom. The futon usually covers much of the floor, so we’ll move that out of the way... then get some linens, I suppose.”

The doctor agreed, Ranka and Ichi hurrying off to gather supplies and clear out the bedroom. Doctor Nishizaki then set about giving Ranka a quick examination, before moving on to Ichi. Once he’d given the young girl a thorough analysis and given her a clean bill of health, he unpacked his bags. He also asked Ranka to change, the extra strength of her masculine form seeming potentially better at holding Ichi in place for the surgery.

---

Ranmaru felt exhausted, both emotionally and physically. He could only imagine how Ichi was feeling, now that the young girl was asleep. Doctor Nishizaki was staying the night, wanting to keep an eye on his young patient. Ranmaru himself needed to get out of the apartment for a bit, heading to the courtyard for some fresh air. 

Walking past the lobby, he was surprised to see an exasperated Tousui and the front desk.

“You were told you could only stay an hour,” the woman at the desk told him flatly.

“I left and came back. Surely someone must have seen me leave?” Tousui protested, before turning to gesture at one of the guards. “You, at the door, you must have seen me! Besides, Lady Hanamoto doesn’t have a client tonight, so I wasn’t interrupting.”

“What’s going on?” Ranmaru asked, stepping forward. 

“Mister Akado is trying to sneak out after spending time with Lady Saki,” the woman replied.

“You’re aware of Mister Akado’s preferences, are you not?” Ranmaru asked.

“Yes, I am quite aware, but an Oiran’s charge is as much about providing company as anything more intimate, as you are, surely, aware,” the woman countered.

“I wasn’t here for more than a few minutes total, between both portions of my visit. Lady Hanamoto merely asked me to grab her some lotus senbei. I had to leave Yoshiwara to find her what she desired,” Tousui muttered. “I was only back again for a few minutes.”

Ranmaru found himself hovering for a moment. Tousui had promised to give him a trip out of Yoshiwara in the next few days, but, with Ichi in her current state, he wasn’t sure about leaving the girl for so long, even to see Asa. He was ready to offer up that compromise when a rumble of thunder rolled through the foyer.

“Is that a storm?” Tousui asked.

The guard by the door, who had been largely ignoring the conversation, slid the front door open to reveal that it had indeed started to rain, and seemed to be picking up. Tousui let out a tired sigh in response.

“Very well, I suppose I’ll be staying the night,” he muttered, as a second rumble of thunder followed. “Place the charge on my account.”

After a little more grumbling, Tousui headed off towards the stairwell, Ranmaru following him, since the plan to go out in the courtyard was now off the table. Arriving at the bottom of the stairs, Ranmaru and Tousui were both surprised to see Saki about halfway down the stairs.

“Oh, Tousui, you’re still here,” she said. “I’m sorry.”

“It was my own choice to assist you with the food you wanted,” Tousui replied.

“I still can’t believe you went through all the trouble of leaving Yoshiwara and returning,” Saki said, reaching the bottom of the stairs. 

“If I tell a friend I will do something for them, I make sure to do it,” Tousui replied with a slight shrug.

“Still, thank you,” Saki said, before turning to Ranmaru. “How is Ichi doing?”

“The doctor says she’s alright. She was sleeping when I decided to step out for fresh air. I’m heading back now though, since the rain makes the courtyard rather less appealing,” Ranmaru said. 

“What’s happened?” Tousui asked. panic in his voice.

Ranmaru felt a moment of indecision, before leading Tousui to his apartment to discuss the specifics in a more private location. Saki checked in on the sleeping girl as Ranmaru gave an explanation, Tousui nodding slowly during the explanation. 

“If I didn’t know you first... I’m not sure I’d have understood at all,” Tousui said, at last. “I suppose I still don’t totally follow, but I’m willing to accept there’s things I don’t understand. I will pray for her speedy recovery though.”

Ranmaru gave him a smile. “Thank you.”

It was then that Saki stepped out from the bedroom, eyes still glancing back as Ichi. “I wish I could stay the night to help look after her. That may not be the best in my condition though...”

“Condition? Have you fallen ill?” Tousui asked, eyes going wide again.

Ranmaru couldn’t help feeling a little bad for how much they were all making the poor samurai panic today.

“I’ve fallen pregnant. Whether you would call that an illness or not is up for some debate, I suppose,” Saki replied.

“Pregnant? I... is it safe for you to be going up and down those steep stai—is it safe for you to be working!?” Tousui asked, eyes somehow going wider with panic.

“I was able to get through the first time. I probably still have another couple months that I can work normally, and I’ll be able to assist in the kitchen after that,” Saki replied. “There’s a fee for the period where I can’t work, but... hmm... I suppose, when Ranmaru leaves, those will hurt more, but I can probably still pay them off.”

“Do you have any idea who the father is? Surely he should help with expenses?” Tousui said, his eyes filling with what seemed a wrathful energy, no doubt ready to hunt down whoever had left her in such a position.

“It’s probably one of three men, but... I have no way of proving which. Clients complain that we yujo are fickle, but few, if any, of them hold real loyalty to us if anything should go wrong,” Saki said. “I don’t really mind the money though. I can work it off. It’s the... giving away the... Hasu...”

Tears began to run down Saki’s and Ranmaru hurried over to hug her. To his surprise, after a moment of looking like a deer panicked by a torch, Tousui stepped forward and wrapped his arms around both of them.

“Oh!” Saki gasped.

Tousui backed off in an instant, waving his hands apologetically. “I’m sorry... I just-well, I didn’t have words and Ranmaru was hugging you and I didn’t know what to do and...”

“I was surprised, but not upset,” Saki said, as Ranmaru backed off a smidge, but kept a hand on her shoulder. “This career has left me quite used to physical contact. As well as being able to tell when there’s true feelings behind any. Thank you.”

“No... no worries, miss Saki. I... should we take you up to your apartment so you can rest?” Tousui asked, calmer, but not yet calm.

“I don’t need to sleep just yet, but I would like to return to my room, yes. Good night, Ranmaru,” Saki said.

“Good night, both of you,” Ranmaru replied.

---

Ranmaru had barely slept that night, wanting to be ready if the doctor needed any help. Nishizaki, for his part, seemed to have not slept at all. Ranmaru wasn’t sure if it was exceptional endurance that the doctor relied on to stay up a full night after all that, or some sort of a medicinal mixture, a reverse of whatever he’d given to Ichi to ensure she’d sleep the night. Luckily, the thunder hadn’t lasted, even if the rain had carried on much of the night, so Ichi’s own sleep had seemed quite peaceful.

The sun flooding into the bedroom, as the morning light parted the lingering clouds of the storm, brought a second wave of energy to Ranmaru, prompting him to stretch a bit. The warmth apparently also stirred Ichi from her slumber, the girl’s face scrunching a little before she opened her eyes.

“Hey there, Ichi. How are you feeling?” Ranmaru asked, as she blinked drowsily.

“Sore.”

“I’ll bet. You’re very brave though, with how you handled all that,” Ranmaru replied, stroking her hair a little.

“You seem to be healing well,” Nishizaki said. “I’ll be back in again in a few days to check on your progress. Hopefully early enough in the day and with a short enough visit for it not to require a full fee for the women at the front... you’re both fascinating case studies, but I can only afford an oiran’s fee so many times in a month.”

“I can cover for tonight’s fee,” Ranmaru said. “It’s the least I can do as thanks for your helping Ichi.”

“Are you not trying to save up to buy your freedom? That is the impression I got from some of your conversations,” the doctor replied.

“I am, but... I can cover one night’s fee. Especially as you didn’t really run up a tab with expensive food and drink,” Ranmaru said, with a smile. 

“Well, I thank you for your kindness,” Dr. Nishizaki replied. “You understand everything I said about her herbal treatment and dietary needs for the next few days, yes?”

Ranmaru nodded. “You explained it all very clearly.”

“I think I’ll take my leave for the day then. I’m rather tired, and could definitely go for my dear wife’s cooking right now,” the doctor said, standing up and stretching.

“Thanks again... even if it hurt,” Ichi said, pulling herself up into something resembling a seated position as she leaned against Ranmaru.

“I will learn a great deal from both of you, I’m glad the fates guided us together,” the doctor said, before heading out the door with a bow goodbye.